‘BULLETIN. 
OF THE . 
‘DEPARTMENT | 
OF 
SECONDARY.SCHOOL 
‘PRINCIPALS 
> OF THE 
NATIONAL EDUCATION 
“ASSOCIATION 


Issued Five Times a Year | 
January, March, April, May, and October 


APRIL, 1929 


BULLETIN NUMBER 26 


Seasndury: School Administration 
Abstracts : 


_ THE DEPARTMENT OF 
SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 
OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 


: H. V. CHURCH, Executive Secretary Vea 
“3129. Wenonah Anes RETO TLUNOIS i 





BULLETIN 
of the 
DEPARTMENT 


OF 
SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 
of the 
NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 
Issued Five Times a Year 
January, March, April, May, and October 





Officers of the Department of 
SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 
of the 
NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 
1929-1930 


OFFICERS 
President: 
Milo H. Stuart 
Principal of Arsenal Techni- 
cal High School 
Indianapolis, Indiana 


First Vice President: 
M. Channing Wagner 
Principal of High School 
Wilmington, Delaware 


Second Vice President: 
W. F. Warren 
Principal of High School 
Durham, North Carolina 


Executive Secretary: 


H. V. Church 
Superintendent of J. Sterling 
Morton Schools 
Cicero, Illinois 


EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 


J. Stevens Kadesch 


Head Master of High School 
Medford, Massachusetts 


John W. Harbeson. 


Principal of Junior College 
Pasadena, Ca —_— 


Arthur M. Seybold 


Principal of Thomas Jefferson 
Junior High School 
Cleveland, Ohio 


Officers of the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools 
NATIONAL COUNCIL 


President: 
Edward Rynearson 
Director of Vocational Guid- 
ance, The Administration 
Building, Bellefield Avenue at 
Forbes Street 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 
Walter F. Downey 
Headmaster of English High 
School 
Boston, Massachusetts 
L. W. Brooks 
Director of Secondary 
Education 
Wichita, Kansas 
Charles E. Keyes 
Principal of Oakland High 
School 
Oakland, California 
Arthur M. Seybold 
Principal of Thomas Jefferson 
Junior High School 
Cleveland, Ohio 


Secretary: 
H. V. Church 
Superintendent of J. Sterling 
Morton Schools 
Cicero, Illinois 


M. R. McDaniel 
Principal of Oak Park and River 
Forest Township High School 
Oak Park, Illinois 


Merle Prunty 
Principal of Central High School 
Tulsa, Oklahoma 


William E. Wing 
Principal of Deering High 
School 
Portland, Maine 


H. V. Kepner 
Principal of West High School 
Denver, Colorado 


























BULLETIN 


of the 
DEPARTMENT 
OF 
SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 
of the 
NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 


Issued Five Times a Year 


January, March, April, May, and October 





APRIL, 1929 





Bulletin Number 26 


SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION 
ABSTRACTS 


Published under the direction of the 
Department of Secondary-School Principals of the National 
Education Association with the co-operation 
of the Judd Club 


The Judd Club is a group of principals of the high schools 
of the suburbs of Chicago who meet once a month during the 
scholastic year for dinner and the evening with Charles H. Judd, 
Director of the School of Education of the University of Chicago. 
At the meetings administrative problems of the secondary school 
are discussed. 


Members of the Judd Club contributing to this issue: 
Editor-in-Chief, W. C. Reavis 
Under-editors 


H. V. Church R. L. Sandwick 
W. W. Haggard A. L. Spohn 
W. E. McVey J. W. Thalman 
A. A. Rae G. W. Willett 


R. C. Woellner 


All communications for secondary-school administration abstract 
service should be directed to H. V. Church, 3129 Wenonah Avenue, 
Berwyn, Illinois; J. Sterling Morton High School, Cicero, Illinois, 
Executive Secretary of the Department of Secondary-School Principals 
of the National Education Association. 

These abstracts are free to all members of the Department of 
Secondary-School Principals of the National Education Association. 











DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





ABSTRACTS 
BOOKS 


Jorpan, Riverpa Harpinc. E-ira-Classroom Activities in Ele- 
mentary and Secondary Schools. New York: Thomas Y. 
Crowell Co., 1928. Pp. 302. 


The purpose of this book is to emphasize the importance of 
unity in the extra-curriculum activity program from the elementary 
school through the senior high school. The author gives as his 
reason for this purpose that during the impressionable years in the 
elementary school and junior high school the seeds are planted for 
proper conduct in the senior high school period. Extra-curriculum 
activities are defined as: “Those voluntary tasks which are car- 
ried on by pupils in addition to the regular classroom requirements 
either after school hours or at a time within the program especially 
designed for such purposes and may be, in effect, semi-curriculum.” 


The values of such activities are moral, social, intellectual, 
civic, vocational, physical, and aesthetic. The motives actuating 
participation of pupils in extra-curriculum activities are the desire 
to escape from classroom routine, the “play motif,” the desire to do 
something spontaneously, the social urge, the desire for personal 
distinction, and altruism — the desire to do “something for the 
school.” The groupings of extra-curriculum activities are semi- 
curriculum as dramatics, publications, athletics, and musical organi- 
zations ; departmental, as French clubs or art clubs; civic welfare, 
as student councils and traffic squads; hobby, as camera and stamp 
clubs; society, as class organizations and banquets; and auxiliaries, 
as Boy Scouts and the Hi-Y Club. 


The direction and control should be guided by the basic values 
to be realized. Supervision may vary from merely casual oversight 
to a careful systematic piece of instructional work. In several 
chapters the author shows how various extra-curriculum activity 
programs for the twelve grades may be organized and supervised. 


In the primary grades entertainments and dramatics may as- 
sume the form of pageants growing out of classroom work and 
having a central theme. The junior high school, as a transitional 
period between the elementary and the senior high school, may 
present more elaborate programs, possibly one-act plays, before the 
assembly or the parent-teacher association. The desire of the senior 
high school pupil is to imitate the professional. The values of the 
school play are the building of better standards of theatrical ex- 
pression, understanding the real meaning of the drama as an inter- 
pretation of life, and improvement in poise, self-expression and 
voice. The school assembly is a powerful instrument in the hands 
of the wise principal. Assemblies should be carefully planned with 


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SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





such objectives in view as pupil participation and responsibility and 
avoidance of routine programs and procedures. The school itself 
through its dramatics and other activities may furnish a greater 
part of the programs. 


Whether in elementary or high school, some sort of publication 
is a stimulating force in a school. In the lower grades, the paper 
should be a simple sheet, probably issued bi-weekly. In the junior 
high, the newspaper should be a part of the English work. In the 
senior high school, it should be produced by the journalism classes 
in order to insure proper standards. While a frequently issued 
publication, such as the newspaper, is usually more effective than 
the annual, the annual, if wisely controlled, may serve as a good 
history of the school. The handbook has come to occupy a very 
important place, and if sponsored by the student body, will carry 
more weight with the pupils than if it issues from the faculty. 


The author takes the position that any plan of pupil government 
should be limited at first and gradually extended as the pupils are 
ready for wider responsibility. Bands and orchestras are quickeners 
of school spirit as well as advertising mediums of real value. Clubs 
and societies provide for the expression of the gregarious traits of 
children, encourage the development of special interests and worthy 
projects and supplement the classroom. Societies which have as 
their specific purpose the meeting of social needs are the class or- 
ganization, the home room, dancing clubs, and the like. The 
fraternity is still a problem in many of the large high schools. 


If one wants to know the soundness or weakness of a school, 
he should examine its athletics. The athletics of a school can 
never be right unless the controlling power is right. The controlling 
power is usually the principal. A successful system of athletics 
develops the physical body, courage, better health habits, ideals of 
fair play, unselfishness, honesty, self-control, and loyalty. Types 
of contests should be suited to the physical strength of the pupils 
who participate. 


As a final contribution, the author discusses the problem of 
extent of participation in extra-curriculum activities. A carefully 
planned program offers an opportunity for extending the field of 
guidance. Undue participation and non-participation alike should 
be met by the advisory system of the school, with the all-around 
development of the pupil in view. 


Mort, Paut. R. “The Individual Pupil in the Management of Class 
and School.” New York: American Book Co., 1928. Pp. 383. 


