BULLETIN OF THE DEPART-- | MENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL | | PRINCIPALS OF THE NATIONAL | EDUCATION ASSOCIATFON _ Issued Five Times a Year 5 “2 January, March, April, May, ond Décem : MAY, 1935 Serial Number 57 BULLETIN NUMBER 57. F orty Years A Schoolmaster_ | : William A. Werzel Mt ha * . --Published by °° > » THE DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS ae | OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION :. RN "0885 Kimbark Avene, Chicago, i | “Entered as sohagdieleal matter September 27, 1984, at the post office at Chicago, Illinois, under‘the Act of: August 24, 1912, Acceptance ' for mailing. at Bpesial rate of postage, provided for in Section 412, fl Act *f February 23, 1928, ew ‘March 90, 1927, | 80 Conta hea ph Ie ore NS ed | $2.00-0 Year < | BULLETIN OF THE DEPART- MENT OF SECON DARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION Issued Five Times a Year January, March, April, May, and December MAY, 1935 Serial Number 57 BULLETIN No. 57 Forty Years A Schoolmaster Wituram A. Werze. Published by THE DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION H. V. CHURCH, Executive Secretary, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago 50 Cents $2.00 a Year DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION OFFICERS 1935-1936 President: Harrison C. Lysetu State Supervisor of Secondary Education, Augusta, Maine First Vice President: Wituarp N. VAN StycK Principal of High School, Topeka, Kansas Second Vice President: McCukLaAN G. JONES Principal of Union High School, Huntington Beach, California Iixecutive Secretary: H. V. Cuurcu 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHar.es Forrest ALLEN Supervisor of Secondary Education, Little Rock, Arkansas K. J. Chark Principal Murphy High School, Mobile, Alabama Oscar GRANGER Principal Haverford Township High School, Upper Darby, Pennsylvania NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY M. R. MecDanuen., President Principal of Oak Park and River Forest Township High School, Oak Park, Illinois CuHarLES Forrest ALLEN Superviso? of Secondary Education, Little Rock, Arkansas W. Brooks Principal of Wichita Hick School North, Wichita, Kansas H. V. KEepNeER Principal of West Side High School, Denver, Colorado A. E. MacQuarrik Principal of Washburn High School, Minneapolis, Minnesota New, D. MatHEews Principal of Lincoln High School, Cleveland, Ohio Harry C. McKown Gilson, Illinois Louis E. PLuMMER Principal of Fullerton Union High School and Junior College Fullerton, California ° JosErH ROEMER Director of Instruction, Pez ibody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tennessee H. V. Cuurcnu, Secretary 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago BULLETIN NUMBER 57 DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION MAY, 1935 SPECIAL NOTICE St. Louis has been selected for the February Meeting of 1936. Coronado Hotel will be the headquarters of the Department of Secondary-School Principals. Rooms range from $2.50 up. If you desire a reservation for our February meeting, please inform me and I will secure a booking for you. State day you will arrive, day you will leave, price of room, and whether single or double. If the latter, please give names. Direct your inquiries to H. V. CHURCH, 5835 Kimbark Avenue Chicago CONTENTS Officers of Department of Secondary-School Principals Officers of National Council of National Honor Society Secretaries of the State Organizations Affiliated with the Department of Secondary-School Principals PART I Announcements of the Denver (July, 1935) Meeting ............. 5 Forty Years a Schoolmaster, William A. Wetzel Nationwide School Printing Project PART II National Honor Society: Results of the Referendum Letters from Chapters PART III Department Matters... PART IV I nia iiiisectsit ispciecsibpdsantanceiscieainsmaraitaseitieati abies cassia ambiental 59 FR ang Re esteene . —_ Secretaries of State Organizations Affiliated with the DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS W. L. SPENCER, Department of Education, Montgomery, Alabama. V. E. SAMMONS, Senior High School, Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. HARRY G. HANSELL, 2694 Twenty-third Avenue, San Francisco, California. J. FRED Essic, Junior-Senior High School, Longmont, Colorado. T. E. CURRAN, Sheridan J unior High School, New Haven, Connecticut. CHARLES D. LUTZ, Horace Mann School, 6th and Garfield, Gary, Ind. JAMES E. BLUE, Senior High School, Rockford, Illinois. S. E. THOMPSON, Amos Hiatt Junior High School, Des Moines, Iowa. G. C. DoTzourR, Wichita High School, North Wichita, Kansas. W. R. CHAMPION, Public Schools, Lancaster, Kentucky. HARRISON C. LYSETH, State House, Augusta, Maine. WILLIAM D. SPRAGUE, High School, Melrose, Massachusetts. EDGAR G. JOHNSTON, University High School Ann Arbor, Michigan. CHARLES W. BOARDMAN, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota J. D. HULL, Senior High School, Springfield, Missouri. W. L. NEWTON, Rome Free Academy, Rome, New York. G. HARVEY NICHOLLS, High School, Bound Brook, New Jersey. DEAN M. HICKSON, High School, Lancaster, Ohio. CARL C. CRESS, Harding Junior High School, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. C. E. CLEVELAND, Benson Polytechnic School, Portland, Oregon. WILLIAM H. BRIsTow, Pennsylvania Department of Public Instruction, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. GEORGE M. FRANDSEN, Eastern High and Training School, Madison, South Dakota. ELIZABETH FITZGERALD, West High School, Salt Lake City, Utah. ROBERT N. MILLET, High School, Springfield, Vermont. G. N. PORTER, Garfield High School, Seattle, Washington. VIRGIL L. FLINN, High School, Charleston, West Virginia. J. H. MCNEEL, High School, Beloit, Wisconsin. CHESTER W. HOLMES, Langley Junior High School, Washington, D. C. PROGRAM SUMMER MEETING DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS DENVER, COLORADO JULY 2-3, 1935 Tuesday, July 2, 8:00 A. M. Get-Together Breakfast, Cosmopolitan Hotel. Tuesday, July 2, 2:00 P. M. Presiding: Harrison C. Lyseth, President of the Depart- ment of Secondary-School Principals, State Super- visor of Secondary Education, Augusta, Maine. Address of Welcome, Supt. A. L. Threlkeld, Public School Department, Denver. Implications of Present Trends in the High-School Pro- gram, Dr. A. J. Stoddard, President of Department of Superintendence, Superintendent of Schools, Providence, Rhode Island. The High-School Principal and Educational Psychology, Dr. Arthur M. Jordan, Professor of Educational Psy- chology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Wednesday, July 3, 12:15 P. M. Luncheon, Cosmopolitan Hotel. Address: Dr. Armentrout, State Teachers College, Gree- ley, Colorado. Wednesday, July 3, 2:00 P. M. Presiding: Mr. Willard N. Van Slyck, First Vice President of the Department of Secondary-School Principals, Principal of Topeka High School, Topeka, Kansas. The National Honor Society, A Necessity in Secondary Education, Prin. H. V. Kepner, West High School, Denver. The Revision of Standards Study and Its Effect on Secon- dary Education, Dr. Joseph Roemer, George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tennessee. To be announced. 5 WiiuraM A. WETZEL INTRODUCTION Very few principals have had the privilege of serving as the head of a single secondary school for a period of thirty- four years. This exceptional privilege has been enjoyed by Dr. William A. Wetzel, who retired February 1, 1935 from the principalship of Central High School, Trenton, New Jersey. In this position, Dr. Wetzel has served with distinction and has won national recognition as a leader in secondary educa- tion. His record is so outstanding, that the Department of Secondary-School Principals devotes this bulletin to a brief sketch of Dr. Wetzel’s life and his final report which presents a review of the growth of the school under his charge since 1901. It is believed that the work of this leader in secondary- school administration will prove an inspiration to the younger members of the Department and an achievement in admin- istration which the entire Department will view with profes- sional pride. Dr. Wetzel was born in Ackermanville, Pennsylvania, July 30, 1869. He attended the local district school until fif-: teen years of age. Later he attended a preparatory school at Easton, Pennsylvania, for one year and taught a district school for two years. His college education was secured at Lafayette College, from which he received the A. B. Degree in 1891 and the A. M. Degree in 1892. After teaching one year at the Bordentown Military Institute, he entered Johns Hopkins University, from which he received three years later the Ph. D. Degree in his- tory and politics. After graduating from Johns Hopkins, Wetzel spent the next four and one-half years as supervising principal of pub- lic schools in Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, which position he re- signed in February, 1901, to accept the principalship of the high school in Trenton, New Jersey. At that time the high school was a small institution and the principal devoted part of his time to teaching. For the first fifteen years in this posi- tion he taught all the senior high-school pupils civics. Under his administration secondary education was popularized and the enrolment of the school was rapidly increased. 7 Dr. Wetzel, while principal of the Trenton High School, participated in educational and civic movements in his city. He sponsored the junior high-school movement in Trenton and planned the first junior high-school building, which was the first in the state of New Jersey. His leadership in secondary education was not confined, however, to his local community and state. He participated in national movements, was identi- fied with the National Association of Secondary-School Prin- cipals from the beginning, and in more recent years was inti- mately associated with the National Committee on Research in Secondary Education. He also served as a member of the ad- visory committee of the National Survey of Secondary Educa- tion. For his work in the field of secondary education, Dr. Wet- zel has been honored by election to many offices of leadership. Lafayette College, his Alma Mater, conferred on him in 1931 the honorary degree of Ed. D. in recognition of his services in secondary education, and, in 1934, Rutgers University honored him with the degree of Litt. D. It is hoped that with relief from administrative duties Dr. Wetzel will now have time to devote himself to writing and to broad professional services in his special field. DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS FORTY YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER A Summary Prepared by Williarn A. Wetzel on the Occasion of His Retirement from the Principalship of the Trenton High School It is a great privilege to have lived through significant changes in our social order and to have had some small part in adjusting and readjusting an educational program to fit these changes. This has been the privilege of a schoolmaster who has been in service during the last forty years, thirty-four of which were in the office of principal of the Trenton High School. It was my privilege to follow Dr. William H. Brace, who was the first principal of the high school and who served for twenty-six years. Our combined service therefore is sixty years. Then and Now—I took charge of the Trenton High School in February, 1901. Then child labor was allowed. Twelve years of age was the compulsory school limit, and many children went to regular employment at that age. Now under the N. R. A. child labor is completely abolished, and in practice there - does not seem to be a place in industry for the youth of our country under twenty years of age. Then fewer than 10% of the pupils of secondary-school age were in school. To-day 60% of all children up to eighteen years of age are enrolled in school, and the other 40% should be so enrolled. From 1830 to 1920 the number of secondary-school pupils increased to 2,500,000. In the next ten years (1920-1930) it doubled. Since 1930 there has probably been another increase of 40%. Then the high school was a select school. There was no junior high school. We tried to fit the child into a rigid pro- gram. Failing in that, we “saved the standard” and thus elimi- nated the child. To-day with the junior high school beginning with the seventh year there are many courses open to the children and the effort is now to fit the school to the child. Then the program was purely academic. There were no shops planned originally for the new building which we occu- pied in 1901. I raised the money for the first workbench and the first printing press to find their way into our public schools. 10 Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER To-day both junior and senior schools have well-equipped shops tor both boys and girls. Then the only music taught was general school chorus singing. To-day we have in the senior school a full-time teacher of music, who offers credit courses, and we should have at least two such teachers. Then there was no health program and there were no nurses in the employ of the board of education. To-day in ad- dition to the services of a dentist and a nurse assigned to the high school every pupil receives one hour daily of physical education, consisting largely of outdoor recreation. Then a diploma was couched in general language, certify- ing to the attainment of common standards in the various sub- jects. To-day graduation has largely lost its significance. There is no longer a common measure for graduation, either in sub- ject requirements or in subject matter achievements. A diploma now contains the complete record of the pupil by years, subjects, and ratings. The diploma is meaningless ex- cept as it is interpreted in terms of the record of the holder. In required subjects pupils are often passed on P ratings, which signify only that the pupils have done their best. P rat- ings are starred and their character is explained in a footnote. Then there were no intelligence or scholastic aptitude tests. Standards were arbitrarily set, and pupils who survived reached these standards. Then there was no reliable testing program. Each pupil’s achievement was just as high as the teacher declared it to be. Standards varied widely, and teach- ers frequently boasted of the fact that they maintained higher standards than their co-workers in the same department. The failure of pupils was tragic. In the early days we annually conferred a medal for high- est rank in scholarship. The conscience of the principal would no longer allow the conferring of this medal when one year he knew that the deciding factor was the relatively high rating of the teacher of the winner as compared with the relatively low rating of another teacher of a competitor in the same subject. The processes of arriving at a rating were frequently devious and always secret. I threatened one time at the request of a teacher to suspend a pupil whose offense was to take a DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 11 secret peep at the record book in the absence of the teacher. Complaint is a mild term to indicate the criticisms that fol- lowed the announcement of the’ ratings at any time. Parental visits were frequent. “The teacher has a pick on me” was a common charge. To-day courses and standards are definite. Progress is generally measured in terms of scores. Tests are