SA LPRARE RE ee SAGES Che NE Bi eC SSNS RT er RS et ie! 7 en a CR ee ee Ce ad acoemnal } ie Pe APA ea ae ae ME ee Pe eee EOS Cor st aan NATION ASSOCIATION OF SECONDAR ‘SCHOOL PRINCIPALS NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION” OFFICERS. es Priacipal, Haverford: Tersahip, High bone: Vice e President wh daa E. nt re On, tral High Cee ys Second I Vie. President: eck erp Hasone - ad Prinetpal, end Reed Junior Schools, Springfield, Misseur! K, J. Crsnz i Prinetpal, High Scheol, Mebfle, Alasema umaNn G. Rasp Principal, Lewis and Clark High Scheel, Spokane, Weshingtes Davis Me. | E. R. Joss State Supervicer of High Schools, Jackson, Missiestppt NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE. NATIONAL HONOR: SOCIETY President. Principal, Nerth Dallas High Scheel, Dallas, Texee Samuat S. Dicxay Principal, Jester School, Lakewsed, hie Fermer Principal, Newton a a $2.00 a Year Published at Berrien Springs, Michigan, byt of Secondary-School Principals of the National. “Edson ‘Association zat Siero p Stresa irre, N. Ww. eee. Las Pea Sorin rate itera nel are a Pn oe aoe Ve November bt (0a. | NOV 2'7 (940 Gris 475902 2 ” The Bulletin OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF Secondary-School Principals A Department of Secondary Education of the NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION Issued Monthly, October to May Inclusive NOVEMBER Occupational Adjustment and the School EDWARD LANDY Director, The Occupational Adjustment Study of the National Association of Secondary-School Principals with the collaboration of Staff members JOHN R. BEERY BYRON C. HAYES C. DARL LONG THE CONTENTS OF THIS BULLETIN ARE LISTED IN “EDUCATION INDEX” 5 Copyright 1940 by THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS Paul E. Elicker, Executive Secretary Walter{E. Hess, Managing Editor 1201 Sixteenth Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. THE IMPLEMENTATION COMMISSION Eli C. Foster DeWitt S. Morgan Oscar Granger William F. Rasche John W. Harbeson Francis T. Spaulding F. C. Jenkins Hugh H. Stewart George C. Jensen Howard Dare White Will French, Chairman Paul E. Elicker, ex-officio dle eof | Content FOREWORD Will French 4 INTRODUCTION saeee CHAPTER I THe Oricin anp OsjEcTIVES OF THE OcCUPATIONAL ApjusTMENT Stupy Origin Objectives PLAN OF THE STUDY ; Criteria used to evaluate occupational adjustment .. Forming judgments in terms of criteria_ ce Sal Relationships between school practices and adjustment. aptibes sy Scope of the study... : Getting youth, employers, and schools t to > be studied _. THE CoMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS OF THE YOUTH... The communities studied. The schools studied Summary Tue Youtu Srupiep A AND > Tuer Hose 3 AND » ScHooL Backcrounps 32 The sample. 32 Home backgrounds 36 A EEE SEO Summary inbiates ADJUSTMENT. eee NE RCL er SRP ty MAURER aaa Cee Procedure ETE RE ION Mess AS UES a I RST APPENDICES I IV Some Factors AssoctaTED WITH PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT... . Personal characteristics 0 Home and family backgrounds . School backgrounds and experiences . — experiences Ways of Behaving .. Summary and implications for secondary schools... Recommendations — ssa teants SomE TECHNICAL ConstDERATIONS... Introduction . a ete Implication of the double and repeat i interview w technique... Tests used to determine reliability of the items in Youth Interview Schedule Reliability of the Ways of Behaving Reliability of the Area Judgments... he a Determining the significance of the differences between groups in ratings on Ways of ee SAMPLE INSTRUMENTS .. F sinieeraiien Youth Interview Blank, Form a Form A: Supplement... Ssdncsantin Employer Interview Blank, Form B. iia asisl PoE awe Preliminary Interview Blank, Form C: School-Y outh.. Preliminary Interview Blank, Form DI: saa asst wre Form DII: The Community, (Part 1) -. Form DII: Youth Serving Agencies, (Part Il) Form E: Youth _...... Form EII: Employer... ate De a an ink ar a Nt te L ie Tem acetic pint TN Scctnester sessile ancnowiganictcehdacinagebisiaainisiamatatslaiianieatial INDEX __..... FOREWORD Professionally minded secondary-school principals have been becoming increasingly concerned with what happens to “school-leavers”—those whose full time education ends with or before graduation from the second- ary school. A number of local surveys conducted by principals as well as the work of state and national organizations attest to the truth of this statement. ‘Underlying this activity is a desire on the part of educators to discover what relationships between success and failure in the post-school period can be traced back to the kinds of educational experience enjoyed by youth while in school. Only in the light of such information can better guidance and educational programs for school-leavers be developed. Recognizing that one important phase of need on the part ef such youth was for adjustment to the post-school occupational situations open to them, the Implementation Commission through its OccupaTIoNAL ApJ UsT- MENT Stupy has undertaken to discover means by which a secondary-school principal can get valid information about the degree of occupational adjustment of his school-leavers and some clues as to desirable changes in the guidance and educational programs of his school. It has been possible to push the inquiry as far in one year as it has gone only, first, because the Implementation Commission’s effort was sup- ported by the Generation Epucation Boarp, and, second, because it was able to interest a most competent staff in the study. The following report is a resume of the first year’s work. Though funds are limited, certain aspects of the study will be pushed further during 1940-41 with the special purpose of introducing and promoting the use of the survey-plan which was developed in connection with the first year’s work. For the Implementation Commission | should like to express appreci- ation here both to the Generat Epucation Boarp for its financial assistance and to the members of the staff for most devoted and intelligent service on a task which called for the highest kinds of administrative ability, research competence, and professional insight. Witt Frencn, Chairman for the Implementation Commission; National Association of Secondary- School Principals October 1940 INTRODUCTION One of the most difficult tasks which confronts the American secondary school is that of providing a kind of education which would be effective in aiding school-leavers achieve occupational adjustment. In recognition of this fact the Implementation Commission of the National Association of Secondary-School Principals is undertaking the task of helping high schools implement their programs toward the end that better occupational adjust- ment may be realized by post-school youth. The OCCUPATIONAL AD- JUSTMENT STUDY is but one of the efforts of the Commission in this direction. This report attempts to present the findings and conclusions of the Study which was conducted from July, 1939 to July, 1940. Chapters I and II deal with the origin and plan of the Study. Chapters III, IV, and V present the background data concerning the schools, youth, employers, and communities studied. Chapter VI presents conclusions con- cerning effective practices and Chapter VII a plan for individual schools to follow for investigating and acting upon their own situations, A summary of a special study regarding some factors associated with employment will be found in Appendix I. Some technical considerations concerning the conduct of the Study are presented in Appendix II. In the report which follows, Chapters I-VII have been written by the Director, Appendix I by C. Darl Long, and Appendix II by John R. Beery and Byron C. Hayes. The last three named, along with the Director, constituted the Staff of the Study. The development of the plans, instruments, techniques, and methods of testing the significance of our work was accomplished through the co- operative work of the entire Staff. There were individual assignments and, in addition, Staff members contributed to the Study as a whole, through the method of frequent and spirited conferences. The Staff has been especially fortunate in having the services of a Counseling Committee which consisted of: Richard D. Allen, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Providence, Rhode Island Harry A. Jager, Chief of Occupational Information Service, Office of Education, Washington, D. C. Edwin A. Lee, Professor of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City Irving Lorge, Associate Professor of Education and Executive Officer of the Division of Psychology, Institute of Educational Research, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City William F. Rasche, Assistant Vocational Director and Principal, Mil- waukee Vocational School, Milwaukee, Wis. C. L. Shartle, Chief, Occupational Analysis Section, Bureau of Employ- ment Security, Washington, D. C. Ralph W. Tyler, Chairman, the Department of Education, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 5 6 Nationat Association oF SEcoNDARY-ScHOOL Principats [November Many valuable and interesting ideas were received from this group. However, the Counseling Committee is in no way responsible for any of the shortcomings that this report may possess. The members simply acted in the capacity of advisers regarding technical details and the general plan of the Study when they were called upon for service. The Staff is grateful for the co-operation of the Implementation Com- mission. The entire membership of the Commission showed that it pos- sessed a thorough grasp of the problem and an awareness of the need for dealing with it. The staff is particularly grateful to the Executive Com- mittee supervising the Study which consisted of: Will French, Professor of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City, Chairman. DeWitt S. Morgan, Superintendent of Schools, Indianapolis, Indiana. Francis T. Spaulding, Professor of Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Mass. Howard Dare White, Assistant Commissioner of Education, Trenton, New Jersey. These men have made possible, in large measure, whatever has been ac- complished through their sympathy and understanding of the many difficult problems involved and through their contribution of stimulating ideas to the solution of those problems. It is a difficult task to single out any individuals for separate comment as all members of both the Counseling and Executive Committees have been very helpful. Particular mention however, should be made of the specific and concrete aid received from Professor Spaulding and Professor French. To Dr. French, who, as Chairman of the Executive Committee, has been the immediate supervisor of the Staff, goes the Director’s personal thanks for his never failing sympathy and encouragement throughout the entire duration of the Study. It is obvious that the Study would not have been possible without the ready co-operation of the schools involved. The Staff found all the school people with whom it came in contact on the Study, including superinten- dents, principals, counselors, teachers, and office clerks, to be especially helpful and willing to aid. Owing to the confidential nature of the report the Staff cannot express its thanks to them as individuals, but wishes to assure them, nevertheless, of its grateful appreciation for their help and co-operation. Such a study would not have been possible without financial aid. To the General Education Board and its Director of General Education, Dr. Robert Havinghurst, the Staff expresses its appreciation for the grant which enabled the carrying out of the Study. ° Eowarp Lanpy CHAPTER |! The Origin and Objectives of the Occupational Adjustment Study ORIGIN The origin of the Stady may be found in several factors. The first of these was in the growth of the secondary-school population during the past few decades. This is by now an old story and hardly needs repeating and emphasizing here. Professor B. L. Dodds has stated the case well.’ “Each succeeding decade from 1890 to 1930 has witnessed the doubling of the number of youth previously enrolled in high schools. Today, approximately two-thirds of America’s youth of secondary-school age is enrolled in school.” Other factors have been the changing economic and social conditions through which the country has been passing. New occupations have appeared, some have increased in numerical importance, others have de- clined. The changing pattern of occupational life and its implications for youth have already been emphasized.” The most pressing of the various causes which resulted in this Stady is to be found in the nature of the growth of the secondary-school population. The new growth consisted of youth, who, by and large, were not interested in going on further with formal education beyond the secondary school. Moreover, they were not usually interested in nor capable of deriving any advantage from a pursuit of the traditional academic program offered al- most exclusively before their influx into the school. The problems which were raised by the character and size of the growth of the secondary-school population have been recognized and stud- ied. The Commitee on Orientation of the National Association of Secondary- School Principals focused attention upon these problems through its publi- cation of the two volumes on the issues and functions of secondary educa- tion.” The inadequacy of the traditional secondary-school program, the nature of the new growth of the school population, and the changing con- ditions of life into which school-leavers were going were recognized and discussed in these volumes. The point of view adopted by the Committee on Orientation was that students should not leave school until the school has done what it can to prepare them to take their place in life outside school. The Implementation Commission was organized, as its name indicates, to provide the implements whereby the secondary school might fulfill its function as stated by the Committee on Orientation. For it was specifically recognized that a huge gap existed between realizing that the problem Dodds, B. L., That All May Learn, Buttetin of the National Association of Secondary-Schoo! Principals, No. 85, November, 1939, pp. 7-16. “For an excellent general summary, See Bell, H. M., Matching Youth and Jobs. Washington, D. C.: American Council on Education, 1940. i 8]ssues of Secondary Education. Buitetin of the National Association of Secondary-Schoo! Princi- pals of the National Education Association, No. 59, January, 1936. Functions of Secondary Education. Bu.tetin of the National Association of Secondary-Schoc!] Principals of the National Education Association, No. 64, January, 1937. 7 8 Nationa AssociaTION oF SEcoNDARY-ScHooL Principats [November existed and wanting to do something about it, and actually doing some- thing of value. That secondary-school principals were aware of the problem and did want to aid youth in taking their place in life outside the school, and in particular were concerned with this new growth, was revealed by the results of a study conducted by Robert B. Patrick.‘ A questionnaire was submitted to principals the country over which asked two questions: 1. What one or two problems in the conduct of your educational program have caused you most concern within the last year or two years? (If possible, please state each problem in the form of a definite question.) Was the above statement formulated as a result of a faculty discussion? The questionnaire was not made up as a check list in order to get the relatively free response of the group. Analysis of the problems as stated by the principals showed very clearly that the task of meeting the needs of non-academic (or the educationally neglected) pupils is one which princi- pals everywhere recognized as their outstanding problem.’ The combination of these—the changing character and size of the sec- ondary-school population, the changing occupational patterns in our national life, and the desire to do something about the problems raised by the secondary-school principals’—has led the Implementation Commission to embark upon a comprehensive study of the general problem. The decision and program of it can be stated best in its own words. The following is an extract from a mimeographed bulletin of April, 1939, stating their position and the need for studying the total problem. The preliminary work of the Implementation Commission of the National Association of Secondary-School Principals shows that a major and pressing concern of members of the Association is that body of pupils, who, faced with the typical high-school program, are neither successful nor happy and hence often become school failures, discipline problems, withdrawals and hindrances to learning by other youth. Assuming with the Orientation Committee that the program of American secondary schools should include offerings appro- priate to all youth, the Implementation Commission has embarked upon a comprehensive study of the general problems of the non-adjustment of the school to the needs of all youth. Previous work in this grea has shown that there are two centers of stress responsible for this non-adjustment; one within and one without the school. Improvement in the situation within the school is largely a matter of educa- tional offerings appropriate to the necds of all youth. The Commission’s proposed handbook on educating the Newer Fifty Per Cent’ marks an initial attack by the commission upon this schoo] problem. It expects to continue at work in this area. Release from the tension outside of the school is largely a matter of adjusting the weight of socio-economic pressure upon youth; a matter upon which the school can have but little immediate effect. Since this is true and since a more appropriate curriculum situation cannot be achieved upon short order, the Implementation Commission holds that a large number of youth will continue to leave school to go into occupational situations to “Patrick, Robert B., ‘“‘The Most Pressing Problems of Principals."’ Buttetin of the Departmenf of Secondary-School Principals of the National Education Association, No. 83, May, 1939, pp. 4-26. 5See Tue Buttetin of the National Association of Secondary-School Principals, May, 1939, No. 83, pp. 4-28. ®See also Tue Buttetin of the National Association of Secondary-School Principals, October, 1940, No. 92, entitled, Promising Practices in Secondary Education, by Walter E. Hess and Paul E. Elicker, for a report of practices from Secondary-School Principals to the Discussion Group Project. THas since been published as Tue Buttetin of the National Association of Secondary-School Principals, November, 1939, No. 85, entitled That All May Learn, by B. L. Dodds. See footnote, p. 7. 1940] OsyjEcTIVES 9 which, according to the reports of the American Youth Commission and the New York Regents Inquiry, they are often as poorly adjusted as they were to the school situation. It therefore seems in point to propose an inquiry into the effectiveness of what some secondary schools are doing to increase the probability that their youth when leaving school are better able to secure and hold employment than they otherwise would have been. More specifically, the proposal is to study the adjustment of school-leaving youth in particular communities to the occupational opportunities open to these youth, and to study the nature of the school experiences of these youth to see whether this adjustment tends to be associated with particular types of school experience. Leads as to whether and how secondary schools may help to facilitate adjustment to the occupational life of the community will be sought. The development of evaluating instruments of service to school faculties in the study of the adjustment between their school-leaving youth and the occupational life of their respective communities will be sought. The commission recognizes that there are other important adjustments to be made by these youth and that they are also often poorly made. It selects the area of occupational adjustment for initial work largely because there is a probability that indices of adjustment or maladjustment are here more concrete and objective than in some other areas. In the meanwhile the com- mission is studying the possibilities of launching other inquiries into the adjustment of these youth to post-school social and recreational life and to civic and home responsibilities. It also has in mind other studies concerned with improving the in-school adjustment of youth through improved cur- ricular and guidance programs. OBJECTIVES It was determined at'the beginning that the Study should not be merely another survey showing the occupational conditions of youth. That type of investigation had already been done and done well. Important as such data are, the Study would need to go beyond the stage of gathering data if it were to uncover leads as to the valué of various school practices. Certain youth studies have attempted to go beyond the survey stage and to derive inferences for school practices. But there was a distinct need for a study which would undertake the task of uncovering leads directly and specifi- cally. It was recognized that principals would need to have some specific suggestions concerning practices which could be introduced into their schools and some definite techniques for investigating their own situations. As a result the following two objectives were set up: 1. The development of a relatively simple but valid survey-plan which will be of aid to schools in deciding to what extent their pupils, who have not gone on further with full-time formal schooling, make satisfactory occu- pational adjustments. The discovery of leads as to techniques and practices which could be introduced to make more effective the occupational adjustment of pupils whose formal education will cease at graduation, if not before. It was recognized at the outset that the achievement of the second objective would be restricted by the limitations on the scope of the Study imposed by the time and funds available. The chief value in attempting to achieve the second objective would lie in demonstrating that techniques, instruments, and procedures for analyses in handling such a problem could be evolved, actually tried, and shown to have distinct worth. WV ~Nationat Association or Seconpary-ScHooL Principacs [November It must also be pointed out that the two objectives are definitely related to each other in that the achievement of the first depended upon carrying out the second to a successful conclusion. The evolving of techniques, instruments, and procedures for analyses for the second objective was a complicated and difficult task involving considerable work. The actual techniques, instruments, and analytical procedures finally developed can be used in a modified fashion for the first objective, as will be shown in Chapter VII, without the necessity of understanding their technical develop- ment. In this sense the two objectives can be considered as separate. Although the achievement of the second objective has been tentative and experimental and the values of the leads are sharply limited by the nature of the sample, it is believed that some evidence as to worthwhile practices can be offered. These have been summarized in Chapter VI. The summary of the survey-plan is presented in Chapter VII. There is much speculation as to whether the school does or can have any effect upon the occupational adjustment of any youth. It is argued that broad social and economic forces, which are totally beyond the control of the school, are the determining factors in occupational adjustment. Researcin studies in industry® would indicate, also, that there are complex social fac- tors, operating even within a simple job routine, which affect the daily out- put of the workers and their job satisfaction. Rather simple changes in environment may alter considerably a worker’s outlook and his capacity for production. Granting all of these arguments, it is contended that the school can and ought to do something to secure better occupational adjustment. It may never be possible to chart accurately the extent of its influence, but within its limited sphere of influence it should do its best. A simple dia- gram may illustrate the point. A C B If A-B represent a youth’s occupational adjustment, C-B may represent that segment which is beyond his control, A-C that segment over which he could exercise control if properly trained. It may be that C should be closer to A or closer to B. That is not known; it is doubtful if the exact propor- tions of control ever will be known. But it is believed that such a segment as A-C does exist. If this is so, it should be the duty of the school so to educate the youth that he will make the best use of that segment. It may be that not only will better use of that segment be made, but that the point C can be pushed closer to B. To put it differently, the proportion of control over his occupational adjustment that a youth may have can be increased through better ways of behavior on the part of the youth, and the school can and ought to exercise its influence for the betterment of that behavior.” It should be emphasized that the Study has been planned and con- ducted with no preconceived notion of the values of the various guidance practices and techniques to be investigated. "Mayo, Elton. The Human Problems of an Industrial Civilization. New York: Macmillan Co., 1933. CHAPTER II Plan of the Study It will be remembered that the Study had the two objectives of securing leads as to desirable school practices and of developing a follow-up plan for individual schools to use. The follow-up plan recommended in Chapter VII is based upon the experience gained in attempting to secure leads for worthwhile school practices and consists essentially of a simplified adap- tation of the procedures which were used for deriving the leads presented in this volume. Once the essential procedures for securing leads as to de- sirable school practices are understood the basis for the follow-up plan becomes clear. This chapter, therefore, describes only the procedures fol- lowed in uncovering leads as to worthwhile practices. In general the problem consisted of (1) deciding upon what criteria to use in evaluating the occupational adjustment of the youth who might be chosen for a study, (2) developing ways and means of arriving at judg- ments concerning the adjustment of youth in terms of the criteria, (3) re- lating these judgments (and other information gathered about the youth) to the school practices to which they had been exposed while taking into account any other possible factors of influence, (4) determining the scope of the study, and (5) getting the youth, schools, and employers to be studied. CRITERIA USED TO EVALUATE OCCUPATIONAL ADJUSTMENT Need for Criteria One of the major steps in pursuing this study was that of developing a means of judging the occupational adjustment of youth. If any leads were to be established as to the values of given school practices, their values for definite aspects of adjustment would have to be demonstrated. No values could be claimed for school practices unless the school practices were shown to be valuable for effecting adjustment in terms of specific criteria and, if possible, for how much of that adjustment. Recognizing the need for cri- teria is relatively easy, but evolving criteria that are acceptable is an enor- mously difficult job. Basis for the Selection of the Criteria. In getting at this problem of developing criteria, several procedures could be used. (1) Literature could be examined and developed criteria adopted. (2) Leaders in the field could be circularized for their opinions. (3) Procedures could be developed out of the thinking and experience of the investigators. (4) A combination of these methods could be adopted. The last procedure was the one used. This was done because no unanimity of opinion as to what constituted desirable criteria could be discovered. But even after arriving at certain conclusions as to what factors to consider (or determining upon their validity) in evaluating occupational adjustment, there still existed two problems. 1. What form should these criteria take? Should they be in the nature of rating scales? Should they consist simply of group treatment of data? 12 Nationat AssociaTION oF SEconDARY-ScHooL Principats [November Should they be subjective combinations of the total individual? Should they consist of minute evaluations to be summed and presented in the form of an index figure? How reliably could evaluations be made by using the criteria? Would different investigators get different results? Would the same investigators get the same results at different time intervals? (This problem is treated in Appendix II.) Proceeding to collect as many factors as possible from different sources that could be used to evaluate adjustment, a wide variety of such cri- teria was secured. These differed from broad generalities, such as attitude toward democracy, to specific questions on wages and amount of employ- ment. After much consideration the conclusion was reached that these could not be combined into a single score or index of adjustment which would have any wide acceptance or any meaning to school men. It was decided to make no pretense of measuring adjustment in terms of such a single score but rather to present the findings in terms of information gathered and of specific judgments made. On the basis of such information presented (along with its reliability) judgments could be made by the in- vestigators and by the readers of this Study on the occupational adjustment of the youth studied. The judgments could be in terms of specific items, areas of adjustment, or of the total adjustment. In order to focus thinking upon certain inferences to be derived with respect to school practices it was decided to make judgments about adjustment in connection with some relatively specific factors and in certain areas of adjustment. The factors or criteria of adjustment, as it has been decided to present them, may be said to fall roughly into three areas. 1. The overt behavior of the youth in attempting to adjust himself. 2. The quality of his thinking about his occupational problems which he must face. The actual occupational status of the youth. Such things as how well he gets along with his fellow workers, how intelligently he plans for the future, how intelligently he evaluates his present status, what he does to get himself a job, how much employment he has had, and how soon he secured work after leaving school are samples. of what is meant. There may be some dispute as to the relative weighting of these items, but the investigators are not concerned with that problem for their purposes. They do not intend to report the youth’s adjustment in terms of a total score, nor do they believe that this can be done. What they are concerned with is the evaluation of the adjustment of the youth in certain areas of adjustment and in certain specifics of adjustment. Given school practices may be more effective for certain areas of adjustment and [ess effective in others. Judgments of the adjustment of the youth in the three general areas of planning, appraisal of present job situation, and adjustment to present job, and in forty-two specific ways of behaving or thinking about his occupational adjustment have been secured. In addition, twenty-six items having to do with the youth’s occupational status have been included. 1940] Criterta Usep to EvaLuaTe Ways of Behaving As stated above judgments are used on forty-two ways of behaving for each youth as some of the criteria for evaluating occupational adjustment. Ways of behavior have been selected for the major criteria for the following reasons: 1. The results of such an examination of behavior can be related directly to what the school has done or ought to do. This is important, obviously, as any results which cannot be related to and stimulate school. practices ‘ are useless, no matter how well justified for other purposes of this study. In connection with this, it is well to note that the school cannot so mold youth that they will fit perfectly into definite grooves for the remaining periods of their lives. It can give youth habits that are useful, give under- standing of what things make for satisfactory adjustment, emphasize ways of behavior, and train for immediate job entrance. The ways in which youth behave while adjusting are less a function of the current economic conditions than are other measures. There is greater agreement as to what constitutes desirable or seemingly sensible behavior than there is regarding other possible measures of adjustment. Even those who would advocate the actual condition in which the youth finds himself now, rather than how he reacts to situations, as a better measure or criterion of adjustment, do not agree with any degree of unanimity on what conditions to observe. Some advocate total wages earned to date plus total employment. Others advocate current wages. Still others argue that job satisfaction is most important, and others that the employer’s satisfaction with the worker is of greatest impor- tance. Occupational adjustment is a never-ending process. “While some people, after a few years, settle into a regular occupation, others shift frequently from one type of work to another. Even the person who remains in a regular occupation must continually make new adjustments from: day to day.”? With some it continues until work ceases. Since occupational adjustment is a dynamic process and since it takes place in an ever- changing world of occupations, it would seem desirable to establish as some criteria of adjustment those measures which would best meet such a condition. The first consideration in selecting the particular ways of behaving was to give thought to the question, “What are the occupational situations which the out-of-school youth will have to face and to which he will have to react. in order to adjust himself?” After careful examination of the literature in the field, discussion with consultants and others, the conclusion was reached that there are three large basic needs or Situations to be met by the out-of-school youth. They are: The need for deciding upon what occupation one wishes to engage in and for entering upon it. The need for keeping employed. The need for intelligent appraisal of present and future job status and for planning accordingly. In order to further clarify and make the investigators’ thinking more specific these large divisions were broken down as follows: 1. The need for deciding upon what occupation one wishes to engage in and for entering upon it. IShartle, C. L., Chief, Occupational Analysis Section, Bureau of Employment Security, Wash- ington, D. C. 14. Nationat AssociaTion oF SEcoNDARY-ScHOOL Princtpats [November a. Need for the youth knowing what he wants to do. b. Need for getting himself prepared to do what he wants. c. Need for knowing how to go about getting a job. The need for keeping employed. a. Need for doing his work well. b. Need for adapting himself to the people and things with which he has to work. c. Need for further training. d. Need for having or gaining the confidence of his employer. The need for intelligently appraising his present and future job status and for planning accordingly. Need for intelligently appraising the requirements of the job as com- pared with his abilities and interests. b. Need for intelligently appraising his working conditions. ce. Need for intelligently appraising his economic security. The next step was to evolve for each section a list of ways of behaving phrased as questions demanding a “yes” or “no” answer. Affirmative answers to these ways of behaving would indicate good adjustment, and negative answers poor adjustment. Based upon answers to a questionnaire circulated among the leaders in vocational guidance, placement, and personnel workers, and upon the thinking of the staff, a tentative list of ways of behaving were evolved. This list was submitted to the members of the Executive and the Counseling Committees for comment. As a result of their suggestions, and further thinking on the part of the staff, a list was evolved for use in preliminary experimental work. The preliminary list was subsequently reduced, as a result of the preliminary experimental work, to a final list of forty-two items. Judgments on these ways of behaving as will be explained later were formed directly after the youth and employer interviews. Area-Judgments In order to get at some kind of summary evaluation of the adjustment of individual youths it was decided to use the area-judgment technique. This was to consist of establishing an area of adjustment (such as planning) about which information was being collected. This made it possible to draw general conclusions concerning the adjustment of a given youth for that area. Scores for adjustment in the different areas could have been determined by combining the ratings for some of the Ways of Behaving. This notion was discarded, however, in favor of securing a general impression judg- ment for the given area. The area-judgment sheet contained the title of the area and five statements in descending order of value. Each statement was descriptive and represented a notch in a scale.” The interviewer had to encircle the most appropriate rating. These three area-judgment sheets represent a transition in thinking from that of adding up the Ways of Behaving ratings in the three basic situations to be met to that of deriving general ®Later the rating scale was changed to ‘‘yes—?