Individual needs arise from individual differences and social 
requirements. In attempting to care for individual differences social 
implications must not be neglected. “Each pupil should be trained 
to take the most effective part of which he is capable in the groups 
of which he is to be a member.” The ultimate goal of education is 


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DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





to secure for each individual the highest development for happy 
and successful living in our modern society. The discovery of 
individual needs should be attempted through analyses of the child 
from every standpoint. Data secured through intelligence, physical 
and achievement tests and measurements need to be interpreted and 
such interpreted materials need to be combined with social infor- 
mation to determine the grade placement of the individual child. 
The author uses case studies with extensive illustrative materials, as 
concrete examples of the methods of dealing with individuals. 
Placement in junior and senior high schools is treated as a problem 
distinct from earlier grade placement. Acceleration is recom- 
mended as desirable for many individuals. Three possible means 
of acceleration in secondary schools are presented: (1) a normal 
number of subjects with adjusted assignments in one or more sub- 
jects; (2) more than the normal number of subjects with the ordi- 
nary type of work in each; (3) the normal number of subjects, but 
with one or more of these subjects covered at such a rate that more 
than a normal unit of the ordinary work is given in a term. Non- 
promotion and demotion are often unrelated to real achievement. 
“The standard percentage of failure should be zero, and every 
teacher should feel called upon to explain, in terms of the failure 
of the school in placing the individual, the failure of a pupil to do 
his best, or in terms of his own instruction the cause of the failure 
of any pupil.” Chief among the problems which the classroom 
teacher meets are those of: (1) coaching pupils, (2) enriching the 
programs of bright pupils who are not given a special promotion, 
(3) caring for the make-up work demanded for pupils who receive 
special promotions, and (4) making up deficiencies in previous 
training. “It is rare, indeed, that a teacher can afford to assume 
that he can develop a plan, entirely out of his training and experi- 
ence, for handling a group of children without consideration of 
the individuals who are to be subjects of instruction.” Variation 
in assignments, in amounts of drill material required, in amounts 
of content material, and in supplementary projects are essential to 
efficient classroom procedure if individual progress is to be a 
measure of efficiency. The teachers of one large city listed eighty- 
five possible individual adjustments. In recent years, visiting 
teachers, vocational counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, deans 
of girls, and directors of research and guidance have been added to 
the educational staff to assist with various phases of individual 
needs but “even in those school systems that have developed staff 
departments for leadership and coordination, the responsibility for 
carrying out the suggested plans and adapting them to the indi- 
vidual schools falls upon the individual principals.” In the years 
of secondary education, the broadening of offerings in the school 
curriculum furnishes a fruitful source for variation. Ability 
grouping gives opportunity for adjustment (1) in time, (2) in 
subject matter, (3) in method, and (4) in pupil programs, but does 
not of itself guarantee any of these adjustments. Individual in- 


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SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





struction emphasizes mastery as the goal in certain schools: “Is 
every assignment a teacher devises of sufficient importance to 
demand absolute mastery?” Individual instruction gives an oppor- 
tunity for acceleration to individual pupils but in no way differen- 
tiates between those who should and who should not be accelerated. 


HotiincwortH, Leta S. The Psychology of the Adolescent. New 

York: D. Appleton & Co., 1928. Pp. 259. 

Conventional treaties on adolescence are usually expressed in 
language which because of its scientific nature fails to impress the 
layman or the average teacher. In this book, the author has ad- 
dressed the average parent or teacher. In doing so she has in no 
way detracted from the significance of the book. The story is well 
told and references to scientific experimentation of recent years 
strengthen the case. An appendix exhibits graphic findings of in- 
vestigations which are pertinent to the discussion in the main text. 
Footnote documentation directs the reader to sources upon which 
outstanding statements are based. Further readings on specific 
phases of adolescence are suggested in the appendix. The author 
wrote with the evident intention of holding the reader’s interest by 
making the narrative continuous, while at the same time offering 
an opportunity for reference to authority on many points at issue. 
The eight chapters are entitled: (1) What is Adolescence?; (2) 
Public Ceremonies; (3) Psychological Weaning; (4) Seeking Self- 
Support; (5) Mating; (6) Achieving a Point of View; (7) Finding 
the Self; and (8) Meaning of Maturity. The second chapter is 
largely historical and traces the development of socially initiating 
the adolescent into adulthood. The chapter on “Psychological 
Weaning” is not only the most original but also the most significant 
part of the treatise. The author declares that many of the difficulties 
in social adjustment encountered by adolescents are a direct result 
of the lack of psychological weaning or of the attainment of self 
sufficiency on the part of the growing child. Parents in their 
anxiety for the welfare of their children often interfere with suc- 
cess later in life, through hindering normal development of inde- 
pendence and responsibility in the children. In the chapter on 
“Mating,” the author discusses such matters as what characterizes 
an attractive youth, courtship, and sex education. She insists that 
“the first principle of mental hygiene in relation to sex is that of 
enlightenment” and that another principle is that of “habitual con- 
tact with reality.” When the author discusses the individual’s place 
in the universe under the heading of “Achieving a Point of View,” 
one has a feeling that something is lacking, a feeling of too much 
pessimism. The statement that “the unknowable is, however, likely 
to be extremely painful, especially for the emotionally immature 
person, whose intelligence is well developed at an early age” sounds 
more like the harking back of the adult rather than the philosophy 
of youth. Maturity should find the individual an adequate adult by 
which “we mean adequate for life under conditions of culture.” 
“The major persistent problems of adolescence are,—to get away 


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DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





from the family, to achieve self-support, to develop a heterosexual 
attitude, to formulate a point of view on life. When all these major 
adjustments have been successfully managed, the adolescent has 
achieved psychological adulthood. He has attained emotional 
maturity. He has arrived at a condition of self-control and of self- 
possession, unified and wholesome.” The author has endeavored to 
carry her discussion of the development of the child from the pre- 
adolescent stage to the stage of the mature individual. Her closing 
statement is “Many failures could almost certainly be averted if 
all of the essential major adjustments which we have described 
could be carried out under enlightened guidance rather than under 
the conditions of blind struggle which at present so largely pre- 
vails.” 

FonTAINneE, E. CLarKeE. Ways to Better Teaching in the Secondary 

School. Boston: Ginn and Co., 1928. Pp. 271. 


True teaching is not mere lesson hearing. Testing the pupils’ 
preparation should occupy in general less than a fourth of the 
recitation ; development and assignment of new work should follow 
occupying nearly half of the time; and directed study of the ad- 
vance assignment should take the rest. For this a sixty minute 
recitation is best. The above proportion of time cannot be allotted 
every day. Sometimes the whole period may be required for test- 
ing; but in general, forward-looking work should be given by far 
the larger part of the class time. Professor H. C. Morrison’s 
five-step procedure is favored: 

(1) Exploration, to find out what students know of the unit 


of instruction ; 

(2) Presentation, wherein the teacher shows what is involved in 
the unit; 

(3) Assimilation of the material by well directed study in class 
and out, guided by outlines and references ; 

(4) Organization, or outlining of the unit independent of books 
and helps; and 

(5) Recitation. 

With the younger students it has been found helpful to break 
up the longer units for assimilation, and to spend more time from 
day to day in class discussion. Much failure in teaching results 
from the lack of well defined aims or objectives. Much planning 
is necessary to realize the aims. Lesson plans should proceed from 
the known to the related unknown, and the inductive method of 
arriving at rules, laws, and definitions should be used even in lan- 
guage study. That part of the class period given to directed study 
should enable the teacher to give instruction in the proper technique 
of study applicable to the work in hand. There is a long chapter 
of model lessons in mathematics, the languages, English, science 
and the social sciences to show concretely ways to better teaching in 
all these secondary school subjects. 


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SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





MAGAZINES 


CuamBers, M. M. “The Junior College and the ‘Scholarly 
Amateur,” School and Society, XXVIII (October 27, 1928), 
519-21. 


Professor George Herbert Palmer said recently, “The junior 
college, if generally established, will tend to extirpate the ‘scholarly 
amateur’ in American life.” The author of this article disagrees 
with the view, and believes that the general establishment of the 
junior college will not sound the death knell of the standard Amer- 
ican four-year liberal arts college, but will actually be the harbinger 
of a more fortunate situation. Four reasons in support of this 
conclusion are here outlined: First, the long-established, well- 
endowed, liberally supported four-year colleges have so unshakable 
a hold upon thousands of alumni and former students that they 
could confidently expect to continue to prosper for generations. 
Second, there is an increasing tendency for the professions of law, 
medicine, the ministry, education, and business in their higher 
ranges to regard at least four years of liberal arts study as desirable 
or even prerequisite for entrance upon purely professional study. 
Third, the level of general prosperity in America is so high that 
there will probably continue to be a substantial number of people 
who can afford four years of liberal arts study and who will secure 
it at four-year colleges of their preference. Fourth, the four-year 
liberal arts colleges now labor under a situation which makes it 
difficult for them to maintain desired standards of work, on account 
of the preponderance of underclassmen in their total enrolment. 
From this situation, the junior college movement will certainly 
operate to relieve them to some extent. If the junior college will 
care for the many students who do not have the ability, be it mental, 
financial, or what not, to complete the four-year course, and the 
many others who may have the ability but for various reasons do 
not want more than two years of study in the liberal arts, the 
situation of the four-year college will be definitely better. The 
four-year college will then be able to lay more emphasis upon the 
advanced portions of their work, to the benefit of its standing as an 
institution and to the enhancement of the quality of its service to 
society. By assuming a large part of the burden of this selective 
function, the junior college will usher in a brighter day for the 
four-year college, and multiply and improve the “scholarly 
amateur.” 


Hussanp, Ricnarp W. “The Reliability of the Thorndike Intelli- 
gence Examination,” School and Society, XXVIII (October 

27, 1928), 521-22. 