largely ob- jective and are generally departmental tests. Pupils may know day by day approximately what their status is. The records are kept in an open book. Complaints about ratings are prac- tically unknown. A teacher who could not support his ratings with concrete evidence would be criticized. I do not mean to imply that there was no virtue in the old essay test, but the argument that the essay test is needed for practice in the organization and expression of thought is self- condemnatory, because the organization and expression of thought is the very life of the daily class work and must not be relegated to an occasional test. Whether for good or for bad, so long as teachers are carrying the heavy load which is now assigned to them, the testing program must remain largely objective. Then the curriculums were few in number and rigid in character. The report of the Committee of Ten was the Bible of high-school principals in those days. The basis of curricu- lum organization was subject matter. To-day there are many curriculums, flexible in character, and the basis of curriculum organization is pupil needs. In all this we had a philosophy. Our theory was that it was our duty to select the fit and to train them for leadership in a democracy. It was a presumptuous theory, but we did not then have the example of Burbank, who taught us in his experiments that the way to discover leaders is to let them discover themselves in a seedbed in which every plant has a fair chance. But after all, the theory is no more presumptuous than the modern theory advocated by some, that it is now the function of the school to “reconstruct” society. Our business is education, and young people properly educated may safely be trusted to take care of the reconstruction when the time comes. I am not here opposing a liberal education in the so- cial, political, and economic history of our social order. What dia ee Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER 12 I am opposing is that we should send out a race of young peo- ple opinionated in the details of a reconstruction program. Then there was no guidance program. To-day pupils re- ceive help in both educational and vocational guidance. Then the extra-curriculum program was narrow and lim- ited practically to athletics. We did have a banjo club for a few years. To-day there is a wide extra-curriculum program planned for distinct educational purposes. Then we had only two clubs, which were two senior liter- ary societies. They included the entire senior class. In their annual contest they made the welkin ring with their oratory. To-day we have approximately thirty clubs, without counting any athletic organizations, including practically half of the members of the school, and they cover every conceivable youth activity. The new building which we occupied at the beginning of my administration accommodated approximately 750 pupils. It was planned for a purely academic program. With the ex- ception of one drawing room and three small laboratories, all the rooms were standard-size academic classrooms. The building which we now occupy has a capacity of 4,000 pupils. Only one half of the classrooms are standard size. The others vary from one-half standard size to double standard size. Many of these rooms are planned especially for teaching certain subjects. In addition, the new building provides eight shop centers, four gymnasiums, two swimming pools, a recre- ation field which provides outdoor facilities for 800 pupils at one time, ample provision for teaching practical and fine arts, rooms for the nurse and a dental clinic, a central library plus two departmental libraries, a school store for training in prac- tical salesmanship, two auditoriums, the one a central audi- torium the other a small auditorium seating 250 pupils and equipped with sound picture and complete projection ap- paratus. The School Population.—In 1901 Trenton’s population was 73,307. By 1934 it had less than doubled (123,356). In 1901 there were enrolled in grades nine to twelve 562 pupils. In 1934 there are approximately 3,500 pupils in grades DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 13 ten to twelve, and more than 5,000 in grades nine to twelve. This is an increase of almost tenfold. In 1901 we had sixteen teachers, of whom only two were men, including the principal. To-day we have approximately one hundred teachers, of whom sixty-five are men. Since the founding of the school in 1874, 8,534 pupils have been graduated. Of this number 618 were graduated before 1901 and 7,916 since 1901. 92.7% of all the graduates of the Trenton High School came within my administration. A study of the racial background of the changing school population is interesting. Up to 1914 the names of graduates that did not show either American, or English, or Irish, or German parentage are negligible. By 1914 the following na- tionalities were represented among the parents of the gradu- ates: American, English, Irish, German, Italian, Russian (Jew- ish), Polish, Scotch, Dutch. By 1924 approximately only half (145) of the graduates were of native parentage. The follow- ing nationalities were represented : Russia—36; England—13; Italy—12; Germany—10; Austria—9; Hungary—6; Scot-. land—3 ; Ireland—3 ; Czechoslovakia—2 ; Rumania—2; France —1; Sweden—1; Wales—1. The distribution of nationalities of the parents of the last graduating class, 1934, is as follows: United States—341|; Italy—74 ; Russia—52 ; Poland—38 ; Hungary—26; England— 25; Austria—18; Germany—18; Czechoslovakia—17; Scot- land—9; Ireland—9; Latvia—3; Rumania—3; Sweden—2; Lithuania—1 ; Greece—1 ; Denmark—1 ; Cuba—1; Jugo-Slavia —1; Syria—1; Spain—1; Ukrania—1; Wales—1. Up to ten years ago the colored pupils were very few in number, and came from families long resident in the north. By 1927 the number of colored pupils had increased to 26. Two years later it had almost doubled (44), but since 1931 the increase has been rapid. In 1931 we had 116 colored pupils; in 1932, 148; and in 1934 the number had increased to 188. These changes in school population have brought serious problems of instruction. For approximately the last ten years we have taken a reading ability measure of each pupil. The reading ability index (R. A. I.) of the pupil is a composite factor growing out of the results of two standard tests, the 14 Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER Chapman Unspeeded Reading Comprehension Test and the Inglis Vocabulary Test. The median R. A. I. of our school has never been high. It would fall considerably below the median R. A. I. of the high schools with a more or less select school population in the commuting area of north Jersey. In 1926 the median R. A. I. of our school was 94.3. It dropped to 91.5 in 1930. By 1933 it reached 90.1, but it dropped to 87.98 in 1934. This tremendous drop is due to the low read- ing ability of recent entrants. The median R. A. I. of the present tenth grade is 81.93, which is the lowest median R. A. I. on record for any grade in our school. The median for the eleventh grade this year is 87.08 and for the twelfth grade 95.27. The gradual lowering of the reading ability of the school is shown by the following record of median R. A. I.’s for the tenth grade during the last few years: 1931 94 1932 91.3 1933 85.7 1934 81.93 The teachability of our colored group has always been ex- ceptionally low. This is indicated by both the reading ability and the academic ratings of this group. The median reading ability of the colored group in 1927 was 78.5 In recent years it has hovered about 70, which of course is very low. An aver- age distribution of academic ratings for the school is as fol- lows: A—10% ; B—20% ; C—40% ; D—23% ; E—7%. A typi- cal distribution of the academic ratings of the colored group is about as follows: A 2to 5% B 10 to 15% C 25 to 30% D 35 to 40% E 15 to 18% I wish to add, however, that environment is certainly a strong factor in these results. But whatever the cause, the fact remains that at present the colored group as a whole is a very poorly adjusted group in our school. There is another bit of evidence that the change down- ward in the median R. A. I. has affected our work. We began ay DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 15 a more or less scientific attack on our school problems about ten years ago when we began to compare academic ratings with the reading abilities of the pupils. The distribution of academic ratings in 1924 was not good. Approximately 40% of the ratings were E or D ratings. The distribution was as follows: A—7% ; B—24% ; C—301/ ; D—26%; E—13%. By attacking the problem of readjustment we had obtained the following distribution in June 1929: A—12% ; B—28% ; C— 31% ; D—25'; ; E—4.. Then began the new wave of increase in school population with the consequent rapid lowering of the median R. A. I. The distribution of ratings in June 1934 was as follows: A—10% ; B—21%; C—34%; D—27%; E—8%. In 1934 we had 6% more ratings in the E and D group, and 9% fewer ratings in the B and A group than we had in 1929. For instructional purposes in a school in which the text- book is still the chief tool placed in the pupils’ hands, an R. A. i. of 60 is exceedingly low. In the school year 1930-31 2.5% of our pupils fell below an R. A. I. of 60. By 1933-34 almost 10% (9.5%) of our pupils graded below an R. A. I. of 60. The per- cent in this group increased from 2.5% to 8.5% in one year . —1930-31 to 1931-32. In other words we now have more than 300 pupils whose reading ability is so low as to demand an entire change of front in attacking the problem of their edu- cation. There is still another interesting sidelight on the changes caused by changes in school population. I attach hereto a graph which shows the line of average accomplishment at varying abiity levels in 1928 and 1934, (see p. 16). This graph shows that during this period we were more successful in adjusting pupils to work in the lower ability levels than in the higher levels. It may be that we paid too much attention to the lower level pupils. On the other hand it may be that with better grouping we unconsciously made the tests in the upper levels a little more severe. Whatever the cause, the fact remains. One rather interesting outcome of this change has been that we found it desirable to change our standard for college certification. We used to certify without question any pupil who ranked in the upper fourth of his class during the year and a half preceding February of his graduation. To attain this rank it was necessary in 1930 to reach an arithmetical score of 35. (Formula for score: A—4, B—3, C—2, D—1l, 16 Forty YEARS A SCHOOI,MASTER i E—0). The score of 35 was equivalent to eleven B ratings and one C rating. In 1934 a pupil could reach the highest fourth of his class with a score of 31, which is equivalent to seven B ratings and five C ratings. The following table shows the R.A. f. Scale al it ee ee 30 100 120 149 160: [ gradual lowering of the academic score necessary to rank in i the highest fourth: 1930 35 > 4 1931 33 1932 33.5 : 1933 32 1934 31 DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 17 It was deemed wise under these circumstances to reserve the unqualified certification of pupils for college to those who ranked in the highest fifth of the class instead of the highest fourth. One of our teachers recently made an interesting study of the relation between racial background and school achieve- ment. The two groups studied were carrying tenth year Bi- ology (10S). The better group (on the basis of the R. A. I.) was assigned to 10S1, and the poorer group to 10S2. The following compilation of statistics carries I think the impli- cation that handicap in the use of English frequently inter- feres with school success and that a low R. A. I. may not neces- sarily mean a low order of intelligence. Group I— Group II— 1081 10S2 I I Bie sisceeuisiterasatubeiininenntcnasabinnireemnpan 106 67 % of pupils who usually hear a foreign lan- guage spoken in the home 62% % of pupils who speak a foreign language at 36% % of pupils whose mothers are foreign-born 28% 50% © % of pupils whose fathers are foreign-born 30% 60% Teachers sometimes are inclined to exaggerate the prob- lems which the recent additions to our senior high-school population have introduced. I have heard it stated at different times that the per cent of attendance now is lower and the number of truants greater than they used to be. The facts do not bear out this statement in our school. In 1901 the percent of attendance was 89. In 1920 it had risen to 92.82%. In 1934 it was 94.22%. The earliest permanent record of truants was begun in 1910, when the number of cases of truancy was 3.8% of the enrollment. In 1920 it was 3.2% of the enrollment. In 1934 it had dropped to 2.2% of the enrollment. This improvement is probably due to an efficient attend- ance department in our school. 18 rorty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER Changes in Curriculum Organization.—In June 1902 the principal of the high school sent the following communication to the Board of Education: A. That (1) “as an instrument for training the mind to habits of intellectual consciousness, patience, discrimination, accuracy and thoroughness— in a word, to habits of clear and sound think- ing,” Recause of the more thorough knowledge of grammar obtained by studying a language which is more inflected than the English lan- guage, Because the higher schools demand this wider course and most pupils when they enter the high school do not know whether they will go beyond the high school or not. Therefore all pupils shall be required to study one other language than English for at least three years, preferably German or Latin. (The reason for this choice was the fact that these languages are highly inflected.) That the following constitute the first year’s work in the high school: English grammar, Latin or German, Algebra, Physical Geography, Greek and Roman History, Arith- metic, including elementary bookkeeping. In the early history of our school pupils had two curricu- lum choices, the academic, or as it was generally called, the college preparatory, and the commercial curriculum. The com- mercial curriculum, however, included only grades eleven and twelve and was frequently the life line thrown to some weak- ling in the academic curriculum. There was one commercial curriculum, in which both stenography and bookkeeping were required. Under this inflexible organization the failure of pupils was tragic. The following abstract of a report under date of 1912 shows a typical record of failures. The figures show the “improvement” which takes place from the ninth to the twelfth year when the “unfit” are eliminated. DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 19 Record of Failures in 1912 9 , a0 11 12 English 21% 35% 22% 8% Latin Y 34% 29% 8% Algebra y 36% % Geometry 35% 17% 0 The shrinkage in enrollment was correspondingly great. In English the loss was approximately 75% between the ninth and the twelfth years, in Latin about 90%, in geometry about 40% between the tenth and eleventh years. Although in the Trenton High School to-day there are five curriculums, the limit of a pupil’s choice is the entire pro- gram of studies, modified only by the pupil’s capacity and needs. The following are some of the marked changes in the pro- gram of studies since 1901. In addition to Latin and German then offered, we now offer French, Spanish, and