—no"’ and “D.A."" (doesn’t apply) added. The rating of ‘*?’’ was added for those cases where it was impossible to determine clearly a ‘‘yes’’ or ‘‘no” answer, and the “‘D.A."’ for those cases where the particular way of behaving did not apply to the youth in question. It was originally assumed that each Way of Behaving would apply to all youth but preliminary experimental work demonstrated the need for a “‘D.A.”’ coding. Samples of the three area-rating sheets will be found in Appendix III. a. ForMING JUDGMENTS MEETING LOCAL NEEDS Learning the way of industry in a smaller community Montrose (Pa.) High School impression judgments for those basic situations guided by a descriptive scale. It is believed that the latter procedure results in more meaningful evaluation. Judgments in these areas of planning and appraisal of job situation were formed by the interviewer after the youth interview and a judgment of the area of adjustment to present job situation was formed by the interviewer after the employer interview. Status Items In addition to these judgments on the behavior and thinking of the youth, certain status items could not be disregarded. Such facts as per- centage of employment, wages, kind of work, and number of months un- employed between school-leaving and job-getting cannot be ignored in an evaluation of adjustment. These were secured directly from the youth and the employer and reparted directly. FORMING JUDGMENTS IN TERMS OF THE CRITERIA Very briefly, the basic procedure used was to gather comprehensive information about a selected sample of youth and then to form judgments, in terms of the developed criteria and based upon this information, as to the occupational adjustment of the youth. 16 Nationat AssociaTIon oF SeconpaRY-ScHooL Principats [November Kind of Information Gathered Information was gathered concerning the following: 1. The youth’s work history from the time he left school to the time of the interview, including such information as employment status, wages, and kinds of jobs held. The opinions and attitudes held by the youth which were related to his past and present occupational adjustment. The opinions, attitudes, and plans of the youth with respect to his future occupational adjustment. The home background of the youth. - The school background of the youth including subjects taken, scholastic ranking, behavior rating, guidance practices to which he had been exposed, and the school’s opinion of the youth for occupational adjustment. The opinions of the youth and his employer concerning the school back- ground of the youth and its values for occupational adjustment. The adjustment of the youth to his present or last regular job held. The general policies and guidance practices of the school to which the youth had gone. The kinds of communities in which the schools were located. (It so hap- pened, as will be demonstrated later, that most of the youth remained in the communities in which they had gone to school.) Source of Information Several sources were used to obtain this information. The first and fore- most was the youth himself. The school information was ob- tained directly. This was done by asking the principal to name the teacher who, in his opinion, knew most about a given youth and was the best qualified individual to answer questions about him. In addition, if it seemed necessary, other teachers were questioned in order to complete the information. Certain factual data were secured directly from the school files with the aid of clerks. The employer was also an important source of information. The employer was interviewed personally if the concern were small. The immediate supervisor and personnel officer were inter- viewed if it were large. For information concerning general school policies and practices, the principals and department heads were questioned, For community information, town and school officials and the directors of private and public youth-serving agencies were contacted. Tools and Techniques Used in Gathering and Recording Information and Forming Judgments Concerning the Youth* The principal method used to derive the above information was the in- terview technique. Interview schedules were used to get information from the youth, the employer, and the school, and about the community. Each schedule consisted of specific and detailed questions which were to be fol- lowed as closely as possible by the interviewer. These questions were tried out experimentally before being used with the selected sample. They had been purposely designed to be used with as little difficulty as possible. Each interviewer was provided with a manual. This not only contained general instructions for interviewing but also specific instructions for each question asked. Clarifying statements concerning the exact meaning of each question which seemed to need further information were included. ‘Samples of the chief instruments used will be found in Appendix III. 1940] ForMING JUDGMENTS 17 A. From the youth—Form A was used by the interviewer in his in- terview with the youth. The interviewer was instructed to follow the questions both in wording and in order as closely as possible. He was to deviate from the schedule only when the youth provided information voluntarily for questions found later on the schedule, and when it seemed as if the youth was prevented from answering a given question because of lack of understanding rather than inability. The interviewer was in- structed, in addition, to get whenever possible, exact statements of conditions or sets of circumstances which the youth could provide to substantiate any given opinion or attitude. The importance of these statements was im- pressed upon the interviewer for their subsequent use in forming judg- ments. General instructions for the interviews, specific instructions for each item, and descriptions of sample sets of circumstances were provided in the manual. Form A was designed to get as thoroughly as possible, information concerning the work histories of the youth, his present occupational status, his home background during and since leaving school, his occupational plan- ning, his opinions and attitudes about occupational adjustment, and his opinions and attitudes toward the school. The questions were arranged to facilitate the interview as much as possible. Questions were provided for the free response of the interviewee. Later these free responses were tabu- lated and codes developed to aid in reporting and deriving inferences. The form had separate sections for employed and unemployed youth and sections common to both. The questions were of several kinds in or- der to secure different types of information. There were factual questions for inherent significance to be reported as such for general interest values. There were opinion-attitude questions for inherent significance to be reported as such for general interest values. There were factual questions to be reported as such or/and for use in forming judgments. There were opinion-attitude questions to be reported as such or/and for use in forming judgments. Form A—Supplement was given to the youth to be filled in just prior to the interview. The information collected was used along with other items on Form A for deriving a socio-economic score of the home back- ground of the youth, based upon the Wrightstone revision of the Sims Scale.” A specially designed calendar was provided to enable the interviewer to chart as accurately as possible such information as months employed and wages. The interviewer was provided with Form E which contained twenty- six statements or Ways of Behaving and a rating scale of “Yes-?-No” and “D. A.” (doesn’t apply). The interviewer was to encircle the appropriate rating in his judgment for each Way of Behaving based upon the infor- mation gathered specifically in Form A. Each of these Ways of Behaving had been explained and cross-referenced in the interviewer’s manual. Illus- trations for ratings were provided, also, in the manual. The interviewers SWrightstone, J. W., “A Social Background Data Sheet.” Jowrnal of Educational Seciology, 7:525-527, April, 1934. 18 Nationa AssociATION oF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PrincipaLs [November eI “ore were instructed to make each judgment for each Way of Behaving as independently of the others as possible and with a minimum halo effect. This was done for the employer interviews as well. The interviewer was provided, in addition, with the area-judgment sheets, planning and appraisal of job situation. These were in terms of a five-point scale and the interviewer was to encircle the appropriate rating on the basis of information gathered. Thus, from the youth was secured a variety of information. Judgments upon this information were then made by the interviewers. B. From the employer—Form B was used by the interviewer in his interview with the employer concerning a particular youth whom we had interviewed. The interviewers were cautioned, however, not to press the employers too far if they should indicate a reluctance to answer certain of the questions. This was done in order to avoid creating any friction and thereby injuring the respective schools, since it was with their backing and co-operation that the interviews were secured with the employers. Form B was used to get more exactly, if possible, the actual occupa- tional status of the youth, the employer’s opinion of the youth, and the value of the youth’s school training. The questions were designed to secure the same type of information as in Form A. The interviewer of the employer was provided with Form EII which contained sixteen statements on Ways of Behaving and a rating scale of “Yes-?-No” and “D.A.” (doesn’t apply). Each of these Ways of Behaving had been explained and cross-referenced in the manual. The interviewer was provided, also, with an area-judgment sheet on adjustment to job. He was to rate the youth on a five-point scale based upon the information provided by the employer. C. From the schools—Form C was used to get information about school achievement, behavior, and attendance; studies pursued; extra-cur- ricular activities engaged in; objective test data; the school’s opinion about the youth; and significant things to which the youth had been exposed which might have had some effect upon his occupational adjustment. Much of the material such as school marks was copied from the per- manent record cards by clerks. To get the remaining information the prin- cipal was asked to recommend the one teacher in the school who knew most about the pupils being investigated and who could be interviewed. Other teachers who might provide additional information were questioned. Thus an effort was made to overcome the lag between knowing and re- cording of information in the schools. Form DI was used by the Director in an interview with each principal. The chief purpose of this interview was to get as complete and as accurate a description of the general policy and school practices which were directly concerned with or related to occupational adjustment as was possible. In the larger schools there were follow-up interviews with department heads and others at the suggestion of the principals to ensure the completeness of the information. This gave a fairly good picture of the school’s activities 1940] Scroot Practices AND ADJUSTMENT 19 and what the school, at the outset, thought it was doing of value to bring about better occupational adjustment. These could later be checked with the evidence collected as one method of analysis. D. From non-school youth agencies—Form DII was used to secure information concerning the activities of non-school youth-serving agencies in the community and the extent to which these agencies had served the youth being studied. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SCHOOL AND ADJUSTMENT The next step after securing this information and deriving judgments was to analyze it to discover relationships between school practices and the occupational adjustment of the youth studied. A complete discussion of the methods used in doing this together with illustrations will be found in Chapter VI. As has been pointed out before, the final conclusions will also be discussed, in Chapter VI. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The sample consisted of 914 youth. (A further discussion of the ade- quacy of the sample will be found in Chapter IV.) They were youth who had been out of school from one and one half to five and one half years and had not gone on with further full-time formal schooling. They consisted of boys and girls, withdrawals and graduates. They were the school-leavers of six schools, three in New Jersey and three in Connecticut. The limitations as to the number of youth and schools studied were purely those imposed by financial conditions. They were confined to the States of New Jersey and Connecticut because of the geographic closeness to each other and to the headquarters office in New York City, a limitation again imposed by purely financial considerations. Married women were not included in the study because it was believed that marriage in and of itself introduced for women additional complicating factors to which it was impossible to give due consideration owing to the limited time and resources available. It so happened that the number of girls who would have been in the sample if they had not married constituted only a small percentage of the total group of school-leavers. The youth studied were restricted to a period of one and one half to five and one half years out of school. It was assumed that: 1. Adjustment could not be estimated properly on the basis of less than a year’s availability in the labor market. 2. The influence of the school would tend to be less direct the longer the availability in the labor market. 3. The complexity of on-job adjustment would probably overshadow the interaction of school and job adjustment after an interval of five years. The youth studied were restricted to those who had not moved too far away. The definition of “too far away” was construed rather flexibly de- pending upon how costly it was to reach the youth. Individuals moving from a town in Connecticut to Philadelphia would be interviewed because of field workers located nearby, whereas youth moving from a town in Connecticut to some place near Boston were omitted. Generally “too far away” meant moving out of the commuting radius of the town. An analy- sis of the sample showed that this factor of mobility was not important. PRACTICES 20 Nationat AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-ScHOOL Principats [November GETTING YOUTH, EMPLOYERS, AND SCHOOLS TO BE STUDIED The general plan for getting the youth, employers, and schools was first to select the desired schools and then to ask the schools for the lists of youth. The names of their employers were then secured from the youth, so that the initial approach was through the schools. Therefore, criteria for the selection of the schools were set up as follows: 1. The communities should be within reasonably easy access to New York City. The reasons for this are obvious and purely those of limitation of time and funds. A second criterion was that the communities should be those maintaining one general high school each. Here, again, the factors of time and funds operated. In addition, it was felt since the study was concerned chiefly with developing and trying out instruments, that the situations worked with should not be too complex and still remain somewhat typical. By confining the study to one-school communities it was possible to be more certain of getting the full school-community relatienship than otherwise. A third criterion was that the community should be as much as possible an independent community rather than, for example, a residential satel- lite of a large city. Here, again, by selecting these “independent” commu- nities it would be easier to develop the instruments in terms of the complete school-community relationships than otherwise. Also any com- parison of the values of different school practices by schools would be on a more sound basis. A fourth criterion was that the schools studied vary in size as much as possible from 200 to 2,000 pupils so that as varied a sampling as possible based on size could be secured with six schools. A fifth criterion was that the schools selected should vary as much as possible as to the kinds of practices and techniques employed to secure adjustment. The State Commissioners of Education in several nearby states were then requested to name six community-school situations in each of their states which would conform to the above criteria. Contacts were then made through the Superintendents of these schools for permission to work in the various schools. — The Director personally visited each school to be studied and spent considerable time with each principal, carefully explaining the purposes of the study and the part to be played by his school. Before beginning work in any school, arrangements were made to reduce friction to a minimum and to avoid any unnecessary work. After the preliminary conference, and securing permission to use the school, the following steps were taken: 1. The principal was requested to provide a master list of the pupils who had been graduated or had withdrawn from school during the time from September, 1934, to June, 1938, and who had been graduated in Juné, 1934. The names, addresses, phone numbers, and advisers* were to be supplied. The Study paid for the clerical service involved.’ *The school officer recommended by the principal for information concerning each youth. TExcept in one case. This town was added last and included on a non-clerical cost basis for two reasons: (1) clerical expenses were running high and funds were low, and (2) it provided a good opportunity to see whether certain aspects of the study could be carried out by a high-school prin- cipal using his own resources and with little aid from the Study office. 1940} GETTING THE SAMPLE FoR STUDY 21 2. The Director then interviewed each principal using Form DI. This was to get as complete and accurate a description of the school activities concerned with or related to occupational adjustment as was possible. The principal was then provided with as many copies of Form C (school interview blank) as were needed, usually for a sample of 200 youth of the origina] list. The forms were to be filled in by the clerical help to the extent possible, after consultation with the principal. The Director or Assistant-in-Charge spoke to the group of advisers in each school before having’ the youth interviewed, explaining the purpose of the study and the kind of information called for on each item. In the meantime, letters were sent out to the youth asking them to come to the high school for the interviews. Return cards were enclosed. Tele- phone calls were used for the non-answerers. A house-to-house canvass was then carried on for those youth who could not be reached in any other way. Interview appointment cards were filled in for each youth and given to the interviewers as an aid in organizing the interviews. As soon as youth interviews were complete, the copies of Form C were filled in by clerks as far as possible. The interviewers saw each adviser for each youth and through a personal interview filled in any remaining items on the forms.’ In addition, they saw any other school officers that the adviser recommended seeing for any youth. As soon as the youth interviews were completed, the employers were approached for interviews. A letter was sent asking for a time and place convenient to the employer. Telephone calls and personal calls were made to those not responding to the letters. Interview appointment cards were filled in for each employer and given to the interviewers as an aid in organizing the interviewing to be done. “Thank you” cards were then sent out, to those employers who agreed to an interview. The time and place was entered on each card. As stated above, the schools were asked to provide a master list of their withdrawals and graduates during the period of June, 1934-June, 1938. From this list was prepared what was called the “eligible sample,” by the a procedures: The schools were requested to eliminate from this master list all known youth who had gone on with three or more months of further full-time formal schooling and all known married girls. From this reduced master list approximately 200 youth were selected at random from each school. This was done simply by arranging the youth alphabetically and taking every second, third, or fourth one, as the case might be, to give an original sample of approximately 200 youth. It was found, however, that some of the girls in the “original sample” were married and that some of the youth had gone on with further schooling. To maintain a reasonable number in the sample, replacements were added, taken at random from the master list. These replacements plus the origi- nal sample were called the “working sample.” The final sample derived when married girls and youth with further schooling were eliminated was called the “eligible sample.” An analysis of the sample will be found in Chapter IV, together with a discussion of its completeness and representativeness. ‘This was done with the first half of the sample. Later. it was decided that such was unnecessary with Form C and that the advisers could fill in the remaining sections themselves. joours YS C¥ZV) PWS vod Suyuses] pue Supnporg ao{ HL NO ONMMYOM Producing and learning Fort Smith (Ark.) High School CHAPTER III The Communities and Schools of the Youth THE COMMUNITIES STUDIED One of the chief difficulties in establishing relationships between the occupational adjustment of the youth and the school practices to which he has been exposed, assuming the soundness of the judgments made concern- ing the adjustment, has been that of accounting for other possible factors of influence. One important factor exists in the nature of the community where the youth went to school, looked for job opportunities, and is now living. The purpose of this chapter will not be to evaluate the differences and similarities among the communities and schools but rather to present the information concerning them so that in the process of analyses later, refer- ences to them can be made. The data concerning both the communities and schools are being presented in tabular form to expedite any comparisons. Sources for the community background data include the U. S. Census report for 1930, the state census reports, the local town and city offices, and the school officials. In some instances, for want of more precise data, the staff members combined their knowledge of the communities, derived from this survey of the youth and employers, together with that provided, to estimate certain conditions. The Local Community Labor Market and Population’ Table 1 presents comparative information concerning the six com- munities studied. The basic industries listed are those of the given community and any nearby areas which directly influence it. It is obvious that Community 1. has access to the entire labor market of the metropolitan New York area. The three thousand commuters consist chiefly, however, of business men, professional workers, and office clerks. That Community I offers greater diversity of industrial enterprises over that of Community V is obvious. It is conceivable that the nature of the job opportunities open in a given community might affect criteria ratings. When it is recognized, however, that a large proportion of the em- ployment opportunities in the basic industries of Community I are chiefly of the factory-operative or semi-skilled type, it becomes apparent that the diversity in the nature of the job opportunities does not necessarily increase with diversity of industrial enterprises. And as will be later demonstrated, the differences in the nature of the jobs held by the youth, when compared by the communities studied, are usually not large, and where significant differences do exist among youth from different schools, higher criteria ratings may or may not be secured by those schools which have higher percentages of “poorer” jobs held. It is possible that community influences might be greater in other types of communities. Does a diversity of industrial enterprises offer greater amount of em- ployment opportunity? Actually, a higher percentage of the youth in Com- 1The concept of a labor market community base for comparison was derived from Howard M. Bell in conversation with the Director. Mr. Bell has since developed that concept in his book, Matching Youth and Jobs, prepared for the American Council on Education, 1940. 23 sjooyrss jo “dng sof Sjunuvp pur 42158132y VIS INPZ1j22UUOD PUL ‘SlaqUIaW Yes ‘s[eIswo OoYyrs Ulo1y BIEP UO paseg g “snsuad [e207] pues ‘aig ‘*s “—semn3y snsyaD Of61 UO peseg .2ANI JIT pue Mou suown "OO ‘I "DD om ‘ssvak OM) ISP] Arl2y,, ‘aay JO $,uaUNr2]2Ig—, suoIUy ‘O “I “Dance Asa4,, Aysrey *atasag “dury jo 22y0 — ,,2anoeui Ajypesuay,, *antarag “dury ‘10st -sadng = pjatg — ,,21tsado S]B20] UMOI-JO-3NO ‘aAtIIe sapen Zurpying,, antasag jueuojdury ans ays JO syO—,,2a12eU],, "22y0 Suaunr295 — ,,208IS,, “sjooyrs 30 jwapuaiutadng — , eIS,, ‘a2u9WWIOD jo sequry) — ,,2neIf,, *aotasag = uawAojd “ay JO aYO—,,2IS,, — *aD1AJ9g usuiojdury 233g jo MWO—,,Peeurusiys sj suew “juasaid 38 NeIS,, ‘aanoe AlaAQ *"$124J0M 3[12X9) jo uot tuo! 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ATaAVL 1940 | Tue Communities STUDIED 25 munity V were engaged in full-time regular employment at the time of the interview than those of Community I and those of Community IV had the highest percentage of all." Moreover, Community VI had the highest per- centage of parents of youth engaged in full-time regular employment.’ It would seem that the amount of employment opportunity depends more upon the number of jobs provided by the local industries and the number of available workers of the communities in which the industries are located than it does upon the diversity of the industries. However, it is obvious that if a youth is not in a job in which to adjust himself, certain criteria cannot be applied. It should be pointed out here, however, that the percentage of unem- ployed youth by schools ranged from 8.7 to 18.7 with an average of 13.6.‘ The differences from the average are not large and therefore the factor of unemployment per se could not be used as an argument to nullify the judgments formed concerning adjustment to the present job. Further, the youth of the school with the highest percentage of youth enjoying full-time regular employment (84.8% ) at the time of the interview did not rate as well on the criteria of adjustment to the job as the youth of another school, whose youth enjoyed 78.1% of full-time regular employment. Nativity and Ages ; Tables 2a and 2b provide information concerning the distribution of the community population by nativity and by age. It will be seen that TABLE 2a. COMMUNITY POPULATION BY NATIVITY (In per cents) Community I II Ill IV Vv VI Native white 71.8 90.8 70.2 72.2 77.7 75.4 Foreign-born white 17.5 45 23.7 27.4 21.7 24.6 Negro 10.6 4.6 6.0 0.3 0.6 0.0 Unknown 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 a Fifteenth Census of the U. S. 1930. Population. Vol. I11I—Reports by States. Washington, D. C., 1933. TABLE 2b COMMUNITY POPULATION BY AGE GROUPS (In per cents) Nativity Community I II Ill IV Vv VI Up to 15 years 26.1 26.4 27.9 29.0 27.6 32.4 15-24 years 16.9 15.8 18.7 18.7 17.0 18.4 25 years and over 56.9 57.8 53.4 52.3 55.3 49.3 Total 99.9 100.0 100.0 100.0 99.9 100.1 a Fifteenth Census of the U. S. 1930. Population. Vol. I1Il—Reports by States. Washington, D. C., 1933. Age *See Table 21, page 49. See Table 14, page 38. 4See Table 21, page 49. 26 Nationa AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PrincipaLs | November there are no significant differences in the age distributions. It will be noticed that Community II has the highest percentage of native white youth and lowest percentage of foreign-born white youth. Although the youth of School II showed up well in a few respects in terms of the criteria as will be shown later, nevertheless the youth of Schools I and V are significantly better in more criteria than those of School II. The factor of nativity, there- fore, would not seem to account for the creation of differences in the occu- pational adjustment (as measured by the criteria) of the youth of the different communities. Youth-Serving Agencies Other than the School In Appendix III will be found a sample of the questionnaire which was used to investigate the kind of youth-serving agencies other than the school in existence in these communities, and the extent to which they served the youth studied. A list of all possible youth agencies in the town, grouped, if possible, by their function was secured. Of particular interest were placement, counseling, and training services. Except for some inci- dental services provided by the Y.M.C.A., Y.W.C.A., and similar organiza- tions, the State Employment Service Offices were the only agencies which could be found that were organized in any way to help youth.’ Some of the organizations, in answer to the original question, claimed they did, but could offer no convincing evidence to substantiate their claims. Even the State Employment offices, which at least seemed organized to provide service and which had evidence of service to some youth, had not served these youth to any extent. Each agency was provided with a list ef the youth being studied and the agency was asked to indicate its services to any of the youth whom it had served. The number of youth served was negligible among all the communities. Very little was done by school and other community agencies co-operat- ing for the benefit of youth. There was one exception to this general statement. In one of the towns, the principal and the superintendent had managed to establish a Rotary Youth Service Committee of which they were the co-chairmen. This committee served a useful function in helping the school officials to place youth in employment and in helping to sponsor vocational conferences at the high school. This particular procedure, as a school practice, is discussed further in Chapter VI. It may be said that youth-serving agencies other than the school seemed to have little or no influence in affecting the occupational adjustment of the youth studied. THE SCHOOLS STUDIED Size, Organization, and Building Facilities Table 3 presents a comparison of the schools by size, pupil-teacher ratio, annual per-pupil costs, school organization, and building facilities. The enrollment and pupil-teacher figures have been carried to only one decimal point. It is interesting to note that there is a consistent pattern of relationship between the adjustment of the youth studied and school size. 