Recent mental tests have given very high reliabilities, many 
being over +.90. The Stanford revision of the Binet scale has a 
quoted reliability of +.93; the Stanford achievement test of +.98 
for a single grade; the Otis self-administering of +.92. Such high 


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DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





figures are brought about by each item being carefully selected and 
tested and by longer tests than were formerly felt necessary. The 
Thorndike test is standardized on a very homogeneous group. 
Practically every one taking it is a high-school senior and an appli- 
cant for the university entrance. Therefore, they are not only of 
the same age, but also of an equally high level of ability, and not a 
random sampling of that age. In contrast to this, the Binet scale 
was standardized on school children of all ages and of all mental 
abilities. Reliabilities are artificially raised by the age factor, or, 
taken conversely, are lowered by unusual homogeneity within the 
group. The reliability of +.75 for the Thorndike test obtained for 
a single age would probably be raised to over +.90 if computed 
for a large age-range with normal distribution of abilities within 
ages. Thus the simple coefficients of reliability are not the only 
features to be considered. The Thorndike test is far more educa- 
tional in nature than many other intelligence examinations. It is 
more of a test of content learned in school than of native endow- 
ment. It may be regarded as somewhat in the nature of a final 
examination for the whole high-school course. 


Orteans, Jacos S. and THompson, Harotp G. “The Text-book 
and Achievement in Latin,” School and Society (November 3, 


1928), 549-50. 


In January, 1926, a survey of achievement in Latin was con- 
ducted in the public high schools of New York State, under the 
auspices of the New York State Department of Education. The 
survey covered the work of the first half year as outlined in the 
Latin syllabus of the State Department. The test consisted of 
eleven parts covering exhaustively all phases of the work required 
by the syllabus and there was nothing included in the test that was 
not included in the syllabus. Forty-seven schools in New York 
State participated in the survey. In all, over 2,500 pupils, just 
completing the work of the first half year, took the test. The 
conclusion was reached that it is not the text-book primarily but 
the teacher and her use of the text-book which play the most im- 
portant part in determining the achievement of the students. A 
good teacher with a mediocre or perhaps even a poor text-book will 
probably obtain better results with a class than a poor teacher using 
a good text-book. The teacher using a text-book with an unusually 
effective method of presentation has a decided advantage over the 
equally good teacher using a book in which the material is not so 
effectively presented. 


THORNDIKE, Epwarp L. “Curriculum Research,” School and 
Society, XXVIII (November 10, 1928), 569-76. 


Scientific research does not oppose or seek to supplant the 
observations and reflection of teachers or the combined wisdom of 
committees or the investigations of bureaus or the insights and 
theories of genius. It merely seeks to extend and improve the 


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SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





observations, to discover more facts and better methods for com- 
mittees and bureaus to use, and to check and test the theories. The 
scope of scientific study of the curriculum is very wide, including, 
substantially, everything about what is to be learned, everything 
about what use the learners are to make of it, and everything about 
how they learn it. As a new branch of science appears and grows, 
we need to know about it and what it may do for the curriculum. 
Since we are concerned with any existing or proposed content of 
the curriculum as something to be learned, we need to know how 
hard it is to learn, and what, if anything, must have been already 
learned as a basis or propaedeutic. The interest or attractiveness or 
appeal of any given experience or act of learning to specified groups 
of learners is a second fact which curriculum-makers need to know 
about each of the elements of content from which they have to 
choose. Scientific workers have been busy accumulating facts and 
testing the opinions of practitioners and theorists. A primary factor 
in evaluating any curriculum or any features thereof is the changes 
which are actually produced in pupils by it. Educational book- 
keeping is no longer one-sided. Educational tests and measure- 
ments are used in the discovery of individual differences, in diag- 
nosis, in placement, in measurements of the comparative value of 
certain selections of subject-matter or methods of instruction, and 
in other ways. Educational products depend more largely on the 
individual learner than has been thought. In its actual day-by-day 
details, the content of the curriculum is dependent upon our ideas 
of children’s minds. Learning and the learner cannot usefully be 
divorced. The particular steps by which we attain a certain ultimate 
aim of the curriculum will vary enormously according to our 
psychology. The changes wrought in the actual details of the 
curriculum during the last generation have been in every large 
measure due to the phychological researches on mental discipline 
and on individual differences. The psychologist’s researches have 
been beneficial in forcing curriculum makers in all subjects to 
provide content that is of intrinsic value. The curriculum has 
been specialized in many ways for the dull and for the gifted, for 
the sturdy and for the frail, for the matter-of-fact and for the 
artistic. A curriculum in operation is determined by methods as 
truly as by content. The more general and fundamental our re- 
searches concerning learning are, the more productive they will be 
in the end for the curriculum. The use of the scientific spirit and 
scientific methods in the study of the curriculum have performed 
and will perform useful service. 


Kaurers, WALTER. “Intelligence of One Thousand Students of 

Foreign Languages,” School and Society, XXVIII (November 

10, 1928), 597-99. 

The results of a study of the intelligence of 1,002 students, 
distributed through eight semesters of Spanish in eighteen junior 
and senior high schools of San Diego and Los Angeles have shown 
that something is quite wrong with teachers’ diagnoses of failures. 


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DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





Teachers have been citing lack of intelligence as a primary cause 
of failure in the foreign languages. This study shows that boys 
studying Spanish are superior in mentality to girls enrolled in the 
language ; this is important when it is understood that the achieve- 
ment of the masculine sex is definitely and consistently inferior in 
all semesters and in practically all phases of the class work, as 
measured both by teachers’ grades and scores on standardized 
vocabulary and silent-reading tests. The high rate of mortality in 
Spanish may be due to faults in the teaching and organization of 
the courses rather than to deficiencies in the pupils themselves. The 
courses as now offered are not adequately adjusted to the abilities, 
interests, and capacities of the large majority of high-school pupils. 
To a large extent the blame can be traced directly to current 
methods of foreign language teaching. The still prevalent custom 
of relying upon formal grammar as the predominant medium of 
instruction would seem sufficient in itself to stifle interest and to 
discourage pupils from continuing foreign language work. It is only 
by means of a thorough reorganization both of the methods and 
materials of instruction, together with a more homogeneous ability 
grouping of pupils, that the prevalent high rate of pupil mortality 
can be reduced. 

EpucaTIONAL Events: Anonymous. “High Schools of City and 
Country,” School and Society, XXVIII (November 17, 1928), 
614. 

From facts compiled by the Federal Bureau of Education, it 
appears that there are today in the United States 21,700 high 
schools. Reports have been received from 17,711 of these, of 
which 3,960, or 22.4 per cent. are urban high schools, that is, they 
are located in centers of 2,500 or more population; 13,751, or 77.6 
per cent. are rural—located in centers of 2,500 or less in population. 
In the 13,751 rural high schools there are only 1,079,986 children, 
or 28.8 per cent. of the total high-school enrolment; in the 3,960 
urban high schools, there are 2,662,364 children, or 71.2 per cent. 
of the total enrolment. While 52.8 per cent., or more than half, of 
all the children between 15 and 18 years of age live in rural territory, 
only 25.7 per cent. of them are enrolled in the rural high schools; 
whereas 71.1 per cent. of the children of this age-group living in 
urban centers are enrolled in urban high schools. The school term 
is much shorter in rural than in urban schools. It is estimated that 
more than 18 of every 100 children 15 to 18 years of age in urban 
areas continue their education beyond the high school, while only 
7.2 of every 100 children of the same age-group in rural areas seek 
further educational preparation. In the rural high schools there is 
not much differentiation of the curriculum. 

KauLFers, WALTER. “The Prognostic Value of General Lan- 
guage.” School and Society, XXVIII (November 24, 1928), 
662-64. 

A comparative study of the relationship between pupil achieve- 
ment in general language and foreign language was made in the 


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SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, San Diego, California, in 
order to establish the prognostic value of general language on 
objective fact, and not merely on subjective opinion. The data of 
the investigation are the final grades earned in general language by 
186 pupils during the fall term, 1927, and the end-semester marks 
received by the same students in the first half year of Spanish, 
French, and Latin during the spring term, 1928. The girls were 
found slightly to excel the boys in achievement. The work of the 
boys seemed somewhat more irregular, indicating perhaps that 
interest in foreign language is relatively more variable among boys 
than among girls. The better male students, however, occasionally 
excel even the best pupils of the opposite sex. The girls do better 
in the regular courses than in the exploratory-try-out classes, and 
the boys in general do worse. Teachers’ marks in general language 
are no more certain predictive measures for foreign language than 
ordinary intelligence quotients, and appreciably less accurate than 
simple grades in English. Thus, the general language work can 
scarcely be justified on its exploratory-guidance merits. 


Wuite, H. Apevsert. “Debating in our High Schools,’ School 
and Society, XXVIII (November 24, 1928), 660-62. 