Italian. I think however that the expansion in the field of foreign languages has not always con- © served either the pupils’ needs or the public purse. It would be a great gain if pupils would concentrate on the study of one language long enough to master the language. The demand for mastery rather than clock hours on the part of the colleges would help this program very much. In mathematics we have added advanced algebra and sur- veying, and have elementary algebra and geometry in various modified forms. Physical geography has given way to economic geography. In general, the subject of geography has not yet come to its own in the American high school. The curriculum now includes four kinds of shop activi- ties for boys (wood, machine, electric and print) and two for girls (cooking and sewing), general art, poster and commer- cial illustrating, decoration and costume, craft work and music. The commercial curriculum has been greatly enriched dur- ing the last thirty years. Stenography and bookkeeping are no longer required of all pupils. Commercial pupils may specialize along the lines of stenography or general business or expert accounting. Courses in salesmanship, business organization, 20 Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER marketing, elementary accounting, secretarial training, secre- tarial office practice, and use of calculating machines in com- mercial arithmetic represent additions in this curriculum. The whole program of physical education has been added since 1901. Among the various guidance activities is now a course in the study of vocations. Indeed, the word guidance is new since 1901. It came into our vocabulary as vocational guidance, but in our school we give greater emphasis to educational guid- ance. More will be said of this later in this report. Problems of democracy is a course of study which dates back to the Great War. The reasons for this course are well known. But the greater curriculum adjustment has been rather in the adaption of subject matter to pupil needs than in the addition of new subjects. A guiding principle in our school during this period of reorganization has been that nothing is vital to a course of study which is beyond the mastery of the pupils for whom the course is planned. Instead of offering only a college preparatory course in science, the teachers of the science department have arranged subject matter in the sciences on two levels. Sl courses in physics, chemistry, and biology are on a strictly college pre- paratory level. S2 courses are adapted to pupils in the lower reading ability levels. Ability to master, not choice of college, is the deciding factor in classifying pupils in science. Pupils who have been placed in S2 courses are automatically advanced to Sl courses upon receiving ratings adequate to warrant such promotion. On the contrary, pupils in Sl courses are crowded to do work commensurate with their ability to mas- ter. That is, pupils high in reading ability will not be tolerated in S2 courses. If this were allowed, S2 courses would soon become a loafer’s retreat. In mathematics the same principle is applied. M1 cotrses are on a college preparatory level. 10M1 is a demonstrational course in plane geometry. 10M2 is a course which attempts to apply geometrical principles to shop usage. 10M3 is a course in what some years ago was called inventional geometry. SO RIE 2 RFR DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 21 11M1 is the regular intermediate algebra. 11M2 is a course in algebra as applied to shop usage. The latest readjustment in the mathematics department consists of an amalgamation of one year of intermediate algebra and one-half year of plane trigonometry in one year’s work for a selected group. This work has been so satisfactory that we are convinced that the amalgamated course is better for any pupil who wants both subjects, even if the pupil takes one and one-half years for the two subjects. Probably the most radical readjustment of subject matter has taken place in the field of English composition. Every teacher of English concedes that the best pupils in the tenth grade (probably 20% of the group) will surpass the poorest pupils of the twelfth grade (probably 20% of the group), no matter what the test in English may be. If this is true, then surely there is no such thing as a tenth grade pupil in Eng- lish, or a tenth grade course of study in English. This was our starting point in our attempt at readjustment. In the second place, English is given first place in the list of required subjects because, as we say, everybody needs Eng- lish. But what kind of English does everybody need. The answer is, the kind that helps him to organize and express the thoughts which he can think. All these years we have placed the cart before the horse. We have tried to get the codperation of the teachers of other subjects for the English department. Manifestly, what we need is first the recognition of all teach- ers that their fundamental business, regardless of the sub- ject they teach, is the organization and expression of thought; and that therefore the composition teacher is the one whose codperation the other teachers need. The primary factor is not the English teacher, but the history teacher, the science teach- er, the mathematics teacher. To convince the teachers of other subjects of the soundness of this position it was necessary first of all to reorganize the units of English composition in terms easily comprehended by the teachers of other subjects and easily recognized by them as actual tools of teaching and learn- ing in their fields. The following seem to be the necessary Eng- lish tools of learning in other fields: (a) Word building; (b) Sentence structure; (c) The Paragraph; (d) Outlining; (e) Summarizing. We have organized our composition mate- rial under these heads. ee eetinenia neem e a 22 Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER Much of the illustrative material used in the English com- position classes is brought by the pupils from their various classroom activities. The teachers of other subjects emphasize these divisions of composition as tools of learning in their subjects. All the composition material is organized on three levels, and pupils are placed in their proper levels on the basis of achievement tests (checked by the R. A. I.) and regardless of the number of years in school. In the light of past achieve- ment, pupils may be placed on trial in a group contrary to the achievement score or the R. A. I. The results of this program have been most satisfactory. Preparatory to offering the unit in sentence structure in 1933-34, a placement test was given to 2,494 pupils. On the basis of this test 389 pupils were placed in the ECS1 (English composition, sentence structure highest level) group. There were drawn from the following grades: 154 (approximately 40%) 12th grade 122 (approximately 31%) 11th grade 113 (approximately 29%) 10th grade 1060 pupils were placed in ECS2, (middle level) group. These were drawn from the following grades: 291 (28%) 12th grade 375 (35%) 11th grade 394 (37%) 10th grade 1045 were placed in ECS3, the lowest level group. These were drawn from the following grades: 180 (17%) 12th grade 331 (32%) 11th grade 534 (51%) 10th grade The median scores earned at the end of the course were as follows: ‘ Median for ECS1 Median for 12th grade group in ECS1 145 Median for 11th grade group in ECS1...... 140 Median for 10th grade group in ECS1 155 DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS The tenth grade group earned the highest score. That is, the best work in the unit sentence structure at the highest level was done by the 113 pupils who came from the tenth grade. Two twelfth grade pupils tied with two tenth grade pupils for the highest individual scores. Whotiients Bem TD nncaecnneiscnncpactecsiceomnedacsosecboses 113 Median for 12th grade group in ECS2...... 116 Median for 11th grade group in ECS2...... 114 Median for 10th grade group in ECS2...... 113 At this level the pupils coming from the twelfth grade led the group. Median for ECS8 ................ ed ere ae, ee 82 Median for 12th grade group in ECS3...... 87 Median for 11th grade group in ECS3...... 82 Median for 10th grade group in ECS3...... 81 At this level also the twelfth grade pupils led the group. It is worth noting that the figures indicate that our plan of grouping was fairly successful. The range of median scores is not wide, and the span between any two medians is about the same (148—113—35; 113—82—-31). A comparison of this method of placing pupils with the method of placing pupils according to the number of years in school shows a preponderance of evidence in favor of the new plan. Considering that a pupil was misplaced (overrated) if his score was as low as the median of the next group below or (underrated) if his score was as high as that of the next group above, the following misplacements occurred: In ECS1 there were 23 pupils whose scores were as low as the median in ECS2. In ECS2 there were 66 pupils whose scores were as high as the median for ECS1 and there were 78 pupils whose scores were as low as the median of ECS3. In ECS3 there were 58 pupils whose scores were as high as the median of ECS2. This makes a total number of misplace- ments of 225 pupils. Only one pupil was misplaced by more than one level. By this method 90.9% of the entire group of 2494 pupils were properly placed at the beginning of the study of the unit. If the pupils had been grouped according to the number of years in school, it is fair to say that the unit ECS1 (high- 23 24 . Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER est level) would have been assigned to the twelfth grade pupils, the unit ECS2 (middle level) to the eleventh grade pupils, and the unit ECS3 (lowest level) to the tenth grade pupils. Under these circumstances the following misplacements would have occurred. In grade 12 there were 309 pupils with scores as low as the median of ECS2 or lower. In grade 11 there were 71 pupils with scores as high as the median for ECS1 and there were 194 pupils with scores as low as the median for ECS3. In the tenth grade there were 331 pupils with scores as high as the median for ECS2 or higher. By this method of placement 905 pupils would have been misplaced. In other words, by placing pupils in English composition in our school according to number of years in school, only 63.9% of the pupils would have been properly placed as against $0.9% properly placed by following the former method. Eighty-six twelfth grade pupils had scores as low as the median score for ECS3 and 114 tenth grade pupils had scores as high as the median for ECS1. That is, by following the method of grouping pupils according to number of years in school 200 pupils would have been misplaced by more than one level, as against only one pupil by following the new method of grouping. The above figures raise a strong suspicion against the gen- eral principle of grouping pupils in all subjects according to number of years in school and measuring progress by clock hours. I shall discuss this more fully later. This method of organizing and presenting the work in English composition necessitated wide readjustments in the curriculum. In the first place it made it possible to select first group pupils for special work in composition. One group of pupils prepares the copy for the school paper, The Spectator. Another group is responsible for the school annual, The Boba- shela. This group also indulges in the art of creative writing. The product appears in a publication called The Laureate. The expense of printing this publication-is borne by the receipts from advance sales among the pupils. Pupils who have com- pleted the required units in composition at the highest level are entitled to become members of the honors composition group. An attempt is made in this group to widen the social horizon DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 25 of the pupils. So far as they have any textbook, the text is the Sunday edition of the New York-Times. Space will not allow me to discuss more fully these ad- vanced classes in English. Their work constitutes the very es- sence of a liberal education and is made possible only by the running of the gauntlet of the fundamental units in composi- tion. Provided a pupil has passed these units with a satisfac- tory grade at the highest level and provided he shows con- stantly in his other classes that he has really learned to organ- ize and express clearly, correctly, and concisely the thoughts which he can think, no more work in English composition is required. Changes in Teaching Technique.—I think that the Trenton High School has made at least a slight contribution in the field of teaching techniques. Two things are worthy of mention in the social studies department. The rapidly increasing enrollment forced us to increase the pupil-teacher load. To do this with the least damage to the . pupils the following plan was devised. The pupils recite under the usual mode of procedure three times per week. During the other two weekly periods the pupits go to a history library, or laboratory, in groups of at least two classes, but under only one teacher. This library room is equipped with a sufficient num- ber of copies of each of the reference books consulted and with a full line of projection apparatus. In this room, with master sheets in their hands and reference books at their elbows, the pupils work on assigned units. The use of films and pictures is increasing in our school and these are always shown to the larger group. ' The low R. A. I. of a large number of our pupils has pre- sented a serious problem of instruction. These pupils are grouped together for instructional purposes. The simplest text and reference books are found, but the teaching material con- sists largely of the still and motion pictures, charts and graphs. Pupils collect and construct much of this material. We learned to our surprise that these pupils really get the essential facts and that their achievements are far beyond what we used to associate with their low R. A. I. before they were separated from the rest of the school. 