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JO spsrya 2m} UPAIZ sJOjasUNOD ‘sia -yoeaayenprarpuy =ySnomwp {yjewwepiour auOpP u22aq pey wouresrd ‘uresZo0id 3unsay Wweprse aarsuay -adwo> ‘sjidnd ye ys matasau! «Zuljesuno> a0 stay ye ‘SasIZe =UOTSED90 se $assno> [[!yS-;eEUOTIEIOA ut Surjesuno> qof ‘6 aprid UI SdIpPNys jeIsos = ‘saszno> syiseds 0) payee sun WuaseyIp ur ausos ‘swoOs awoy ySno3q3 # aouEpind dnos3 = jeuorse220— ‘saved € 303 JOjasUNOD sues sey qinok ‘susagoud $= juaunsni{ -pe jooyxs pue aoueping jeuonronp>s ya peuse> -uo> Zuljasuno> jenprapuy speInyO je°yrs Aq paqirsed se weiZ0jg 2uepins) A fo°o"Ws Al [004s III [9042s Il jo04>s ONINIVUL gaol adNv ‘SSONIYAAAO UV TNAOINUNSD T j00y>s ‘WV¥UYODOUd AONVAINDS war] “+ ATAVL ate §606§ F2Ge a 1940} Tue Scnoots Srupiep The youth of the two smallest schools received fewer significantly high percentages of “yes” ratings and more significantly low percentages of “no” ratings on the Ways of Behaving form. The school receiving the greatest number of significantly high percentages of “yes” ratings was the largest school. The youth of those schools which provided the greatest range in equipment and facilities for diversified study received higher percentages of “yes” ratings. There seems to be no relationship between pupil-teacher ratio and adjustment. Guidance Program, Curricular Offerings, and Job Training Table 4 presents the guidance programs of the various schools as described by the school officials; the curricular offerings, and the specific jobs for which the schools provide training. It will be seen from an exami- nation of the table that the guidance programs vary from the comprehensive offerings of School I to the almost complete absence of a program in School VI. The larger schools offer a greater range of separate curriculums, The smaller schools attempt to provide wider offerings through the mechanism of the social-scientific or civic-social curriculum, using the constants-electives approach. In most of the schools, and especially in School I, the curriculums are set up more as guides than as rigid pathways of study. The types of specific job preparation as claimed by the schools are generally the same: stenography, typing, and bookkeeping. In addition, several of the schools claim preparation for agricultural occupations. AN OCCUPATIONAL CONFERENCE Community leaders co-operate with the school Waupaca (Wis.) High School 30. Nationa Association of Seconpary-ScHooL Principacs | November School Personnel Table 5 presents data on the experience of the school personnel in years of teaching and annual salaries. The schools, except for IV, present very little significant differences in amount of teaching experiences. It is interesting to note that School IV received more significantly low per- centages of “yes” ratings than any of the other schools. There are other reasons for this, as pointed out in Chapter VI. A relationship between lesser teaching experience of personnel and poorer occupational adjustment of youth cannot be established necessarily. Further, this relationship does not exist for the other schools. TABLE 5. EXPERIENCE AND SALARIES OF SCHOOL PERSONNEL‘ Experience in Years of Teaching Annual Salaries Schoo! Range Median Range ‘ Median I 1-40 15.0 $1600-3400 2700 Il 1-38 10.0 $1200-3060 $1767 Il 1-41 18.4 $1200-4000 $2619 IV 1-10 5.0 $1000-1800 $1351 V 3-28 12.5 $1400-3575 $1861 VI 1-20 10.0 $1000-1800 $1672 a Data based on figures provided by high school principals. There are considerable differences in the median salaries and in the range of salaries among the different schools. Schools IV and VI have the lowest median salaries and received more significantly low percentages of “yes” ratings than the other schools. Their top salaries are considerably lower than the other schools. This may be a factor in some respects. But it should be pointed out that School V, although having a considerably lower median salary than Schools I or III, received significantly higher per- centages of “yes” ratings in several Ways of Behaving than Schools I or III. Generally, there seems to be a relationship between salary paid teachers and ratings on occupational adjustment achieved by youth. However, even assuming that salary paid teachers offers a rough index of the quality of teaching, a causal relationship cannot necessarily be supposed between amount of salary and quality of adjustment. Number Continuing with Further Schooling Another factor, which might have some effect upon the quality of adjustment displayed by the youth studied, would be to what extent youth from the given school continued with further schooling. It will be recalled that in Objective 1 the study is limited to those “who have not gone on, further with full-time formal schooling.” If a considerably larger percentage of youth from a given school continued with further schooling, the quality of adjustment displayed by the remaining group might thus be affected ad- versely. Included in the definition of “further full-time schooling” are business schools, technical schools, and trade schools, as well as the regular colleges. If going to school constituted the major daytime activity of the 1940 | SUMMARY 3] youth and if he had been in the school for a period of three months, he was omitted from the study. This was done in order to keep at a minimum the influence of any other school which might be affecting the occupational adjustment of the youth. As mentioned before, one of the most difficult tasks was that of relating the occupational adjustment of the youth to the practices to which he had been exposed in the secondary school. An examination of Table 6 will show that only small differences exist among the schools with respect to the percentages of youth who have gone on with further schooling. TABLE 6. YOUTH GONE ON WITH FURTHER SCHOOLING, JUNE 1934-1938 Number of School Number Gone on With | pe, Leavers : Schooling Cent ies of All ber School bi Leav- Work- pel ing Con- Sam- tinu- ing Edu- cation 269 32.5 46 27.8 265 34.5 28 31.4 187 ) 28.1 14 32.0 School As Found by Staff in Working Sample Proportional Estimate for Entire Master List to have Continued Schooling In Master List 2286 658 3041 172 1296 237 328 8 s B a) rS 2 ° g C4 4 1 7 _ NN OWN SND Se NW nm WY dS Ww dD Ww +e meanwu SUMMARY In this chapter some important aspects of the communities and schools have been presented so that later references to these phases may be made. The nature of the population and the local community labor market to- gether with occupational opportunities have been presented. The lack of any other agencies operating to influence directly the occupational adjust- ment of the youth studied has been indicated. A comparison of the schools by size, organization, building facilities, guidance programs, curricular offerings, job training provided, per pupil cost, training.and salaries of personnel, and percentages of youth continuing with further schooling has been presented. Some of the comparisons, as for example those of building facilities, have not been elaborately done. But the summarized comparisons have been derived carefully and have sufficient detail for present purposes. It will be noticed that there are not many essential differences among the communities which might have had some effect upon the occupational adjustment of the youth. The schools do differ in several important aspects as will be elaborated upon in Chapter VI. CHAPTER IV ‘The Youth Studied and Their Home and School Backgrounds THE SAMPLE Chapter III attempted to present the background picture of the youth, as far as their schools and communities were concerned, and to show to what extent these factors differed from or were similar to one another. Chapters IV and V attempt to present a picture of the occupational back- grounds of the youth. Inferences for school practices are drawn occasionally, but much of the material is presented for general interest and to substanti- ate conclusions and recommendations concerning school practices which are submitted in Chapters VI and VII. Representativeness of the Sample A comparison of the master list and eligible sample by graduates and withdrawals, and by schools is presented in Table 7. A similar comparison for boys and girls is made in Table 8. It will be seen that the differences TABLE 7. MASTER LIST AND ELIGIBLE SAMPLE BY GRADUATES AND WITHDRAWALS AND BY SCHOOLS School Master List Eligible Sample Graduates Withdr'ls Total | Graduates Withdr'ls Total No.| % || No.| % || No.| % || No.| % ||No.| % || No.| % I 1096| 60.5|| 717] 39.5|| 1813] 100|| 106] 59.2|| 73] 40.8|| 179] 100 II 400] 76.8]/ 212] 23.2|| 521] 100|| 164) 77.0]| 49] 23.0] 213] 100 Ill 1101 48.8]| 1156] 51.2|| 2257] 100|| 109] 54.8/| 90} 45.2|| 199] 100 IV 55] 37.7|| 91] 62.3] 146] 100/| 38} 35.2|] 70} 64.8|| 108] 100 Vv 618] 55.2|| 501] 44.8]| 1119] 100|| 99} 58.6|} 70} 41.4|| 169] 100 VI 120} 50.6|| 117] 49.4|] 237] 100|] 111] 53.6|| 96] 46.4/| 207; 100 All Schools 3390] 55.6|| 2703] 44.4]| 6093] 100|| 627| 58.3|]448] 41.7/|1075| 100 TABLE 8. MASTER LIST AND ELIGIBLE SAMPLE BY BOYS AND GIRLS AND BY SCHOOLS School Master List Eligible Sample Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total No.| 9% || No.| 9% || No.| % |} No.| % ||No.| 9% ||No. I 905] 49.9|| 908] 50.1|| 1813] 100|/ 95] 53.1]| 84] 46.9]| 179 II 254| 48.8]} 267) 51.2/| 521] 100|| 135] 63.4|| 78] 36.6]| 213 Ill 1086} 48.1}| 1171) 51.9)| 2257] 100)| 109) 54.8)| 90) 45.2]} 199 IV 65| 44.5 81] 55.5]; 146) 100|| 47) 43.5]| 61] 56.5]| 108 Vv 527| 47.1]| 592} 52.9} 1119} 100)| 81] 47.9|} 88} 52.1]| 169 VI 125} 52.7|} 112] 47.3|| 237] 100}| 114] 55.1]| 93} 44.9|] 207 | | All Schools | 2962] 48.6]| 3131] 51.4] 6093] 100]| 581] 54.0/|494] 46.0/|1075 32 1940 THE SAMPLE 33 in percentages between the boys and girls, graduates and withdrawals, when the master list is compared with the eligible sample, are not large even though some difference would be expected due to elimination because of marriage of girls and further schooling. The question then arises as to what proportions of youth in the eligible sample were interviewed. Table 9 presents a comparison of the eligible sample and the total interviews secured.’ é TABLE 9. ELIGIBLE SAMPLE AND SECURED INTERVIEWS BY GRADUATES AND WITH- DRAWALS, BOYS AND GIRLS Percentage . Youth Eligible Sample Interviewed Sample Which Secured Interviews Are . Eligible No. To No. % , audios : Graduates } Boys 329 30.6 286 313 ; 86.9 Girls 298 27.7 275 30.1 - 92.3. Total 627 58.3 561 61.4 89.5: Withdrawals Boys 252 23.4 194 21.2 77.0 Girls 196 18.2 159 17.4 81.1 Total 448 41.7 353 38.6 78.8 Total : Boys . 581 54.0 480 52.5 82.6 Girls 494 46.0 434 47.5 87.9 Total 1075 100.0 914 100.0 : 85.0 An examination of this table shows that proportions of boys and girls, withdrawals and graduates, remained approximately the same for the entire sample. Eighty-four per cent of the total eligible sample were interviewed. The proportions for each of the schools remained approximately the same as well. Table 9 indicates that the results cannot be disputed because of inadequacies in the sampling of boys, girls, graduates, and non-graduates.” Only 2.6% of the eligible sample refused to be interviewed. Another 3.6% could not be located. It is interesting to note than only 4.7% had moved too far away to be interviewed. An additional 1.7% who had moved were interviewed, and another 0.9% had moved out of the community, but could not be interviewed because of lack of time. Thus the known total mobility was only about 7%. In addition, there was probably some mobility in the 3.6% who could not be located. But taking into account all possible mobility, the amount still would not exceed about 10%. Or to 'The totals for some of the succeeding tables involving distributions of youth will vary from the totals of Table 9 because the information contained in those tables was derived from several forms. For example, employer interview blanks were completed for only 724 youth. This was, obviously, becuuse some of the youth were unemployed, and therefore, employer interviews could not be held for the entire 914 youth interviewed. Whenever such comparisons are made, the distributions are based upon exactly the same youth. This was made possible by numbering each of the forms for the same youth with the same serial number. 2A Chi-square test was applied to the distribution of the interviewed sample and the distribution that would have been obtained had the 914 cases been distributed between boys and girls and graduates and withdrawals in exactly the same proportions as in the eligible sample. The discrepancy between the two distributions was not significant. (Chi-square was 3.98 with 3 degrees of freedom.) 34. Nationat AssociaTION oF SeconDARY-ScHooL Principats | November put it differently, at least 90% of the youth had remained in the communi- ties in which they had gone to school. It must be remembered, too, that the time range was from one and one half to five and one half years out of school. The problem of mobility would not seem to be a serious one. It is probably true that the problem of mobility would be a greater one for other geographic and industrial areas. But for the communities studied, which are fairly typical of those in the heavily populated northeastern states, there was an almost insignificant amount of mobility. There was considerable moving about, but it was moving from one rent area to another within the same community, depending upon the rise and fall of the family fortunes. Or the moving consisted of going to a similar rent area which was close to a new job but still within the same labor market community. Consent to 14.8% of the interviews was secured by letter, 17.7% by telephone, and 67.5% by personal visit to wherever the youth could be found—usually his home.’ This indicates the difficulty of getting inter- views. Interviews rarely were refused after a personal visit had been made. Employer Sample Table 10 presents an analysis of the sample of employer interviews. It will be seen that 88% of the youth were eligible to have their employers interviewed. Ninety per cent of these eligible interviews were secured. It will be noticed that the employer interview results reported are based upon 724 of the youth. This represents 79.2% of all of the youth and includes 429 different employers. It can be said that the employer interviews are TABLE 10. ANALYSIS OF EMPLOYER INTERVIEWS School Analysis | 1H {Iv | Vv | VI 1. No. of Completed A_ interviews [151 {96 |151 (Youth) | | | . No. of Youth or A forms eliminated | from B interviews because: a. Unable to locate employer b. Employer refused c. Youth totally unemployed d. Youth self-employed e. Other 0 Total of 2 | 15 | 110 3. No. of eligible B's. (1 minus 2) ead . Per cent of cornpleted A’s which are eligible B's. | . No. of employers for eligible B's. . No. of employers interviewed No. of youth per employer interviewed i te .3| 2. 5| 3a| 1.7 . Per cent of eligible employers interviewed 9.0} 89.0} 87.9/92.3] 81.1] 86.0] 87.2 . No. of B's completed i122. [155 |113 [73 [110 |151 (724 10. Per cent of eligible B’s completed | 91.0] 94.5] 85.6|94.8] 84.0] 91.0] 90.0 *The number of interviews secured by letter could undoubtedly have been increased by additional follow up letters. Due to limited time direct personal visits were begun immediately when no answer was received from the first letter. 8} 90.2| 88.0 | 57 |492 49 |429 35 1940 | THE SAMPLE sufficiently representative for deriving conclusions. That the opinion of any one employer does not weigh heavily can be seen from the number of employers interviewed in the different communities and from the range of the average number of youth per employer in the six schools, 1.3 to 3.1. It is interesting to note that approximately only one out of 24 employers refused to be interviewed. This would seem to indicate that schools would not find it difficult to establish relationships with employers as advised in the individual school survey-plan recommended in Chapter VII. Age Table 11 presents the youth by age and school. It will be seen that except for School IV the distributions among the schools are very similar. The difference in School IV is caused by the fact that this school was or- ganized and started after June, 1934, the beginning date for school-leaving of the sample. As will be seen later, School IV also has the lowest average TABLE 11. YOUTH BY AGE AND BY SCHOOL (In per cents) of School Au ll Il VI Schools Over 23-34 16.9 , 10.9 13.2 22-9—23-3 2 ‘ 6.0 5.4 : ‘ 8.2 6.2 22-3—22-9 i 6.6 108 .—- ’ 7.1 6.6 21-9—22-3 q 8.7 11.5 : 9.3 8.4 21-3—21-9 . 9.8 7.4 9.3 8.2 20-9—21-3 ' ?. 88 «5.2 93 84 1S 9 04 95 20-3—20-9 ‘ 7.7 8.8 10.9 11.2 19-9—20-3 L 12.0 9.5 12.5 19-3—19-9 3 77 10.1 17.7 , 8.7 10.2 18-9—19-3 ’ 4.9 4.1 9.4 7.1 5.7 18-3—18-9 7 6.0 4.1 20.8 , 3.3 5.8 Less than 18-3 . 3.8 2.7 20.8 i 5.5 6.7 a Read as 23 years, 3 months. time out of school. Because these factors might seriously affect any con- clusions, School [V was not included when the ratings on the criteria secured by the youth of the various schools were being considered. For the entire sample, the boys, with a median age of 21 years, 1 month, were slightly older than the girls whose median age was 20 years, 7 months. Age Race The percentage of Negroes in all of the schools except one was neg- ligible, with one or no Negroes in five out of the six schools. The sample for School I contained 13.8 per cent Negroes. It is conceivable that the results for School I may have been affected owing to the greater difficulty which Negroes have of getting and holding jobs because of their race. Any results for School I would have been adversely affected by this factor of race differences. As will be shown later the youth of School I did demon- strably better in several important respects. Several practices in School I are cited as seemingly worth while. Any accounting for the Negro factor involved would tend, therefore, to strengthen the conclusions for School | rather than weaken them. 36 NATIONAL AssociATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats {November Nativity Although there were distinct differences in the nativity of the parents among the schools as will be shown later, there were insignificant dif- ferences in this respect among the youth. Very small percentages of youth (ranging from 0.5 to 4.2) in any of the schools were foreign born. The school files provided only information distinguishing between native or foreign birth. More detailed information probably could have been secured from the youth themselves, but for several reasons the question had been included originally only in the school forms. Mental Ability Difficulties were encountered in getting comparable mental ability test data for several reasons. It was found, first, that none of the schools had secured this data for all of its pupils. Out of a total of 909 forms filled in by the schools, 231 did not have any mental test data. In addition, TABLE 12. MEDIAN I. Q’S BY SCHOOL AND BY SEX School Median Sea Median Group I. Q. Greup I. Q. I 102 I 100 . Boys 101 Il 104 Girls 102 IV 103 Vv 101 VI 102 All Youth 102 it was impossible to tell very often from the school records the particular test or form used. This was true after checking with the schools in an ef- fort to complete the data. Pratically all the recorded I. Q.’s were derived from group tests, chiefly the Otis Self-Administering and the Terman Group. Table 12, therefore, must be interpreted with considerable caution. It does indicate that there are not marked differences among the schools, nor between boys and girls in terms of I. Q.’s as derived from test scores. HOME BACKGROUNDS Nativity and Citizenship of Parents Table 13a presents the distribution of the youth by the United States citizenship of their parents. Schools IV and VI had the lowest percentage of both parents as citizens. Table 13b shows that these schools had the lowest percentage of both parents as native born, also. The youth of these schools secured the poorest ratings on the criteria. Whether there is any causal relationship is difficult to say. The youth of School V, which ranked fourth in per cent of “both parents citizens,” did better in scveral significant ways than the youth of any of the other schools. School II has the highest percentage of both parents as citizens and native born, but its youth did not do as well on the whole as School I, nor as well as School V in the area of adjustment to the job. For want of any more direct evidence and be- cause of the contradictions as pointed out, it would seem safe to conclude 1940] Home Backcrounps 37 TABLE 13a. YOUTH BY CITIZENSHIP OF PARENTS AND BY SCHOOL (In per cents) School Citizenship I II III IV Vv VI Total 94.6 82.2 61.5 73.5 53.8 75.7 One parent a citizen 9.4 3.2 11.9 15.7 13.9 19.0 11.9 Neither citizens 5.4 2.2 6.0 22.9 12.6 27.2 12.2 Unknown 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 Total 100.0 100.0 100.1 . 100.1 100.0 100.0 99.9 Both parents citizens 84.6 TABLE 13b. YOUTH BY NATIVITY OF PARENTS AND BY SCHOOL (In per cents) Place of Birth I II III IV V VI Total Both parents native born 54.4 81.4 35.8 35.4 44.3 26.1 47.3 One native, one foreign 30.9 11.5 51.7 46.9 43.8 60.9 40.2 Both parents foreign born 14.1 7.1 12.6 17.8 11.9 13.0 12.3 Unknown 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 100.0 100.0 100.1 100.1 100.0 100.0 99.9 Total that any differences in the ratings secured among the youth of the various schools cannot be due to differences in nativity and citizenship of parents. Marital Status of Parents The youth of the different schools were compared upon the basis of whether their parents were living or not while the youth were at school and at the time of the interview. There was very little difference in these two respects among the schools. About 87% of the youth had both parents living while they were at school and approximately 82% had both living at the time of the interview. The youth were compared also for the marital relationships of the parents while the youth were at school and at the time of the interview. No appreciable differences were found in these two re- spects. About 83% of the youth said that their parents were living together when the youth were in school and about 76% said that their parents were living together at the time of the interview. Only 3.6% of the youth said that their parents were separated or divorced while the youth were in school and only 5.1% said their parents were separated or divorced at the time of the interview. Marital Status of Youth It was found that 96.5% of the boys were not married. More than half of the remaining group, who were married, had no children. No appreciable differences among the schools were found in these respects. Whether or not additional responsibilities of marriage and maintenance of a household have an effect upon the occupational adjustment of youth cannot be said. It is reasonable to suppose that they might have. A relationship was found to exist between marriage and percentage of employment (an aspect of occu- 38 Nationa AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats [November pational adjustment) as is demonstrated in Appendix I. However, this factor obviously did not enter into the problem as shown in the above fig- ures. About 95% of the youth were living at home while going to school and an additional 3.6% were living with relatives. There were few or no differences among the schools in either of these respects. Again, differences in place of abode were not factors in the results. It must be remembered that group comparisons are being made here. Although for the purposes of later analysis such matters as parental relation- ships and place of abode do not need to be considered, nevertheless, it is not maintained that they may not be very important factors contributing to the occupational adjustment of the individual. They do not seem to be related to the differences in occupational adjustment (as measured by the criteria) among the groups of youth studied, and therefore cannot be con- sidered as affecting the comparative results. Size of Families Only 5.1% of the youth came from one-child families. In families of more than one, 23% were the youngest, while 25% were the oldest. About 47% were located in the “middle” of the children of the family. The youth came from small- (2 children), medium-sized (3-5), and large-sized (over 5) families. About 51% came from medium-sized, and 28% from large- sized families. The proportion from the different-sized families or position in a given-sized family did not vary significantly from school to school. The possible effect of family size or of position in a given size of family could be disregarded in group comparisons. The youth of the different schools were compared by the number of employed and unemployed siblings that each youth had. No significant differences could be found among the schools in this respect. Employment Status of Father Table 14 presents information on the employment status of the father at the time of the youth interview. The differences in most of the categories are not very marked. However, about 73% of the youth of School VI re- ported that their fathers had full-time regular employment as compared with 58.3% of the youth of School III. It was found, nevertheless, that the TABLE 14. YOUTH BY EMPLOYMENT OF FATHER AND BY SCHOOL Employment Status School All of Father Schools Ill VI Full-time reguiar : 58.3 72.8 65.1 Irregular, part-time Y ¥ 4.6 J 4.9 6.1 Unemployed : . 9.9 , : 7.6 78. Relief or work projects p K 2.7 F ; 0.5 1.7 Not on the employment market 2.7 4.0 3.1 3.8 4.0 Deceased 13.4 17.9 / 9.2 12.8 Unknown, no response, does not help support family 1.4 ; 2.7 . ; 1.1 25 Total 100.0 100.1 100.1 1940] Home Backcrounps 39 youth of School III almost always received higher percentages of “yes” ratings than those of School VI. The youth of School V, whose fathers were second lowest in full-time regular employment were outstanding in the area of adjustment to the job. There does not seem to be any positive relationship that can be established between the employment status of the fathers and the ratings on the criteria. Table 15 presents a distribution of the occupations of the fathers of TABLE 15. YOUTH BY OCCUPATION OF FATHER AND BY SCHOOL (In per cents) Classification of Father's School All Occupations Schools I II Ill VI Professional and semi-prof. 4.7 1.1 5.3 ‘ ; 3.0 Managerial and official 11.4 9.3 20.6 A 4.9 11.9 Clerical and kindred 3.4 2.7 3.3 “ * yo 3.2 Sales and kindred 5.4 3.3 4.6 F i ye 3.1 Domestic and personal service 4.7 mK 0.7 ; : 2.2 2.3 Miscellaneous service 4.7 27 4.6 i i 1.1 3.3 Agricultural, horticultural, and kindred 2.0 16.4 2.6 i ; 3.3 8.9 Skill occupation in produc- tion and manufacturing 45.6 45.4 26.5 y 23. 38.6 35.3 Semi and unskilled occupa- ‘ion in production and manufacturing 14.1 7.1 25.8 33.3 22.5 32.7 21.8 Unknown, or dead 4.0 8.7 5.9 8.4 6.6 9.7 7.3 Total 100.0 100.0 99.9 100.0 99.9 100.1 100.1 a The classification of occupations was based upon a classification scheme containing 1,000 different categories which, in turn, were grouped into large divisions as in the table. This was provided by Dr. C. L. Shartle, Chief, Occupational Analysis Section, Bureau of Employment Security. The various duties performed while on the job were ascertained and then the classification was made. the youth at the time of the interview. A study of the kinds of occupations of the parents has importance when combined with the kinds of occupations into which youth go, as a probable indicator of the kinds of jobs into which youth now in school may expect to go in general. Socio-Economic Status of Homes TABLE 16. SOCIO-ECONOMIC SCORES OF HOMES OF YOUTH BY SCHOOL (In per cents) Number Mean Standard School of Youth Score Deviation I 148 45.1 18.7 II 183 47.3 16.2 Ill 150 42.4 15.3 IV 95 41.6 16.3 Vv 151 47.4 16.9 VI 182 42.0 15.2 All 909 445 16.5 40 Nationa AssoctaTION oF SEcONDARY-ScHOoL Principats [November Table 16 on previous page presents the mean socio-economic status‘ ol the homes of these youth by schools. The following is a suggested guali- tative description by Wrightstone: Percentile Score on Social Background Qualitative levels Data Sheet Description 10th Medium 30th High 40th Very high 70th Highest 100th Indeterminately high It will be seen that the average home from school to school does not differ to any extent. About 88% of all the youth received scores ranging from 20-69 on the Social Background Data Sheet. This percentage remains approximately the same for each of the schools. Most of the youth, school by school, come from homes of medium socio-economic status. Any dif- ferences among the youth compared by school cannot be attributed to differences in the home background. It is well to remember, however, although only 4.4% did come from homes receiving ratings below 20 that this group does exist. About 20% received scores below 30. This fact is particularly significant in emphasizing the point that a substantial group of youth need especial attention while at school. It, also, emphasizes the difficulty of the school in dealing with such youth. For, although it does not necessarily follow for the individual youth, pupils from homes at this level tend to constitute more than their share of problem cases of one kind or another while at school and of pupils who leave school before graduation. SCHOOL RELATIONSHIPS Behavior Rating While at School The school was asked to rate each of the youth on a five point de- scriptive scale of behavior while at school.’ There was very little difference among the youth from.school to school. Slightly less than 50% were rated as “C” and 33% as “B.” There were only 1.5% who received “E.” Recommendations for Employment The school was asked if it would have been willing to recommend the individual youths for any kind of full-time employment when they left school. About 67% of the youth would have been recommended. This varied from school to school but slightly, except for School IV. This school would have been willing to recommend for employment only 47.9% of its youth, Using employer opinions as the criteria for successful adjustment to *Scores are derived from the Wrightstone Adaptation of the Sims Score Card. See Wrightstone, J. W., “A Social Background Data Sheet."’ Journal of Educational Sociology, 7:525-527, April, 1934. Also, Sims, V. M., The Measurement of Socio-Economic Status, Bloomington, Illinois: Public School Publishing Co., 1928. °The Scale is as follows: A—Exercised strong influence for good over other students. B—Pollower but constructive in attitude and behavior. C—Generally neutral or colorless—did not misbehave, but did not contribute positively. D—Follower but destructive in attitude and behavior. F—fxercised or attempted to exercise strong influence for the detriment of school morale over other students. 1940] ScHOoL RELATIONSHIPS 41 a given job, it was found that the schools had judged their youth more harshly than later results would warrant. The schools’ willingness to recommend tended to coincide with the schools’ opinions concerning the scholastic class rankings for the youth while they were in school. Scholastic class rankings were secured for 748 youth of the 914 studied. Of these 748, about 48% were rated in the lowest two-fifths of their classes. Apparently, the scholastic achievement of the youth while in school strongly influences the opinion of the school concerning their possible ability to adjust them- selves successfully to jobs. This is further demonstrated by the reasons given for not being willing to recommend the particular youth so rated. The reason given more frequently than any of the others was “lack of good general education.” However, there is no relationship, on the whole, between scholastic rank in class and ability to adjust to the jobs the youth were in. This is due to several factors but probably chiefly to the non-relationship existing be- tween the requirements of the jobs actually held by the majority of the youth and those of the academic subjects of the school. This would sug- gest a more realistic evaluation of the possible success of youth in employ- ment and also a more direct effort at ensuring such success. School Training and Job Held A further analysis of the relationship between school training and job held is shown by Table 17. It will be seen that of the youth who took the Commercial curriculum only 46.2% had clerical, sales, and kindred occu- pations. About 30% of those youth who took the Industrial and General Arts curriculums were now engaged in clerical, sales, and kindred occupa- tions. Similar discrepancies occur throughout. A breakdown by schools revealed that in School I, 72.7% of those who took the Commercial curricu- lum had related jobs and in School V about 57%. It is interesting to note that the youth of these schools, which had the highest direct ratios of kind of education taken and job held, did better in terms of the criteria than the TABLE 17. YOUTH BY CURRICULUM PURSUED AND BY JOB HELD (In per cents) Curriculum of last two years in school Present or Last College Ind. and Unclassi- Regular Job Prep. Commercial Gen. Art General Agric. fied Professional, semi-professional, and managerial 5.2 2.6 0.0 2.8 0.0 12.0 Clerical and kindred 29.9 36.0 15.3 13.4 4.5 16.0 Sales and kindred 6.2 10.0 15.3 10.6 4.5 4.0 Domestical, personal, and protective service 9.3 5.6 11.1 10.9 0.0 4.0 Agricultural, fishery, and kindred 4.1 2.4 0.0 4.4 0.0 Skilled 8.2 7.9 0.0 8.0 Semi-skilled and unskilled 34.0 33.1 Unemployed and unclassified 3.1 2.4 1.2 0.0 0.0 378 72 320 22 25 Percentage base 97 42 Nationa AssociATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats | November other schools. This would seem to suggest that benefit occurs to the youth when the relationship between training and job held is direct and specific. It is, however, obviously impossible for the school to provide direct and specific training for every possible job. It may become possible as a result of the work of the United States Employment Service in attempting to establish families of occupations with similar patterns of skills and in- terests.” With the classification of similar groups of occupations the school might be able to establish courses which would provide basic training in the most frequently entered patterns. Grade Completed Table 18 presents a distribution of youth by the semester of schooling completed. The letter “A” represents the first semester of the particular grade and “B” the second. It will be noticed that all have high percentages of graduates except for School IV. It must be remembered, also, that these are youth who have not gone on with further schooling. If youth with TABLE 18. YOUTH BY SEMESTER COM. PLETED, BY SCHOOL, AND BY SEX (In per cents) Semester School Sex All Completed Ill IV VI Girl Youth 8B a Y 0.0 6.3 , 6.0 ‘ 2.8 9A J \ 0.0 13.5 ; 7.1 4.9 9B 3.8 3 0.7 12.5 i 11.5 J 93 10A ; ; * 3.1 La 3.8 d 5.3 10B . : é 17.7 és 9.8 R 9.0 11A J * . 3.1 i 1.6 3. 1.6 11B ’ . 3. 5.2 < 2.2 d 2.8 12A , 0.0 i 1.0 J 0.5 ‘ 0.7 Graduated 61.5 79.2 8. 33.3 4 57.4 7 61.8 Post Graduate 0.7 2.7 J 3.1 R 0.0 J 1.6 No information 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 : 0.0 . 0.2 Percentage base 148 = 183 148 % 151 183 477 432 909 further schooling were included, undoubtedly the number of graduates would increase in proportion to the total number of school-leavers. These schools all have fairly strong holding power (except for School IV, for which there were special circumstances as explained before.) It cannot be concluded from Table 18 which school had the strongest holding power because of the fact that these figures are concerned only with those youth who have not continued with further schooling. However, there were small differences among the schools in terms of the percentages of youth who had gone on with further schooling.’ School II had the smallest percentage of youth continuing with further schooling, with approximately 28%; School III had the highest proportion with approximately 35%. Thus, the difference in percentages of graduates between School III and II in the sample, as shown in Table 18, is accounted for, in part, by the fact that a ” @Stead, W. H., Shartle, C. L., and Associates. Occupational Counseling Techniques. New York: American Book Co., 1940, pp. 175-206. 7See Table 6, page 31. 