A questionnaire, designed to study the organization, popularity, 
and results of debating in the high schools, was sent out to the 
extension division or some other agency in all the states of the 
union. The results in the main were as follows: (1) Most high 
schools have a high-school debate league or association with head- 
quarters at the state university, and with officers chosen in part 
from the high schools participating. Extension divisions in thirteen 
states organize the high schools into various groups or districts. 
(2) The types of questions that have proved most suitable for 
debates are political, national, economic, and social. (3) The 
propositions for debate are chosen in various ways: in referendum 
of the participating schools, by a committee of high-school teachers, 
by a committee of officers, and so on. (4) The championship of 
the state is determined in eighteen of the states submitting replies 
by some type of elimination contest by districts, counties, or con- 
ferences, and then the winners proceed to some central point, usually 
to the state university, for a final championship tournament. 
(5) The special methods used to increase the interest in debating 
among high-school pupils themselves vary. Eight different states 
offer rewards in the nature of prizes, wall-plaques or debate cer- 
tificates; six give unusual newspaper publicity to debaters; five 
emphasize radio talks by the secretary of the state league; four 
mention enlisting the sympathy and cooperation of school officials. 
(6) The size of the audiences at the championship contests last 
year varied from 100 to 4,000. Since most of the championship 
teams appeared before audiences away from home, it seems that a. 
considerable number of the persons who heard debates were at-. 
tracted not by friendship for the speakers, but by interest in the: 


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DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





debates as contests or in the subjects discussed. (7) Replies to the 
questionnaire indicated that no admission was charged for the 
championship contests. (8) Judges were most often chosen from 
the professional type of man; sometimes teachers, debate coaches, 
college professors, student intercollegiate debaters, or clergymen 
acted as judges. (9) Despite the apparent trend toward the use of 
one judge who is known to be well qualified by experience, the 
greater majority of states still use most often the three-judge plan 
of decision. (10) Many states comment on certain specific failures 
in the judging systems they have been using, viz., in getting persons 
comparatively free from bias, in getting school boards to finance 
debating or pay the travel expenses of judges, in getting judges to 
travel long distances, etc. (11) Only fourteen replied to the ques- 
tion, “If anything except the most simple rules are given to guide 
the judges, will they carry out the directions faithfully?” Seven 
said that judges will not follow rules carefully. Whether the high- 
school debaters are making much of an impression on their home 
communities can hardly be determined. 


Davis, Burton EtswortH. “Group Insurance for Teachers,” 

School and Society, XXVIII (December 1, 1928), 682-83. 

In the industrial world there are about three million people 
enrolled under the group-insurance plan. This plan holds two ad- 
vantages for teachers: First, the advantage of protection are ex- 
tended to all; and second, this form of insurance is cheaper than 
individually subscribed forms. School teachers are more than 
mere wage earners; they transmit the priceless heritage of the past, 
in knowledge, science, and ideals; they encourage open-mindedness 
necessary for invention and progress in all things which make for a 
more abundant life individually and collectively. Full devotion 
cannot be expected of teachers who are not protected either by 
salary or insurance from the stern visitations of misfortune to 
which man is still heir. A higher type of service could be counted 
on from teachers whose incomes were adequately protected against 
accident, sickness, and death losses. 


RussE_t, WILLIAM F. “Quantity, Quality, and Economy in Edu- 
cation,” School and Society, XXVIII (December 8, 1928), 
732-34. 

Three popular demands are being made upon the American 
educational system: that the pupils be accommodated in greater 
numbers, that training of better quality be offered, and that there 
be greater economy in all public expenditures. The school and the 
college are already making efforts toward quantity production in 
response to the demand that many be educated. They are modify- 
ing their procedures so that many may be educated better. By 
giving quality in quantity they are serving the interests of economy ; 
but the persistent demands for extended facilities, the criticism of 
American standards, and the call for reduced expenditures indicate 
that the problem is not yet solved and that much remains to be done. 


14 








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SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





CarROLL, Rosert P. “What is Intelligence?” School and Society, 
XXVIII (December 22, 1928), 792-93. 


After juggling several unsatisfactory definitions of intelligence, 
the author defines intelligence as the ability to see things in their 
various relationships, to think complexly and coordinately in such a 
way as to produce a composite, or more or less unified reaction. 
Intelligence has its basis in neural capacity and may be defined as 
the coordinate functionship of related reaction groups. The degree 
or amount of one’s intelligence is determined by his native capacity 
or neural complexity. It is inseparable from depth or breadth of 
comprehension. 

Gates, A. I. “Recent Advances in Educational Psychology,” School 

and Society, XXIX (January 5, 1929), 1-8. 

Educational endeavor is probably most definite and fruitful 
when it is guided by intelligible objectives. More and more the 
philosophy of education is becoming an outgrowth of science in the 
form of generalization and hypotheses, and more and more science 
is endeavoring to put into effect for purposes of appraisal the 
suggestions of philosophy. The prevailing philosophy emphasizes 
social usefulness as the objective of education and the utilization 
of natural interests and individual aptitudes of pupils as the means. 
The problem of determining what particular adjustments and re- 
sources are essential to a fruitful participation in life has, within 
recent years, led to scores of studies designed to ascertain precisely 
the uses to which specific facts and skills essential for constructive 
family, social, civic, and economic life are not provided for by 
existing educational agencies; on the other hand, much that is now 
taught satisfies no genuine need in the lives of most people. . . . 
Thorndike’s studies indicate that the zenith of power for acquiring 
information, ideas, and the more subtle skills comes in the early 
twenties. The decade from twenty to thirty is superior to any 
other ; the decade from thirty to forty is at least equal to the span 
from ten to twenty. . . . The problem now is not any longer how 
the teacher is to instruct and how the pupil is to study. The pupil’s 
mind is no longer to be on study or learning. It is given to doing 
the things that the situation calls for, and learning is the result... . 
Our leaders in the field of measurement, if provided with reason- 

able financial resources, could, in a short time, devise useful tests 
of any known human ability, interest, appreciation, or special talent. 
. . . To achieve the objectives of education, it is necessary not only 
to determine the abilities, skills, habits, or inclinations a pupil now 
possesses, but also to predict the outcomes of future education. 
The school is really becoming “the greatest laboratory of democ- 
racy.” 


Wa tker, Mary, and Lastett, H.R. “Time Expenditure by High- 
School Teachers,” School and Society, XXIX (January 26, 
1929), 131-32. 


An investigation was made to find the amounts of time actually 
15 









DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





spent on their several activities by the teachers of a small high 
school, typical of hundreds throughout the United States. The 
teachers listed on charts the amount of time spent at each activity 
for each half day of the week. The average amount of time spent 
on strictly school work by each teacher in this school was eight 
hours and forty minutes ; each teacher also spent an additional hour 
and forty minutes on extra-curriculum activities ; each one spent also 
an additional hour and eight minutes on community work. Some 
of these teachers felt overworked. Some spent no time in making 
out lesson plans; some read no educational books or magazines; 
one did no general reading. Keeping a time budget enabled the 
teachers to see clearly whether they might safely assume new vol- 
untary engagements or might convince others that additional de- 
mands on their time were unfair. 


Tuomas, Russet. “Plan for the Study of the Unsupervised 
Reading of High-School Pupils,’ School Review, XXXVI 
(September, 1928), 533-40. 

The English department of the University of Chicago High 
School has a plan whereby a record of each pupil’s unassigned read- 
ing is kept. The pupils are asked to record on white cards the 
reading done in class or completed as a part of class assignment. 
On buff cards of the same size the pupils record their leisure read- 
ing. Care is taken to stress the point that the keeping of this free- 
reading record is a voluntary act. No credit is given for it, and 
no penalty is given for failure to report it. Rightly so, the pupil’s 
honesty is taken for granted. At the end of each English course, 
the reading records are filed in the English office. The voluntary 
record is then transcribed to a large master sheet which contains the 
cumulative voluntary reading for such period as the pupil has been 
in the school. Each book on the pupil’s record is checked by a 
teacher as superior or inferior, which record in the long run pro- 
vides a comprehensive account of the quantity, the breadth of in- 
terest, and the quality of reading done by any pupil during his high- 
school career. The values of this plan for the study of pupils’ 
leisure reading are that instructors are able to know the tastes of 
their pupils more fully, and in the course of several semesters, the 
influence of the classroom work may be traced. Knowledge of this 
leisure reading is also of some value in assisting parents who be- 
come interested in their children’s reading. Finally, such records 
of pupils’ reading provides material for curriculum reorganization. 


WHiTtTney, Freperick L. “Present Standards for Junior Colleges,” 

School Review, XXXVI (October, 1928), 593-603. 