26 Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER In some respects the results may be more permanent even than in those classes in which the text plays so important a part. In intermediate algebra the pupils advance in the course by working problems and exercises carefully graded and placed on cards. An individual record of the work of each pupil is kept. I do not advocate large or small classes when I say that by this method the teacher is better informed and better able to do individual remedial work with fifty pupils than he was un- der the old group method with thirty pupils. The more able pupils frequently serve as helpers in these classes. A selected group of fifty pupils have learned to demon- strate the propositions of plane geometry without writing the argument step by step on the blackboard in the usual method. They work entirely from an image of the diagram thrown on a daylight screen. We have shown by objective tests that these pupils surpass not only other groups in plane geometry but also pupils in other groups at their ability level. This tech- nique has not yet been tried at average ability levels, but I have a suspicion that this method has a wider application in the teaching of geometry than is now followed in our school. In science S1 classes do faboratory work, but in S2 classes we depend more largely on teacher demonstrations, visual aid material, charts, pictures, and mounted specimens, some fur- nished by the school, others collected by the pupils. Rented films which can be retained only a short time are frequently shown to groups of 250 pupils. But more and more our school is adding to its stock of instructional films which, like refer- ence books, find a definite place in the instructional program in the classroom. The increased enrollment in the commercial arithmetic forced a change of attack. A prognostic test was devised to measure arithmetical ability. The results of the test were made the basis of classification of pupils in the course, and this made possible the adjustment of technique to the group. This test is still in an experimental stage, but the results so far are en- couraging. In June 1933 49.8% of the pupils received A, B, or C ratings. In June 1934 this was raised to 56.1%. These and other innovations introduced in our school in the field of teaching technique in the last ten years were made DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 27 possible only by the earnest and intelligent codperation of the teachers. Changes in Administration and Supervision.—Thirty years ago there was no such thing as a scientific attempt at school administration. Courses of study consisted largely of sections of textbooks. There was no scientific testing program, and therefore no attempt at an accurate evaluation of the school product. For a number of years a guiding principle in our school has been that whatever is pedagogically vital must be made administratively possible. The following is a summary of the things aimed at in the last ten or fifteen years in the administration of the Trenton High School. A. A definite recognition of the fact that courses of study in a public high school are of two kinds. 1. Those courses in which standards are determined by conditions external to the group. In such courses the adjustment must be made largely by adjusting the pupil to the course. The high school cannot fix the ' standard in stenography or in any college prepara- tory science or college preparatory mathematics. These standards are fixed in the one case by the busi- ness man, in the other case by the colleges. Those courses in which standards are determined by conditions within the group. There are many illus- trations of this kind. The most pronounced are sub- jects required of all, whether by school regulation or by state law. Two illustrations are English and prob- lems of democracy. In all such courses in the first place the subject matter must be within the range of mastery of the pupil, and standards must be fixed relative to the ability of the group. Here the accumu- lated results of standard objective tests and the nor- mal curve of distribution serve a useful purpose. This principle has a very significant meaning in the organization and administration of the social studies program in general. B. A more definite organization of the courses of study to include summaries of these courses to be placed in the Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER pupil’s hands. The first essential to arrival is a clear con- ception of where one wants to go. A thorough and com- mon understanding of the objectives of the course of study underlies any scientific attempt at evaluating the effi- ciency of instruction as well as an equitable rating sys- tem. To encourage teachers to keep their plans and rec- ords from year to year, a steel filing cabinet has been placed in every classroom in the new building. A method of evaluating achievement sufficiently accu- rate to guarantee that the same quality of work will draw approximately the same rating, regardless of the indi- viduality of teacher or pupil. More than ten years ago our teachers spent an entire year in studying the objective test. Our text was a small manual written by Professor Monroe. Since that time we have made great progress in the preparation of objective tests that really measure the reasoning ability and literary appreciation as well as knowledge of facts. However, there is still room for great improvement in this field. Some kind of measure of probable scholastic ability. As the range of abilities of the pupils has rapidly increased in the last five years, such a tool has become increasingly important. About ten years ago we decided on reading ability as the measure most likely to be useful in our school. The reasons for its selection were: 1. Since the textbook is the most common tool of in- struction, reading ability is most significant. Accurate tests which we made at that time indicated that reading ability was about as good, or if you pre- fer about as poor, as the I. Q. to prognosticate suc- cess. We wanted a measure that could be easily obtained and thoroughly understood by everybody, pupils as well as teachers. Our R. A. I. is a composite of two factors of equal weight, reading comprehension (Chapman’s Unspeeded Compre- hension Test) and vocabulary range (Inglis Vocabulary Test). A determination of degree of accomplishment at different ability levels. It can be readily seen that if there is a com- DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 29 mon program to be followed and if the ratings of achieve- ment are reliable and if the pupils can be scaled along some measure of scholastic aptitude, as for example reading ability, it is possible to determine values of average ac- complishment in the school in a series of ascending read- ing ability indexes. In other words, a measuring stick of efficiency will result which will serve a useful purpose in a number of ways. Of course this educational yardstick is not scientifically perfect, but it is infinitely better than no stick at all. In our school this yardstick is used as fol- lows: 1. To measure the efficiency of courses of study. It is easy to distribute all the pupil ratings in any course of study along an ascending scale of reading abil- ities. If the course is one in which the school has no con- trol over standards, the results have a high guidance value through the accumulation of experience in determining, for example, at what ability level pupils have an even chance of getting a C rating or better. Our experience has been that to stand an even chance of success in sten-. ography pupils should have an R. A. I. of at least 80, and in intermediate algebra not less than 90. I cannot refrain from interjecting here the remark that state-wide codperation in this field would result in the determination of very valuable indexes. If the course is one in which the standards are under the control of the school, such a distribution of ratings shows how efficiently the course is operating. If, for ex- ample, in a social studies course an even chance of getting a C rating does not appear until an R. A. I. of 75 is reached, and if 105 out of a total of 285 pupils in this course have R. A. I.’s under 75, this would seem to indicate that the course of study is not efficient for the group for which it is planned and should be rewritten. This kind of check- ing has resulted in great improvement in a number of courses of study during the last five years; in none more so than in the science courses. 2. To measure the efficiency of the teacher. A teacher efficiency chart is attached hereto (see p. 32). The broken line across the chart indicates average Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER pupil accomplishment in an ascending series of R. A. I.’s at intervals of 5. At the end of each rating period each teacher spots every one of his pupils on the teacher effi- ciency chart, making out a separate chart for each course number. Every pupil spotted to the right of the broken line is doing better than average work at his ability level. Every pupil spotted to the left of the line is doing work below the average at his ability level. Naturally this con- crete picture is helpful to both teacher and supervisor in improving the efficiency of instruction. It is needless to say, of course, that a departmental rating scheme resting largely on objective tests is essential to this plan. 3. To measure individual pupil efficiency. When one has a scale of achievements at the various ability levels, it is easy to construct a chart showing paths of pupil efficiency. The width of any given path on the chart of course depends on the formula used in the dis- tribution of the academic ratings. When numerical values are assigned to letter ratings (as for example, each E=0, D=1, C=2, B=3, A=4), it is easily possible for each pupil to determine his efficiency rating. For example, if a pupil with an R. A. I. of 120 should receive one B, two D’s, and one E, his academic score would be 5; (one B=3, 2 D’s=2, 1E=0, total 5). A score of 5 places a pupil with an R. A. I. of 120 in the path of E efficiency. (vid. cross (x) on pupil efficiency chart, next page). Frequently the efficiency rating is more significant than the academic ratings upon which it rests. I have tried thus briefly to indicate the underlying prin- ciples of administration and supervision which hold in our school. When there are sent to the principal’s office at the close of each rating period: (1) Graphs showing the distribution of academic ratings (a) for the school, (b) for each department, (c) for each individual teacher; (2) Graphs showing the dis- tribution of pupil efficiency ratings by advisory groups; (3) A teacher efficiency chart for each teacher, in each course num- ber, made out by the teacher himself; (4) A pupil efficiency chart made out by each pupil; there is enough concrete material on hand for constructive supervisory work to keep busy the DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 31 most elaborate supervisory force that any community is will- ing to support. The Care of the Individual Pupil.—There may be group teaching, but learning is an individual process. A school whose population mounts into the thousands must make a special ef- fort to preserve the identity of the pupil. The following is a brief summary of the various things done in the Trenton High School to reach this important end: Pupil Efficiency Chart is 4 8 2 uw 10 94 a ? 6 5 4 3 2. f a 60 70 60 30 Wo i100 20 i830 “40 150» NUMERICAL VALUE | A-LOCATE YOUR EFFICIENCY ON THE CHART WITH AM (X). TAKE HALF TWE IF YOU ARE TAKING FIVE SUBVECTS (EL. AND £6. COUNT AS ONE SUBJECT) TAKE FOUR FIFTHS OF B DOES THIS RATING REPRESENT REASONABLE — * @FFORT ON YOUR PART? : TOTAL score 7 | C- MAKE A.BRIEF COMMENT ABOUT YOUR RECORD » OURING THIS RATING PERIOD: Ve + D iF ANYTHING IS INTERFERING WITH YOUR PROGRESS PLEASE MENTION IT. (HeauTH, \+), BYESIGHT, ETC.): A. Administration of the R. A. I. is helpful in programing the pupil in the proper curriculum and the proper pro- gram of studies within the curriculum. It is also a means of giving each pupil an efficiency rating as well as an aca- senor 3 32 Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER Explanation Median R. A. I._--------------- Norm for Median_-_------------------ Teacher’s Index_________-----_-- Up to R. A. I. 60, every rating to the left of the line should be noted, and if possible, something should be done about it. Between R. A. I.’s 60 and 100, at least half of the ratings should be better than D. Between R. A. I.’s 100 and 120, all ratings should be C or better. Between R. A. I.’s 120 and 145 at least half the ratings should be better than C. Beginning with R. A. I. 145, no rating should be below B. The distribution on this chart shall always account for all pupils en- rolled in this course number except: (1) those who left the class before the end of the first rating period of the semester; (2) those who were transferred to another class in our school in the same course number. DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 33 demic rating. In the periodic distribution of ratings by each of the pupil’s teachers, the pupil stands out as an in- dividual on the teacher efficiency chart. The pupil retains the same home room teacher throughout his course. . The pupil is assigned to an advisory group when he is ad- mitted to school and retains the same adviser throughout his course. The adviser helps the pupil plan his course to the end of his senior year. He programs the pupil for each semester, choosing course numbers and teachers best adapted to the pupil. He approves every change of sched- ule, often originating such change. He keeps the record of the pupil and advises the pupil and calls for parental in- terviews in cases of unsatisfactory progress. He traces the progress of the pupil to see to it that the plans cul- minate in satisfactory graduation. This is only a brief ab- stract of the many duties performed by the advisers. They are handpicked from the faculty and are a very im- portant cog in the wheel of administration and supervi-| sion. Advisers teach one period a day less than other teach- ers, although they devote to their advisory duties much more than this equivalent of time. An attempt is made constantly to make the individual pu- pil stand out. 1. Each pupil is scheduled individually by his adviser. He personally presents his home report card to each teacher to record his ratings. He calculates his own efficiency on the pupil effici- ency chart. He scales himself on a character scale card and later presents the card individually to each of his teachers for their ratings. (See p. 34). He is encouraged to become active in a club devoted to a favorite pastime. Many opportunities of individual growth are present- ed in the entire extra-curriculum program. Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER Names. cccnvccervoscevvssese % . Teachors' Names Chnracter Trait Rating Card Homoroomeseee Adv sGroupecerouse Interest in Order Respect for Codperation Efficiency Thoroughness Self Control Initiative Intellectual Intellectual Self-Expression Personal Physicnl Vigor Pupil’s Estimate Date E. Definite attempts at guidance are made. 1. The librarian runs a guidance exhibit in a hall display case throughout the year. Late in the tenth year a rating period is devoted to educational guidance. A study is made of the entire program of studies, of various college entrance re- quirements, and of the aptitudes and desires of the pupils; and the pupil’s program for the next two years is carefully planned. In the twelfth year a rating period is devoted largely to the study of vocations. If we had the help, much more could be done in this important field of guidance. A Year’s Record in Extra-Curriculum Activities. The fol- lowing honors were won during the last scholastic year: Be The Spectator won the highest honors in both the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association contests. _ The basketball team won the state championship for the third consecutive time and the South Jersey championship for the fifteenth time in seventeen en- trants. DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 35 The swimming team won the state championship. In the 200-yard state relay contest our swimming team established a new state record. The high school band won second place in the tri- state contest at Lafayette College. To individuals in our school were awarded the first chair trumpet and the first chair clarinet in the all- state orchestra, the diving championship, all-state guard, forward and center in basketball, and all-state tackle in football, the 100-yard breast stroke in the state contest, new state records in the fifty and 200- yard free swimming contests, a trip to the World Fair for prize in an essay contest, first place in the state contest in typing, and the Voorhees Competitive Prize Scholarship in Latin, $175, at the New Jersey College for Women. Conspicuous Services of the Pupils of the Trenton High School During the Last Thirty-four Years.