1940] ScHoo. RELATIONSHIPS 43 large proportion of the graduates in the School III sample has been elimi- nated at the outset because they had gone on with further schooling. The question next arises as to the relative effect upon the evaluation of the occu- pational adjustment of youth from one school where the percentage of further schooling is high as compared with those from another where the percentage is lower. Assuming that the better calibre of youth go on to college and seek further training of other kinds, it might be argued that School II, with its smaller percentage of further schooling, would have an advantage over other schools. Actually, however, Schools I and VI are se- lected for their demonstrable practices thought to be worthwhile, as shown in Chapter VI. It was found that the mean number of semesters spent in each school did not differ from school to school (except again in School IV, which had a substantially smaller mean than the others.) The mean number of se- mesters spent at school for all the youth was 5.75. This represents almost three school years and should have been sufficient for the school to have established its influence, if any. About 88% of the youth had entered the schools being studied as beginning secondary-school pupils and had been to no other secondary schools. Their only source of secondary-school influence was contained in the schools studied. Youth Opinions of Education Received Table 19 presents the results of asking the youth the question, “Do you think the high school could have given you more specific training that would have helped you in getting and keeping your present job?” (For the unemployed, it was stated as “getting and keeping a job.”) The items listed in the column headed “opinion” were the most frequent answers. Over 68% of the youth knew of no additional training that could have been given. When the responses were broken down by condition of employ- ment, however, it became apparent that the unemployed youth had been doing at least more thinking about their secondary-school training. Only 50.8% could think of no way in which the school could have helped them through more specific training for getting and keeping a job, as compared with 70% of the employed youth. They thought in terms of more and better educational guidance within the school, of the development of voca- tional skills, and of more training along lines already received. This last opinion had to do usually with additional vocational skills and might well be combined with the “development of vocational skills.” If this is done, it is found that about 29% of the unemployed youth felt that they lacked sufficient vocational skills to secure and hold a job. Whether they actually did is uncertain. Their opinion would seem to be substantiated by the em- ployed group. Combining the items as above it is found that about 20% of the employed group believed that the school could have given them more training in the development of vocational skills for getting and keeping their present jobs. These figures, 29% and 20%, do not indicate by any means the extent to which specific vocational skills are used. The response “none or doesn’t [| November 44 Nartionac AssociATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS know” by 68.2% of all the youth had to de with the question of whether the secondary school could have given more specific training. It would seem desirable to provide every school-leaving youth with some kinds of saleable occupational skills to the extent possible. This does not necessarily mean highly trained specialized skills or skills ordinarily thought of in con- nection with traditional vocational training, but it does mean at least initial competence sufficient to get and hold a job if one is available. The kind of skill training to be provided is a matter for the individual school con- cerned with a particular labor community market to decide. TABLE 19. YOUTH BY OPINION ON HIGH SCHOOL TRAINING AND BY CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT (In per cents) Condition of Employment Opinion Full-Time Irregular Au Regular Part-Time Unemployed Other Youth None or doesn’t know 70.0 83.3 50.8 63.2 68.3 1.8 1,5 0.0 0.0 1.5 Training in poise Course made less “Bookish” 1.6 0.0 3.2 0.0 More training along line already received 6.9 1.5 9.7 15.8 Educational guidance 3.0 0.0 10.5 0.0 Development of voca- 13.0 12.1 19.4 5.3 tional skills How to get jobs 0.6 0.0 2.4 10.5 Other 3.0 1.5 4.0 5.3 Percentage base 705 66 124 19 914 When the youth were asked to suggest a kind of education or subject- matter not offered by the school to which they had gone, but which they thought would have value, again the demand for more specific training in vocational skills was found. About 39% of all the youth gave answers which were concerned with training in skills. These consisted of training in salesmanship, in skilled trades and in the operation of office machinery. The response from the boys alone was higher, with about 50% naming kinds of education concerned with providing skills of a vocational nature. Probably some of this demand for specific vocational skills was due to wish- ful thinking on the part of the youth themselves, in assuming that posses- sion of vocational skills in and of itself will guarantee successful employment. When the youth were asked what single subject they had found most valuable to them and their reasons for such, over 61% replied in terms of the use of the subject to them in occupational life. About: one-fourth of the youth thought the subject of chief value to them was English. Skill in the use of English was found important in occupational life by these youth and may be considered to have certain vocational skill values not ordinarily thought of as vocational. Over one-third of the youth named specific skill- providing subjects in the commercial, agricultural, and industrial arts fields as being the subjects of chief importance to them. Again and again, a con- siderable portion of the youth emphasized the importance of specific skills. 1940 | ScHoort RELATIONSHIPS Interpreting the concept of occupational skills in a broad sense, it would seem desirable for the schools to pay considerable attention to the task of providing its school-leaving youth with at least initial job competence. A distribution of the youth by the curriculum taken during their last two years in school, by school, and by sex, is shown in Table 20. The com- TABLE 20. YOUTH BY CURRICULUM OF LAST TWO YEARS, BY SCHOOL AND SEX (In per cents) Schools Ser All Il Ill IV Vv VI Boy Girl Youth College Preparatory 12.1 12.8 4.2 3.3 13.7 119 9.1 10.6 Commercial 29.8 39.9 42.0 62.5 43.7 41.0 25.3 60.0 41.8 0.0 2.1 4.6 8.7 6.5 2.1 4.4 Curriculum of Last 2 Years I Agricultural 0.0 Industrial and General Arts 39.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 9.9 0.0 9.8 5.8 7.9 General, Social-scientific, Civic-social¢ 18.9 383 453 31.3 384 366 464 23.1 35.3 Percentage Base 148 183 148 96 =151 183 477 432 909 @ Schools II and IV offered courses in general shop and home economics in these curriculums. mercial and agricultural were the only specific job preparing curriculums. These contained only 46.2% of the youth. This is not to be construed as an argument for more commercial or agricultural training in view of the above. (The indications are that less of the traditional commercial training should be given as evidenced by Table 17.) Rather it confirms, to some extent, the lack of specific occupational training for some kind of initial job competence. Reasons for School-leaving Over 61% of the youth had left the secondary school as a result of graduation. About 41% of the remaining group claimed they left school before graduation for economic reasons. Slightly more than 3% of the non-graduates left because requested to do so by the school authorities or because they anticipated being expelled from school. Of the non- graduates, approximately 13% left because they thought they were “unable to do ‘the work,” or that they “didn’t like school work.” If to this is added the group who left school because they “couldn’t get along with their teachers” then approximately 18% of the withdrawals are leaving school because of maladjustment to the school, or the maladjustment of the school to them. Over 25% of the withdrawals said that they left because they “wanted to work, or to look for work, rather than go to school.” This may have been primarily an economic reason for leaving or one of maladjustment to the school. The proportion of youth who gave this answer was highest in School IV and next highest in School VI. It may have been that such an answer was the product of shrewd rea- soning on their part—that remaining in the school was of less value to them than that of working or trying to get work. That is, there may not have been any observable maladjustment but simply a realiza- tion on the part of the youth that he was deriving no benefit by re- 46 Nationat AssociaTION oF SeconDARY-ScHOOL Principats | November maining in school. If this 25% of withdrawals is combined with the 18% of youth who had left with observable maladjustment, then ap- proximately 43% of the school withdrawals left either because of obvious maladjustment or lack of benefit being derived. Thus, of the total group of 353 withdrawals, 151 youths left because the school was not meeting their needs, abilities, and interests to such an extent that it resulted in open rupture with the school. Unquestionably, there were many of the graduates who had simply stayed on for want of something else to do, for matters of prestige, fancied or real, or by reason of parental pressure. The problem of withdrawals or of potential withdrawals is a very serious one for the secondary school and one to which, too often, very little atten- tion is given. In all of the schools much more was known of the graduates, both while they had been in school and since leaving. This is not an argument for retaining youth in the secondary school beyond the line of diminishing returns, but simply to point out that the diminishing returns may be postponed through careful attention and planning. Contacts With School After Leaving Approximately 89% of the youth had never gone back to school once they had left. About 6% had returned to visit with their subject-matter teachers. Of the group who had returned, about 26% were concerned with placement, about 20% with securing vocational guidance, and about 18% with securing educational guidance about further training. Of the small group who had returned for visits, although there was no concerted effort at securing their return for purposes of guidance, over 64% had gone back for reasons directly connected with occupational adjustment. Of those who had returned, over 94% did so on their own initiative. Of those who had not returned, over 45% “felt that they didn’t need any help,” 18% had “never thought of it,” and about 16% “felt that no one there (at the school) could give them the necessary help.” Assuming that the 45% who felt they did not need any help would constitute an irreducible minimum (which is unlikely), there still would remain over one-half of the school-leavers who could probably be induced to return to the school for advice and counsel, if the school gave the necessary attention to the task. As a matter of fact, the great majority of the youth inter- viewed were pleased at receiving some attention through the school and many expressed the belief that such attention ought to have been given before. The interviewers reported that the youth were keenly interested in the questions asked and very often sought advice and counsel from them. Over 77% of the youth stated that the school had never tried to get in touch with them since they left. Over 96% of the youth of School VI reported no effort by the school to contact them since leaving schpol. Employer Opinions on Education of Youth The employers of the employed youth were asked whether they thought the youth working for them had the right kind of education, general or specific, for the jobs held. Over 27% replied that any kind of education was unnecessary for the particular jobs held by the youth. Over 1940] SUMMARY 47 48% said “yes” but would or could not explain their answer. About 8% replied that the secondary-school training was helpful but not required. Where the job required specific skills, as in certain office jobs, and where the youth had had commercial training at school, the employer tended to recog- nize the specific values of the education received. Such recognition, how- ever, occurred for only about 4% of the employed youth, whereas about 15% of the boys and about 36% of the girls were definitely employed in clerical and kindred occupations.” It was found that the great majority of the employers were thoroughly satisfied with the youth, as employees, when they were asked specific questions related to definite situations about par- ticular youths. The employers were asked how the school could have made the youth a more valuable employee. The employers replied that nothing could have been done by the secondary school for about 30% of the youth. In their opinion either native ability was more important than schooling, or any kind and amount of education was unimportant for the particular jobs held. In 16.3% of the cases the employers felt that the school had done all that it could be reasonably expected to do. For 22.3% of the youth, the employer replied that the school could have done better by giving the youth more and better vocational-skill training related to the particular jobs held. About 6% of the employed youth should have been given better training in the funda- mentals of reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic. Better training in work habits and attitudes was mentioned in only 4% of the cases. One em- ployer said, “Give him less of the ‘know it all,’ and ‘the world owes me a living’ attitude.” There was a certain inconsistency here in the kind of answers given by the employers. This question concerning the possible improvement of youth as an employee comes toward the end of the employer interview blank. Preceding the question other questions asked were concerned with efh- ciency, attitudes, habits, work production, and relationships with other workers, displayed by the youth. Almost invariably replies indicating satis- faction were received. One common remark by the employer was this. “He (or she) would not be working here if he were not satisfactory.” Yet, when asked the question if the school could have made the youth a more valuable employee and how, the employers replied “yes” for about 45% of the youth. Nevertheless, it would be well for the school to consider very carefully the suggestions by the employers that improvement in vocational skills (used in the broad sense), and in the fundamentals of reading, writ- ing, spelling, and arithmetic, and in work habits and attitudes would be desirable. SUMMARY In this chapter an attempt has been made to demonstrate that the inter- viewed samples of youth and of employers were representative of the eligible samples. The youth were shown not to differ in any marked re- spects in so far as age, nativity, or mental ability are concerned when com- 5See Tables 22a and 22b, pages 50, 51. ‘8 Nationat AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-ScCHOOL Principats | Novembe. pared by schools. They differed slightly in race but this difference cannot be related to any ratings received on the criteria of adjustment. In addition, the youth were shown not to differ in any marked respects when compared by schools for such factors as marital status, size of families, and socio- economic status of homes. Such differences as existed in the nativity, citizen- ship, and employment status of their parents were shown to have little or no relationship to ratings received on the criteria of adjustment when the youth were compared by schools. Certain facts of importance were pointed out such as the small per cent of mobility and the existence of a group of youth from homes of low socio-economic status. Implications for school practice were derived from these facts. Various school relationships were pointed out and inferences were drawn regarding school practice. Addi- tional need for specific-skill training and further attention to the problem of school-leavers was pointed out. The need for establishing a post-school follow-up service was indicated. The confusion existing among employers as to the worth of schooling received by the youth was pointed out, but it was shown that specific suggestions made by employers seem to have value in terms of improving specific school practices. The lack of any marked difference in possible factors of influence other than the school, or the inability to relate what differences do exist to any differences in ratings received on the criteria of adjustment when the youth are compared by schools are important to keep in mind when con- sidering the conclusions and recommendations offered in Chapter VI. CHAPTER V The Occupational Background of the Youth PRESENT JOB Employment Status A higher percentage of the youth employed with less difference enwredie boys and girls was found than has been reported in other recent studies.’ This is probably accounted for by the kinds of towns in which the study was made and by the time of the interviews, December, 1939, and January, 1940. These months were among the highest in business activity, almost equaling the peak months of 1937.” Table 21 presents the data on employ- ment for youth studied. A careful examination of the entire picture would lead one to the conclusion that the individual school can influence the total percentage of its school-leavers employed but very little. Here and there, a few additional jobs might be secured for individual youths. Efforts in this direction are to be encouraged and not dropped simply because the school can be effective in only a few instances. Those few instances are concerned with individuals and every individual counts. This, again, should not be interpreted as meaning that placement activities should not be carried on by the school. Although the total per cent of employment may not be affected, the quality of placement and subsequent adjustment may. y TABLE 21. EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF YOUTH AT TIME OF INTERVIEW BY SCHOOL AND BY SEX (In per cents) School Sex All Employment Statuse | II Ill IV Vv VI Boy Girl Youth Full-time regular 765 705 81.5 67.7 78.1 84.8 80.0 744 77.1 Irregular, part-time 9.4 10.3 13 11.4 8.6 3.8 5.0 95 7.3 W.P.A,, C.C.C., N.Y.A. 2.7 1.6 2.0 2.1 1.4 1.6 1.8 1.8 1.8 Not on the employ- ment market 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.1 0.0 0.5 0.2 Unemployed 114 175 15.2 18.7 11.9 8.7 133 13.8 13.6 Percentage Base 149 183 151 96 $151 184 480 434 914, @ “Full-time regular’ refers to a paid job involving 30 or more hours of work per week and in which the youth had been working for nine months or could reasonably expect to work for nine months. ‘Irregular’? refers to work which did not go on consistently from week to week but depended on seasonal or other variations. ‘‘Part-time’’ refers to gainful employment of more than 5 hours and less than 30 hours per week. A youth was considered ployed if he had less than 5 hours work per ‘week, or had no work at all and was in the employment market. 4 1Eckert, R. and Marshall, T. O., When Youth Leave School. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1938, p. 228. Bell, H. M., Youth Tell Their Story. Washington, D. C.: American Council on Education, 1938; Pp. 105-106, Stead, W. H., Shartle, C. L., and Associates. Occ ional C ling Techniques. New York: American Book Company, 1940. Published for the Technical Board of. the Occupational Research Program of the U. S. Employment Service. 2New York Times Weekly Business Index. New York Times, June 2, 1940. 49 50 Nationa AssoctaTION oF SeconDARY-ScCHOOL Principats [November Kinds of Occupations Engaged In The problem of placement and job preparation to be undertaken by the schools is directly related to the kind of work in which youth even- tually will go. The best single measure of this is to be found in the kind of work in which youth are now engaged. It is not likely that by any con- ceivable improvement of placement or training programs that the actual jobs existing in contemporary economic life will be much affected. It is, therefore, interesting to examine the kind of work in which youth were found. Table 22a presents a distribution of boys by classes of occupations. TABLE 22a. PRESENT AND LAST REGULAR OCCUPATION OF BOYS School All Present and Last Regular Occupation II ll IV Vv VI Boys Professional, semiprofessional 18 24 00 415 1.0 Managerial and official ‘ if. 3a A 45 5.0 Clerical and kindred 3S 22 22 p 9.0 19.0 Sales and kindred . oA Te : 75 8.0 ; Domestic and personal service ; 2.7 8.5 . 30 10 3.3 Protective and Misc. service ' 0.9 0.0 J 3.0 00 1.7 Agricultural, fishery, forestry and kindred 1.3 15.2 1.2 0 120 40 7.3 Skilled in production and manufacturing 15.2 10.7 17.1 5 179 25.0 16.7 Semi-skilled and unskilled in production and manufacturing 29.1 48.2 47.6 5 41.8 37.0 42.1 Unemployed 13 09 0.0 y 0.0 00 08 Percentage Base 79 112 82 40 67 100 480 a Based upon classification by Dr. C. L. Shartle, Chief, Occupational Analysis Section, Bureau of Employment Security, Washington, D. C. Combined in the table are both the jobs held at the time of interview and the last regular job held by those unemployed at the time of the interview. The “last regular job” was defined as one in which the youth had at least four weeks of employment during the nine months preceding the interview. In the table, “unemployed” means having no present or last regular job upon which to classify the youth. The same information for girls is pre- sented in Table 22b. Because of the small numbers involved, rigid conclusions cannot be drawn, but a careful examination of Tables 22a and 22b seems to show that any differences in occupational adjustment between the youth of different schools, as indicated by the criteria, cannot be ascribed to marked differences in the kinds of jobs held. That is, there is no consistent pattern of jobs held by the youth of School I and V (schools which received better ratings in certain areas than the other schools) as compared with the remaining schools. A distribution of youth by schools and specific occupations held, which cannot be presented here because of lack of space (an initial clas- sification scheme of one thousand specific occupational categories was pre- pared), demonstrates the point even more clearly. Although the occupational classes for boys and girls are the same, within each class the occupations of boys and girls are frequently different. For example, under clerical and kindred occupations, shipping and 1940 j PrEsENT Jos 51 receiving clerks are common for boys whereas stenographers and typists are common for girls. The single most common occupation of boys was that of sales clerks and the next most common that of semi-skilled operatives in manufacturing. Bus, taxi, and truck drivers, attendants at filling stations and parking lots, shipping and receiving clerks, and general office clerks were single occupa- tions frequently engaged in. Together with retail managers and miscella- neous unskilled occupations, these constituted 30.6% of all the individual occupations in which the youth were engaged. That is, eight single occu- pations accounted for 30.6% of all the boys, and these occupations, it will be observed, are of a nature which do not require much highly skilled voca- tional training. For the girls, semi-skilled operatives in textiles and jewelry manufac- turing accounted for 19.8% of all jobs held. Bookkeepers accounted for only 4.2% and secretaries for 3.9%. General office clerks, however, ac- counted for 10.1%, steno-typists for 6.0%, and sales clerks for 11.8%. It was found that 7.1% of the girls were working as general maids, and about 2.5% as telephone operators. These eight single occupations accounted for 65.4% of all the girls! Occupations into which girls go evidently require a higher degree of specific vocational training than do those of the boys. Earnings It was found that 63.1% of the youth were earning from $12 to $2] a week, Only 7.1% were earning under $9 a week and 6.4% were earn- ing $30 or over a week. The average weekly wage of the youth in a given school did not vary significantly from the average of the entire group, which was $17.83. The boys received an average weekly wage of $20.45 as opposed to the average weekly wage of $14.87 for the girls. There is a definite tendency for time on the job to be associated positively TABLE 22b. PRESENT AND LAST REGULAR OCCUPATION OF GIRLS Present and Last School All Regular Occupation I Il Ill IV Vv Professional, semiprofessional 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2 Managerial and official 1.4 \ 0.0 0.0 1.2 0.7 Clerical and kindred 42.9 ; 33.3 215 38.1 Sales and kindred 15.7 ; 10.1 19.6 10.7 Domestic service 14.3 ; 0.0 143 10.7 8.8 Personal service 1.4 id 2.9 3.6 0.0 2.8 Agricultural and kindred 0.0 é 0.0 1.8 0.0 0.5 Skilled in production and manufacturing 0.0 , 2.9 8.9 1.2 10.7 3.9 Semi-skilled and unskilled in production and manufacturing 22.9 47.8 25.0 32.1 345 33.2 Unemployed 0.0 1.4 2.9 5.4 3.6 4.8 3.0 Unclassified 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2 0.0 0.2 Percentage base 70 71 69 56 84 84 434 @ Based upon a classification provided by Dr. C. L. Shartle, Chief, Occupational Analysis Section, Bureau of Employment Security, Washington, D. C. 52 Nationa AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats [November with weekly earnings. There is, also, a tendency for time out of school to be associated positively with earnings. Those youth who are older and out of school longer receive higher wages. This is but to be expected. The average age for the boys was 21 years, 1 month, as compared with 20 years, 7 months for the girls. This may account, in part, for the difference in wages. Probably the most important reason is to be found in the fact that girls can be hired for less than boys to do the same job. They also were engaged in different kinds of work. Then, too, the boys were found to be more concerned with the future. They thought more of possible future wages and stability of employment than did the girls. Although boys and girls, both were inclined to attach exaggerated prestige values to “white collar” jobs, the boys were less inclined to sacrifice pay in order to get such jobs. Many of the girls who were wotking as domestics og as semi-skilled factory operatives were anxious to secure positions in offices doing some kind of clerical work. They frequently expressed the opinion that they would be willing to take less pay if only they could work in an office. Securing Present Job Few differences existed among the youth of the different schools in their methods of securing work. It was found that 43.8 % secured their present jobs through a friend or relative. Sometimes the job was secured through direct influence exercised by the friend or relative, sometimes because the friend or relative knew of a definite opening, usually in his own place of work. Only 3.3% were secured through the school authorities according to the youth. It was found, however, when the employers were asked what scource of contact they used in hiring that 4.7% of these youth had been hired because they were recommened by school officials. This is not a very large difference but it suggests the possibility that the school may be responsible for greater placement than either it or the youth suspects. It suggests, also, that school officials ought to follow up such requests for rec- ommendations and ought to inform the youth, once they have been hired, of having been given such recommendations. Personal application was given by 37.3% of the youth as the method used to get their present jobs. Occasionally, this method was used in a well mapped out scheme of systematic application. Usually, however, the youth had heard of job openings at various places and had applied, or had simply gone to places which seemed likely. In the interviews with employers it was revealed that they placed great importance on the initial impression which they formed of the youth. Such importance may be but a reflection of their opinion of their own ability to pick workers, but, nevertheless, it exists. Methods of applying personally for a job would seem to be one kind of skill which schools should teach. Kinds of Industries Employed In The youth were working in many different kinds of industries. Trade and service accounted for 24.7%. There were 18.5% working in the manufacture and fabrication of textile products. There were 11.9% 1940 | PreEsENT Jos 53 in the metal working industry. Although these three industries accounted for 55.1% of the youth, the remaining were scattered in about equal proportions in various manfacturing industries, agriculture, transportation and communication, construction, and public service. It is interesting to note that only 5.8% were engaged in public service. Appoximately 40% were working for concerns employing fifty or fewer workers, while about 60% were working in places employing two hundred or fewer workers. The remaining were working in places employing up. to 1,600 workers. It would seem that most of the youth found work in moderate- and small-sized places of business. This is made all the more clear when it is realized that 25.3% were working in places employing ten or fewer workers. A study of small- and moderate-size types of concerns in many kinds of business would seem appropriate in the school. Opportunities for the youth to earn more than a subsistence wage in the places where they were employed do not seem very bright when it is realized that the median wage of all employees, exclusive of the owner or chief executive officer, in the places where the boys were employed was $22.25, and $17.51 where the girls were employed. About 71% of the workers, who were earning more than the youth in the places of employ- ment, had a median weekly wage of less than $30. This included the wages of foremen and officers other than the chief executive. (These figures are based upon incomplete returns, since no data was secured from some of the places of employment of the youth.) Amount of Employment About 70% of the youth had worked at least ten months, and 85% at least six months during 1939. Here again, the amount of employment enjoyed by the youth studied was higher than that reported in other studies of youth. Only 3.3% had worked one month or less during 1939. The amount of employment in 1939 did not differ significantly among the schools. Distributions were made of the amount of employment enjoyed by the youth for each succeeding year out of school. It was found that 69% of the youth had had at least six months of work during their first year out. For those youth who had been out of school five years, 92.7% of them: had at least six months of employment during their fifth year out. During their first year out, there were 18% of the youth who had worked three months or less, but for those who had been out for five years there were only 1.2% who had worked three months or less during their fifth year out of school. The mean number of months of employment during the first year out was 7.7, and during the fifth year out it was 10.5. To some extent this indicates that the amount of employment increases with time out of school. It must be remembered that the first year out of school for those who are now out five and one-half years was back in 1934-35 during the time when there was much less general employment. The general trend is so strong, however, that it is safe to conclude that amount of employment definitely increases with time out of school. This does not assume that time out of school is the direct cause of increased employment and that all a youth had to do is to wait long enough and [ November 54 Nationa AssociATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS he will secure employment. It does indicate, however, that the school cannot be content with one year follow-up studies upon which to base conclusions as to the amount and kind of employment of their youth and that follow-up periods for at least five years are necessary if any sound inferences are to be drawn with respect to modifications of the school program. JOB CHANGES Only about 1% of the youth had never had a job since leaving the school. Approximately 85% had had four or fewer different jobs.’ Actually, 56.5% ‘sad had only two different jobs since leaving school. This would seem to indicate that there was no great amount of job shifting. Usu- ally, the youth has remained in the same occupation, or related ones, while on the same job. Whether job shifting is harmful or helpful was not directly ascertained. It is the impression of the Study staff, based upon a study of the individual cases, that the value of shifting from one job to another depended almost entirely upon the circumstances of the individual youth and the kind of changing that he was doing. Sometimes the changing was beneficial to the youth, sometimes harmful. Occasionally, it was a change made in accordance with a well thought out plan, some- times it was random change occasioned either by circumstances beyond the youth’s control or by the exercise of some whim. Vocational training frequently either accompanied or preceded a change or contemplated change of jobs as will be shown later. By and large, the general impression is that the youth did not engage in indiscriminate shifting from job to job and that when the change was a matter under their own control, it was usually for their betterment. ATTENTION TO LOCAL SITUATION Regardless of the pros and cons concerning the ultimate values of the job changes, the fact remains that not much job shifting was done. With the small percentage of mobility discovered, this fact becomes impor- tant for the schools. Most of the youth remain in the community of the school, live and work there. They remain fairly steadily on the same jobs and occupations within their communities, at least during the first five and one-half years out of school. The total number of different industries and occupations represented by the youth, and the ones into which youth now at school are most likely to go, is therefore not beyond the resources of the local school to study, either alone or in cooperation with some other community agency. This makes the problem of providing occupational information largely one concerned with the local situation. The emphasis for the school in its vocational guidance program should be upon the local labor-community market. - here is meant employment with a particular employer. Change of employers was called change of jobs. The term “‘occupation’’ whenever used, refers to the kind of employment. Thus, an individual may work at the same occupation but different jobs, or at different occupations within the same job. *The findings of the Joint Project of the American Council on Education and the United States Employment Service point to the same conclusion. See Bell, H. M., Matching Youth and Jobs. Wash- ington, D. C.: American Council on Education, 1940. See especially Chapter VII. 1940 | First Jos Securep 55 FIRST JOB SECURED AFTER LEAVING SCHOOL The very first job secured by the youth after leaving school is an impor- tant one for him. It introduces him to his first full-time knowledge of the working world. It provides an opportunity for the youth to fit himself into work that he can do and in which he is interested. For the more capable youth, it may lead to advancement. It may give the youth a feeling of success, of “belonging,” of independence and responsibility, or it may create within him the feelings of despondence and frustration. It would seem that if the school is to do anything at all about occupational adjust- ment, it should make a serious effort to bridge the gap between school- leaving and eventual occupational adjustment by doing all that it can to see to it that the first jobs which youth enter are reasonably in harmony with their abilities and interests. How Secured That schools have not made sufficient effort in this direction has been pointed: out before.” The Study staff does not believe that the schools studied varied much from the average. Yet only 3.9% of the youth of these schools secured their first jobs through school authorities. The highest was School II with 8.2%. Influence was predominate, with 33.9% of the youth securing their first job through the help of a friend or relative and 17.3% being actually employed by a relative or friend. Securing a job in this way is not necessarily to be condemned. It may be the employers of these 51.2% would hire only friends or relatives. Or they believed that by hiring the friends and relatives of their workers they would promote harmony and secure better employees. Then again, it may be that they have found this to be the most efficient way of hiring workers. Several of the employers interviewed indicated that this method was the least troublesome. Assuming that 51.2% formed an irreducible minimum for securing jobs in this way (which it probably does not), there were 33.4% of the youth who secured work through personal application, 1.2% through a commercial employment agency, and 1.1% through answering advertisements. This makes a total of approximately 36%. At least within this limit, the schools could have done more. That there is a need for doing more is shown by the response of the youth to the question of why they left their first regu- lar job. Why First Job Was Left About 22% had left their jobs because ot undesirable pay, working conditions, or dislike for the work, and about 25% had to leave their jobs because of slack business conditions or the ending of a temporary job. As compared with this total of about 47%, it was found that only about 10% had considered such matters as pay, permanence of employment, advancement, and interest when taking their first job. Over 57% took their first job because it was the only one available as far as they could "OT he discussion which follows is not concerned with the problem of placing a higher percentage of youth in jobs than were placed, but simply pertains to the problem of better placement of available youth on available jobs 36 Nationa AssociaTIon oF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats [November tell. They wanted to work. About 6% took their first job simply because it was the first one for which they had applied. Whether more careful efforts at looking for work, or a comprehensive placement effort by the school (or other qualified agency) would have resulted in a kind of placement that could have eliminated this hit-or-miss method of matching youth and jobs is, of course, uncertain in a time of scarcity of employment. But at any rate, little or no attention has been paid to having youth acquire skills for the appraisal of their initial job situations or for proper placement. And it is reasonable to suppose that if this had been done the results would have differed to a significant degree for the betterment of the youth. ATTITUDES TOWARD WORK Main Problem in Becoming Adjusted The youth were asked what their main problem was in becoming adjusted occupationally. About 33% replied in terms of getting or advanc- ing to a more desirable job. Only 2.5% thought in terms of security of employment. About 8% were concerned with getting more training and slightly over 8% with too small wages. Over 20% claimed that they had no problem in connection with becoming adjusted. It is interesting to note here that the youth of School I who had received a larger number of significantly higher percentages of “yes” ratings than the other schools in the Ways of Behaving form concerned with planning and job appraisal, answered that they had no problem in becoming adjusted in only 8.7% of the cases. As will be discussed later, the kinds of practices carried on in School I are designed to make pupils aware of their problems in becom- ing occupationally adjusted. Self-Appraisal of Progress The youth were asked to appraise their own progress in becoming adjusted occupationally on the basis of a five point descriptive scale which they checked just prior to the interview. Table 23 presents the results. It is rather disquieting to observe that about 35% of the youth were defi- nitely dissatisfied ‘with their progress in occupational life. It may be that they could not reasonably have expected to have made any more progress, either because of their own lack of ability or ambition, or because of the general economic situation. Or it may well be that they are justified in their dissatisfaction. Whatever the case it would seem desirable that the school be aware of this possible later dissatisfaction and attempt to counteract it by making the youth more realistic in their outlook concerning occupational life and in their ambitions. It is true that the nature of the scale may have forced a seeming dissatisfaction in the youth with their status and progress and that for some of the youth who checked No. 4, the reaction was one of realistic appraisal. However, at least the-seeds of possible dissatisfaction exist. Dissatisfaction, in and of itself, is not neces- sarily undesirable. It often makes for progress and a desire to better one’s self. There is a real danger, however, that such dissatisfaction on the part of youth may be used to advantage by an unscrupulous adventurer.’ *This may seem like the statement of an alarmist, but at the time of writing, stranger things are coming to pass. woe rN FW w OO oe ele lL > + =F "aM w 1940] Artitupes Towarp Work 57 TABLE 23. SELF-APPRAISAL OF OCCUPA- TIONAL ADJUSTMENT OF YOUTH (In per cents) All Description Boys Girls Youth 1. I think I have made an excellent start so far on my work. é 19.5 17.2 . I might have done better in places, but on the whole I think I have done pretty well. , 23.7 26.5 3. It could have been better, but I suppose I really done have much to complain about. i 21.6 21.0 . I've made a little progress, but not much. I'd dislike to think it was going to be like this all the time. 26.9 27.7 . I haven’t gotten started at all. I’m no farther along than when I left school. 6.3 8.1 7.2 . No response 0.6 0.0 0.3 Percentage base 480 434 914 It is well to note in passing that the responsibility rests not only with the school but with the family, church, and community as well, and that the best solution is probably one which deals with providing oppor- tunities for youth. What Youth Learned from Jobs The youth were asked what they had learned from their jobs. These answers are shown in Table 24. There seem to be no outstanding dif- ferences as between boys and girls, unemployed and employed, except in a few instances. About 25% of the unemployed girls said that they learned “nothing” from their last regular jobs as compared with only 9.5% of the employed girls. The unemployed boys are very similar to the employed boys in this respect. If those aspects dealing with general habits and attitudes of work are considered, about 39% of the employed youth said they had learned these things from their jobs as compared with only about 26% of the unemployed youth. This may provide a clue as to one TABLE 24. WHAT YOUTH LEARNED FROM PRESENT OR LAST REGULAR JOB (In per cents) What Youth Learned Employed Unemployed from Job Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Nothing 5.5 9.5 7.4 7.8 20.0 13.7 Specific tasks related to job 30.0 29.3 29.7 37.5 26.7 32.2 Greater all-round skill 7.2 8.3 7.7 6.3 6.7 6.5 To be a better worker ‘ 7.0 8.3 7.6 1.6 3.3 2.4 To meet and work with people 22.1 19.9 21.1 14.1 18,3 .1 To accept independence and responsibility 10.1 8.9 95 4.7 3.3 4.0 Value of money 2.4 2.4 2.4 3.1 0.0 1.6 About things worked with 7.0 7.0 7.0 10.9 1.8 6.5 Other 8.6 6.5 7.6 14.1 20.0 16.9 Percentage base 416 372 788 64 60 124 58 Nationat AssociaTION OF SEcoNDARY-ScHOOL Principats [November essential difference between the employed and the unemployed. This difference seems to rest with the employed youth being better able to recog- nize and learn what might be called the “social adjustments” to be made on the job as compared with the unemployed youth. Unemployed Youths’ Opinions on Why Not Working The unemployed youth were questioned as to what they thought was the main reason they did not have a job. About 31% said “No openings at present.” Their answers did not go much beyond this bare statement of fact in most cases. Beyond this faint recognition of the underlying economic reasons for their unemployment, there was little evidence to indicate that the unemployed youth were aware of some of the underlying reasons for their lack of jobs. The unemployed youth were more optimistic and inclined to make the best of their situation than were the youth taken as a whole. About 50% said they were still hopeful, although aware of their difficulties when asked their attitude concerning their unemployment. Each unemployed youth was also asked what his reason was for leaving his last regular job. Almost one-half replied that they had left because of slack business conditions or the ending of a temporary job. This seemed to be confirmed by what their employers reported later. Only 4% would admit to being released or “fired.” About 18% claimed they left for reasons of personal dissatisfaction with such things as pay, working conditions, or the job in general. There was a scattering of other reasons. On the whole, it seemed that the youth were unemployed not because they wished to be but because of reasons beyond their immediate control. Readiness for Jobs The employed youth were asked whether, in their opinion, they were ready for their present jobs when they took them. Table 25 presents a distribution of their answers. It can be seen from an examination of the table that more boys had previous work experience than the girls and that fewer boys had used skills acquired in the secondary school. The tendency for girls to be hired for office work demanding skills which can be taught at the secondary-school level probably accounts for the latter difference. It is interesting to note that 21.1% of the youth from School V thought they were ready for their present jobs because of skills acquired in the secondary school, as compared with an average of 13.1% for all schools in the Study. This is a substantiation of some of the conclusions drawn with respect to School V and presented in Chapter VI. The unemployed differed but slightly, on the whole, in their answers to the same question of readiness. Only about 7% of them claimed that they were ready for their last regular job because of skills acquired in the secondary school, as compared with 13.1% of the employed. Likes and Dislikes There seemed to be no appreciable differences in what they liked about their present or last regular job as exhibited by the employed and unemployed youth. About 12% of all the youth liked “nothing” about their 1940} Attitupes Towarp Work 59 TABLE 25. OPINIONS OF READINESS FOR PRESENT JOB HELD BY YOUTH (In per cents) School Sean Opinion I Ill IV Vv VI No 19.7 32.8 33.3 Yes—Previous work experience 35.6 29.8 21.9 24.4 : 23.55 31.5 ‘ 26.9 Yes—Skills acquired in High School 15.2) 11.9 11.7 7.6 4 9.6 5.0 4 13.1 Yes—No special skills required 25.0 25.2 21.1 25.6 165 30.7 252 23.1 24.2 Yes—General edu- cation acquired 0.8 2.0 5.5 1.3 0.8 1.8 2.4 1.6 2.0 Yes—other 3.8 8.7 7.0 7.8 8.3 3.6 6.0 6.7 6.5 Percentage base 132 151 128 78 133 166 416 372 #788 jobs. It would scem that such a group needed some help or attention. About one-half liked either their entire job or certain duties and aspects of it. The next largest group liked their working conditions. Very few mentioned future opportunities or the independence and responsibility provided by the job. Most were concerned with the immediate and tangible things they had to do and with their working conditions. When they were asked what they disliked about their present or last regular jobs, 30% of both the employed and unemployed youth answered “nothing.” A large proportion, then, of the youth either were.or had been perfectly content with their jobs. Some obviously should be. But it is questionable, in view of their present wages and future opportunities whether as many should be. The most prominent dislikes were similar to the most prominent likes in being matters of immediate tasks and work- ing conditions. Methods for Securing Jobs Used by Unemployed Youth The chief reliance of unemployed youth upon a method of getting a job seemed to be that of random personal application. About 55% of the unemployed youth had tried that method. The next most used method was that of getting aid from friends and relatives. About 31% had used that method. About 44% of the employed youth, as pointed out before, secured their jobs through friends and relatives. Apparently, the unem- ployed youth do not have the right friends or relatives! Only about 11% had tried answering advertisements in the paper, only slightly more than 2% had used commercial employment agencies, and about 25% had tried the public employment service. There were state employment offices located in or near by the towns included in the Study. The schools may not have been able to do much more for the youth, but it would seem desirable, espe- cially where no cost is involved to the individual, for the schools to have every unemployed youth registered with the State Employment Service. 60 Nartionat AssociaTION oF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats [November PLANNING Source of Advice The chief sources of advice concerning occupational problems used by the youth were their relatives and friends. The next most important source was that of workers on the jobs in which they were interested. Only 9% had ever sought advice from school officials since leaving school. It would seem that there is both a need and an opportunity for the school to increase its service to youth. Occupational Choices In an effort to secure the most realistic view of the future occupational careers that the youth possessed, the question, “What do you expect is going to be your regular occupation?” was asked them. If any further explanation were needed to clarify the question, the interviewers were instructed to make their explanations in terms of what occupation the youth reasonably expected to get into eventually. Every effort was made to guard against securing the answer in terms of what the youth might hope to be his eventual occupation. The youth were instructed, also, to name their occupational choices as specifically as possible. If an answer such as “aviation” were given, the interviewers were instructed to press for the particular job in aviation. Thus, the results secured are in terms of the most realistic thinking of the youth. Table 26 presents these occupa- tional choices of the boys and girls. A comparison of the occupational choices of the youth with their present or last regular occupations (Tables 22a and 22b, pages 50, 51) shows several significant differences. There were only 1.5% of the boys and 0.5% of the girls in professional occupations. However, 9.2% of the boys and 5.5% of the girls expected to be in such occupations. Since these occupations usually demand full-time schooling beyond the secondary school, it seems unlikely that the majority of boys and girls wishing to TABLE 26. OCCUPATIONAL CHOICES OF YOUTH (In per cents) All Choicesa Boys Girls Youth 9.2 5.5 7.4 4.4 1.6 3.1 1.2 5.9 Professional Semi-professional Managerial and official 10.2 Clerical and kindred 8.1 42.9 24.7 Sales and kindred 4.6 6.7 5.6 Domestic, personal, and misc. service 2.9 6.2 4.5 Agricultural and kindred 5.8 0.0 ~ 7 dl Skilled occupation in production and manufacturing 30.4 3.2 17.1 Semi-skilled and unskilled occupation in production and manufacturing 7.7 18.2 12.7 Other miscellaneous 16.7 14.5 15.8 Percentage Base 480 434 914 a Based upon classification provided by Dr. C. L. Shartle, Chief, Occupational Analysis Section, Bureau of Employment Security, Washington, D. C. 1940 | PLANNING 61 enter these occupations will do so. Although 34.6% of the girls were in clerical and kindred occupations, 42.9% of the girls expected to have these as their eventual occupations. This tendency for girls to want to enter upon office occupations was very strong. The desire of girls to enter “white collar” jobs was much stronger than that of boys. Although about 12% of the girls were in domestic and personal service occupations, only 6.2% wished to enter or remain in such occupations eventually. There were about 42% of the boys and 33% of the girls engaged in semi-skilled and un- skilled occupations in production and manufacturing. However, only 8% of the boys and 18% of the girls expected to enter or remain in these occu- pations eventually. The differences between the actual and expected occupations of the youth are fairly obvious. The point might be raised, however, as to whether this is a fair comparison. Perhaps the occupational choices of the youth are justifiable in terms of the opportunities available to them in their communities. A comparison with the occupations of their fathers would be helpful at this point. Table 15, page 39, presents the occupations of the fathers. It will be noticed that only 3% of the fathers are engaged in pro- fessional and semi-professional occupations as compared with the eventual expectation by 10.5% of the youth. Only 3.2% are engaged in clerical and kindred as compared with 8.1% of expectation by the boys. About 9% of the fathers are engaged in agricultural and kindred occupations, whereas only about 6% of the boys expect to enter these occupations. About 35% of the fathers are engaged in skilled and 22% in semi-skilled and unskilled occupations in production and manufacturing. Only 12.7% and 15.8% respectively of the youth expect to have these as their eventual occupations. Both the actual jobs held by the youth and the occupations into which they might reasonably expect to go differ in several significant respects from their expected eventual occupations. This difference was evident even though an attempt was made to get the youth to express their occupational choices as realistically as possible. It must be pointed out here, however, that group choices are being compared with group actualities. It may be that the choices for certain individuals in the professional and “white collar” categories are not beyond the bounds of reasonable possibility. Many of the youth had made very realistic choices in line with their own poten- tialities and the available job opportunities. Reasons for Occupational Choices When their chief reason for choosing the particular occupation which they did, was ascertained, about 15% of the youth replies were found to have been made in terms of the chances for continued employment, and advancement, and of the pay offered by the job. About another 13% claimed they had either training or former work experience for the occu- pation selected. About 6% thought, in a vague way, that they had special abilities for the occupation, and about 31% that they would like it. Com- bining these latter two reasons given with others such as “relative or friend does it” and “guessed it was the only thing he could do,” it was found that- 62 Nationa AssociaTION oF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PrincipaLs_ | November about 42% of the youth were expecting to enter chosen occupations with- out any realistic consideration as to why they believed so. Time of Choice Table 27 presents a distribution of the youth by the time when they decided upon their chosen occupation. It will be noticed that 52.2% of the youth either had decided upon their selected occupations since leaving the secondary school, or were still undecided. It may be desirable to have a postponement of the decision for many youth until after they have had TABLE 27. WHEN SELECTED OCCUPATIONS WERE DECIDED UPON BY YOUTH (In per cents) Time of Choice Boys Girls In Elementary School 5.8 9.0 In Junior High School (or equiv.) 4.0 7.6 In Senior High School 15.6 20.7 Since leaving school and prior to present job 20.0 13.1 While on present job 30.8 27.6 Still undecided 7.5 4.8 Other or doesn’t apply4 16.2 17.0 Percentage base 480 434 @ There were instances otf girls who were about to be married and to whom the “‘doesn't apply” ratings were given. some work experience. But the fact that such a large percentage exists argues very strongly for the provision of some kind of follow-up counsel- ing service to aid them once they have left the school. It is interesting to note that more girls are apt to make their decisions before leaving school than boys, 37.3% as compared with 25.4%. Opinions as to Restrictions When the youth were asked whether there were any restrictions, legal or otherwise, upon entrance into their expected occupations, about 49% of those who had chosen professional and semi-professional occupations either answered “no” or did not know of any. About 50% of those who had chosen skilled occupations either answered “no” or did not know of any. Only about 9% mentioned union membership for this group of occupations. The youth of certain schools were demonstrably superior in their knowledge of certain special restrictions than those of other schools. At least 26% of School I realized that union membership might be needed for entrance into a skilled occupation in production or manufacturing. Of those who had chosen clerical and kindred occupations, about 519 believed that on a basis of age requirements alone they would be able to stay in the occupation throughout life. About 88% believed that they could remain in such occupations at least through middle age. Of those who had chosen semi-skilled and unskilled occupations, about 50% _be- lieved that they would be able to remain in them throughout life. About 36% believed that they would be able to hold such jobs through middle 1940 } PLANNING ' 63 age only. About 7% had never considered the question of age limitations for their selected occupations. For those occupations, especially the clerical, where increasing age is not so apt to cause discharge or difficulty in secur- ing a new job, the question of age limitation may not be so important. But for the semi-skilled and unskilled occupations in production and manufacturing such a question takes on importance. The 50% who be- lieved that they could remain in such occupations throughout life, regard- less of increasing age, need to be made aware of such a fallacy. Occupational Training Planned Beyond the Secondary School About two-thirds of the sample had never taken any kind of training beyond the secondary school. The other third had taken training only for short periods of time. It will be remembered that the sample was delib- erately selected to include only those youth who had “not gone on further with full-time formal schooling,” so that any attempt to present the kind of training taken would be of no point here. The youth were asked if they planned on further training and if so, where and what kind. About 7% were planning to go to the local eve- ning school, about 10% to a technical or trade school, and about 7% to a private business school. About 65% were not planning on taking any kind of further training. There were surprisingly few who chose corre- spondence, or Diesel engineering, air-conditioning schools and the like— only 2.7%. At least, these youth were not taking or planning to take the too obviously foolish kinds of training. About one half of the one third who were planning to take some kind of training signified their intention to study for professional, managerial, and clerical occupations. As has been pointed out before, more youth wished to have these as their eventual occupations than would seem desir- able in view of the available opportunities. To some extent, the kind of training taken and planned on by youth will be influenced both by the kind easily available and by their knowledge of such opportunities and the goals to which they lead. There were all too few interested in training for sales and kindred occupations, for the skilled occupations, and for agri- cultural and kindred occupations. It would seem desirable that a wider range of training opportunities be made available for these youth and that a counseling service be provided for them after leaving school. Effect of School Experiences Upon Planning In an effort to get at the relationship between the occupational plan- ning of the youth and any school practices to which they might have been exposed, they were asked if they had talked with anyone while at school who had helped them to decide upon a choice of occupation. An average of 73.4% for all the schools reported that they had talked with no one at school. It would seem, at least in the opinion of the youth, that, in general, either they had not talked with anyone at school about their occupational future or such talks were not.remembered and had little influence. The | November 64 Nationa AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS highest per cent of youth from a given school who reported talking to a teacher, counselor, or principal came from School I. There were 23.5% from School I as compared with 11.9% from the youth as a whole. The youth were also asked if they had taken any subjects at the sec- ondary school which had helped them to decide. About 57% replied “none.” About 25% named one of their regular subjects as having been a factor in helping them to decide. There were about 13% who either did not know or to whom the question did not apply. It is apparent that the subjects studied do not play anywhere near as important a role as they should in helping the youth to decide. They were asked if any extra-curricular activity taken had helped them to decide upon the occupation which they expected to be their even- tual one. About 80% replied “none” and 13% either did not know or the question did not apply to them. All the schools but one had fairly com- prehensive extra-curricular offerings as they are usually conceived. The youth were asked if they had had any other school experience which was not mentioned but which they thought had helped them to decide upon an occupation. Again, approximately three-fourths answered “no.” ‘The most frequently mentioned single other experience was that of work in the school office or bank, or situations which were as near real job experiences as possible. It would seem from the above figures that, in so far as the youth can recall, any single kind of school experience was not all-important in helping them to decide upon their selected occupation. If, however, the total pic- ture is considered, it is found that the factor of school influence increased in importance. There were about 12% who had been helped to decide through talking with a teacher, counselor, or principal; about 30% had been helped by some kind of course, regular or otherwise; about 7% had been helped by some kind of extra-curricular activity; and about 13% had been helped by some other kind of school experience. Allowing for considerable overlapping, it becomes apparent that when the total of the school’s influence is considered it becomes of importance. The fact that the school is as important an influence as any is shown by the results of additional questions asked of the youth. They were asked if they recalled any work experiences which had helped them to decide. About 50% mentioned some kind of work experience. About one half of this group named a particular job since leaving school. They were then asked if they could recall any other kind of experience, other than those mentioned, which had helped them. About 23% named a variety of expe- riences including hobbies, incidental work experiences, occupation of a relative, and others. There is, of course, considerable overlapping and intermingling of all of these experiences which the youth draws upon to formulate his occu- pational plans. The total of the school’s influence is not negligible and not to be brushed aside as being of no importance. It would seem desirable, WBesximinguauwe 1940] Emp.oyer RELATIONSHIPS 65 however, in view of the strong influence of post-school work experiences to provide the youth with some kind of post-school counseling service to enable him to evaluate properly such experiences. That such aid is desir- able was indicated by the discussion in connection with the actual choices of the youth. EMPLOYER RELATIONSHIPS Reasons for Hiring Youth Evidence collected from the employers concerning the methods whereby the youth secured their jobs was similar to that derived from the youth. The employer was asked, “How did you happen to hire this youth for this job?” An attempt was made to classify these answers into the two major categories of (1) source of contact, and (2) quality possessed by the youth. Sometimes the employer answered in terms of one category and sometimes in both. Table 28a presents the answers given by the employers in terms of their source of contact. It will be seen that both the school and the state employment service, two agencies which might be considered as being best qualified (or poten- tially so) to place these youth, play a small part. The most important single factor in securing a given job is to know someone who can get it for you. This type of hiring is done with but little consideration of the youth’s qualities or the requirements of the job. This kind of evidence has been reported time and again. This is introduced here simply to empha- size a few points. First, the school should make every effort to increase its influence in placing the youth. In connection with this point, the school should be careful to see that it does the task well and gains the confidence of both employer and youth. Second, the employer is in no position to TABLE 28a. EMPLOYER’S SOURCE OF CONTACT FOR HIRING YOUTH (im per cents) All Boys Girls Youth 0.5 4.4 2.3 State Employment Service Personal application with no previous connections 26.7 32.4 29.4 Recommended by school 2.4 7.3 4.7 Employer is immediate personal friend or relative 19.6 5.8 13.1 Recommended by employee who is a friend or relative 20.2 17.5 19.0 Recommended by mutual personal friend or relative 7.6 9.0 8.3 Recommendation of former employer 1,3 1.8 15 Recommended by union 0.5 0.0 0.3 No response; doesn’t know¢ 19.9 17.0 * 18.5 1.3 4.7 2.9 Other Percentage Base 382 342 724 @ The answer ‘doesn’t know’? was given by some personnel officers and foremen who had arrived on the job after the youth had been hired. ‘‘No response’’ refers to those employers who refused to Source answer the question. 66 Nationa Association oF Seconpary-ScHoot Principats | November complain of the faults of the school training received by youth when he is unwilling to accept the school’s recommendations concerning placement. Table 28b presents the qualities as enumerated by the employer for hiring the youth. Apparently, personal impression seems to dominate the employer in his hiring considerations, aside from hiring for “contact” reasons. Much of the employer’s opinion is based, too, on his initial talk with the youth. Many of the employers stated that they relied almost completely upon their first impression, that they could “size up” a pro- spective employee simply by means of the initial interview. Whether they can or not is difficult to say. Undoubtedly, the experienced employer who has had occasion to hire many workers may develop a keen sense of dis- crimination and ability to pick employees especially where the job require- ments are not difficult or complicated. That the use of more objective procedures has proven valuable to employers has been demonstrated, also. However, the widespread and intelligent use of objective procedures in hiring employees is still on the distant horizon. It would seem desirable, where about one third of the youth secure their jobs through personal application and when the chief criterion employed is that of the employer’s impression concerning the youth’s appearance and personality, for the school to impress upon the youth the need for making a good initial ap- pearance and to teach him to do so. It is interesting to note that in only nineteen cases out of the total of 724 employed youth were letters of application used to secure jobs. This evidence would not seem to indicate that letters of application are of any value for securing the kinds of jobs which the youth fill. In only six cases out of the total of 724 employed youth were letters of application considered of importance when the youth were being hired. Of the 94.6% of cases where letters of application were not used, over 93% of them had employ- ers who replied that such letters would not have been of any value. There were a few employers who did lay great stress upon the letter of applica- TABLE 28b. QUALITY FOR HIRING OF YOUTH AS STATED BY EMPLOYER (In per cents) Quality Boys None given 57.1 Persistent application for work 0.3 Secondary-school graduate, or had needed specific training therein 5.7 Neat personal appearance; good personality, ability to meet people Seemed to have ability to follow instructions and to learn the job Proved competent worker based on previous work experience or civil service and competitive exam 6.3 Seemed ambitious, eager to get ahead 2.1 Other 5.2 382 12.8 10.5 Percentage Base 1940 | EmpLoyer RELATIONSHIPS 67 tion, but by and large most of them disregarded it. This does not mean that pupils should not be taught how to write letters in school. It simply means that there has been a great deal of misplaced effort in connection with letters of application for the kind of youth studied. There has been far too little effort in the development of personality and the ability to impress an employer successfully in a personal interview. Opinion on Attendance The employers were asked their opinion concerning the value of regu- lar attendance. The employers of 59% of the youth answered that good attendance was important if the youth wished to retain his job. For about 6% of the youth it was important whenever considerations of advancement came up, for 9% for affecting wage status, and for about 13% for com- binations of tenure, advancement, and wage status. Employers of about 10% said that regularity of attendance was unimportant. The nature of the job obviously influenced the employer’s answer. One of the youth worked as a salesman of automobiles. The employer said that he did not care what hours the youth worked as long as he “produced the goods” or sold automobiles. But for the usual job and for the typical youth, good attendance was distinctly important. This is a point which schools can impress upon their youth and a habit which can be developed. Youths’ Prospects for Continued Employment It will be recalled that somewhat higher figures for employment were presented in this Study than other similar studies of youth. The purpose was to determine, if possible, to what extent this was a temporary condition. The employers were asked to rate the prospects for the youth continuing in their employment for the next year. Table 29 gives the data gathered. As will be seen from the table about 80% of the youth enjoyed good prospects for continuing in employment for the year following the inter- view (roughly 1940). In the opinion of the employers only 6.1% had poor or no prospects. Although this is but a crude measure, it probably is as good as any, for the individual employer is as likely to know as anyone what such prospects are. Value of Interest The employers were asked whether they considered the demonstration of interest by the youth in the larger aspects of the business to be valuable. TABLE 29. YOUTHS’ PROSPECTS FOR CON- TINUED EMPLOYMENT AS STATED BY EMPLOYER (In per cents) Boys 3.4 3.1 cay 2 .. 