In general, a junior college is an institution offering two years 
of college work beyond the usual high-school level. The most inclu- 
sive attitude with regard to organization is that the junior college 
should be located in a school district maintaining a high school and 
warranting the expectation of an enrolment adequate for proper 
development of the institution. Regular inspection by a repre- 


16 

















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SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





sentative of an accrediting agency or of the state university or of 
the state board of education is usually required, and regular reports 
are properly filed. The leading accrediting agency is usually the 
state university, and accrediting is, as a rule, in terms of specified 
courses. The entrance requirements to a junior college are usually 
the same as the entrance requirements of the state university, which 
in most cases are fifteen units. The curriculum should be equiva- 
lent to that in the first and second years of a standard college and 
that the college year should not be shorter. The usual requirement 
for the teaching staff is that there shall be four full-time instructors 
or five instructors giving the major part of their time. Many ac- 
crediting agencies require of all instructors a master’s degree com- 
pleted or actively in process. Student work shall be organized on a 
college basis rather than on a high-school level. The American 
Association of Junior Colleges suggests that the maximum load be 
eighteen hours a semester. A total of sixty semester hours is the 
prevailing requirement for graduation. In many states an Asso- 
ciate of Arts degree is permitted. Some junior colleges have ar- 
rangements with the state department of education whereby a cer- 
tificate to teach may be awarded upon graduation. The aim is to 
have all student records on a high level of efficiency and in con- 
formity with the better practices of higher institutions. The two 
national and the two regional standardizing agencies place the safe 
minimum annual operating income at $20,000. 


Briccs, THomas H. “Sarcasm,” School Review, XXXVI (No- 
vember, 1928), 685-95. 


The word “sarcasm” is derived from the Greek verb “to tear 
flesh.” Pupils consider that the teacher who uses sarcasm intends 
to be bitter, stinging, and spiteful; that he is unsympathetic and 
sneering, taking advantage of his position or training to inflict 
mental punishment by belittling a pupil with intent to hurt. Sarcasm 
often emanates from wit, as well as from the chronically bad dis- 
position. If sarcasm is intentional, it usually reveals in a teacher a 
state of mind that makes effective teaching difficult. Sometimes a 
teacher intentionally uses sarcasm because he feels himself not 
wholly master of the situation. Sarcasm encourages impudence on 
the part of the pupil as a means of defense. Ideal teaching invites 
spontaneity and cooperation, but sarcasm inhibits the former and 
makes the latter difficult. To meet the situation the evils of sar- 
casm may be discussed with individual teachers or at a faculty 
meeting. Young teachers may be encouraged to know their pupils 
in a thorough manner. Teachers may be made aware of the intel- 
lectual limitations of their pupils and conscious of the feeling- 
attitudes set up in pupils towards teachers. If a teacher has the 
habit of sarcasm, he may be shown in conference verbatim reports 
of what he has said. 


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DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





Bootu, Joun M. “An Investigation in Interscholastic Athletics in 
Northwestern High Schools,” School Review XXXVI (No- 
vember, 1928), 696-706. 


This investigation covered practically every high school in 
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana having fifty or more 
pupils. Three hundred ten questionnaires were returned. Seventy- 
three per cent of the schools include games for girls in their inter- 
scholastic programs, but the amount of participation by girls de- 
creases with the increase in the size of the school. Eighty-eight 
per cent of the principals do not believe that the program of intra- 
mural sports will ever displace the interscholastic sports; sixty-one 
per cent. that the championship programs are carried too far ; sixty- 
six per cent. that state football championships should be discon- 
tinued ; thirty-one per cent. that basketball championships should be 
discontinued ; and only twenty-six per cent. that state track meets 
should be discontinued. II] feeling as the result of athletic contests 
among schools is due to incompetent officials, poor management by 
coaches and executives, and to troubles in the towns independent of 
the schools. About fifty per cent of the principals require squad 
members to have a physical examination. Two-thirds of the schools 
report their athletic programs self-supporting. The rankings of 
objectives in athletics by the three hundred ten schools studied are 
as follows: (1) Fair play in competition; (2) Doing one’s best; 
(3) General health ; (4) Motivating scholarship; (5) Holding pupils 
in school; (6) Winning games; (7) Drawing pupils to school; 
(8) Contribution of moral stamina; (9) Contribution to social 
stamina. 


LEeKER, CHARLES A. “Guessing in True-False Tests,” School Re- 
view, XXXVI (December, 1928), 768-70. 


Forty juniors and seniors in the Polytechnic Institute of Porto 
Rico were given a test made up of fifty true-false statements, none 
of which the students knew well enough to mark with assurance. 
Some of the students showed noticeable tendencies to mark the 
statements positive. The five students with the most positive ten- 
dencies made forty-two and eight, thirty-eight and twelve, thirty- 
seven and thirteen, thirty-four and sixteen, and thirty-four and 
sixteen true and false markings, respectively. Others showed ten- 
dencies to mark most of the statements negative, five students 
making seventeen and thirty-three, eighteen and thirty-two, nineteen 
and thirty-one, twenty and thirty, and twenty-one and twenty-nine 
true and false markings, respectively. To prove more conclusively 
the tendencies indicated in this test, a record was kept of the state- 
ments the students marked incorrectly in five successive review tests 
in psychology, the result of which showed that there are positive 
and negative tendencies in different individuals. In the review tests 
there was a total of 103 true statements and 102 false statements. 
Some conclusions from this investigation are that the guessing done 


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SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





by students is predetermined by predisposing tendencies within the 
individual. The law of chance does not operate freely. Students 
differ in their tendencies to mark statements true or false, and there 
is a strong tendency to mark statements true. 


Oscoop, Etten L. “Experimenting with the High-School Misfit,” 
School Review, XXXVI (December, 1928), 779-86. 


Each term from six to seven hundred first-term pupils and 
approximately three hundred junior high school pupils enter the 
Julia Richman High School, New York City, and at graduation time 
a class of only two hundred fifty are awarded diplomas, according 
to the first study of elimination made. Failure in subjects is the 
most frequent cause of leaving school. A special curriculum was 
organized to meet this situation. Girls with low I.Q.’s who are 
failing two or more major subjects are invited to transfer to this 
curriculum the first semester. This curriculum follows the regular 
course of study in requiring four years of English, three years of 
social science, and two years of general science, with electives in 
two other fields. No regents’ examinations are required, however, 
and office machines, selling, or sewing are offered in place of sten- 
ography and bookkeeping. The basic objectives of this curriculum 
are character, worthy home membership, political activity, and 
preparation for a vocation. Much of the material used in the classes 
is drawn from actual experiences. Beginning in the last half of the 
second year, pupils work in business houses alternate weeks as co- 
operatives. After several terms of experimentation, an attempt 
to measure results was made. The comparative progress of a 
control group of eighty-seven pupils who remained in the regular 
curriculum and of a special group of thirty-six pupils was studied. 
At the end of one year and a half, 23% of the control group and 
36% of the special group were in school. The special group showed 
improvement in capitalization (1 point), punctuation (4 points), 
grammar (6 points). The control group showed no improvement in 
capitalization and punctuation and only 4 points in grammar. 
Neither group showed improvement in reading and arithmetic. 
The special group is making better adjustments to actual situations, 
according to reports from firms employing girls from both groups. 


Hunt, H. S. “A Comparison of Two Methods of School Financ- 
ing,” School Board Journal, LXXVII (November, 1928), 46-47. 


A comparison of the “Bonding Plan” and the “Pay-As-You- 
Go Plan” of school financing shows a distinct advantage in favor of 
the former. Contrary to the popular notion, it is really cheaper in 
the long run to issue bonds over a reasonable period of time than 
to collect sufficient tax money prior to construction. This difference 
in cost is due to the fact that the rate of bond interest is lower than 
the rate the average tax payer can earn on his money. The calcula- 
tions and tables show that over a period of thirty years every $1,000 
of bonds issued would mean an ultimate expenditure of $5,130.55. 


19 











DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





These ingenious and interesting calculations and comparisons serve 
to emphasize the fact that whichever plan of financing is used the 
ultimate cost to the tax payer is several times the original cost, and 
that all expense should be avoided which is not entirely justified by 
the benefits to be derived. 


Horratt, A. H. “Department Heads in Secondary Schools,” 
School Board Journal, LXXVII (November, 1928), 59. 


Information concerning department heads was gathered from 
34 communities in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and 
Arizona. There was found to be some variation in the amount of 
teaching done by department heads, but in the great majority of 
cases one less period of teaching service was required. Additional 
salary ranged from no extra pay to $800 and the median increase 
was $200 above the regular salary schedule. A large majority of 
department heads were teaching third and fourth year classes: 
nearly three times as many teaching fourth year classes as were 
teaching first year classes. This is made the basis of a plea for 
stronger teachers in the first two years of high-school work, and 
for proper attention to the “entering product” as well as the 


“graduating product.” 


Bo._Ton, FreDERICK and Biss, THomas W. “Shall We Elect or 
Appoint the County Superintendent?” The Nation’s Schools, 
III (February, 1929), 21-6. 


The county superintendent of schools is the key man in the 
rural-school situation. He needs to be well trained in educational 
administration and possess qualities of leadership which will enable 
him to carry out constructive policies in the county districts. Under 
the present system by which superintendents are elected by the 
people or chosen by a political group, efficient, trained men are very 
seldom chosen for the office and the country child suffers. The 
investigation, undertaken by the University of Washington indicates 
that those counties in which the superintendent is appointed, pref- 
erably by a non-partisan board, have better schools along more 
progressive lines than those counties having politically selected 
superintendents. 