—Our pupils have frequently contributed a worthwhile service to the school and to the community during the last thirty-four years. 1. They marked a number of historic places in the city with bronze tablets. They purchased an athletic field and erected a brick field house, and for twenty-five years financed the main cost of operation. They erected notable mural decorations in the old high- school building. Two of these, a mural painting and a set of college seals, are worthy of note. They erected a bronze tablet in honor of Jacob L. Swayze, the father of the State constitutional provision guarantee- ing a system of free public schools for all children be- tween the ages of five and eighteen years. They erected two pipe organs, one in the old school build- ing and one in Junior High School No. One. They purchased a grand piano with Ampico reproducing attachment, which is now in use in the new school. Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER They purchased a radio and victrola apparatus with loud speaker attached for use in the main auditorium. These donations, together with a number of smaller ones, represent a total cost of more than $30,000. Under the leadership of the high school, money was raised to move the historic Douglass house to a permanent place in Stacy Park and to renovate the house. During recent years considerable money raised through various school activities has been spent to improve our school equipment. Last year we spent more than $1500 in this way. Band instruments, a photographic machine to make lantern slides, motion picture films, a handball court backstop, are among the items of equipment. Evidences of School Efficiency.—In the office of the Chairman of the Commission of Accrediting Secondary Schools of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools is kept a record of the quintile rankings of secondary school pupils of this district during their freshman year in college. The record of the Trenton High School graduates is given below. The secretary of the Association has stated pub- licly that this record is conspicuous. First Quintile rank Second Quintile rank Third Quintile rank Fourth Quintile rank Fifth Quintile rank. Tests from the Codperative Test Service of the American Council on Education have been given in our school at different times during the last two years. All papers have always been scored in the offices of the American Council on Education. A test in chemistry was given to our S1 pupils last spring with the following results: Norms Trenton High School Q; 47 87.12 Median 33 72.94 Q, 21 54.77 All but about 35% of the Trenton High School pupils scored higher than the 90 percentile norm, and 90% of the Trenton High School pupils scored higher than the upper quartile score norm. DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 37 A Coéperative Test Service test was given to our pupils in French some time ago with the following results: Reading Vocabulary Grammar Norm T.H.S. Norm T.H.S. Norm T.H.S. Q; 40 54.9 28 38.3 44 47.9 Median 30 41 20 30.1 33 37.4 Q; 21 23.2 14 23.2 22 24.8 Our pupils did not exceed the norms in grammar as much as in reading and vocabulary. On the total score the results were: Norm T.H.S. Q; 107 134.7 Median 82 111.3 Q: 61 82.1 The results in a corresponding test in Spanish were as follows: Reading Vocabulary Grammar Tent. Norm T.H.S. Tent. Norm T.H.S. Tent. Norm T. 4. S. Q; 36.7 62.2 36.3 54.0 44.5 47 Median 22.5 47.5 24.1 39.0 31.8 37.2 Q, 15.6 40.5 18.5 31.3 26.4 31.8 In June 1933 the group of eleventh grade pupils taking the fusion course in intermediate algebra and plane trigo- nometry in one year were given the Codperative Trigonometry Test of the Columbia Research Bureau, with the following re- sults: Norm T. HS. Q; 29.5 36.3 Median 25.0 28.3 Q; 15.8 23.0 Of course it is fair to say that our pupils were a selected group. On the other hand they devoted only one year to both intermediate algebra and trigonometry. Overload.—I would be unfair to the school and particu- larly to our teachers if I did not again call attention to the heavy overload which we are still carrying. I do this with the hope that as soon as possible this situation may be relieved. Our pupil-teacher ratio is approximately 35:1. In spite of all the economics which we have introduced by which in certain situations we handle groups larger than are ordinarily consid- 38 Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER ered normal, and in spite of the help which we derive from a number of internes in our school, my judgment is that the pupil-teacher ratio should not be greater than 30:1. This would necessitate the addition of approximately fifteen teach- ers on the basis of the present enrollment. I fear that some of our teachers are now working harder than in the long run they can endure. I entertain a lively hope that beginning with next year at least a portion of the salary cut may be restored to the teach- ers. Unfinished Business.—I wish to place into the record a number of items of unfinished business. A. Some arrangement should be made by which all shop boys should get a course in blueprint reading. We have been conscious of this gap for a long time, but during the last few years have been kept busy taking care of the crowd. Probably the place for this course is in 10M2, which might be required of all shop boys. Material is now being collected for such a course. B. We have been experimenting with a character edu- cation course. The plans are on file. The course needs further attention. The teachers who taught the course are insistent that the course should go on. C. The radical reorganization of the English composition required frequent shifting of the classes between composition and literature during the experimental stage. This was a great burden to the English teachers and is not permanently neces- sary. I shall leave on file a suggested plan which will in the main give a pupil a semester’s work in either literature or com- position. D. Certain gifts from the school left in the old building should find a permanent place in the new building. Among these are the Swayze tablet, the mural painting and the college seals. These should not be allowed to sink into “innocuous desuetude.” - E. Unfortunately the depression lopped off certain very essential items of equipment in the new building. These should be installed just as fast as the times will permit. DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 39 The school is badly in need of a public address sys- tem. This would not only frequently save much time, but it would enable thé principal to maintain a hold on his school and shape its policies which otherwise is impossible. The original plans called for such a system. The organ elevates the tone of a school assembly as no other musical instrument does. A school as well equipped as ours should not be without an organ. The improvements on the athletic field should con- tinue. Among the most important items are the com- pletion of the track, tennis courts, and additional handball courts. These are needed not for the pur- pose of developing athletic champions, but as part of the needed daily equipment of the field. We are also badly in need of a stadium. What I Would Do If I Were Going to Remain as the Prin- cipal of the Trenton High School for the Next Ten Years.— A. I would try to make the school still more democratic © in its service. I would try to bring a still more natural atmos- phere into the classroom. I would try to introduce a stronger element of self-education. It is because the teacher so constant- ly places himself prominently before his class that pupils come to school to be educated rather than to educate themselves. I would assign more tasks to able pupils, in the performance of which pupils would if necessary be excused from attendance in the recitation room. For much of this work I would not bother either teacher or pupil with ratings. I have frequently marveled at the lack of courage of even good teachers in this respect. They seem to think that pupils will work only for rat- ings. I would try to prove them wrong. Freedom and respon- sibility cultivate character. B. I would try to break up the custom of measuring school progress by clock hours by extending to other depart- ments the plan which we are now using in English composi- tion. I would probably begin with the foreign languages. One of the things that has given me greatest concern in all these years is that we do so little for the ablest pupils. The machin- ery of the classroom too often compels them to go at a snail’s pace when they could show the speed of a race horse. 40 Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER C. I would try to get a closer correlation between certain subjects, notably between science and mathematics, and be- tween literature and history. I would like to try the experi- ment of a fusion course in literature and history such as we are now conducting in algebra and trigonometry. D. I would try to expand the courses in creative leisure for all pupils. The “fads and frills,” music, arts and crafts, the academic subjects as leisure activities, all these I would try to bring into greater prominence. To do it I suspect that I would have to discontinue the custom of offering every subject in the curriculum five times per week. The United States is the only civilized country in the world that so mechanizes its edu- cational program. E. I would try to draw more instructional material from the immediate surroundings of the pupils, particularly in the field of social studies. I would try to find more time for the study of such materials. For example, my judgment is that everybody should have a course in geography, including an ele- mentary knowledge of meteorology. I also would want every- body to have a course on the family, studied from the point of view of its historic, social, and economic significance. Here again I would find it necessary to discontinue the custom of offering each subject five times per week. F. I would try to make a greater contribution to good citizenship, not by attempting a positive program of “recon- structing” society through the schools, but by doing the follow- ing things: 1. I would try still harder to cultivate among the pupils a love for America, an appreciation of its bountiful natural resources, the beauty of its scenery, the gen- erosity of its people, the fine ideals of the forefathers, and a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of democracy (demos - people; kratos - strength), the tap root of which is the spirit of brotherhood. I would try to make opportunity, initiative, responsibility, and codperation stand out still more prominently in every phase of school life. 2. I would aim at a wider economic, social and political outlook for everybody, and for the more able pupils wider courses in individual reading which would con- a 7 a, Subhas — — DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 41 stantly absorb current literature like the writings of James Truslow Adams, Chamberlain’s “The Iron Age of Russia”, and two recent publications, “America’s Capacity to Produce” and “America’s Capacity to Consume.” We are now doing much in this field. I would try to do more. I would try above all not so much to create opinions as to cultivate a scientific attitude, an appreciation of essential facts, an open-minded, critical spirit, and a judicial sense. I would not attempt to “solve” many problems. I would try to arouse a stronger sense of individual responsibility for group welfare. I would try to make this entire program carry over into adult life, so that pupils might continue to grow in intelligence throughout their lives. We “finish” too many things in school. Having done these things I would trust to the grace of God and the future citizen’s ability to reconstruct society as the occasion demanded. G. I would strive to put an end to formal graduation. I have long advocated because the “completion” of a high- school course no longer means anything. We are “graduating” pupils ranging in ability from very low ability to ability ap- proaching the genius, and at any rate it is now evident that pupils who do not go on to higher institutions of learning should stay in the high school beyond the usual time of gradu- ation. If I could cause pupils and parents to lose sight of that fantasy of graduation and fix their attention on the real values of education, I would like to write a new curriculum for cer- tain pupils. In the lower ability levels simple reading and writ- ing, the elements of arithmetic with a study of home and pub- lic budgets, general science including health principles, the study of the home as indicated above, the characteristics of a gentleman, a simple but generous treatment of the social sci- ences, including geography, appreciation courses in the arts, some shop work (much of it probably community work) and dramatics, courses in home-making for the girls—these would be some of the elements of the new curriculum. 42 Forty YEARS A SCHOOLMASTER Some of this work I think I could do in large groups in the auditorium with an able leader and several assistants. I would aim to do most of this work during school hours and ratings would be forced into the background. Our present program is too severely academic and exacting of disagreeable tasks for pupils with an R. A. I. under 70, and at present almost half of our school falls within this lower group. I have already called attention to that increasing number of pupils whose mas- tery of the English language is so poor as to make it almost impossible to grade them. The tremendous rush of the crowd in the last few years and the heavy overload have made it im- possible for us to give this problem adequate attention. H. I would strive to influence young men and women of genuine ability and good personality to enter the teaching pro- fession. After all, the school is made by the teacher and not by the building. I would impress upon all prospective secon- dary-school teachers the importance of laying a wide and deep cultural foundation for their professional training. There is much else that I would like to say, about the ur- gent need of extending secondary education, about character education, and other topics, but space will not allow. I express here my profound appreciation of the support which the teachers have always given me, and I know that I must frequently have tried their souls. I also acknowledge my debt to my superintendent and to the board of education for their very positive help in carry- ing on, especially when at times the sledding was a bit rough. I-close with the sentiment expressed by Theodore Roose- velt when he left the presidency, “I have had a bully good time.” WILLIAM A. WETZEL. January, 1935 DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 43 Nationwide School Printing Project THE AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL Since 1928 the Division of Publications of the National Education Association has sponsored an annual nation- wide school printing project which has enlisted the in- terest of hundreds of schools throughout the country. The purpose of this project is (1) to disseminate among the pu- pils of American schools one great educational ideal each year; (2) to encourage school printing departments in the art of fine typography. The year 1935 marks the celebration of 300 years of the American high school. The topic, “The American High School,” which was selected for the project this year, is especially timely as a part of this celebration. The copy has been set up in leaflet form and is designed to interpret this great service to parents and students. The entries received indicate that the project is one of the outstanding events of the Tercentenary celebra- tion. CUT ON THIS LINE There will be great opportu- nities in the years ahead for men and women with sound personal habits, disciplined minds, and trained skills. Let us provide the best pos- sible free high schools for all. What we put into the lives of our sons and daugh- ters will come out in the life of America. Let us cherish and improve our schools, FOLD ON THISS LINE Printed by JOHN C. FREMONT HIGH SCHOOL Los Angeles, California THE AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL A MESSAGE TO PARENTS AND CITIZENS We This leaflet comes to you as a part of a nationwide cele- bration of 300 years of the American high school. Whether your son or daugh- ter is in kindergarten or high school or somewhere be- tween, you will be inter- ested in the opportunities which the high school of to- day provides for personal growth and improvement. 