78.5 79 382 Rating None Poor Fair No response; doesn’t apply Percentage Base -- 68 NationaL AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats [November Employers of about 65% of the youth thought that it was a desirable quality in employees; employers of about 8% of the youth thought it was valuable occasionally, and the remainder varied in opinions from “not essential” to “would rather employees do just what they are told” and “an undesirable quality and not wanted at all.” It was interesting to note that, by and large, employers in the smaller business concerns gave greater value to a demonstration of interest by the employee. This was especially true of concerns employing less than fifty workers. It would seem that the school ought to make its pupils aware of and provide them with opportu- nities for participation in matters of “larger interests.” It ought, also, to make them aware of the fact there is a small minority of employers who insist upon their employees doing work and thinking about it exactly as they are told and that demonstrations of larger interests are not wanted by them. SUMMARY In this chapter an attempt has been made to present some facts of general interests concerning the occupational backgrounds of the youth studied and to derive such inferences as may be of value for improving school practice. It has been emphasized that although the school cannot be held responsible for the total amount of employment enjoyed by its youth it ought to put forth greater effort to aid youth in securing jobs for which they are suited. It ought, also, to be more realistic in its job training program. One area which the school can and ought to do something about is that of making youth more realistic in their attitudes toward jobs and employment. The facts would indicate that the school does play a signifi- cant part in influencing the youth in planning for occupational life. How- ever, the school can and should provide more occupational information for youth about the local labor market so that youth could be more sensible in their planning. The data indicate that there is a distinct need for a post-school counseling service. The information collected from the employ- ers demonstrates the need for the school to teach youth how to go about getting a job. Greater emphasis should be placed upon personality training and espe- cially for the need of making a good first impression when applying for a job. The different attitudes held by employers concerning “larger interest” versus doing the job exactly as told should be emphasized with youth. This implies that a youth needs to be versatile in adapting himself to differ- ent employer requirements. Certain general observations on behavior can be made. Good attendance, for example, is considered important by most employers. The inferences bearing upon school practices as derived from the presentation of the directly collected data presented in this chapter should be kept in mind when considering the conclusions and recommenda- tions based upon an analysis of criteria ratings as presented in Chapter VI. CHAPTER VI Conclusions and Recommendations Concerning Practices Review Statement on the Plan of the Study It will be recalled that one of the objectives of this Study was: The discovery of leads as to techniques and practices which could be introduced to make more effective the occupational adjustment of pupils whose formal education will cease at graduation, if not before. To achieve this objective, as much information as possible was gathered concerning the youth’s work history from the time he left school up until the interview. This included factual information such as employment status, wages and jobs held; information about how he behaved in attempt- ing to adjust himself to specific situations; and information concerning opinions and attitudes held by the youth which are related to his occupa- tional adjustment. Information was obtained concerning the youth’s opin- ions, attitudes, and plans with respect to his future occupational adjustment as well. In addition, much information was secured concerning his home, school, and community backgrounds. Especial concern was given to exam- ining the youth’s school background in order to find out what significant things he had been exposed to in the school that might have some bearing upon his adjustment. As complete significant information (both fact and opinions) as was possible was secured from the employer concerning the youth. This was done through the use of a series of interview sched- ules, one each for the employer, the youth, the school, and any community agencies concerned with serving youth for better occupational adjustment. This information gathered about the youth was used to make infer- ences concerning his occupational adjustment in terms of criteria which had been previously established. These consisted of ways in which the youth behaved in attempting to adjust himself occupationally, the quality of his thinking about his occupational problems which he had to face, and his occupational status. After evaluating the occupational adjustment of the youth in terms of the criteria, an attempt was made to uncover leads as to the values of the various school practices to which the youth had been exposed. In doing this other non-school variables which might have some possible relation to the adjustment of the youth, such as native abilities, home background, and other youth-serving agencies of the community, were taken into considera- tion. Limitations A discussion of the methods for discovering whether any relationships existed between school practices to which the youth had been exposed and their occupational adjustment was postponed to this chapter. Although such a discussion of methods might well have been included in Chapter II, it was postponed deliberately until the reader could be made aware of the comprehensiveness of the treatment of the subject. For it is obvious that 69 OO Joours 48m (CW °N) enbsonbaqiy Orpes pue voNerAe jo sasn ay Suruses] LNaVWLSA{dv TYNOLLVdN990 OO ST ———— ll Learning the uses of aviation and radio Albuquerque (N. M.) High’ School 1940 | METHODs oF ANALYSIS 71 unless the adjustment of the youth and his home, community and school backgrounds were examined carefully and comprehensively, any attempt to establish leads as to the values of certain school practices would be sub- ject to the criticism that this or that important point had been overlooked. The adjustment of the youth and the possible factors of influence which may have affected such adjustment have been examined more comprehensively than Chapters III, IV, and V seem to indicate. Some of the information collected was not reported herein since it did not seem to lead to any con- clusions bearing upon the central problem or have any other particular significance. It must be recognized that the achievement of the objective could only be of a tentative nature due to the limitations of time and money available. The chief value in attempting to achieve this objective lies in the demon- stration that techniques, instruments, and procedures for analysis in handling such a problem could be evolved, actually tried out, and demon- strated to have distinct worth. In the process of so doing, tentative leads have been established which are reported later in this chapter. The pro- cedures whereby such leads were established follow. METHODS OF ANALYSES Analyses by Schools One method for attempting to establish leads as to the values of different practices is that of comparing the adjustment of the youth by schools. This presupposes several things. First, that the schools differ in kinds of practices among themselves. It will be recalled that schools differ- ing in practices were deliberately selected. Chapter III presents the data to demonstrate this. Second, that the youth do not differ significantly in other important respects. Much of the data in Chapter IV shows this to be the case. In age, sex, home background, intelligence scores, grade comple- tion,’ and other factors, it was found that the youth do not differ signifi- cantly from school to school. In those matters where differences did exist, as in the nativity of parents, it was pointed out that such differences seemed to have no demonstrable relationship to differences in adjustment. Third, that the employment opportunities open to the youth did not differ sub- stantially in kind and amount. This has been pointed out in Chapters IV and V. Assuming, then, that for the sample of youth the remaining vital differences in the influences directed at them for influencing occupational adjustment lay largely in the school practices to which they had been ex- posed, a comparison of youth by schools would be justified to establish leads as to the values of such practices. A comparison of the youth of the different schools by their ratings on Ways of Behaving was made. By this comparison the percentage of youth from each school who receive “Yes” cn a given Way of Behaving was determined. Then, for each Way of Behaving, using selected tests of sig- nificance,” the schools which received significantly higher or lower percent- 1Since this was not true for School IV, the results from School IV were not used in comparing for adjustment. %See Appendix II. 72 Navionat AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats [November e ages of “Yes” ratings than the average were determined. In that way, it was possible to say that the youth of School V definitely excelled in particu- lar Ways of Behaving and that the youth of School I excelled in others. This will be pointed out later. Tabulations were made, also, of the original items of information upon which the interviewers had made their judg- ments concerning the individual youth. An examination of these tabulations substantiated the results derived in terms of the criteria as has been pointed out in Chapter V and will be elaborated upon later in this chapter. On the basis of any evidence provided by comparing the schools, the principals of the schools which received the highest percentages’ of “Yes” ratings were asked if they could name any practices carried on in their schools, which might have some bearing on the results. This was essen- tially a “clue-hunting” procedure. It was based, in part, upon collected evidence and in part upon a certain amount of subjective judgment. The practices named by the principal were carefully observed and studied in action. Those which seemed to be sensible suggestions, in the light of the follow-up described and of the original data, are named later. Analyses by the Criteria and Selected Factors Another method of analysis was used both independently and as a check on any conclusions drawn through procedures described above. Dis- tributions of youth by criteria ratings and other selected factors such as grade completed, age, time out of school, and curriculums were made. The purpose in getting distributions of the youth by these factors and by the criteria was to see if any one of the selected factors had a high degree of relationship with the criteria which would tend to offset any conclusions based upon the school comparisons. It was found that, in general, the con- clusions were further buttressed by such analyses. Analyses After Equating for Selected Factors of Influence A further method of attempting to establish leads was used. Since all of the data had been punched in Hollerith cards, this procedure was rela- tively easy-to use. It was not possible to derive its full benefit since the total number of cases was not large enough. It consisted of equating a group of youth for selected factors. For example, by sorting the Hollerith cards, all boys can be separated. By further sorting of this pile, only those who have graduated can be selected. This reduces the original pile to just boy graduates. These may be further reduced by sorting boy graduates who are between 19 and 21 years of age. It is easy to see that additional sorts can be made so that the final pile of cards represents youth who have been equated in a variety of selected factors. The actual factors of influence equated for were sex, grade completion, age, I. Q.’s, and socio-economic background of home. This gave a group of youth who were very similar in these respects. This group was then analyzed by its exposure to various school prac- tices and its ratings on the criteria. It was thus possible to compare the ratings received by youth who have had individual counseling with those ®These percentages had, also, to be significanily higher than the average for all six schools. 1940] Userut Practices 73 who had not, of youth who had received training in one curriculum with those of another, etc., after these youth had been equated for several pos- sible factors of influence. Individual Case Studies Since an effort was being made to demonstrate that generalizations could be evolved concerning school practices individual case studies have not been emphasized as much as might have been done. However, a few brief illustrations of clues derived from individuals are presented later. Staff Experiences It must be remembered, also, that the combined experiences and judg- ments of the Study staff and interviewers were used to help in evaluating certain conclusions. Any leads not only had to be derived from clues pre- sented by the various methods of analyses, but they had to be in harmony with what had been observed before it was suggested that they had any possible values. In the process of interviewing counselors, home-room teachers, and department heads, a background of information concerned with each school helping to evaluate the clues derived was accumulated. PRACTICES WHICH SEEM USEFUL It should be emphasized at the beginning of this discussion that the occupational adjustment of the youth have been evaluated in terms of specific criteria. Practices which it is believed have been discovered to be useful for post-school occupational adjustment are not to be conceived of as useful for all of such adjustment, but rather as useful for specific or grouped adjustments. None of the schools was doing outstanding work in preparation for the entire field of occupational adjustment, as it was conceived of this year. However, some of the schools seemed to be doing good work in some areas and specifics of adjustment as established by the evidence. For example, an examination of the distribution of the youths’ ratings on the Ways of Behaving by schools showed School V to have significantly higher percentages of “Yes” ratings in several Ways of Behaving which were concerned with adjustment to the present job. School V also received the highest percentage of “1” and “2” ratings on the area judgment of ad- justment to the present job situation. An examination of another table showing the distribution of the youths’ ratings by Ways of Behaving, schools, and curriculums showed that the commercial curriculum youth of School V received higher percentages of “Yes” ratings than those youth of other curriculums of the school. This was not true of the commercial cur- riculum in the other schools. On a follow-up visit to School V, the fact that the youth of this school seemed to have done significantly better in several Ways of Behaving related to adjustment on the job was presented to the principal. The general question as to what he thought they were doing at School V which might have some bearing upon the results was raised with him. The first thing which he named was the work being carried on in the commercial department. He emphasized in particular the work of their school bank and stressed the fact that it was operated and managed to a considerable extent by pupils of the commercial department. 74 Nationa AssociaTION oF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats | November A follow-up visit to the school bank and a talk with the commercial department head verified this statement. The school bank, which is in- corporated under the laws of the state in which the school is located, handles all of the funds of the different school organizations. Except for the help from the department head at the beginning of the year and occasional supervision to see that balances check, the bank is managed and run entirely by the pupils. The department head stressed the fact that certain attitudes and kinds of behavior were emphasized even more than the machine and clerical skills connected with the work of the bank. Students from the commercial department were assigned, also, to teachers and to the school office for stenographic work, typing, and general clerical work. The teachers to whom they were assigned had to report on definite forms to the head of the commercial department their reactions to the work, behavior, and attitudes of the pupils. Any seemingly undesirable attitudes, work, or behavior were discussed by the pupil and the head of the commercial department. An effort was made for improvement through continued individualized attention of this kind. It can be readily recognized that the attention here is directed at making pupils better employees for specific job situations. The specific Ways of Behaving related to present job adjustment in which School V youth excelled were as follows: Does he stand up well under criticism? Does he co-operate in extra-work activities as helping keep the shop clean, participating in group activities sponsored by the organization, etc.? Has he demonstrated interest in his work? Can he be trusted to work alone without supervision ? Does he display a personal interest in the success of larger aspects beyond his immediate participation? Substantiating evidence may be found in other tables. A distribution of youth by their opinion on their readiness for present job and by schools showed that School V received a high percentage of answers which said “Yes—because of skills acquired in high school.” The youth were asked what school experiences they had which helped them in their occupational adjustment. “The school bank” appeared frequently as*an answer for School V youth. When the employers were asked when they would release their youth should business decrease, more employers of School V said “among the very last” and fewer “among the first.” A distribution by the youth’s release and the general policy of the employer showed that for those youth who would be released last, “merit” was the determining factor in 45% of the cases. On the whole those youth who had had some kind of specific job preparation excelled in percentage of “Yes” ratings received more times than those who did not. This may account in part for the relationship be- tween specific job preparation and ratings on Ways of Behaving and further substantiate conclusions drawn. The above plus other evidence would lead to this general conclusion. It appears that the following lead has been uncovered as to a practice which will affect one area of post-school occupational adjustment of youth. If the 1940 | Userut Practices 75 school is desirous of improving the possibility that its youth will adjust themselves better to occupational life, it should see to it that each youth is given an opportunity to assume self-direction and self-responsibility in situa- tions which are as like real job situations as they can possibly be made. These situations may be representative of specific jobs or of families of similar jobs. The latter has the value of increasing the job versatility of the youth and thus enlarging his possibilities for employment in the labor market. Further, the shool should carefully and systematically check each pupil as an individual in each of the job situations set up to see to it that he is making the desired reactions and to instruct him individually in necessary improvements. Another general conclusion follows from evidence derived from Schools V and II. The school should make known to the local employers as definitely and as directly as it can that it is doing precisely the above and that it will supply employers with youth who are able to adjust themselves to specific job situations. The employers were asked what source of con- tact they used for hiring youth. Although the actual percentages were not high, both Schools V and II were the leaders in the answer—“recommended by school officials.” The same results were secured when the youth were asked how they secured their jobs. It does not seem to matter as much who in the school does the placement work as that it is done by someone. In School II, the principal makes it his business to become personally ac- quainted with as many employers as he can. He uses the Rotary Club as a starting point. In School V the commercial department head attempts to place his pupils. Since School V is larger than II the assigning of the placement function by the department head may be the logical procedure. * * * * * * When other aspects of adjustment such as those concerned with plan- ning for the future and appraising one’s present job situation are con- sidered it was found that School I received significantly higher percentages of “Yes” ratings on more Ways of Behaving related to these areas than the other schools. The following are the specific Ways of Behaving in which they. excelled: Has he investigated concerning the initial and long-range income offered by the occupation he wishes to enter? Has he investigated concerning the possibilities of advancement within or from the occupation he wishes to enter? Has he considered carefully the place of his occupation in a pattern? Does he consider carefully whether the job will provide him with or lead to work consistent with his interests in the future? Does he consider carefully whether the job will provide him with or lead to work consistent with his abilities in the future? Has he considered carefully the effect of his work upon his health? Has he considered carefully the’ wages he might need in the future? Has he considered carefully the possibility for advancement in wage level in or from his present job? Substantiating evidence was found in the tables concerned with the distribution of factual answers as given by the youth. When the youth were _SSs. Boy aR ree, ST Bae oy ~ iat SEIS oe 76 Nationat AssociaTIion oF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats [November asked to give their reasons for choosing the occupation which they ex- pected to get into eventually, the School I youth gave answers concerned with prospects of continued employment, advancement, and pay more frequently than the youth of other schools. The latter youth were inclined to be more vague. The School I youth had used what seemed to be more sensible experiences for arriving at decisions than other youth. They had observed and talked with workers in their chosen occupations. They had more carefully considered training opportunities and reasons for train- ing. They were also asked when they had decided on their choices. The answer, “in the Senior High School” was more frequently given by them than by those in the other schools except one. It was found that they had named teachers, counselors, and the principal more frequently than youth of other schools as sources of aid received while at school in deciding upon an occupation. A distribution of youth by Ways of Behaving and by exposure to given guidance practices (after equating for other factors as home, scholastic aptitude, age, and grade completion) showed that exposure to some kind of counseling by school officials and especially teacher-counselors resulted in better ratings on Ways of Behaving concerned with planning and appraisal. More School I youth were keenly aware of the need for getting or advancing to a more desirable job. This is consistent with the kinds of jobs held. The evidence would indicate, also, that exposure to counseling con- cerned with both educational and vocational matters seemed to be better than exposure only to one or the other. Careful attention given to educa- tional guidance has a good effect on ultimate occupational adjustment. The combination of the two, kinds of evidence, and the superiority of School I youth and of those youth exposed to counseling may have been coincidental. But at any rate, School I has the most comprehensively organized program for providing counseling of any of the schools. It devotes more attention to these areas of planning and occupational self-appraisal through its program than any of the other schools. To illustrate this in detail, School I youth were found to be superior in considering the nature of the occupational pattern into which their choices fitted. Upon an analysis of the youth by Ways of Behaving and curriculums it was found also, that the industrial arts youth were outstanding in this respect. The principal of School I had informed the Director at the beginning of the study, and again in the follow-up visit, of the deliberate attention his school paid in its industrial arts program in developing this point of view among its pupils. Every industrial arts pupil was required to have some experience in all of the shops. The school was fortunate in being able to provide a comprehensive program for this aim. The industrial arts curriculum offers what might be called a comprehensive tryout program with deliberate attention paid to the problem of having the pupil be aware of and understand the relation- ships among the occupations represented in the various shops. The concept of having the pupils continuously aware of the need for planning their educational programs and of constantly evaluating their pro- 1940 | Userut Practices 77 grams in the light of their selected objectives permeates throughout the entire school. Not only are special counselors’ provided but the home-room and subject teachers are expected to participate in the total program. For example, pupils in English are required to write one long theme every year. Very often the subject matter of the theme is concerned with occupational matters. School I youth named “regular subjects” as of help in deciding upon a choice of an occupation more frequently than the other schools. The home-room program is frequently concerned with matters of educational and future occupational adjustment. Planning and appraisal are definite aspects of this home-room program. School I has also a comprehensive objective testing program. It makes a serious effort to use the resulting data for the individual guidance of its pupils. The principal is engaged upon a constant in-service teacher train- ing program for the use and interpretation of such materials by his teachers. It is his belief that the very process of such a program has made his teachers more aware of the need for individual pupil guidance. The pupils are deliberately made aware by the home-room teachers of the constant evalu- ation to which they are being subjected. Pupil participation in self-appraisal is one major aspect of the home-room program. One of the tables showed that employers mentioned “personal appear- ance and good personality and ability to meet people” more frequently as reasons for hiring School I youth than were mentioned for other youth. There is a definite program in the home rooms which attempts to make the pupils aware of employer requirements of this kind. An effort is made to treat each pupil as an individual and to have his educational program fit his needs rather than be determined by rigid curricular lines. The best English pupils are in the best English division regardless of what curriculum they may be assigned to nominally. It is difficult to isolate detailed practices as being of value for helping youth plan for and appraise their occupational adjustment. Taking into account such factors as differences among home-room teachers and leader- ship, it does seem as if, here again, certain general conclusions might be drawn. The evidence would seem to establish leads as to the value of doing various things in the school to effect better adjustment in the areas of planning and appraisal. One of these practices is concerned with the edu- cational leadership provided by the school principal. He should make it his business to have his teachers become acutely aware of the need for instructing youth in the task of planning for educational and occupational adjustment, and for instructing them in ways of self-appraisal. In School I the principal has used several approaches. He has used the usual procedure of teacher meetings. In addition, he has tried through in-service training to make his teachers competent users and interpreters of objective tests. He has had his teachers make out model case studies of some one pupil of the school to be used for faculty discussions and in other ways. Whether or not the counseling organization has contributed directly ‘Each counselor has two thirds of his time free for individual counseling. The remainder is devoted to teaching. 78 NationaL AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-ScHOOL Principats [November to the occupational adjustment is difficult to say. The evidence would seem to indicate that it has. But probably more important than its direct con- tribution has been its indirect help. In School I, the counseling organization is not set up as something apart from the school, composed of experts who eventually will interview all pupils. The counseling organization is but one aspect of the total guidance program. It has been used to make the faculty as a whole more aware of the need for educational and vocational guidance. The subject matter teacher must justify, through the use of the cumulative record and other materials, his referral of a pupil to a counselor. Counseling by the counselor comes about chiefly as a result of teacher re- ferrals rather than as an administrative procedure. Another practice besides that of making teachers aware of the problem is to see to it that the pupils become aware of the problem. \n School I the effort is made through the subject classes, home rooms, and the counselors. “How to apply for a position” is a definite unit taught in the commercial department in connection with its training of secretarial workers. The English classes have occupational themes. The Industrial Arts depart- ment tries to develop versatility of skills and awareness of occupational patterns. The home-room teachers attempt to provide information and develop attitudes in group discussions of common problems, while the counselors try to help the individual pupil make a specific adjustment as the need arises. In helping pupils to plan for their educational and vocational adjust- ments, School I operates on the assumption that as much information as can be reliably collected concerning each youth is desirable. School I has the most comprehensive objective testing program of any of the schools. It, also, has made a beginning upon a comprehensive anecdotal record gathering system. The latter is not in full force. It coincides, at least, with better results in terms of pupil adjustment. Further evidence helping to establish some of the above leads may be found by examining a ‘distribution of youth (equated for selected factors) by Ways of Behaving and by exposure or non-exposure to group guidance. Where significant differences existed, the youth who had had group guid- ance were superior 20 times, whereas the non-exposed youth secured higher percentages of “Yes” only 8 times. These superior ratings of the exposed group were chiefly in the planning and appraisal areas. The evidence for exposure to classes in occupational information was not so clear, although in general, youth who had been exposed to classes in occupational infor- mation did better in planning and appraising their present job situations. A distribution of youth by curriculum of last two years in school, pres- ent job and school, showed that 59.1% of the pupils who had taken the commercial curriculum in School I were now in clerical and kindred occupations and 13.6% in sales and kindred occupations. This gave 72.7% of commercial curriculum pupils of School I in present jobs which were directly related to training received. This was the highest percentage of direct relationship for all the schools. The total guidance program of the 1940 | Userut Practices 79 school was undoubtedly responsible for this in part. However, the com- mercial department head of School I informed the Study staff that it is his policy to permit only those pupils who had demonstrated ability in com- mercial work to continue in the department. This involves a practice which implies a negative kind of educational guidance but which seems to be use- ful. Those youth who demonstrate an inability to pursue a particular cur- riculum either for reasons of aptitude or personality should not be per- mitted to continue in that curriculum. Parenthetically, it should be made cl@ar here that educational and vo- cational guidance practices as described above do not necessarily have to aim at forcing the youth into a definite and final occupational choice prior to leaving school. There is some evidence that in many respects it is wiser to postpone for more mature judgment the final choice of occupation even- tually expected to get into. Youth who had remained undecided in school were now considering more carefully matters relating to an appraisal of their job situation. This implies the need for a continous follow-up counsel- ing service of the kind recommended in Chapter VII. It should be pointed out here also that there was no demonstrable effect upon adjustment to the actual job situation produced by counseling but to repeat again, apparently such adjustments must be trained for in specific job situations set up by the school. The particular curriculum “ex- posed to” seemed to have, in turn, little or no effect upon the pupil’s plan- ning and self-appraisal (except for the industrial arts and job pattern as- pect). This reinforces the assumption that the home-room, individual coun- seling, and testing programs were related to the planning and appraisal areas. As a further check upon some of the above leads, it is interesting to note that School VI made absolutely no effort to effect better occupational adjustment in any direct way. It did provide training for stenography and typing, but nothing else. And in this instance the training was concerned only with stenography and typing. It provided no individual counseling, no group guidance work, had no assembly programs and no home-room organizations of any kind. Its principal claimed that old-fashioned dis- cipline and character example by the teachers were sufficient for occupa- tional adjustment. Its chief emphasis was upon academic subject-matter although it had no higher percentage of youth going on further to school than others. In one respect it was distinctly better than the other schools in percentages of “Yes” received. That was in the recognition of the need for special training. In nearly all other respects it ranked below the other schools, except School IV. The deficiencies of the latter school can be easily accounted for by its newness and consequent low average age of its youth studied. In view of that and other matters, School IV really cannot be con- sidered with the other schools, although it may be interesting to point out here, that School IV, as far as it was possible to determine, does very little in the way of providing guidance. But the interesting and significant thing is that School VI, which might be considered as a “zero” school really came out “zero.” This is further substantiation of conclusions drawn. 80 Nationa AssociATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PrincipaLts | November Although, when asked about the value of extra-curricular participa- tion as an aid in deciding upon an occupation, most of the youth replied in the negative, those youth who had participated in extra-curricular activities received higher percentages of “Yes” on eleven Ways of Behaving concerned with planning and appraisal. Non-participants were higher in only one Way of Behaving. Although the differences between participants and non- participants were not very great, the former excelled in Ways of Behaving related to emotional stability, getting along with fellow-workers, observation of health and safety precautiong, co-operation in extra-work activities, and display of interests in larger aspects of business. In summary, specific training of attitudes and habits in specific job- situations, with opportunity for self-direction and self-control seems to make for better adjustment on the actual job. Definite attempts at instructing youth in planning and self-appraisal (which are closely related) through such means as individual counseling, group guidance, a comprehensive test- ing program, and an enlistment of the entire faculty in helping to guide the pupils are practices which seem helpful. “Guiding” pupils out of educational programs for which they show no promise is a negative kind of practice which seems helpful, but it also implies that the school should provide a sufficiently diversified offering of experiences in the remainder of its program. & * & * e Another means for deriving leads may be found in examining indivi- dual cases. One boy from School II told of how in classes taught by the visiting teacher they had pretended they were employer and employee in a hiring interview. They would practice the interview in as realistic a man- ner as possible. He thought this experience helped him. It is interesting to note that the youth in School II were significantly better than those of other schools in the Way of Behaving concerned with the investigation of opportunities for getting a job in one’s chosen occupation. It is also in- teresting to note that one of their frequent answers for method of getting a job was through personal application. For two years the senior commercial students of School II went out on jobs in offices in the community for a two-week period. Most of them thought this was helpful in giving them opportunities leading to permanent jobs and in giving them an opportunity to learn what working on a real job was like. It is interesting to note that when the youth were asked how they received their jobs, the answer “through school officials” was given more frequently by School II than by the other schools. The head of the county agricultural extension service called up School II for office help. It happened that there was a senior boy who was traiped both in agricultural and commercial work, but who would not be graduated for several months. He was given a last minute polishing. Arrangements were made for him to go on the job immediately, to finish his high school course by part-time school attendance, and to be graduated with his class. This suggests another worthwhile practice—that of trying to meet the de- mands of particular jobs with individual pupils as the occasion arises. 