Esy, Frepertck. “Should the Junior College Unite With the 
Senior High School?” The Nation’s Schools, III (February, 
1929), 33-8. 

The present four-year college plan is a very imperfect form 
without justification in many respects. It assumes that youth of 
freshmen age are capable of unlimited wisdom of choice in course 
selection and have self control sufficient to keep them at their tasks 
without supervision. As a matter of fact students of the first two 
college years are much closer in their interests, mental attitudes, 
and emotional reactions to high-school seniors than to the voca- 
tionally conscious upper classmen of college. 


20 




















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SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





The 6-4-4 plan is generally accepted by educators as desirable 
but will be successful only when it is fully accepted by the members 
of the teaching profession at large. The four-year public college, 
beginning with the 11th year of school must be organized as a 
separate unit with its own curriculum, building, and faculty. This 
may be difficult to establish in some communities, especially small 
ones, but it is destined to become eventually the recognized form. 


Wynkoop, JoHN B. “Coordinating the Business Management and 
the Superintendency,’ School Executives Magazine, XLVIII 
(January, 1929), 198-200. 


Mr. Wynkoop concedes the intrinsic one-ness of the school 
system, but insists that the business manager shall be coordinate 
with the superintendent. The following list indicates his duties: 
(1) To have charge of all employees in the non-educational depart- 
ment of the administration; (2) Control payrolls, audits, accounts ; 
(3) To act as custodian of contracts, titles, records of the board; 
(4) To purchase and distribute supplies, to prepare estimates, and 
receive bids; (5) Employ engineers and janitors, purchase fuel, and 
keep operating costs at minimum; (6) Maintain buildings, equip- 
ment, grounds; (7) Cooperate with architect, and insist on effi- 
ciency. Further duties (1) To have charge of insurance; (2) To 
manage lunchrooms; (3) To transport school children; (4) To 
handle bond issues. 


Ryan, H. H. “The How of Ability Grouping,” School Executives 
Magazine, XLVIII (February, 1929), 243-45. 


The idea of ability grouping has been generally accepted, espe- 
cially in junior high schools. The question now is, the “how,” and 
the next question is “what then”. Grouping on the basis of intelli- 
gence tests alone is unsatisfactory. Five of the six factors of ma- 
turity suggested by Baldwin, namely, the chronological, mental, 
educational, anatomical, and social ages are used. Nine items were 
made use of, and the results are shown in a “profile” compared with 
a norm. Assuming a group of 400, to be assigned to ten groups, 
a suggested distribution is: One A group to do three years of 
work in two; five B groups to do three years’ work in two and one- 
half ; two C groups, one of boys and one of girls; two C groups, 
unsegregated. The author claims that results justify the time and 
effort required. 


Mount, Joun S. “Who Is the Business Manager, Legally?” School 
Executives Magazine, XLVIII (February, 1929), 258-60. 


Expansion of school systems has required division of responsi- 
bility. In small systems the secretary or clerk is frequently also 
business manager, but this is impossible in large systems. Title and 
status of business manager vary with the state. Minneapolis has a 
“business superintendent”; Muncie, Indiana, a “business director” ; 
Sioux City, a “secretary and business agent”; the position of “exe- 
cutive manager” was declared illegal in New York; Richmond, Va., 


21 












DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





has a “purchasing agent” ; some Ohio cities have an “assistant super- 
intendent in charge of business affairs”; Chicago has a business 
manager, whose duties are defined by statute; Pennsylvania places 
these duties upon the secretary of the board; Minnesota has three 
types of officials, depending upon the charter of the school; Texas 
authorizes “the employment of a secretary at a salary not to exceed 
five dollars per month”; New Jersey’s business manager has a seat 
on the board, but no vote. The question is well taken—who is the 


business manager, legally? 


HarsBeEson, JoHN W. “The 6-4-4 Plan of School Organization With 
Special Reference to Its Application in the city of Pasadena.” 
California Quarterly of Secondary Education, IV (October, 
1928), 45-50. 


In 1916 the 8-4 plan of organization in Pasadena was changed 
to the 6-3-3 plan. In 1924 the junior college was authorized and the 
system was organized on the 6-4-4 plan. The last two years of high 
school and two years of junior college are combined in one organi- 
zation. The work of the junior college and the high school seems 
to be best articulated by the 6-4-4 plan. The organization is able 
to attract the best trained teachers and administrators, and can 
furnish better training and guidance than the ordinary high school. 
Duplication is avoided and the work of the high school is carried 
over into the college. Many students are retained in school through 
interest and receive a two-year college training, who would other- 
wise drop out of school at the end of the high-school course. 


The 6-4-4 plan is more economical from the standpoint of build- 
ings and grounds. Instead of having three separate buildings for 
the junior high school, senior high school, and junior college; one 
building will house the junior high school and one the four years 
of junior college. 

In the city of Pasadena the 6-4-4 plan is working very satis- 
factory to the students, to the administrators, and to the citizens. 


Koos, Leonarp V. “Secondary Education in California.” Cali- 
fornia Quarterly of Secondary Education, IV (October, 1928), 


73-81. 


This article is a brief report of a preliminary survey of sec- 
ondary education in California. The report will be used as a 
foundation for the more comprehensive investigations to be made 
later. The survey covers the following points: 1. Recent rapid 
education developments in California. 2. Types of districts schools 
maintained. 3. Higher education as it relates to secondary educa- 
tion. 4. The student body. 5. The curriculum. 6. The teaching 
staff. 7. Financial issues. 

The growth and popularization of education in California has 
produced many problems. The percentage of pupils of high-school 
age enrolled in high-schools has increased from 4.1% in 1890 to 
74.8% in 1926. 


22 





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SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





The district organization in California making the Junior and 
Senior High School independent of each other produces problems 
not only of duplication of taxation, but of teaching and in some 
cases lack of cooperation between boards of education. 


Elimination is still considerable even though the degree of 
popularization is large. An attempt is made to adjust the curri- 
culum to the varying types of districts. The standards for teachers’ 
credentials is relatively high. There is a marked over-supply of 
teachers and many high-school teachers are taking Junior High 
School positions. The financial problems are similar to those 
throughout the country although the actual wealth of California is 
high as compared with other states. 


BOOK NOTICES OF ACCESSIONS 


GENEVIEVE DARLINGTON 


CuBBERLEY, Hazet J. Field Hockey Analyzed for Instructor and 
Player. New York: A. S. Barnes & Co., 1928. Pp. 188. 
$2.00. Athletics for Women Series. 


Written with a desire to present a method by which field hockey 
may be incorporated into the sports program, with adaptations 
necessary for the American situation, in such a way as to fulfill 
not only the aim of physical education but of general education as 
well. Although primarily for the instructor, it may be compre- 
hended by the novice. 


PERRIN, FLEMING ALLEN Cray, and Kern, Davin BALLIN. Psy- 
chology, its Methods and Principles. New York: Henry Holt 
& Co., 1928. Pp. 387. $2.25. 


Psychology is presented here as the science of adaptive behavior. 
Stress is placed upon the scientific methods by means of which adap- 
tive behavior is investigated in the psychological laboratory. 


Pyte, Witt1AM Henry. The Psychology of Learning; an Ad- 
vanced Text in Educational Psychology. Revised and enlarged. 
Baltimore: Warwick & York, 1928. Pp. 441. $2.32. 


In this new edition the text has been revised in the light of 
recent experimental work. A short chapter on the psychology of 
special subjects has been added and also a chapter on the theory 
of learning. The chief addition is the incorporation of the prin- 
ciples and their illustrative application. There is a bibliography 
of 25 pages. 


OrLeans, Jacos S., and Seaty, GLtENN A. Objective Tests. 
Yonkers-on-Hudson: World Book Co., 1928. Pp. 373. $2.20. 


Material and procedures needed for the construction of objec- 
tive tests and the statistical treatment of the test scores will be found 


23 





DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





in this book. It can be used for teachers’ reading circles and to 
provide the training necessary for carrying on a testing program in 
any school system. Problems and exercises and a great deal of 
data are provided as practice material. 


Deam, Tuomas M., and Bear, Otive M. Socializing the Pupil 
Through Extra-Curricular Activities. Chicago:. B. H. Sanborn 
& Co., 1928. Pp. 324. $1.76. 


The authors have rendered an important service by directing 
attention to the functional values of the various types of extra-class 
activities found in modern secondary schools. There is a bibli- 
ography of 31 pages. 


Mitter, Epwin L. New English Composition. Book I. Boston: 
Houghton Mifflin Co., 1928. Pp. 200. $.96. 


First in a series of four, each of which has been planned to 
cover one stage in the composition work of the secondary school 
course, this book may be used during the eighth, ninth or tenth year 
of school. It is organized on a project-problem plan. 


Goop, CARTER V. How To Do Research in Education; a Handbook 
for the Graduate Student, Research Worker, and Public-School 
Investigator. Baltimore: Warwick & York, 1928. Pp. 298. 
$2.60. 