44 NATIONWIDE SCHOOL PRINTING PROJECT The leaflet reproduced on this and the following page is one of the many received that show good sense of design, excellent typography, and in- genuity on the part of stu- dents in handling this prob- lem. It is suggested that schools duplicate this message in their school print shops or in mime- ograph form and distribute in the following ways: 1. Send a leaflet home with report cards 2. Pass leaflets out at par- ent-teacher and other community meetings 3. Furnish copies to com- munity organizations such as service clubs and women’s clubs . Keep a supply of copies in public libraries . Give them to patrons when they visit the school . Let each teacher have copies when visiting homes . Place leaflets on bulletin boards . Pass out to each student in school Hand out copies at spe- cial Tercentenary and Commencement pro- grams. erties. The American High School HE GREATEST SECURITY that any young person has is T in himself—what he is, what he can do with his hands or brain, the part that he can play among his fellows. These are the values to which the American high school is devoted. With an enrollment of 6,000,000 young men and women the high school is rapidly becoming a service to all American youth. The school provides wholesome activities for young people who are no longer needed in industry and agriculture. Wise parents have made it possible for their sons and daughters to spend their time in school preparing for the best possible start in life. Never before until America took this course has it been possible for the son or daughter of the average family to enjoy the broader opportunity which the American high school gives. A high school education is as necessary today as was an elementary school education a short while ago. is the people’s college, maintained by all and for all, the main- stay of self government, and the surest guarantee of our lib- The American high school o PART Il National Honor Society RESULTS OF THE REFERENDUM A referendum page of six questions was sent with the an- nual report sheet to every chapter of the National Honor So- ciety this year. The responses to each question are given below in percen- tages: Question I—Does your chapter favor an annual assess- ment of chapters for a periodical published by the national office and devoted to the National Honor Societies ? Yes 46% No 4AT% Conditional 5% No answer 2% Question II—Does your chapter favor occasional state con- ventions? Yes 51% No 43% Conditional 2% No answer 4% Question II1]—Does your chapter favor transmitting to the national office one dollar per member for each newly elected member; the national office in turn to forward to the chapter a gold-filled pin for each such member? Yes 47% No 51% Conditional 1% No answer 1% Question IV—Do you favor the national office requiring the passing of a qualifying examination for eligibility to mem- bership, as is done by the American Medical Association? Yes 18% No 77% Conditional 2% No answer 3% 45 46 NaTIONAL Honor Society Question V—Does your chapter favor the revoking of charters of chapters that are inactive? Yes 716% No 20% Conditional 3% No answer 1% Question VI—Does your chapter favor annual dues for a scholarship fund? Yes 19% No 76% Conditional 1% No answer 4% LANSDOWNE HIGH SCHOOL Lansdowne, Pa. Dear Sir: The Lansdowne High-School Chapter of the National Honor Society thought you might be interested in the pro- gram which was given at our installation service, and we are enclosing the same. Program Orchestra Direction of Don B. Corbin Introduction Mr. Howard G. Spalding, Principal Devotionals Beatrice Cornog Notification of Members Beatrice Cornog Installation Service Presentation of Pins._........ Dr. S. N. Ewan, Jr., Superintendent Mr. Howard G. Spalding, Principal Address—“A Young Woman Looks at the World” Mrs. Curtis Bok Recessional—“‘Pomp and Circumstance” March by Sir Edward Elgar Tea-Library GUESTS Members of National Honor Society ~ Parents of Members Faculty Board of Education DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 47 History of Organization The Lansdowne Chapter of the National Honor Society, which was organized in 1930, is an organization modeled after the Phi Beta Kappa of colleges, and its purpose is to stimulate an interest in scholarship and school activities. Scholarship, leadership, character and service to the school are the four fundamental points of the society. New members must possess these characteristics and must also be in the up- per third of their class scholastically. Five percent of the mem- bers are taken from the Junior Class and fifteen percent from the Senior Class. The Installation Service used at Lansdowne has been fav- orably commented on by the National organization. This serv- ice, together with a number of other services from a select group of schools in the United States, has been published. Our organization now totals thirty in number, and we are attempting to be an active organization. Our activities have included: 1. Development of a detailed activity point system. 2. We are in charge of the honorary achievement sec- tion of the bulletin board. A student committee is responsible for the writing up of the students who have done a noteworthy piece of work. We gave a tea in honor of our superintendent, Dr. Ewan, upon receiving his doctor’s degree. The guests included the faculty members, board of education, and members of the organization. We have appointed a committee to determine when the various organizations shall hold elections, who is eligible for office, and make plans for installation service for all officers of organizations. A student committee was named to draw up regula- tions for the giving of honorary certificates noting contribution along a particular line for a specified number of years. We are sponsoring an honorary banquet in May. The basis for selection is gotten from each individual person’s activity card. A card stating the activities 8 re Sa ete en ee ee ee : . i> 48 NATIONAL Honor Society of the person for his four years. The guests of the banquet will include; five freshmen, fifteen sopho- mores, twenty juniors, and sixty seniors, the faculty and their wives or husbands, and the board of edu- cation. The regulations as stated by the committee’s report from each chairman, will be completely drawn up by next week, and should you care to have them on file, I shall be only too glad to send them to you. Next year we hope to sponsor an achievement roll, giv- ing special recognition to home rooms which have a high per cent of pupils improving in scholarship. We welcome any sug- gestions relative to activity along scholastic lines, you might have. Very respectfully yours, MARJORIE JONES, Secretary. LEESBURG HIGH SCHOOL Leesburg, Florida March 25, 1935 Dear Sir: The Lake Chapter of the National Honor Society has just recently taken up several new projects which we think might be of interest to other chapters. Each week we publish a Leesburg High-School Bulletin in which we print any current announcements of interest to students and teachers. This Bulletin is read simultaneously in every home room on Thursday morning at which time we do not have a general assembly. During the football season we compiled and had printed for each game a program giving the tentative lineup, names of players on the squads with their positions and numbers. This we distributed free to the spectators. The Athletic Asso- ciation backed us financially. We also sponsored the celebration of the Tercentenary of the American High School by suggesting an editorial for the local newspapers, calling the attention of our ministers to it, and having a short talk on the subject made to our own student body and Parent-Teachers’ Association. re pave Set ae anme oT DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 49 Our latest project is to compile and print information about the school and its routine in a bulletin form, which we hope to distribute to all new members of our student body. In this way we feel we can welcome them. We are now working on the completion of a file of alumni members of our high school, according to class, and a history to be left as a contribution of our 1935 chapter of the National Honor Society. We, at present, have no complete file. Before our last election of members, a faculty committee worked out a definite method by which this selection might be made. They found it a workable plan and are now submitting it to you for your opinion. They are very anxious to hear either of your approval or disapproval. We shall appreciate any suggestions you may give us to help our chapter have a more successful year. Very truly yours, KATHERINE BABB, Sponsor. MONROE, NORTH CAROLINA April 23, 1935. Dear Sir: Our chapter has had two unusually good speakers for the school chapel this year. The two covered widely different sub- jects but both gave valuable and instructive talks. The whole school seemed to enjoy and profit by these talks. The first talker was Mr. Keys, a representative of the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation. Mr. Keys traced and explained the development of modern transportation. His main point was the development of the gasoline engine and motor cars. The second speaker was Mr. Krissler, who represented The Poughkeepsie Business Institute which is in Poughkeep- sie, New York. He was touring the Carolinas and visited about twenty five schools in North Carolina. Mr. Krissler’s subject was “Why We Should Remain in High School.” His talk was very well prepared and it was par- TE En 50 NaTIoNAL Honor Society ticularly timely. His address contained a great deal of prac- tical philosophy and inspired all of us to better and more use- ful living and studying. After the chapel period was over he talked to the Senior Class about the values of a vocational education. This too was a most interesting address. In North Carolina a group of six men are going from town to town to study the governments of these towns. They write editorials and articles about county and city governments which are printed in a magazine called “Popular Government.” They have sent several issues of this magazine to men and women of the community who should be interested in them. Now they have offered the schools one dollar’s worth of material for study in Civies for each subscription of the maga- zines which they sell. A subscription is one dollar for a year. The National Honor Society has taken this over and is selling the subscriptions here. We hope to get quite a lot of material for our school. This is the main part of what we are doing and have done. We believe and hope that this will in some ways benefit our school and after all that is one of our main aims. Sincerely yours, PETE LEE, President of Monroe N. H. S. ARDMORE JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS Ardmore, Oklahoma Dear Sir: I am inclosing a copy of the method used in the Ardmore High School in selecting students for membership in the National Honor Society. Method of Electing Students to the National Honor Society From the permanent records we determine the highest 33% of the class in scholarship, according to the constitution of the Society these are eligible for membership. This is the list of names placed on the ballot, (sample enclosed.) DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOI, PRINCIPALS students these ranks are compiled according to the table “A”. and convert each of these into scores. For convenience each of the ballots are numbered and each teacher is referred to as this number. You can see that teacher number 4 (table “A”) only knew two of the students, while teacher number 6 knew 10 of them. The student ranked first by the teacher number 6 (out of a field of 10) should have a higher rating than the one who was rated first by the teacher who knew only 2 of the students. From table “B” we find that the student ranked first by teacher number 6 receives a score of 5.0, while the student ranked first by teacher number 4 gets a score of 25. The lowest score being the highest rank. Now let’s figure the average scores for the students listed on table “A”. Student Jones was ranked 3 out of 5 by teacher No. 1. This gives him a score of 50. (To get this score refer to table “B”, go five spaces to right, because teacher one ranked five students, and go three down, because the student was ranked third by this teacher.) By the same process we find that Jones made the following scores by the teachers who ranked him. Teacher No. 2, 75; teacher No. 3, 21.4; teacher No. 5, 50; teacher No. 6, 5; Now if we add these scores (50- 75-21.4-50.5 = 201.4), and divide by the number of teachers who ranked Jones, we get 201.4 divided by 5, and the average score thus obtained is 40.28. We are able to rank each of the students in the same man- ner and their average scores are Brown 39; X 46.025; Y 37.18; A 60; B 39.9; C 45; D 46.5; E 70.6; F 80.75; and G 78.5. This places them in the following order: Y, Brown, B, Jones, C, X, D, A, F, G, and F. The scholarship of the following students is such that they are eligible for election into the National Honor Society. The election of the members is made by the faculty, and you 51 After each teacher has received a ballot and ranked the This tabulation is summated both across and vertically. Summing from left to the right we get “N”, the number of times the student has been ranked. In the vertical summation we get the number of students ranked by each individual teacher. From this information we are able to go to table “B” 52 NATIONAL Honor Society their rank, giving the highest one, the next two, and so on. In making your selections or ranks consider the following traits: Service, Leadership, and Character. Yours very truly, E. 0. DAVIS, Principal. BRISTOL HIGH SCHOOL Bristol, Pennsylvania Dear Sir: Our chapter started its second year of