This handbook of the literature of educational research may 
prove of service to the individual graduate or senior-college student, 
the research worker and investigator, the seminar group in educa- 
tion, and others in any way concerned with the conducting and re- 
porting of research or the publication of educational writings. A 
bibliography of four pages is included. 


MontTGoMERY, KATHERINE W. Volley Ball for Women. New 
York: A. S. Barnes & Co., 1928. Pp. 90. $1.60. Athletics 


for Women Series. 


Planned to bring the game into general popularity as a major 
sport for college women. The material has been tried out and 
found successful with college girls. 


LowMaN, CHARLES Leroy, CoLEsSTOCK, CLAIRE, and Cooper, HAzeEL. 
Corrective Physical Education for Groups, a Text Book of 
Organization, Theory, and Practice. New York: A. S. Barnes 
& Co., 1928. Pp. 521. $4.50. 


Presented as a theoretical and practical guide for teachers in 
the field, and students in training for physical education. The major 
object has been to call attention to certain schedules of safe exer- 
cises, together with suggestions as to administration and organiza- 
tion of corrective class work and to give a reasonable amount of 
theory to show the authors’ reasons for the same. 


24 


























SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





STAFFORD, GEORGE T. Preventive and Corrective Physical Educa- 
tion. New York: A. S. Barnes & Co., 1928. Pp. 328. $3.00. 


The author, Director of the Department of Corrective and 
Remedial Physical Education at the University of Illinois, hopes 
that this book will serve as a guide for physical educators, espe- 
cially those who graduated from colleges of physical education be- 
fore corrective work was given, and further, that it will be a source 
of information to parents, teachers, nurses, doctors and all other 
health workers who are interested in the problem of the physically 
defective individual. 


Winstow, Leon LoyaL. Organization and Teaching of Art; a 
Program for Art Education in the Schools. Baltimore: War- 
wick & York, 1928. Pp. 243. $2.30. 


With the practical objectives of the normal art course in mind, 
the author presents a textbook in methods, for use in normal art 
courses, which more fully meets the present needs. In this second 
edition he has outlined both for the elementary and the junior high 
school a working program which should enable the student to keep 
constantly in mind the relationship which each particular unit of 
instruction bears to the curriculum as a whole. 


Haccerty, MELvIN E., and SmitH, Dora V. Reading and Litera- 
ture. Book Three. Yonkers-on-Hudson: World Book Co., 
1928. Pp. 629. $1.44. 


Selections from some of the best of the time-tested, as well as 
some modern, writings of compelling interest and value to boys 
and girls of junior high school age. 


KIMBALL, REGINALD STEVENS. Current-Events Instruction, a Text- 
book of Principles and Plans, with Chapters by Paul Klapper, 
Daniel C. Knowlton, Roy W. Hatch, and Leonard O. Packard. 
Boston: Houghton Mifflin & Co., 1929. Pp. 310. $2.00. 
Riverside Textbooks in Education. 


A textbook for teachers designed to show how the new instruc- 
tion may and should be given, and setting forth the goals for such 
instruction. Directions for the finding and using of current material 
are given. 


LeicH, RANDoLPH. Oratory, a Handbook for Participants in the 
National Oratorical Contest, Containing the Winning Orations 
of Each Year. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1927. Pp. 
130. $1.50. 


The object of the Contest is “to increase interest in and respect 
for the Constitution of the United States.” 


25 











DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





ScHapPiro, J. Satwyn and Morris, Ricuarp B. Civilization in 
Europe. Part I. Ancient and Modern Times. Part II. Modern 
Times in Europe. Boston: Houghton Mifflin & Co., 1928. 


Pp. 738. $2.20. 

In part I Mr. Morris presents the essential elements in ancient 
and medieval history in 171 pages. Part II is Mr. Schapiro’s 
Modern Times in Europe, issued in 1926. 


ScHORLING, RALEIGH and CLARK, JoHN R. Modern Algebra; First 
Course. Yonkers-on-Hudson: World Book Co., 1929. Pp. 


391. $1.36. 
A new edition of their Modern Algebra: Ninth School Year. 


ScHOoRLING, RALEIGH, CLARK, JOHN R. and LINDELL, SELMA A. 
Modern Algebra: Second Course. Yonkers-on-Hudson: World 
Book Co., 1929. Pp. 464. $1.60. 

This follows either the Schorling-Clark Modern Algebra: Ninth 
School Year or the slightly more difficult volume, Modern Algebra: 
First Course. It is planned to meet the demands of the “major 
requirement” of the National Committee on Mathematical Require- 
ments and of the most recent requirements of the principal colleges 
and of the College Entrance Examination Board. ; 


THE NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY 


In response to a widespread demand the National Council of 
the National Honor Society has established The National Junior 
Honor Society. The constitution follows: 


CONSTITUTION OF THE 
NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY 


ARTICLE I 
NAME AND PuRPOSE 


Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the National 
Junior Honor Society of secondary schools. 


Section 2. The purpose of this society shall be: (1) to create 
an enthusiasm for superior scholarship; (2) to stimulate a desire 
to serve faithfully one’s school and community; (3) to promote 
trustworthy leadership and loyal pupil citizenship; and (4) to de- 
velop exemplary qualities of character in the pupils of American 
schools of junior high school level. 


26 





















SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





ARTICLE II 
GENERAL CONTROL 






























Section 1. The general control of the society shall be vested in 
the National Council of the National Honor Society of Secondary 
Schools of which the secretary of the National Department of 
ee principals is also secretary and a member ex- 
officio. 


Section 2. The National Council shall each year nominate at 
least two junior high school principals one of which shall be elected 
to serve for a three year term on the National Council. 


ARTICLE III 
LocaL SocIETIES 


Section 1, These societies shall be chapters within junior or 
senior high school organizations having grades seven, eight, nine, 
or ten. Only schools of good standing will be granted a charter. 


Section 2. Membership in the National Junior Honor Society 
will have no relation to membership in the National Honor Society. 
Membership in the former in no wise insures membership in the 
latter. 


Section 3. A charter of admission to the National Junior 
Honor Society will be issued only after the National Council has 
approved its constitution. 


Section 4. Each chapter wishing to continue its membership— 
the National Junior Honor Society shall conform to all rules made 
by the National Council. 


ARTICLE IV 
CERTIFICATES AND EMBLEMS 








Section 1. The secretary of the National Council shall issue to 
all new members of local chapters a uniform copyrighted member- 
ship certificate prepared by the National Council. 


Section 2. The patented uniform emblem may be secured from — 
the secretary of the National Council by chapters desiring it. 


Section 3. The distribution of certificates and emblems shall 
be controlled exclusively by the secretary of the National Council. 
All certificates shall be sent C. O. D. to the principal of the school. 
Emblems will be sent C. O. D. to chapter members certified by the 


principal. 
ARTICLE V 
DvuEs 


Section 1. A charter fee of $5.00 shall be deposited with the 
secretary of the National Council at the same time that a petition 


27 








DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





for a charter is filed. In the event that a charter is not granted the 
deposit will be returned (to the petitioning school). 


ARTICLE VI 
MEMBERSHIP 


Section 1. To be eligible for membership a pupil must have 
spent at least one year in the school electing such pupil. Election 
however may take place at the close of his second semester. 


Section 2. Membership in any chapter shall be based on scho- 
larship, school citizenship, service, leadership, and character. 


Section 3. The initial election of members to a newly installed 
chapter of the National Junior Honor Society shall be from among 
the pupils who rank in the upper ten per cent in scholarship. The 
level of scholastic achievement at or above which the upper ten 
percent of the pupils are found shall become for the pupils of that 
school the required scholastic achievement for admission to candi- 
dacy for membership in the society. The scholastic achievement 
standard of that school thereafter remains constant and all students 
who can rise in scholarship to or above the initial upper ten per cent 
scholastic level of that school are to be admitted to candidacy for 
election to membership. 


Section 4. Having been admitted to candidacy for membership, 
those pupils whose personal records reveal faithful school service, 
trustworthy leadership, loyal citizenship and exemplary character 
shall be admitted to membership. Pupils whose school records 
reveal negative and unreliable qualities of service, leadership, citi- 
zenship or character shall not be elected to membership in the so- 
ciety. 

Section 5. Any pupil after having been elected to the society 
who falls below the initial upper ten per cent scholastic standard of 
his school or who reveals unworthy qualities of citizenship, service, 
leadership or character shall forfeit his membership in the society. 
His membership certificate and emblem shall be returned to the 
principal, and a report made by the principal to the secretary of the 
National Council. 


ARTICLE VII 
ELECTORS 


Section 1. Election of members for each chapter shall be by 
the principal and a committee of three to five faculty members ap- 
pointed by him. To assist the election committee each faculty mem- 
ber shall vote on all candidates known to them by listing either the 
positive or negative qualities of service, leadership, citizenship and 
character. Final authority in election shall however rest with the 
judgment of the principal and the election committee. 


28 





ee Eee 

















See 


























SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





ARTICLE VIII 
INDUCTION OF MEMBERS 


Section 1. Members shall be inducted into the society in a 
school assembly with as impressive and appropriate ceremonies as 
possible. 