activity with the small membership of three students. In February of this year our new members were brought into our circle by an initia- tion held before the entire student body of this school. We find most of the work to consist of coaching backward students and doing clerical work. We also have a committee working on the origin and history of our society. They make re- ports at our meetings. Progress is being made on the organizing of the Junior class for elections into our society. We plan to have them in as soon as possible so that they may continue our work next year. Sincerely yours, MARGARET A. COLLIER, President. EUGENE HIGH SCHOOL Eugene, Oregon Harry B. Johnson, Principal Dear Sir: Here in Oregon we have made an effort to extend the work of the National Honor Society. Through the Oregon High- School Principals’ Association we had the National Honor So- ciety adopted as the official honor society to be sponsored by the association. Because of this activity several schools have organized chapters and others will no doubt be forthcoming. A year ago we had our first state meeting of honor soci- eties here in Eugene. This year on date of April 20 the annual meeting will be held at Corvallis. A Very sincerely yours, HARRY B. JOHNSON, Principal Eugene High School. ———— iiaittsemeesneiaameaaeneein ti, ean Pe Ei ten DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 53 NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY Over ten vears ago the Department of Secondary-School Principals (then the Na- tional Association of Secondary-School Principals) organized the National Honor Society with the end in view of stimulating scholarship in the secondary schools of the United States. To-day there are over eighteen hundred chapters and these are in the best high schools in the country. The four objectives of the society are: to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership, and to encourage the development of character. Every high-school principal who a chapter is enthusiastic over the productive results of this organization in his school. Direct all requests for literature to H. V. Church, 6835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. WARNING The National Honor Society has met with such great suc- cess that imitations are springing up in different parts of the country. These pseudo honor societies seem to have largely a commercial objective, and plan to exploit scholarship for finan- cial ends. Members of our department are warned to beware of any plan to sell pins or emblems to pupils under the guise of scholarship, and are urged not to lend their aid or influence to such organizations. The Department of Secondary-School Principals recom- mends only the National Honor Society and the National Jun- ior Honor Society. FOURTH PRICE LIST OF NATIONAL HONOR EMBLEMS he prices of emblems were lowered during the summer of 19388, but the NRA. code and the rising price of gold has made two subsequent increases necessary. The latest prices are below: Senior Emblems 14K Charm i 14K Pin 10K Charm i 10K Pin Gold Filled Charm 1.60 Gold Filled Pin (Our jewelers say gold filled emblems will wear twenty years.) These are remittance-with-order prices, and are post-paid. Add ten cents an emblem to the above prices if C. O. D. handling is desired. Engraved letters 3c each additional ; guard with chain one dollar additional. If a guard is ordered, be sure to state whether a numeral, as ’33 or ’34, or an initial, is desired. (The C. O. D. fee is 25c up to $10.00; 30c up to $50.00; and to this should be added 25c messenger service, besides the money order fee. It is too expensive to order C. O. D. Do not do it.) All orders must have the approval of the principal. Send All Orders to H. V. CHURCH, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. SEALS AND MEMBERSHIP CARDS Membership Cards—Since the organization of the National Honor Society there has been a growing demand for membership cards in the organization. Cards of member- ship, both for members of the National Honor Society and for the members of the Na- tional Junior Honor Society are now on sale. The cards (2144”x2%”) are engrossed on a fine quality of cardboard, have the emblem of the Society embossed upon them, and require only the insertion of the name of _ member. The price of the cards is five cents apiec Seals—The Seal (144”x114”) is a gilt Aa sticker to be affixed on the diplomas of members of chapters. A replica of the bl is emb d on the seal. The price of the seals is five cents apiece. NATIONAL HONOR MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATES In response to repeated demands, the Department of Secondary-School Principals has prepared membership certificates (814x11) for members of the National Honor Soci- ety. These certificates are lithographed on artificial parchment with the die of a fac- simile of the emblem stamped in gold. They sell for fifteen cents apiece post-paid. Di- rect orders to H. V. CHURCH, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. Eg TR A A een - LS RO A A gm | 54 NATIONAL Honor SOCIETY ENGRAVED STATIONERY So many requests for National Honor stationery have come in that a supply is now on hand to meet the demands. This writing material is designed for the use of members and sponsors of the chapters of the National Honor Society. The engraved letterheads with envelopes to maich come in two sizes with prices as follows: 48 engraved sheets, 744x10'% j eccescccescoun $1.00 48 envelopes, 3%xi14 \ 48 engraved folded note sheets, 6%4x105% } P comeinietegeaeineranedl $1.00 48 envelopes, 3 9/16x5 9/16 \ These prices are post-paid. Remittance should accompany order, and orders must be approved hy principal or by sponsor. Samples are sent on request. Direct orders to H. V. CHURCH, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. PLAQUES A bronze wall plaque has been designed and manufactured. Schools that have chap- ters of the National Honor Society will now have the opportunity of having this plaque. It consists of a solid bronze casting mounted on a walnut back. The size is thirteen by sixteen inches and the weight is ten pounds. A chain is furnished. All lettering, as well as the name of the school chapter and the emblem, is raised and polished above the bronze background. The price is $30.00, which includes transportation and packing. Correspondence in regard to plaques should be directed to H. V. CHURCH, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. THE NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY The National Junior Honor Society is patterned very closely after the Senior Honor Society. The Junior Society is designed for Hinth and tenth grades in four year high schools, and for cighth, ninth, and tenth grades in junior high schools. This organiza- tion is now a going concern, and already there are a number of chapters, both in senior high schools and junior high sehools. The national constitution, the model constitution, and booklet of information as well as the application blank will be sent on request. Direct all applications to H. V. CHURCH, Executive Secretary, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. EMBLEM, NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY The emblem is made in two grades: ten karat gold and gold filled. All pins have safety catch. The prices are as follows: 10KPin ~~~ cate coll $1.65 Gold Filled Pin ___---- piameiadl $1.00 These are remittance-with-order prices, and are post-paid. Add ten cents an emblem to the above prices if C. O. D. handling is desired. Engraved letters 3c each additional ; guard with chain one dollar additional. If a guard is ordered, be sure to state whether a numeral, as "33 or '34, or an initial, is desired. (The C. O. D. fee is 25c up to $10.00; 30c up to $50.00; and to this should be added 25c messenger service, besides the money order fee. It is too expensive to order C. O. D. Do not do it.) Send All Orders to: H. V. CHURCH, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. CERTIFICATES, NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY These certificates (7x8%) are engraved on artificial parchment with a die of a fac- simile of the emblem embossed in gold. They sell for ten cents apiece post-paid. Send remittance with order. Address H. V. CHURCH. 5385 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. PLAQUES, NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY A bronze wall plaque has been designed and manufactured. Schools that have chap- ters of the National Junior Honor Society will now have the opportunity of having this plaque. It consists of a solid bronze casting mounted on a walnut back. The size thirteen by sixteen inches and the weight is ten pounds. A chain is furnished. All let- tering, as well as the name of the school chapter and the emblem, is raised and polished above the bronze background. The price is $30.00, which includes transportation and packing. Inquiries in regard to plaques should be directed to H. V. CHURCH, = Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. PART III DEPARTMENT MATTERS PUBLICATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION The publications of the Department are Bulletins 1-57, and were issued from 1917 to the present. These issues are sent post-paid on receipt of price. A price list, which con- tains a description of the contents of each Bulletin, will be sent on request. Dues-paying members may receive these publications at 50% off the list price. A descriptive list of recent issues is below: Bulletin No. 42, May, 1932. Fourth Handbook of the National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society. This gives a history of the organization, rituals, and lists of chapters by states. (pp. FUE dcneconeunens ET ENTS Te ae Re eae eT NAS Pee Oe $1.00 Bulletin No. 43, December, 1932. Abstracts of Unpublished Masters’ Theses in the Field of Secondary-School Admin- $0.50 istration. Peabody Teachers College. (pp. 127)---------------------------------- Bulletin No. 44, January, 1933. Secondary-School Abstracts, and Directory._.....---.----------.--------------- $0.50 Bulletin No. 45, March, 1934, Proceedings of the Minneapolis (1933) Meeting. Papers on Defense of American Secondary Schools, the State and Its High Schools (3), Curriculum (4), Economy (4), Directed Learning, Library (2), New Standards, Re- gional Agencies, Music, Art, Industrial Arts, Guidance, Cooperative Studies, Six-Four- Four Plan, Tests, Carnegie Commission; Junior High School: Curriculum, Learning Sit- uation; Junior College: Taxes, Public Relations, Administration, Instruction__--~- $2.00 Bulletin No. 46, April, 1933. Meeting the Emergency in Education.._......-_--__--------------------------- $0.25 Bulletin No. 47, May, 1933. Unpublished Masters’ Theses, Minnesota__._......_.-....-_-------------------- $0.50 Bulletin No. 48, December, 1933. Economies in Secondary-School Administration, and an Objective Method of Selecting Members of the National Honor Society__._....-------.-------------------------- $0.30 Bulletin No. 49, January, 1934. Chapter Projects of a National Honor Society Directory for the Department of . EEE ELITES A, SAREE EAN EE TE 1.00 Bulletin No. 50, March, 1934, Proceedings of the Cleveland (1934) Meeting. Papers on the Technical High School (2), New Standards, Definitions of a Good High School (3), Standards Study Committee, Louisville Secondary Schools, English Course, Small High Schools, Guidance, Class Size, Attendance, Teaching Load, North Carolina Secondary Schools, Relation of School and College, Educational Imperatives, Pupil Welfare Needs, Economics, CCC Program, Social Studies, Aptitude Testing; Junior High School, Place of the Junior High School, Social Significance of the Junior High School, Curriculum for the Junior High School; Junior College, the Junior College Teacher, Problems of the Junior College....__--_--_--_-- ee (Out of print) Bulletin No. 51, April, 1934. Papers given at the Washington (July, 1934) Meeting. A Method of Electing Mem- bers of the National Honor Society__...._.__._...-._-_-_----------.-.------------- $0.30 Bulletin No. 52, Mav, 1934. Tercentenary Celebration Committee reports on: Purpose, Community Celebration Programs, Publicity, Commencement Programs, Service Club Participation, and Tercen- CT din oe eeetigedeicticaccunedotuleducitiessdansstnactenbndianas $0.30 Bulletin No. 53, December, 1934. President Roosevelt’s Proclamation, Papers on the Academic Training of Secondary- School Principals, and Development of the High-School Curriculum; National Junior EC Bsn cernictinrtnneidbecmmiiabinaneeiebn mbna $0.40 Bulletin No. 54, January, 1935. Tercentenary Celebration Contests; Some Honorary Society Activities. Also a im ee Gr Ee: Gt Ut n.ccnncwssasenticnsmitanahebianbsdiinadgdehnneane $1.0 55 ER Sg Sn oe RR RNS =r — = ee: SRT OT ee eee See =— we eee - ae we 56 DEPARTMENT MATTERS Bulletin No. 55, Proceedings of the Atlantic City (1935, Tercentenary) Meeting. Papers on First American Secondary School, Guiding Philosophies of Secondary Edu- cation (2), Three Hundred Years of Education for Girls, To-day’s Characteristics of Sec- ondary Education, Private Schools and Secondary Education, Leisure and Secondary Edu- cation, Handicaps of Secondary Education, Finances, Curriculum (2), Methods, Teacher Training, and the School and Democracy. (180 pp.)_..------------------_---_-_ $2.00 Bulletin No. 56, April, 1935. Investigations in Applying and Extending the National Survey of Secondary Educa- tion: Horizontal Organization, Vert cal Reo:ganization, Provisions for Individual Dtffer- ences, Program of Studies, and Guidance and Extra-Curriculum Activities. (62 pp.) $0.50 Bulletin No. 57, May, 1935. Forty Years a Schoolmaster, William A. Wetzel. Resuits of the National Honor Society Referendum... Direct all orders for Bulletins to H, V. CHURCH, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. CERTIFICATES OF RECOMMENDATION The Department of Secondary-School Principals has been distributing uniform cer- tificates of recommendation for over ten years. At first they were sent out free to the members of the Vepartment, but the demand for the certificates became so great that the printing and mailing charges became a burden to the treasury. Therefore, a change was made. The blanks are used in transferring pupils from one secondary school to another and particularly from high school to college. The certificates are sent post-paid at the following prices: NEW PRICE LIST Mailing from Chicago lst 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th wth 8th Twenty per cent discount to dues-paying members. Direct orders to H. V. CHURCH, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. STANDARD HIGH-SCHOOL PERSONAL RECORD BLANKS The standard record forms which were approved by the Department of Secondary- School Principals at the meeting at Boston are now printed on cardboard suitable for vertical filing systems. This card, 5x8, is especially designed for small and medium size high schools. 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 rec- ords 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 Pref- erence” it is suggested that it be written in pencil so that it can be erased and changed when necessary. The schedule of prices, post-paid, follows: NEW PRICE LIST 200 $3.00 3.05 3.10 3.15 3.20 3.30 3.40 Zones Twenty per cent discount to dues-paying members. Direct orders to H. V. CHURCH, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. - GROUP LIFE INSURANCE The Department offers to its members life insurance in its most inexpensive form. The salient features of the plan are: 1. Low premium. 