ARTICLE IX 
OFFICERS 


Section 1, The officers of each chapter shall be a president, 
vice president, secretary, and treasurer. 


Section 2. The term of office shall be for one year and of- 
ficers shall not succeed themselves. 


Section 3. The secretary shall with the approval of the prin- 
cipal certify to the secretary of the National Council the names of 
those elected to membership. 


ARTICLE X 
Faculty SUPERVISION 


Section 1. All meetings shall be held with the approval of the 
principal or some faculty member approved by the principal. 


Section 2. The activities of the chapter shall be subject to the 
approval of the principal. 


ARTICLE XI 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 


Section 1. The executive committee of the chapter shall con- 
sist of the officers of the chapter and the faculty sponsor. 


Section 2. The executive committee of the chapter shall plan 
the meetings and have general charge of business affairs, but any 
action of the executive committee shall be subject to review by 
the chapter. 


ARTICLE XII 
AMENDMENTS 


_Section 1. This constitution of the National Junior Honor 
Society may be amended at any meeting of the National Council. 


29 












DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





GROUP INSURANCE FOR MEMBERS 


It is a pleasure to announce that the Executive Committee has 
approved a plan of group insurance that offers coverage to the 
members at exceedingly low cost. Group insurance is usually con- 
sidered as applicable to factory employees or workers for some 
great corporation. By a special arrangement with the Prudential 
Life Insurance Company an unusual opportunity of life insurance 
at low prices is offered to members of the Department. The salient 


features of the plan are: 
1. Low premium. 
2. No medical examination. 


3. Total and permanent disability benefits. If an insured 
member becomes totally and permanently disabled, his insurance - 
will be paid in a lump sum or in installments. Total and permanent 
disability is loss of both legs or of both arms or of an arm and a 
leg, or the sight of both eyes. Insanity, cancer, and consumption 
are also on the list. 

4. Conversion privilege. When an insured member leaves the 
profession, he may convert his group policy into any of the policies 
(except term insurance) customarily issued by the insurance com- 
pany for the same amount at the current rates of the attained age. 
Conversion must take place within thirty-one days to avoid medical 
examination. As long as one is in the teaching profession, whether 
principal or teacher, he may insure. 

5. Age limit of eighty years. 

6. Individual certificates. These show rights of insured, 
amount, and beneficiary. 

7. Current protection. There are no savings, accumulation, or 
paid-up features. Insurance is for one year at a time, and is re- 
newable each year, at the option of the insured member. Theo- 


retically the premium steps up each year with the age of the 
insured member. The annual dividends will, no doubt, make the 


premium less rather than more. 
8. An insurance company of first rank, the Prudential Life 
Insurance Company. 


The amount of insurance a member must take depends on his 
annual salary. The cost of his insurance is determined by his age. 
The amount of insurance and the cost may be ascertained from the 


tables below. 
If a member’s annual salary is $2,200 and his age is 27, his 
insurance must be $2,000 and his annual premium will be $14.20. 


If one’s salary is $3,200 and his age is 39, his insurance must 
be $3,000 and his annual premium will be $25.80. 


30 





























SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





If one’s salary is increased so as to move him to a higher class, 
he must take insurance the next year according to his class as 
determined by his salary. 


This plan will become operative as soon as a certain percentage 
of the members make application. Because of dividends expected 
at the end of the first year, the rates will, no doubt, be lower the 
second year. The dividends for our group depend on the deaths in 
our group. Each group is given separate consideration in the 
matter of dividends. The more who insure, the lower the rates 
next year. The cost of this insurance is surprisingly low. There- 
fore I hope the members will take advantage of this unusual 
opportunity. 


Present this opportunity to your assistant principal, deans, 
advisers, heads of departments, and others who ought to be inter- 
ested in the Department and the literature it publishes. 


May I urge you to give this offer most prompt attention? 
Send information card to me today. Do it Now. 


If this plan is unsatisfactory to you, please write me at once 
your adverse criticism. 


Dues for the year must be paid before insurance is valid. 
Dues are two dollars a year. 


In filling the card, state salary in blank, “Employment dates 
from.” 


Send for additional cards, if needed. 
Dues ($2.00) if unpaid for’1929, should accompany application. 
Notice will be sent when premium is due. 


H. V. Cuurcn, Executive Secretary 
Morton High School, Cicero, Illinois, 
or, 3129 Wenonah Avenue, Berwyn, 
Illinois. 












DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





GROUP LIFE INSURANCE 


Annual Rates per $1,000 


AGE PREMIUM 


AGE PREMIUM 








are $ 7.00 re $13.05 
BPcsees 7.05 er 13.90 
er 7.10 ee 14.80 
Pe sic 7.15 ere 15.80 
ee 7.20 eer 16.90 
ee 7.25 eer 18.15 
ere 7.30 err 19.50 
ae 7.40 ree 20.90 
evens 7.50 ere 22.50 
rr 7.65 ree 24.25 
Dirrknes 7.80 ee 26.10 
re 7.95 ere 28.15 
ésctes 8.15 eer 30.40 
er 8.35 er 32.90 
ee 8.60 ee 35.50 
esas 8.90 ee 38.40 
ere 9.20 ORs kaise 41.50 
er 9.60 @...... 44.90 
ee 10.00 @...... 48.50 
44...... 10.50 eee 52.50 
eer 11.10 ee 56.80 
OR ces 11.65 ee 61.40 
Wives 12.30 ee 66.40 












For rates over 70 years, write for information. 


CLASSES 
Salary Insurance 
A—Up to $2,000................ $1,000 
B—$2,001 to 3,000................ 2,000 
C— 3,001 to 3,750................ 3,000 


D— 3,751 to 4,999................ 


ee) 

















SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





STANDARD HIGH-SCHOOL PERSONAL RECORD 
BLANKS 


The standard record forms which were approved by the De- 
partment of Secondary-School Principals at the meeting at Boston 
are now printed on cardboard suitable for vertical filing systems. 
This card is especially designed for small and medium sized high 
schools. If there is sufficient demand, the 84” x 11” form will also 
be printed on cardboard and on heavy bond paper with a margin in 
the border punched for use in loose leaf binders. 


Space is provided on these blanks for scholarship records for 
five years. The extra year is included for pupils of four-year high 
schools who may desire to do graduate work. It is recommended 
that six year junior-senior high schools use separate cards for the 
records of the junior and of the senior schools. 


When the guidance information called for in the lower right 
hand corner seems to be of a changeable nature, as would often be 
true of such items as “Vocational Preference,” it is suggested that 
it be written in pencil so that it can be erased and changed when 


necessary. 
The schedule of prices, postpaid, follows: 


Zones 100 200 500 1000 
land2 $1.35 $265 $485 $885 

3 138 270 495 9.00 
140 275 505 915. 


1.42 2.80 5.15 9.35 
1.45 2.85 5.30 9.55 
1.48 2.90 5.40 9.75 


1.50 2.95 5.50 10.00 
The cards will be shipped on receipt of price, or C. O. D. 





























CONE A! wmf] & 





33 








DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 





SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT—CERTIFICATES OF 
RECOMMENDATION 


Hitherto the Certificates of Recommendation have been sent 
to the members free of charge. The demand for the Certificates is 
so great that the printing and mailing charges have become a burden 
to the treasurer. It is reasonable that boards of education should 
bear the expense of these supplies. The Executive Committee has 
agreed to furnish the Certificates, postpaid, at the following prices: 











Mailing from 
Chicago 100 200 300 400 500 1000 


Ist zone $80 $1.50 $220 $280 $3.40 $6.00 


























2nd “ 80 150 220 280 3.45 6.10 
3rd“ 85 155 225 285 3.50 6.20 
4th “ 85 160 230 3.00 3.75 645 
Sth “ 90 165 240 3.05 390 6.60 
6th “ 90 170 245 3.15 4.00 680 
_— 95 175 255 3.25 415 7.00 
8th “ 100 180 260 335 425 7.20 





The blanks will be mailed on receipt of price, or C. O. D. 


34 














SECONDARY-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACTS 





ADDRESSES 
of 


PUBLISHERS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO 
THIS BULLETIN 


American Book Company 
330 East Twenty-second Street 
Chicago 

D. Appleton and Company 
29 West Thirty-second Street 
New York City 


A. S. Barnes and Company 
7 West Forty-fifth Street 
New York City 


Thomas Y. Crowell Company 
387 Fourth Avenue 
New York City 


Ginn and Company 
15 Ashburton Place 
Boston, Massachusetts 


Henry Holt and Company 
2626 Prairie Avenue 
Chicago 

Houghton Mifflin Company 
2 Park Street 
Boston, Massachusetts 


G. P. Putnam’s Sons 
2 West Forty-fifth Street 
New York City 

B. H. Sanborn and Company 
221 East Culberton 
Chicago 

Warwick and York 


I 10 East Center Street 
} Baltimore, Maryland 


World Book Company 
Yonkers-on-Hudson 
New York 


35