2. No medical examination (with exceptions). DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL, PRINCIPALS 57 Total and permanent disability benefits. If an insured member becomes totally and permanently disabled, his insurance will be paid in monthly installments. Conversion privilege. When an insured member leaves the profession to enter another profession or economic group, he may convert his group policy into any of the policies (except term insurance) customarily issued by the insurance company for the same amount at the current rates of the attained age. . Age limit is sixty-five years. Individual policies. These show rights of insured, t, and beneficiary. Current protection. There are no savings, accumulation, or paid-up features. Insurance is for one year at a time, and is renewable each year, at the option of the insured member. Amounts offered: $3,000 for all ages from 21 to 47 (nearest birthday) inclusive. $1,500 for all ages from 47 to 65 (nearest birthday) inclusive. a AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE The members of the Department who own motor cars may now procure complete, sound automobile insurance proteetion with efficient nation-wide service at annual sav- ings to our members. Send for application blank, to H. V. Church, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. If you will fill the application blank and send it to the Executive Secretary, he will quote the special] rate to members. When you receive this quotation, you can then de- cide if you can save money by accepting this special rate. FIRE INSURANCE A new service, fire insurance, is now open with reduced rates to our members. If you are interested, send for a blank to the Executive Secretary, H. V. CHURCH, 6835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. The secretary will be glad to give you quotations. OTHER INSURANCE Perhaps the Department can effect you a saving in the following kinds of insurance: Accident, Earnings Replacement, Indemnity, Sickness, and any other type of coverage. Write for information to H. V. CHURCH, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. DEPARTMENT COMBINATION OFFERS (All Subscription Rates Are for One Year) Junior-Senior High-School Clearing House. 3.00 Membership in Department is 2.00 COMBINATION OFFER The School Review 2.50 Membership in Department 2.00 COMBINATION OFFER If both new 3.00 If either a renewal 3.25 The Atlantic Monthly. -. 4.00 Membership in Department 2.00 COMBINATION OFFER If both new 4.00 If either a renewal 4.25 The New Outlook Membership in Department COMBINATION OFFER The New Republic — 5.00 Membership in Department. 2.00 COMBINATION OFFER Review of Reviews__-_ 3.00 Membership in Department 2.00 COMBINATION OFFER 3.50 2 RP er oe cee en ; i } ' ; 58 DEPARTMENT MATTERS POI GEES ccnneccninaccancmisnasdcsbieesnanbbaanenenbemaah 3.00 a ee 2.00 COMBINATION OFFE 3.00 The High School Teacher oS a eee _... 2.00 Membership in Department ‘ alaileniapiecintoaieas COMBINATION OFFER 2.00 The School Activities Magazine socio Pee Membership in Department mad a COMBINATION OFFER 2.50 Write to the Executive Secretary if you desire a combination offer with some other periodical, H. V. CHURCH, Executive Secretary, 5835 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. USE TYPEWRITER, OR PRINT; DO NOT WRITE APPLICATION BLANK DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 5835 KIMBARK AVENUE, CHICAGO I enclose $2.00, for one year’s subscription for membership, whereby I shall be fur- nished with all the publications and granted all the privileges of the Department of Secondary-School Principals, to begin.................-------- _— (Month) Name -_ Pe ee ee ee i secu aaisiin casita daseteaalinde-cntsh Wt saisadetiesialegedivantieddbiateanteciieipuatnanelanaiaatinile (Family) (Given Name) Degrees eS |e Ee een (Bachelor's, year) (Master's, year) (Doctor's, year) Position — ~~ ssecnaminastinntingiepinns ange A cancts tment teenage ete taal cicada acct (First year here) (Title) (Name of institution) BORE: cccccccaccccsecnstenesssessbeeséeenseentbinmneneemebetindiies (To which mail should be sent) Make al! checks payable to H. V. Church, 5835 Kimbark Ave., Chicago, III. PART IV BOOK NOTICES Drury, Samuel S. The Care of the Pupil. Cambridge, Massachu- setts: Harvard University Press, 1935. Pp. 71. The eleventh annual lecture of the series provided by Har- vard University to honor the memory of Alexander Inglis deals in a broad way with the relations of pupil and master. The cen- tral theme of the lecture is personal companionship. The treat- ment is inspirational and sets forth the matured reflections of the author, who has served twenty-five years as the head of one of America’s outstanding private secondary schools. The lecture will be a disappointment to the admirers of the late Professor Inglis, for at best it can be rated only as a hortative essay on “schoolmastering” and in no sense a contribution to the science of education which he labored to establish. Wesley, Edgar Bruce. editor. The Historical Approach to Methods of Teaching the Social Studies. Philadelphia: McKinley Pub- lishing Co., 1935. Pp. 204. This the Fifth Yearbook of the National Council for the So cial Studies. In this paper bound volume the following main topics cover in large part the field of method: social forces de- velop methods; the clarifying of objectives, for they determine curriculum and methods; the influence of pedagogs in develop- ing the unit, and the influence of Dewey; the modifications effected throuth the teaching of law, history, civics, biography, and economics on methods; changes made by use of equipment, visual aids, and textbooks on methods; the demands made be- cause of retarded groups and the efforts toward the socializa- tion of the rural schools; and the changes wrought through objective testing. Churchman, Philip H.; Atwood, Leland L.; and Racine, Arthur R. A First Book in French. New York: The Macmillan Co., 1935. Pp. 561. The justification for another lesson-book in French is a new type or method whereby the prepared rule is not the start- ing point, the understanding of the printed page and of the 59 eo =e SPEEA ET BERT OE” Ee See ee Be RO A SAR are RE PPR SATA TR Pe [Tee 60 Book Notices spoken word is emphasized, direct comprehension is promoted, and, by skillful arrangement of material, a period of observa- tion and interpretation precedes the close study of principles. There is enough material in this work for two years. Logasa, Hannah. //istorical Fiction. Philadelphia: McKinley Publishing Co., 1934. Pp. 144. This is an annotated list of historical material with the following’ divisions: Ancient, medieval and modern, and United States history, with a list of source books on these divisions. These divisions are again subdivided into stories, and biog- raphy and narrative groups. The books are labeled as espe- cially valuable, and of junior high-school level. Collette, Elizabeth. Highroad to English Literature. Boston: Ginn and Co., 1935. Pp. 616. This manual tells again the story of English literature, giving some social and historical background, as well as ac- counts of the writers and discussions of their works. It has in it plenty of tables, maps, illustrations, and teaching ac- cessories. Recreational Athletic Activities for Boys. Pp. 47. Recreational Athletic Activities for Girls. Pp. 35. Recreational Athletic Activities for Boys and Girls. Pp. 33. These three educational athletic programs prepared by special committees appointed by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association. These booklets contain Re- gents’ regulations, objections, programs, and activities. Elliott, Mabel A.; Merrill, Francis E.; Wright, Dorothy Grauerholz; and Wright, Charles O. Our Dynamic Society. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1935. Pp. 380. A book with new material, set up in harmony with sug- gestions of the Commission on the Social Studies, but with the clear objective of better citizenship. Hawkes, Herbert E., Luby, William A., and Touton, Frank C. Second-Year Algebra. Boston: Ginn and Co., 1935°Pp. 374. There are many improvements in this revised edition: the review of the first-year work is well handled, emphasis on DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 61 technical drill is given, new material on exponents is inserted, and a chapter on functions and graphs is added. McAndrew, William (editor). Social Studies. Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., 1935. Pp. 465. An unusual textbook for junior and senior high-school pu- pils is this. The new material is timely, and the old material looks new. Many personal problems of the pupil receive sensi- ble treatment. Social Change and Education. Thirteenth Yearbook of the De- partment of Superintendence. Washington: 1935, Pp. 384. A review of the social changes and of the attempts of so- ciety to adjust itself to these changes. The implication for edu- cation in these changes and adjustments is given full discus- sion. Riddlesbarger, Ada; and Cotner, Edna Parker. Easy English Exercises. Yonkers-on-Hudson: World Book Co., 1935. Pp. 298. This is a revised edition of the 1926 imprint. It is also an enlarged edition with emphasis on invention of sentences, cor- rect usage, tests, and diagraming. Churchman, Philip H.; Atwood, Leland L.; and Racine, Arthur R. Manual to accompany A First Book in French. New York: The Macmillan Co., 1935. Pp. 94. This is a manual for teachers with reading and phonetic material, exercises to develop study of grammar, and an ar- ray of grammatical forms. Smith, George H. E., and Beard, Charles A. The Recovery Pro- gram. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1934. Pp. 59. In paper cover a very brief review of the causes of our eco- nomic difficulties, and the government in its efforts to restore prosperous times. Watkins, Arthur Charles. The Story of the Paris Pact. Washing- ton: National Capital Press, 1934. Pp. 149. This volume in paper covers gives a brief statement of the authors and of the history of the Paris Pact. Each chapter has suggestive questions, and there is also a bibliography. eee" TE ES pg AE Fy Se eee POSS, NOE, HEN De LETS TR Ee OOD LP ae ————— EERE OTE st 62 . Boox Noticks Daringer, Helen Fern, and Eaton, Anne Thaxter. The Poet's Craft. Yonkers-on-Hudson: World Book Co., 1935. Pp. 338. A collection of poems arranged in a new order with the end of teaching to love poetry and appreciate that it is art. Gilland, Thomas M. The Origin and Development of the Power and Duties of the City-School Superintendent. Chicago: Uni- versity Press, 1935. Pp. xiii + 279. It is a common observation that the administrative organi- zation in different city school systems has shaped itself in response to distinctly local influences and conditions. To a con- siderable extent the authority and responsibility of the super- intendent of schools is likewise variously defined and it is equally clear that the present status of the position of superin- tendent is the result of similar fortuitous influences. There have been very few reports describing the circumstances and leading to the establishment of the position of superintendent and the susequent development of the lines of authority and responsibility with respect to that office in the principal cities of the United States. An interesting account of the develop- ment of powers and duties of city school superintendents has recently appeared as a publication of the University of Chicago Press. On the basis of an examination of more than eighteen hundred annual reports for thirty of the larger cities in the United States, the author describes the conditions and explains the considerations which prompted the establishment of the position of superintendent of schools in these cities beginning with the appointment of the first superintendent in Louisville in 1837. An introductory chapter explains how city schools were administered previous to the employment of a superin- tendent. The author then indicates those powers and duties which were assigned to the superintendent in the early years of the history of this office. Subsequent chapters show the gradual development of the superintendent’s responsibility with respect to such administrative functions as grading the schools, supervision, the curriculum, finance, and bujlding pro- grams. He explains the growth of the superintendent’s respon- sibility as determined by the expansion of the school program. There is also an interesting report of influences which finally DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOIL, PRINCIPALS 63 placed the superintendent in the position of executive officer of the board of education. Mr. Gilland’s report is a significant contribution to educa- tional literature and will be read with much interest and profit by superintendents, school board members and students of school administration. Pierce, Paul Revere. The Origin and Development of the Public School Principalship. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1935. Pp. ix + 223. The author of this pioneer study of the history of the prin- cipalship has relied almost exclusively for his data on the read- ing of six hundred annual reports of superintendents of schools in twelve large cities covering a period of school history of one hundred years. He has carefully documented the study with nearly eight hundred footnotes, forty per cent of which refer to New York, twenty-six per cent to Chicago, fifteen per cent to St. Louis, and nine per cent to Boston. The summary chapter makes no mention of the fact that only twelve cities were studied. The conclusions are stated as though they apply to all large cities. The reader must, there- fore, be careful to avoid accepting some of the generalizations which go beyond the data. The great value of the book is in its contribution to an understanding of the development in the selected cities of the administrative responsibilities of the principal, his supervisory functions, his relationship to general and special supervisors, his community leadership, the personnel of the principalship and its professional status. This book should be required read- ing for every principal in training and recommended reading for every principal in service. Reed, Thomas Harrison. Form and Functions of American Gov- ernment. Yonkers-on-Hudson: World Book Co., 1935. Pp. 538. This is the second revised edition of a book which has been popular for twenty years. It points out that government changes, and is down to dates in recording these changes. The whole field from local to national forms is carefully covered, and due notice is given of social and economic trends. ONES RENTS fod EPL STE A ER AO PN INT ET YE RM SPT EES I FRE A TY 64 DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS ADDRESSES of PUBLISHERS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS BULLETIN Ginn and Company 15 Ashburton Place Boston, Massachusetts Harper and Brothers 49 East Thirty-third Street New York City Harvard University Press Cambridge, Massachusetts Little, Brown, and Company 34 Beacon Street Boston, Massachusetts The Macmillan Company 60 Fifth Avenue | New York City McKinley Publishing Company Philadelphia, Pennsylvania National Capital Press Washington, D. C. The World Book Company Yonkers-on-the-Hudson “ New York