1940 | Userut Practices 81 Each of the senior commercial pupils in School II has a period of training in the school office. They apply to the principal for a job. They take dictation from him as a real secretary. They do mimeographing. They act as receptionists, and learn to run the private exchange switch- board. At least one girl interviewed was running a P. B. X. switchboard on her job. She was quite proud of the fact that she knew how to run it when she left school. Apparently the supervisor sent out by the telephone company to train her when the board was installed was surprised and pleased. She complimented both the girl and the school. This suggests a further practice—that the school make the most of all actual job situations which it can uncover in connection with the actual running of the school and have pupils participate in them as in real job situations. This is closely akin to the general principle derived from exam- ining the data of School V. One girl interviewed from School I who had been graduated from the commercial curriculum, was successfully placed by the school as a secre- tary, and was rated very highly by the interviewer for over-all adjustment. She had wanted to become a “writer,” but had been dissuaded by the counselor, who encouraged her to take commercial work. The girl is now satisfied with commercial work. She is planning to take additional train- ing to advance herself further in this field. This is a specific example of a value derived from the counseling organization. There are many interesting sidelights and details that could be pre- sented from the data collected. Only a few will be mentioned here. Although 42.1% of the boys and 33.2% of the girls were in semi-skilled and unskilled occupations (chiefly in mills and factories) when they were interviewed about what they thought of being able to keep their present jobs, only 11.4% of the youth gave answers which indicated that they were thinking beyond their immediate job situations. Their answers were chiefly in terms of employer-satisfaction with their work. The 11.4% who thought in broader terms of the soundness of the company, the company’s employ- ment policies, and the soundness of business conditions in general were probably concerned with more essential matters related to permanency of employment than the others. The question of employer-satisfaction for the semi-skilled and unskilled workers, although it may be very important for the individual workers, is not as important for the workers as a whole. The duties are comparatively simple and easily learned on these jobs and the employer interviews demonstrated that employers are satisfied with the youth. It is interesting to note that the youth of School III, which has em- phasized Problems of Democracy work in its social studies curriculum more than the other schools, gave answers indicating an awareness of the broader problem more frequently than the youth of other schools. Only 8.7% of those choosing skilled occupations were aware of union membership as a possible requirement for entering and participating in those occupations. The highest percentage, 26.1%, was from School I. This may be further substantiation of the attention paid to counseling there. Union activity was no greater in that community than elsewhere. 82 Nationa AssociaATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats | November It must be emphasized that all conclusions drawn or leads established in the foregoing discussion are but tentative and sharply limited in their ap- plication. The small number of schools and youth studied does not permit the making of any broad generalizations with any certitude that they will apply to other than special situations. It was not possible to get the most out of some of the more promising methods of analysis. When certain break- downs were secured, significant conclusions were either obscured or could not be made, due to insufficient cases. With only six schools to study a limitation was placed on the kind and variety of practices to study. This is not out of harmony with the essential purpose of the year’s work which was to demonstrate through actual achievement that techniques, instruments, and procedures for analysis could be developed. It is the belief of the Study staff that such materials were developed and that if they were applied on a sufficiently large scale, it would be possible to establish the values of various school practices for better post-school occupational adjustment. CHAPTER VIil A Post-School Occupational Follow-Up and Adjustment Service Plan’ Need and Values of Such a Plan The establishing of leads as to casual relationships is a very difficult task and is open to error. The recommending of practices, no matter how well established experimentally, has definite limitations as well. Relation- ships well established for one group of schools may not apply to a particular school for a variety of reasons. This leads to the second purpose of this Study which was the development of a survey-plan that could be used by the secondary-school principal to study his own out-of-school youth, and as a result of examining his findings, enable him to determine specific things that ought to be done by his school which are not being done now. If the secondary-school principal believes then that the recommended practices do not apply to his school for one reason or another, he will have the choice of using the survey-plan to get his own findings and to act upon them as best suits his situation. A second value to be derived from providing the individual school principal with procedures to follow lies in the desirability of providing a continuous follow-up counseling service for all youth who have left the school. The procedures for attaining both values follow. PROCEDURE The following is suggested for the secondary-school principal who wishes to have as complete information as he can concerning the adjust- ments made by his school-leavers as a basis for modifying and evaluating the practices of his own school and for being of service to individual youth who have left school. 1. The principal should make it his business to be aware of the school- leaving intentions of his pupils.’ For the graduates, the task is easy. For the withdrawals, there are two methods, among others, which may be used to determine this: The principal should ask all pupils in his school at the beginning a. of each year just when they intend to leave.® 1The Study staff is indebted to both Dr. Richard Allen of The Providence City Schools and Prof. Francis T. Spaulding of Harvard University for some of the basic ideas underlying these proposals. “It has been pointed out in Chapters V and VI that the school ought to increase its efforts to place its school-leavers. Upon discovery of any potential school-leavers, and if it seems unwise or impossible to delay the date of withdrawing, the principal should do all that he can to see to it that the leaving youth is placed in a suitable job. This may involve a flexible arrangement whereby some last-minute training could be provided for the youth as well as actual job placement. Last-minute training of this kind might be of a “‘polishing up” nature and be based upon skills already acquired in the school as illustrated on pp. 80 and 81, or it might be of an initial nature. The latter type could be concerned obviously only with semi-skilled or unskilled jobs. ®This idea has been criticised on the ground that it may suggest the notion of school-leaving to the youth. There is this possibility but it is doubtful that it is a very serious one. 83 SRC PN a, 3 UR: acoed 84 NaTIoNAL AssociATION OF SECONDARY-ScCHOOL Principats [November b. He should ask his home-room. teachers or counselors to estimate the possibility, early in the fall, for each of their pupils leaving school during that school year and to be on the alert for any school-leaving. Those pupils who are meeting with most difficulty are the ones most likely to leave before graduation. 2. At the time of school-leaving, essential factual data should be placed on follow-up record cards which have been developed. This follow-up record card is essentially a device for sorting out different groups of cards by means of a minimum of clerical work for any tabulations or group comparisons which are desired. A de- finite card is recommended but the cards can be modified to suit the individual school if the principal so desires. It is suggested that the factual data recorded at the time of school-leaving consist of the following: (1) Name ( 8) Scholastic rating (2) Sex ( 9) Behavior rating (3) Color (10) Mental ability test (4) Date left school (11) Extra-curricular participation (5) Age left school (12) Last educational choice in school (6) Grade completed (13) Last occupational choice in school (7) Curriculum pursued (14) Occupation of parent . We are recommending that a follow-up inventory should be ‘sent out at one, three, and five year intervals asking for such informa- tion as can be secured through a written questionnaire and about which it is important for the principal to know. Returns as high as ninety per cent can be secured through follow-up letter, use of the telephone, and other devices.‘ The inventory which is suggested for use consists of questions which it is believed are sufficiently factual in nature and specific enough to be secured in the first instance and to be secured reliably in the second instance. The categories, or code for cach question, are these which have been developed as a result of the experience in this Study. The experimental evidence in- dicates that answers to the questions can be secured reliably through the interview technique (both for individuals and for groups). It is the judgment of the Study staff that the questions can be adapted to questionnaire treatment. The returns derived from this questionnaire can be recorded for each youth on the same follow-up cards originally established at the time of school-leaving. The cards can be easily sorted and tables derived from which the secondary-school principal may be able to derive certain inferences. For example, he may wish to ascertain what kinds of occupations are pursued by the graduates of his commercial curriculum. A simple sort will separate graduates from nongraduates. A secorid sort will separate commercial graduates from other graduates. This group of commercial graduates then can be divided into occupational groups. All that remains to be done is to count the cards in each group and the data is available for a table. ‘These will be found in detail in a manual which is to be provided. ProcEeDURE 85 Assume that such a table or series of tables using other variables is derived. What then? Here is a secondary-school principal who finds that less than one-half of his commercial graduates from 1-5 years out of school are in occupations related to their training. He may be interested to know whether the other half had ever made use of their commercial subjects. He sorts their cards to ascertain what subjects they have named as the most valuable to them for occupational life. If he discovers that they have named commercial subjects infre- quently, that further strengthens a growing inference—the inference that his school is training altogether too many commercial graduates. The question next arises—Are there any differences between the commercial graduates who have commercial work and those who do not? Sorts can be made and tabulations secured for each of these groups upon such variables as sex, scholastic rating, behavior rating, mental ability test, socio-economic status of the home, and occupation of parent. Are commercial graduates in commercial jobs mostly girls or boys? Were they the better or mediocre pupils? Were they more co- operative or less co-operative? Do they have higher or lower I. Q’s? From what kinds of homes do they come? Are the occupations of their parents related to their present occupations? A discovery, consistently maintained, that higher I. Q.’s, better behavior, and better scholastic achievement are associated with commercial graduates holding com- mercial jobs would be significant. Information of this kind added to employer information (which is recommended be secured) may add up to providing a sound basis for action for the principal in his occu- pational guidance and training program. Actual tabulations may not work out as clearly as the above illustration, but it serves to illustrate the method. . The next step is to secure through the interview technique ad- ditional information which may offer clues to the principal as to the values of given practices now in operation in his school and sug- gest new ones. The secondary-school principal should carefully select from each of the follow-up groups a sample which is representative of the group. Such a sample could be based upon the sex, graduation or non- graduation, and the curriculum pursued by the pupils.’ It might contain only 50 pupils, but if it were truly representative it would be sufficient to get a further picture of what was happening to the school- leavers. These 50 might constitute only a small percentage of the total group of school-leavers for a large school or the entire group for a small school. If such a representative sample were taken, it would be necessary to secure a high percentage of the interviews upon which to base any inferences. Replacements to this group, carefully selected in the same way, could be made if necessary. ‘Further details of this kind will be found in the manual being provided (see p. 87), also specific instructions for securing such a sample. 86 NaTionat AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Princ: s_ |Novem! The principal should enclose with each questionnaire (follow-up inventory) for the selected sample to be interviewed a request for the youth to return to the school for an interview or to be interviewed at home. Additional devices will have to be used, such as personal house-to-house canvassing, telephone calls, etc., in order to get a high percentage of interviews. The interview schedule which is recommended for use consists of questions, the answers to which, the experimental evidence indi- cates, can be secured reliably through the interview technique. Tne information thus secured cannot be added to the follow-up cards because of two reasons. First, there will not be sufficient room in the follow-up card and second, because some of the information secured through an interview cannot be neatly coded for tabulation purposes. The suggested interview blank will, therefore, have to have some of its information tabulated manually and some combined into de- scriptive generalizations. The interview schedule is being provided with a ticking device which will facilitate selected sorting and make the manual tabulations easier. One of the chief benefits to be derived from the information collected through the interview schedule lies in the possible develop- ment of case studies. The interview schedule plus the questionnaire should provide a rich source of data for studies of individuals from the complete or “whole” point of view as contrasted with group treatment of cross-sections of individuals. It is this interviewing aspect which will involve considerable work. Possibly, groups of youth can be asked to come in at the same time for “group” interviewing. This consists of a number of persons collected in one room and provided with interview schedules to fill in. One person prepared to answer questions can be in charge. There is no evidence concerning the reliability of this method of “group” inter- viewing. It should be used only when individual interviewing is impossible. This may reduce the amount of time required, but as far as it can determine, there is no panacea nor easy way to solve this problem. When requests are granted, either the principal or inte...-.- and capable teachers can interview the youth using the interview schedule. The interviews need not be concentrated in one short pe- riod, but may be spread out through the entire school year. The inter- view should take no more than one-half hour for each youth. This would take approximately 25 hours of interviewing time throughout the year. It is suggested that other teachers help the interviewing teachers tabulate and summarize the results. This will acquaint addi- tional teachers intimately with the data gathered. . Contained in the original questionnaire to the youth will be a request for the name and address of the employer. It is recom- mended that a selected list of representative employers be made up and PROCEDURE 87 that the employer interview schedule provided be used with each of these employers. On the basis of experience gained in the Study it seems best that the employers be interviewed. A questionnaire would not be very fruitful of meaningful results. It is also highly desirable that the school establish a direct and personal contact with the em- ployers for possible future placement purposes in order to establish and maintain friendly relationships, and to get a real insight into the employer mind. . A counseling service for all out-of-school youth should grow out of these follow-up interviews. The above plan deals with survey procedures for discovering what to do about the general program of a particular school. It is just as essential that attention be paid to do ing something for all youth, treated as individuals, who have left the school. It has been the experience of the Study staff that the youth inter- viewed very frequently wished to ask questions for advice and infor- mation as a result of the interview. The staff has had instances of youth, with whom they had interviews, stimulated to seeking advice from their principals as a direct result of the interview. This would provide an opportunity for the secondary school to give immediate service to those whom it had interviewed. For the very small schools this would mean providing service for all school-leavers. For the larger school, evidence of this kind should be used to create the po- s.tion of a follow-up co-ordinator or some similar position, or to jus- tify the enlistment of all teachers in such a service. There are various ways in which the latter might be done. For example, teachers could be released from regular school duties to conduct such a service either concentrated in time or spread out through the year. There are doubt- less many tasks now being carried on by teachers which could be omitted or reduced in time expenditure to make this possible. It should be emphasized here that, while the sampling procedure may serve as a beginning for modifying school practices and for help- ing some youth, the school should set up as its ultimate goal that of being of service to all its youth. - A manual has been developed which contains specific instructions for the use of the questionnaire and interview schedules. It provides instructions for sending out the questionnaire afd getting as complete returns as possible, for tabulating the data so collected, for interpreting the data collected from specific questions, and for doing specific things about particular kinds of returns for modifying either the total school program or aspects of it. Instructions for se- curing as high a return as possible on the youth interviews are pro- vided, for handling data so collected, and for using such data as well as the tabulated group returns for modifying the school program. It contains specific instructions, also, for interviewing youth and for being of service to the youth concerned. 88 NaTIoNAL AssociATION OF SECONDARY-ScHOOL Principats | November The Occupational Follow-Up and Adjustment Service Plan (as it is being called) will be tried out experimentally during 1940-41. Any principal or guidance officer may secure copies of the follow-up card, follow-up inventory, individual interview schedule, and man- ual of directions by writing to the executive secretary of the National Association of Secondary-School Principals. It is contemplated to publish the results as an issue of THE Butvetin of the Association in the late spring of 1941. An attempt has been made to provide a program that will meet the need. But such a program as this involves a considerable amount of work and time. For the school which finds it impossible to undertake the whole program at once there are parts of it which may be started at first. For example, the interviewing aspect need not be undertaken until the ques- tionnaire phase is under control and functioning smoothly. Another difficulty to overcome is that concerned with public opinion as it relates to this area of aiding the youth through the transition period. Professor Seyfert’ reports on a survey of public opinion in three representa- tive New England towns. He cautions against deriving too broad a general- ization from this data, but the situation is fairly typical. The following is a quotation from his article. Although in the three towns opinion overwhelmingly supports giving ‘definite training for jobs to pupils who are not going on to college,’ a ma- jority of the citizens are not convinced that the high schools should help graduates to find jobs, and there is practically no support for the idea that the school's offer the same service to boys and girls who leave without gradu- ating. Adults in these communities apparently are willing to have the schools go to considerable lengths to get young people ready for after-school years, but they are little concerned in how the schools take practical steps to help these young people make a successful transition into the life for which their schooling has been preparing them. For pupils who for one reason or another make the transition the ‘hard way’—by dropping out—sympathy is almost lacking. The public needs to be made aware of the necessity for attention to the problem of transition. Data collected through the follow-up question- naire may be very useful in convincing the public of the need for doing something constructive about the situation. In the last analysis, the task rests squarely upon the school people; the leadership they can provide in awakening public opinion to the necessity for constructive action, and the sacrifices that they are willing to make in time and in effort until additional aid is provided. Unless the individual school is willing to make those sacrifices, the job will not be done. For above all else, it must recognize that there is no easy way out—there are no ‘short cut’ methods or solutions. The Study staff believes that the secondary school today is willing and anxious to meet this problem. It has confidence that ultimately this problem will be dealt with satisfactorily. *Seyfert, Warren C., What the Public Thinks of Its Schools, School Review. 48:423. June, 1940. Pows ys (WPIY) Joqrezy wOVUIDg Joo—ps YS (tq) VoOISuqy Awapery (1A) proypug foo~s YS (OW) ppPysuuds SNOLLVALLIS 3aI1 ONLLAIN APPENDIX I Some Factors Associated With Percentage of Employment The data have been analyzed in an effort to discover if differences in certain personal characteristics, background conditions, and ways of be- having related to occupational situations are associated with differences in percentage of employment. Where differences have been found an attempt had been made to relate them to school situations and to draw inferences concerning school practices. These findings are reported in this section. PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS Sex The boys in the sample enjoyed a higher percentage of employment than girls. The data reported in Table 30 reveal that the mean percentages of employment for 467 boys and 421 girls were 79.5 and 71.1 respectively. The difference between the means is statistically significant.’ Approximately one girl out of five had been employed less than 51% of the time since leav- ing school while eight out of nine boys equalled or exceeded this figure. One boy and nine girls had been totally unemployed. These sex differences in percentage of employment argue for separate treatment of the data for boys and girls in the remaining analyses. TABLE 30. MEAN PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT BY SEX N M SD 79.5 21.1 71.1 28.1 Sex Boys -.. 467 Girls 421 Difference M —M =8.3 3 =D ifference ¢ Difference = 1.68 o Difference =41.95 P<.001 Employment amounting to less than five hours per week was dis- regarded. Employment that amounted to more than five but less than thirty hours per week was prorated in terms of thirty hours per week, or “full-time employment.” For example: A youth emp'oyed ten hours per week for six weeks would have been credited with sixty hours of em- ployment or two weeks of “full-time employment.” Employment that amounted to more than thirty hours per week was regarded simply as “full- time employment.” Percentage of employment for each youth was deter- mined by dividing the number of weeks out of school by the number of weeks during which he had enjoyed “full-time employment.” Intelligence These data reveal no statistically significant correlation between bgys’ intelligence as recorded in the secondary school and percentage of employ- ment. (Table 31). There is, however, an indication of a positive relationship 1In this appendix when it is stated that a difference is statistically significant reference is made to the 1% level of significance (P 5): This means that chance fluctuation of random samples would be expected to produce a difference as great, or greater, than the one reported in less than 1% of similar samples if the true difference were zero. Exact levels of significance are stated for certain less reliable differences. 90 1940 | Home AND Famity Backcrounps 91 between school-recorded intelligence quotients and tenure of employ- ment for girls. These sex differences in correlations may be due to differ- ences in the kind of work done by boys and girls of the type studied here. An analysis of Tables 22a and 22b on pages 50 and 51 will reveal that while 35.7% of the girls were engaged in professional, managerial, and clerical occupations only 20% of the boys were so employed. Thorndike’ has reported a positive correlation between intelligence and success in clerical work. Later in this appendix it will be shown (Table 50, page 105) that there is a statistically significant difference in percentage of employment among girls who enter the various occupational classifications and that professional, managerial, and clerical occupations provide the more stable employment. Height and Weight Thorndike’ states that “employers pay substantial premiums for mere size in clerical workers.” The data reveal no significant differences between either height or weight and per cent of employment. In this, these data are in agreement with the findings of Dearborn and Rothney* who report, “The individual interested in employment problems will find nothing of signifi- cance in the anthropometric measurements (height and weight) of em- ployed and unemployed groups.” HOME AND FAMILY BACKGROUNDS The data revealed no significant relationships when socio-economic status of the home,’ number of siblings employed, and number of siblings unemployed are correlated with percentage of employment. TABLE 31. CORRELATIONS OF PE R OF EMPLOYMENT AND T CONTINUOUS VARIA S Variable Intelligence —-.-..-.-.... 347 . 316 +.16 Weight» PRET ok = ete he 353 296 +.05 NE AEE NCE SAREE TRE MS 296 —.00 Socio-Economic status of the home...-.-.......... 353 +.06 296 +.01 Number of siblings employed 353 +.02 296 = —.05 Number of siblings unemployed 353 +.01 296 —.00 Level at which “r” is significant?» 350 14 300 16 @ Pearson product-moment correlation. 6 Linearly interpolated from Table 13, page 212 in Lindquist, E. F., Sratistical Analysis in Educational Research. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1940. This table was developed by substituting r ; y—rf—_. /N—2 appropriate values for ‘‘t’’ and “‘N" in the formula t = V V column. Interpolations were made in the P o1 *Thorndike, E. L., and others. Prediction of Vocational Success. New York: The Commonwealth Fund, 1934. 3]bid., page 118. ‘Dearborn, W. F., and Rothney, J. W. M. Scholastic, Economic, and Social Backgrounds of Unem- ployed Youth. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1938, p. 127. 5Scores are derived from the Wrightstone Adaptation of the Sims Score Card. See Wrightstone, J. W., “tA Social Background Data Sheet.” Journal of Educational Sociology, 7:525-527, April 1934. Also, Sims, V. M., The Measurement of Socio-Economic Status. Bloomington, Illinois: Public School Publishing Company, 1928. 92 NarTiIonaL AssociATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats [November Employment Status of Parents Sons of fathers who were employed during the last two years of the youth’s schooling have been employed a higher percentage of time since leaving school than the sons of fathers who were unemployed or who were “not in the employment market.” This difference is statistically significant. (See Table 32.) The results, however, are different for girls. Girls whose fathers were unemployed during their last two years at school exceed in per- centage of employment those whose fathers were employed and those whose fathers were “not in the employment market.” For both boys and girls, the children of parents who were “not in the employment market” during the youths’ last two school years had the least percentage of employment. When the head of the family is unemployed the prosperity of the home usually is impaired. If this principle holds true in the sample these differences, supported by data to be presented later, lead one to speculate that necessity for giving financial aid to the home is a more powerful in- fluence in stimulating girls to remain employed than it is for boys. This speculation seems reasonable in view of the fact that boys have been the traditional breadwinners of the family and girls, generally speaking, have sought employment only when necessity demanded. These differences are probably less pronounced than they would have been had the comparisons been made twenty-five years ago, before the migration of women from the home to employment markets. TABLE 32. FATHERS’ EMPLOYMENT STATUS DURING YOUTHS’ LAST TWO YEARS AT SCHOOL AND PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTH Boys Father’s Status N M SD N 39 76.9 22.6 35 Employed 341 82.1 18.5 302 Not on employment market 89 69.9 26.5 Total 469 79.4 21.1 425 Unemployed ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE? Boys Girls Source of Sum of Sum of Variance DF Squares Variance DF Squares Variance Among groups 2 10,785.84 5,392.92 2 16,763.38 8,381.69 Within groups 466 199,492.41 428.10 422 316,080.30 749.01 Total 468 199,492.41 424 332,843.76 F=12.606 P 93==4.71 F=11.19 P 93==4.7¢ P<.01 P 95=3.04 P<.01 P’o5=3.04¢ a For discussion of Analysis of Variance see Lindquist, op. cit. pp. 87-179. & F equals Ratio of larger variance to smaller variance. ¢ Read from F Tables in Lindquist, ibid., pp. 62-65. 1940] Home anv Famity Backcrounps 93 The factor of the father’s employment status loses its significance after these youth have been out of school for a period of time. This is shown in Table 33. Interesting theories may be evolved as to why this change occurs. It may be that the factor of the father’s employment status is associated with the youth’s going to work immediately after leaving school. The theory that necessity is a more powerful stimulus for girls than for boys in their relations to employment has further support in the data presented in Table 34. Here it is found that sons of mothers who did not work outside the home during the youths’ last two years in school exceeded in percentage of employment those whose mothers did work outside the home. For the girls the reverse is true. While these differences are not sta- tistically reliable, the direction of the differences is indicative of an associa- tion. (P.o6 for boys and P32 for girls.) Broken and Unbroken Homes Youth whose homes were broken during their last two years at school by the separation of their parents, either through death, divorce courts, or because of other reasons, do not differ significantly in percentage of employ- ment from youth whose homes were intact. Again, however, the data pre- sented in Tables 35 and 36 reveal differences that lend support to the theory that necessity is a force that impels girls more than it does boys to secure jobs. Assuming that youth coming from broken homes have greater need to be self-supporting than do youth whose homes are intact, it is found that boys from unbroken homes have enjoyed a higher percentage of employ- ment than those whose homes were broken, yet girls from broken homes exceeded in employment those whose homes were intact. TABLE 33. FATHERS’ PRESENT EMPLOYMENT STATUS AND PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOY- MENT OF YOUTH Boys Father’s Status N M SD 59 76.9 23.2 Employed 314 79.8 20.7 Not in employment market 96 79.4 21.4 75 Total 469 79.4 21.1 425 ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE Girls Sum of Squares Variance Among groups 2 405.89 202.95 1,137.20 568.60 Within groups 466 209,872.36 450.37 331,706.56 786.03 Total 468 210,278.25 332,843.76 F=2.22 P 91=99.49 F=1.38 P 91=99.49 P>.05 P'95=19.49 P>.05 Pg5=19.49 Unémployed Source Boys , of Sum of Variance DF Squares Variance 94 NATIONAL AssocIATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats_ | November Nativity of Parents Boys whose parents were both born in the United States were employed a higher percentage of time since leaving school than were sons of parents, one or both of whom were born outside this country. Girls whose parents TABLE 34. MOTHERS’ EMPLOYMENT STATUS DURING YOUTHS’ LAST TWO YEARS AT SCHOOL AND PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTH Boys Girls Mother’s Statuse N M SD N M SD Worked outside the home 102 76.5 23.49 109 74.2 25.97 Did not work outside the home 329 81.3 19.21 296 70.9 28.49 Difference (worked—not worked)= 4.83 Difference (worked—not worked)= 3.24 o Difference = 2.57 _ o@ Difference = 3.00 Difference ee Difference oe o Difference P>.05 a The mothers of 38 boys and 20 girls were either dead or receiving ‘‘direct relief’ during the last two years the youth were in school. ¢ Difference TABLE 35. PARENTAL STATUS DURING YOUTHS’ LAST TWO YEARS OF SCHOOL AND PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTH Boys Girls Parental Status N M SD N M SD Both living 404 79.6 18.56 380 70.9 27.27 One or both dead 65 77.6 22.86 45 74.2 23.68 Difference (living—dead) =2.05 Difference 3.23 o Difference a 351 o Difference = 38 Difference —~ 68 Difference = 84 o Difference gee o Difference 7 oe P> 05 P> _.05 TABLE 36. PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTH AND PARENTAL RELATIONSHIP DURING YOUTHS’ LAST TWO YEARS AT SCHOOL Boys Girls Parental Relationship N M SD N M SD Living Together 384 80.0 20.1 399 70.6 28.68 Separated, divorced, and widowed 85 76.5 25.28 59 75.5 23.36 Difference (together—separated) =+3.48 Difference --........ =—4.90 o Difference ox 229 o Difference = 32 Difference Difference o Difference = 1.18 o Difference = 1,4 P>.05 P>.05 1940 | Home ano Famity Backcrounps 95 were both foreign born, however, maintained a higher percentage of em- ployment than did the daughters of native born parents or of parents of mixed nativity. The differences in average percentage of employment shown in Table 37 are statistically significant for boys. The differences among the girl nativity groups, while not statistically significant, show that girls whose parents were both foreign born have been employed 73.5% of the time since leaving school while the average for all girls is only 71.2%. This difference may be due to the European tradition that lays greater stress on a girl’s contribution to family support than is commonly expected in American homes. It is interesting to note that in this sample girls of foreign extraction were not penalized when competing for tenure of employment. No evi- dence is available to show whether they were or were not discriminated TABLE 37. PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTH AND NATIVITY OF PARENTS Boys Girls Nativity of Parents M SD N M sD Both native born 82.6 18.02 70.0 29.28 Both foreign born 77.5 23.27 73.5 26.44 One foreign born 63 72.8 23.57 48 67.0 28.06 Total 469 79.3 21.12 424 71.2 27.99 ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE Boys Girls Source 5 of Sum of Sum of Variance DF Squares Variance DF Squares Variance Among groups 2 5,684.25 2,842.13 2 2,176.57 1,088.29 Within groups 466 204,594.00 441.89 421 330,079.03 784.04 Total 468 210,278.25 423 332,255.60 F=6.43 P oy=4.71 F=1.39 P 9,=4.71 P<.0l P 9, =3.04 P>.05 P 9,=3.04 against in the level of employment secured. For both sexes, children of parents, one of whom was born in the United States and the other in a foreign country, maintained the lowest average percentage of employment. Order of Birth and Size of Family Table 38 reveals that order of birth in families of differing sizes is not associated with percentage of employment to a statistically significant de- gree. It will be noted, however, that the boys who were in the “only child” class maintained the lowest average percentage of employment while the girls in this class excelled girls from all other classes in average tenure of employment. While the differences in percentage of employment among the classes for both boys and girls are not greater than could reasonably be expected to occur from chance fluctuations of random samples drawn from populations in which there is no real difference, this evidence together with that which is shown in Table 39 leads one to suspect that girls from small families have a greater advantage in the employment markets than do boys 96 NatTIONAL AssocIATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats | November from families of like size. Thurstone and Jenkins’ have reported data to show that the level of intelligence of children tends to decrease as the size of the families from which they come increases. If this condition holds PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT IN TABLE 38. OF YOUTH AND ORDER OF BIRTH FAMILIES OF DIFFERING SIZES Order of Birth in Families of Differing Sizes Older of two Oldest of 3-5 Oldest of more than 5 Middle of 3-5 Middle of more than 5 Younger of 2 Youngest of 3-5 Youngest of more than 5 Only child Total Girls M 74.2 70.2 71.8 60.8 71.3 74.8 75.4 73.4 76.0 71.3 Boys M 78.9 82.3 85.5 80.2 77.4 76.0 82.8 77.9 73.8 79.4 sD 20.4 19.9 14.8 19.7 23.6 24.3 16.1 20.3 25.3 21.1 469 ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE Source Boys of Variance DF Sum of Squares Variance Girls Sum of Squares DF Variance 8 460 Among groups Within groups 410.09 449,10 3,280.68 206,997.57 586.26 788.83 8 4,690.05 416 328,153.71 Total 468 424 332,843.76 F =1.10 P > 0S 210,278.25 ==2.5) P o1=2. P 9,=1.96 F =1.35 P 94==2.55 P > .05 P o5=1.96 TABLE 39. OF YOUTH AND ORDER OF BIRTH PERCENTAG E OF EMPLOYMENT IN FAMILIES OF DIFFERING SIZES Size of Family Boys Girls N M SD N 'M More than 5 3-5 2 or less 143 222 104 78.1 81.4 76.7 106 229 90 71.6 69.7 74.9 22.6 19.0 23.2 Total 469 79.4 21.1 425 71.3 ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE Source Boys Girls of Variance Sum of DF Squares Variance Sum of DF = Squares Variance Among groups Within groups 2 466 1,905.28 208,372.97 952.64 447. 874.81 784.60 2 1,743.61 15 422 331,100.15 Total 468 210,278.25 424 332,843.76 F =2.13 P > .05 =4.66 =3.02 P on P =4.66 =3.02 =1.11 > .05 F P Po. P 05 °Thurstone, L. L., and Jenkins, R. L. Order of Birth, Parent Age, and Intelligence, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1931, pp. 25-32. 1940] Home anv Famity Backcrounps 97 true in the sample it appears reasonable to assume that the youth who are members of families of two or less children are slightly more intelligent than those who come from larger family groups. This being the case one would expect, from the evidence reported in Table 31, the intelligence factor to have a greater positive association with the employment of girls than obtained for boys. Source of Support During Last Two Years at School Boys who contributed to their own support during their last two years in school excelled in percentage of employment those who were entirely dependent upon their parents or other persons for support. The differences are statistically significant. A glance at Table 40 will reveal that a like con- dition obtains among the girls although differences are not significant. However, the fact that in both the boy and girl populations the direction of the difference is the same leads one to suspect that youth who contribute to their support during the time in which they attend school develop qualities that are associated with success in holding jobs after their school days are past. Marital Status of Boys For reasons stated earlier in this report, married girls were not in- cluded in the sample. Records of the marital status of 464 boys were secured. When the married youth were compared with those who were single as shown in Table 41, the difference in percentage of employment in -favor of the married group was found to be statistically significant. This difference may be explained by the natural inclination of young men to delay marriage until such a time as they are reasonably certain that their employment will TABLE 40. PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT AND SOURCE OF YOUTHS’ SUPPORT DURING LAST TWO YEARS AT SCHOOL : Boys Source of Support N M SD N Parents 379 77.7—=—«21.98 = —Sts«3'8D Self and others 73 89.5 10.95 19 Others (not parents) 17 72.0 22.99 16 Total 469 79.4 21.12 424 ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE Source Boys Girls of Sum of Sum of Variance DF Squares Variance DF Squares Variance Among groups 2 9,401.03 4,700.52 2 4,557.15 2,278.58 Within groups 466 200,877.22 431.07 421 328,037.14 779.19 Total 468 210,278.25 423 332,594.29 F =10.90 Po, =4.66 =2.92 } =4.66 P o< (Ol Pos _=3.02 9g =3.02 98 NationaL AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats [November be continuous. If this explanation is valid it would appear that marriage for boys in this sample is a function of, and dependent upon regularity of em- ployment. Other explanations seem plausible. Employers may give pref- erence to married youth when periods of slack employment occur. For this reason to be effective these youth would have had to become husbands immediately ofter leaving school, as the employment figures are based on percentage of employment during the entire time out of school. A further hypothesis would be that the courage and initiative necessary to assume the responsibilities of married life are closely akin to the qualities necessary for successful competition in the employment markets. SCHOOL BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCES An examination of Table 42 will disclose that no significant cor- relations were found between precentage of employment and the following variables: age at school leaving, last semester completed, average English marks, number of extra-curricular activities engaged in during last two years at school, behavior ratings, times tardy, and times absent for either TABLE 41. PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT OF MARRIED AND UNMARRIED BOYS Marital N M &D Status — oA 88.1 12.95 Unmarried 433 79.1 21.13 Di CRE Seounee o Difference —257 ~ ems ae =3.48 P<.01 o Difference TABLE 42. CORRELATIONS OF PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT AND CERTAIN CONTINU- OUS VARIABLES GROWING OUT OF SCHOOL BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCES Boys Variable N ra N Age at school leaving +.03 Last semester completed +.03 Rank in class (scholastic standing) —.01 296 Average English marks (last 2 years in school) 353 —.05 296 Schools’ estimate of probable future occupational success 353 —.16 296 Number of extra-curricular activities (last 2 years at school) 353 +.03 296 Behavior rating (last 2 years at school) 353 —.07 296 Times tardy (last 2 years at school) 353 —.02 296 Times absent (last 2 years at school) 353 —.01 296 Level at which “r” is significant’ 350 .14 300 @ Product-moment correlation. 6 Linearly interpolated from Table 13 on page 212, Lindquist, E. F., Statistical Analysis in E. tional Research. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1940. Interpolations made in P 01 column. 1940} ScHoot Backcrounps 99 boys or girls. Rank in class, while not correlated with percentage of em- ployment for boys, gives significant negative correlation for girls. Schools’ estimates of probable future occupational success are negatively correlated with percentage of employment for both sexes. It would seem that these negative correlations between schools’ predictions and actual tenure of ¢m- ployment result from a tendency on the part of schools to base judgments largely on evidences of scholastic standing. This suspicion is further strengthened by the fact that when the schools were asked to give reasons for being unwilling to recommend youth for employment the answer most frequently mentioned was “lack of good general education.” In general, the value of impressing upon youth the importance of scholastic achieve- ment is not questioned, but evidence lends support to the contention that the requirements for continuous employment in the jobs actually held by the majority of these youth are only remotely related to the require- ments for success in academic school subjects. Courses in Occupational Information The information presented in Table 43 shows that the girls who had © what the schools designated as courses in “occupational information” did not differ significantly in percentage of employment from those girls who had been denied such courses. For the boys, however, the group that had had occupational information courses exceeded in percentage of employ- ment those who had not had such courses. The difference, while not con- clusive, is sufficiently great to indicate a clue to a school practice that may be associated with tenure of employment, and to suggest a possibility for further study. Courses in Group Guidance It will be seen from an examination of Table 44 that having had courses in group guidance is associated with percentage of employment to a degree quite similar to that which was reported for courses in occupa- tional information. Here again no significant difference is found for the girls, yet the boys who had had such courses exceeded in percentage of employment those who had not. The difference is significant at the P.o4 TABLE 43. PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTH WHO HAD COURSES IN OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION Courses in Occupational Boys Girls Informations N M SD N M sD Yes 112 84.0 18.15 70 71.9 27.99 No 251 79.3 20.58 248 72.6 26.27 Difference (Yes—No) = 4.67 Difference (Yes—No) = —.72 o Difference = 238 o Difference = 3.76 Difference Difference a ge ¢ Difference =. 196 o Difference si .05

.01 P>.05 @ This information was not available for 106 boys and 107 girls. 100 Nationa AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-ScHOOL Principacs [November level. The combination of evidence presented in Tables 43 and 44 leads one to suspect that the type of experiences provided in these courses (occu- pational information and group guidance) may be quite similar. While they may be of value to boys in so far as tenure of employment is concerned there is a question as to their helpfulness to girls of this type. Further evidence is needed to substantiate or disprove this suspicion. Kind of Individual Counseling Received. Employment on the basis of kind of individual counseling the youth had received during high school was analyzed. The data are summarized in Table 45. While the variance among groups is not sufficiently great to be significant at the 5% level, the data are interesting. It will be noted that 213 out of 404 boys and 207 out of 342 girls had had no individual counseling during their secondary-school attendance. Of those remaining, TABLE 44. PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTH WHO HAD COURSES IN GROUP GUIDANCE Courses in Group Boys Guidance N M 123 82.6 281 78.4 =+4.20 ss 2265 1.89 Girls SD N M 20.23 85 68.2 21.15 294 71.2 Difference (Yes—No) o Difference Difference ¢ Difference P>.05 SD 31.29 27.59 =—2.95 = gave 78 Yes No Difference (Yes—No) o Difference Difference o Difference 06

.01 TABLE 45. PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT AND CHIEF KIND OF INDIVIDUAL COUN- SELING YOUTH HAD AT SCHOOL Kind of y Boys Girls Counseling N M SD N M 24 83.4 16.1 8 54.9 117 79.7 19.2 82 77.2 For vocational choices For educational choices 45 68.8 Other kinds None 50 213 81.5 78.2 19.6 22.9 207 70.4 Total 404 79.3 21.3 342 7i ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE Source of Variance Boys Girls Sum of DF Squares Variance Sum of DF Squares Vagiance Among groups Within groups 664.76 451.19 3 1,994.29 400 180,474.21 1,820.44 783.74 3 5,461.32 338 264,904.83 Total 403 182,468.50 341 =. 270,366.15 F=1.47 P>.05 =3.83 P o1 =2.62 P os =3.83 =2.62 2.32 P>.05 Pon a Unable to secure this information for 65 boys and 83 girls. 1940] Work EXPERIENCES 101 117 boys and 82 girls had been counseled individually on matters concern- ing educational choices, while only 24 boys and 8 girls had received counseling for vocational choices. Since none of these youth continued formal schooling after leaving the secondary school it would appear that a reversal of those figures would have been more appropriate to the needs of the individuals concerned. A literal interpretation of the differences in mean percentage of em- ployment for the various groups probably would be misleading. Talks with the youth lead the staff to believe that the variation in kind and amount of counseling within each of the types represented here is as great as the variation among the types. Counseling for “vocational choices” extends from incidental remarks as to where work might be available to actual placement of youth in jobs for which they were fitted by interests and aptitudes. The comparatively small number of girls who were counseled for vocational choices leads one to suspect that those who were counseled were problem cases in school and on the verge of leaving. Judging from the practices of the schools from which the Study sample was drawn it seems reasonable to believe that the youth in the “for educational choices” group constitute the “cream of the crop” in so far as intelligence is con- cerned. Therefore, in view of the evidence presented earlier in this appendix, it is to be expected that girls of this type would profit more than boys, in competing for employment, as a result of their intellectual superiority. WORK EXPERIENCES Correlations An examination of the correlations reported in Table 46 reveals that there is no indication of relationship between percentage of employment and beginning weekly wage or number of different jobs held since leaving school. The low correlations between percentage of employment and num- ber of different jobs held supports Thorndike’s summation of his findings concerning this factor. He says: “Workers in vocational psychology should be very cautious about using infrequency of change of employer as a measure of vocational success. Its correlations with annual earnings, TABLE 46. CORRELATIONS OF PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT AND CERTAIN CONTINU- OUS VARIABLES GROWING OUT OF WORK BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCES Boys Girls Variable N re N ra Beginning weekly wage 353 =—.04 296 =6 +.09 Number different jobs held since leaving school 353 —.07 296 +.08 Days of work missed because of personal illness 353 +.02 296 +.19 Level at which “r” is significant? 350 .14 300 .16 @ Product-moment correlation. 6 Linearly interpolated from Table 13 on page 212, Lindquist, E. F., Statistical Analysis in Educa- tional Research. New York: Hough Mifflin Company, 1940. Interpolations were made in P 01 column. aG%,. 102 Nationa Association oF SeconpARY-ScHooL Principats [November level of jobs, and liking for jobs are far too low.” To this admonition this Study makes it possible to add that its correlation with one other aspect of occupational adjustment, percentage of time employed, is likewise too low to carry significance as a measure of success. The correlation between percentage of employment and number of days of work missed because of personal illness is insignificant for boys. There is, however, evidence of a positive correlation between number of days of work missed because of personal illness and percentage of employ- ment for girls. This relationship should not be interpreted to mean that girls who enjoy a higher percentage of employment are less healthy than those girls who are employed less regularly. It may indicate that girls with irregular employment are less likely to take “time off” because of illness, or that girls who have been employed less regularly have been ill as frequently as those who have had more regular employment but, due to periods of unemployment, illness did not result in days of work lost. Work Experience During Last Two Years at School Earlier in this appendix (Table 40, page 97) evidence has been reported to show that boys and girls who contributed to their own support during the time they were in school excelled in percentage of employment those who did not. Since most of those youth who contributed to their support did so by working for pay after school hours it appears reasonable to antici- pate the results of the comparisons shown in Table 47. Here it is found, that those youth (both boys and girls) who worked for pay during their last two years at school have enjoyed a higher percentage of employment since leaving school than those who did not work. The differences are statistically significant. These findings lend support to the inferences drawn from incomplete data by Dearborn and Rothney,’ who state: “We may say that our data point to the effectiveness of work while at school in deter- mining employment status after school completion, but the direction may be (although it does not appear likely) changed in another population.” Evidence has been presented elsewhere in this report to show that work experience is associated with other areas of occupational adjustment. TABLE 47. WORK FOR PAY DURING SCHOOL AND PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT Boys Girls Yes 324 81.9 19.03 156 78.6 22.83 No 131 72.3 24.44 255 67.1 29.75 Difference (Yes—No) = 9.63 Difference (Yes—No) =11.45 o Difference = 2.39 o Difference “= 2.62 Difference — 493 Difference pe o Difference wpa o Difference Nig 3 P<.01 P<.01 a This information was not available for 13 boys and 14 girls. Dearborn and Rothney, op. cit. p. 108. ( ‘ C T 1940 | Work ExPERIENCES 103 The data reported in this appendix, together with the findings of others who have studied this problem, provide support for the contention that youth who have had work experience during school develop qualities that will enable them to secure and maintain employment after their schooling is over. Chief Reason for Taking First Full-Time Job After Leaving School Boys who selected their first full-time job because they provided a type of work in which they were interested enjoyed a significantly higher per- centage of employment than those who took jobs because of other reasons. The differences for girls are not statistically significant as is shown in Table 48. The method employed to group youth in the category “other” may have been influential in obscuring possible differences that exist among the girl groups. When the youth were asked to state the chief reason for taking their first full-time job the answer “only job available” predominated. The “interest” answer was second in numerical importance. Other answers such as “job was offered to me,” “to make money for personal needs,” “gave something to do,” “to make money to help the family” were given, but not one by a sufficient number to warrant a separate category. The differences among the boy groups, however, are great enough to warrant the conclusion that boys, of the type represented in this sample, who take their first jobs because the work is adapted to their interests have a better chance of maintaining continuous employment than have those who take the first job available regardless of the interest factor. Method by Which First Regular Job was Secured One would naturally guess that youth who secured their first regular job from their parents would maintain a higher percentage of employment during the first five years out of school than would those who were forced TABLE 48. PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT AND CHIEF REASON FOR TAKING FIRST FULL-TIME JOB ‘ Boys Girls C hief Reason N M SD N M Only job available 307 75.8 22.1 280 71.9 Selected because of interests 65 88.1 11.8 39 72.4 Other reason 89 85.7 17.1 86 76.4 Total 461 79.5 20.7 405 72.9 ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE Source Boys Cirle of Sum of Sum of Variance pF Squares Variance DF Squares Variance Among groups 2 12,147.25 6,208.63 2 1,385.03 692.52 Within groups 458 184,618.33 403.10 402 275,840.65 686.17 Total 460 197,618.58 404 277,225.68 F=15.402 Po, = 4.66 F= 1.01 Po, = 4.06 P<.01 Pos = 3.03 P>.05 Pos = 3.03 104 Nationat AssociaTIon oF SECONDARY-ScHOOL Principats [November to seek work outside the immediate family. The figures reported in Table 49 substantiate the guess. When those who were employed by their parents were included in the sample the différences among the methods groups are significant for both boys and girls. When these youth are removed from the sample, the difference among the remaining groups lose significance. Occupational Classification Unskilled occupations provided work for more of the boys than did any other one classification. The greatest number of girls, however, was found in clerical work. Only fourteen boys and three girls were employed in jobs that could be classified as professional or managerial—yet those so employed maintained the highest average of employment. (See Table 50.) The differences in percentage of employment among the various occupa- tional classifications are not significant for boys. The differences for girls are significant. Clerical work not only employed the greatest number of girls, but those girls so employed ranked second in average percentage of employment. It is interesting to note that service occupations employed the second greatest number of these girls and they ranked third in percent- age of employment. It would appear from these data that secondary schools should give increased attention to training girls of this type for domestic as well as personal service occupations. WAYS OF BEHAVING The biserial correlation® technique has been employed in this appendix to determine the degree to which the “Yes” and “No” ratings on each of the first twenty-six Ways of Behaving’ are associated with percentage of em- TABLE 49. PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENT AND METHOD OF SECURING FIRST FULL-TIME JOB Methods of Securing Boys Girls First Full-Time Job N M SD N M Employed by family 53919 8.5 2384.2 Employed through influence of friends or relatives 205 «785 22 174 «744 Through commercial agencies 21 72.6 20.3 46 79.0 Through personal efforts 175 77.2 22.0 157 67.2 Other means 15 81.2 27.0 16 77.4 Total 469 79.4 21.1 416 72.8 ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE Source Boys Girls : of Sum of Sum of Variance pr Squares Variance DF Squares Variance Among groups 4 10,343.17 2,585.79 4 10,496.98 2,624.25 Within groups 464 199,935.08 430.89 411 276,287.64 672.23 Total 468 210,278.25 415 286,784.62 F=0.00 ca ie ae F= 3.90 Poy 338 P<.01 Po, = 2.39 P<.01 P ax 2.39 ‘Lindquist, op. cit., pp. 241ff. "See Chapter II, pp. 13 and 14 for discussion of the Ways of Behaving and the Appendix II for reliability of the judgments made. 1940] SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS 105 TABLE 50. PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYMENI AND OCCUPATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF FIRST REGULAR JOB Occupational Classes Boys Girls (U.8.E.8. Classification) N M SD Professional and managerial 14 93.4 7.73 Clerical 56 77.1 21.4 Sales 51 85.5 20.0 Service 27 75.1 23.0 Agriculture, Fishing and Forestry 62 82.1 21.9 Skilled 51 76.9 20.9 Semi-skilled 69 77.2 19.9 Unskilled 139 78.9 21.5 Total 469 79.4 21.1 ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE Source Boys Girls _ of Sum of Sum of Variance pF Squares Variance DF Squares Variance Among groups 7 5,533.56 790.51 6 26,959.47 4,493.25 Within groups 461 20,744.69 444.13 418 305,884.29 731.78 Total 468 26,278.25 424 332,843.76 =1.80 Poi 2.69 F=6.14 Po 2.85 P>.05 P os 2.03 P<.01 Pas 2.12 ployment. The biserial “r’s” are recorded in Table 51. An examination of this table will show not only the “Yes” and “No” correlations but will also reveal a somewhat rough measure of the validity of Ways of Behaving as criteria of occupational adjustment as represented by tenure of employment. It will be noted that while the correlations are relatively low the “Yes” coefficients are uniformly plus, and the “No” relationships are generally negative. Keeping in mind that an “r” equal to .13 is significant for the number of cases upon which these measures are based one is led to con- clude that there is a community of relationship between most of these Ways of Behaving and continuity of employment. The correlations, while not reliable for predictive purposes, are sufficiently high and consistent to warrant the recommendation that secondary schools exert planned effort toward developing desirable occupational behavior patterns in youth who aspire to enter the employment market at the termination of their attend- ance in the secondary school. SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS This aspect of the study was conducted for the purpose of discovering factors associated with tenure of employment. It was hoped to establish clues which would be directive of action for secondary schools in their search for means of providing more adequate and appropriate education for youth whose formal education ends at secondary-school graduation or earlier. This objective has, to a degree, been satisfied. While further re- TABLE 51*. BISERIAL CORRELATIONS WAYS OF BEHAVING AND PER CENT OF TIME EMPLOYED N M r Yes No Yes No No Ways of Behaving Planning Arca: 1. Seeks advice from sound Boys 189 83.0 769 +.18 —.17 source Girls 123 75.0 63.4 +.12 —17 2. Use of past experience to Boys 309 82.4 73.7 +.25 —.24 arrive at a decision Girls 257 75.7 64.1 +.26 —.23 . Consideration of perma- Boys 345 81.5 739 +22 —.20 nency of employment Girls 298 74.2 63.7 +.23 —.20 . Investigation of Boys 294 80.9 76.0 +.12 —.15 requirements Girls 293 74.8 615 +.26 —.27 . Investigation of conditions Boys 319 81.2 760 +.15 —.14 of work Girls 307 75.3 576 +33 —37 . Investigation of opportu- Boys 277 81.6 767 +15 —l1l nities of getting a job Girls 257 76.0 61.7 +28 —.29 . Having objectives in line with Boys 314 80.5 74.2 +.09 —17 his interests and abilities Girls 254 73.4 623 +12 —.21 . Investigation of initial Boys 258 81.1 761 +10 —.16 and long-range income? Girls 211 75.6 676 +.20 —.13 . Investigation of possibili- Boys 261 81.7 760 +.15 —.15 ties of advancement? Girls 227 75.2 67.1 +20 —.15 . Consideration of occu- Boys 224 83.9 742 +.25 —27 pation in a pattern Girls 183 76.4 67.7 +21 —15 . Recognition of need for Boys 303 78.6 805 —07 +.04 special training Girls 260 719 684 +.04 —.08 . Investigation of training Boys 172 785 798 —06 +.02 opportunities Girls 131 719 644 +02 —.19 . Making realistic provision Boys 142 79.3 781 —01 —.07 to get training Girls 110 719 643 +.02 —21 . Training appropriate to Boys 212 80.2 756 +04 —.12 objective Girls 164 726 585 +.05 —.29 . Efforts to get the desired Boys 256 81.5 76.7 +.14 —.12 kind of work Girls 247 76.1 65.0 +27 —.19 . Appearing to best advan- Boys 338 80.6 755 +.11 —.13 tage inemployment interviews Girls 326 73.7 610 +.24 —24 Appraisal Area 17. Persisting intelligently in Boys 259 814 728 +.12 —.25 the face of disappointment Girls 222 73.2 620 +.10 —.25 18. Considering consistency of Boys 377 80.8 748 +.19 —.14 work with own interests Girls 325 73.7 61.2 +.23 —.24 19. Consideration of future Boys 357 805 763 +13 —11 work interests Girls 296 72.3 673 +09 —l1l 20. Consideration of future Boys 345 80.7. 75.2 +.14 —.15 work abilities Girls 300 73.4 64.7 +117 —.17 21. Consideration of effect of Boys 402 80.1 75.3 +12 —.12 work on his health Girls 366 73.0 .59.3 +.27 —.23 22. Consideration of future Boys 293 815 750 +.16 —.20 wages needed Girls 229 74.2 683 +15 —l11 23. Consideration of possibility Boys 352 816 723 +24 —.24 for advancement in wage level Girls 269 75.7 616 +.28 —.28 24. Consideration of permanency Boys 401 81.0 69.6 +29 —.29 of employment Girls 348 73.6 571 +27 —.31 25. Consideration of sick benefits, Boys 273 815 77.4 +.15 —.09 bonuses, etc. Girls 227 75.0 66.3 +.19 —.18 26. Changing jobs when it Boys 385 80.6 75.9 +30 —10 means improvement Girls 339 73.3 67.2 +.23 —.09 Total distribution of Boys N=467 M=79.5 sD=21.12 percentage of employment : ia] ict ‘a (Yes—?—No—DA) Girls N=424 M=71.1 SD=28.06 *For footnotes and explanations to this table see bottom of next page. 1940 | SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS 107 search is necessary to establish their efficacy for occupational adjustment, some of the factors here found to be associated with tenure of employment provide leads as to practices which may be employed by schools to provide more worthwhile experiences for youth who enter the labor markets at the termination of their secondary-school attendance. Some Generalizations An examination of these data will show that factors which have been found to be associated with duration of employment for boys do not, as a rule, maintain a like association when the comparisons are made among girls. Throughout this appendix the phrase “but the results are different for girls” appears with almost clock-like regularity. These differences it is be- lieved provide evidence that sex is a factor of prime importance in occupa- tional adjustment. This sex difference should receive careful consideration when programs of education to facilitate the post-schocl adjustment of youth are planned and executed. The importance of family backgrounds and influences should not be discounted as factors affecting the adjustment of youth to occupational situations. Throughout this investigation there is evidence that when any event occurs to upset the traditional family pattern—father as the bread- winner and mother as the home-maker—there results a diminution in the regularity of boys’ employment and an acceleration in the percentage of employment enjoyed by girls. Employers, operating in a “buyers’ market,” should be able to pick and choose among prospective employees. These data, however, provide indirect evidence that the employers of youth, in the communities from which this sample was drawn, have neglected to secure the regular services of the best talent available to them. More careful methods of selecting per- sonnel would pay dividends in efficient service. Finally, there is strong evidence that the qualities required for suc- cessful achievement in the secondary schools participating in this study are only remotely (if at all) associated with the requisites for continuous employment in the type of jobs found by these youth after they have severed their school connections. RECOMMENDATIONS Evidence has been reported in these data to show that those boys and girls who contributed to their own support, and those who worked for Footnotes and explanations on Table 51: This table shows the relation of Ways of Behaving and per cent of time employed. Level at which biserial “r” is significant at the P 9; level N=400 = r= 13 « biseriat “re” = -Mg-My . _P_ Note: St Z M;-™M, |, P were computed and the biserial ‘‘r’s’’ were read from a table prepared by S. Kolbe, L. E., and Edgerton, H. A., for the Occupational Research Program of the U.S.E.S. The complete tables appear in the Journal of Experimental Education, 4:25, March, 1936, PP. 245-253. : 2 b ind d judges was not sufficiently reliable for use in separating groups. 4 v b A 108 Nationa AssociaTION oF SECONDARY-ScHOoL Principats [November pay during their school years exceeded in percentage of employment those who did not. It is possible that the qualities which enabled these boys and girls to achieve work experience during their school days are the same qualities or factors which have operated to enable them to maintain a com- paratively high percentage of employment since leaving school. It is not, however, outside the realm of possibility that the work experience itself may have contributed toward the development of certain characteristics demanded for regular employment. Certainly the associations here reported suggest a practice which secondary schools may employ. It is recom- mended, therefore, that schools seize upon every opportunity to provide actual work experience as a part of the educational program of all youth who expect to enter the employment markets immediately on leaving school. Low but consistently positive correlations have been found between tenure of employment and interviewers’ judgments as to what constitutes intelligent behavior toward certain occupational situations in two areas: planning for employment, and self-appraisal in terms of employment ad- vantages and opportunities. These data seem to recommend the feasibil- ity of supplementing actual work experience with programs designed to guide youth in the development of patterns of behavior that will help them plan for work and appraise their employment opportunities in an intelligent and realistic manner. These data show that the boys in the sample who had courses in occupational information and group guidance while in the secondary school excelled in tenure of employment after leaving school. On the basis of this evidence it is felt that the programs designed to assist youth develop intelligent patterns of behavior toward occupational situations should in- clude a thorough study of the various occupations open to this type of youth. These occupations should be analyzed in terms of their availability, re- quirements, advantages and disadvantages. Youth should then be aided and encouraged in their efforts to appraise their individual interests, aptitudes, and abilities in terms of the requirements of available employment oppor- tunities. In making these recommendations the Study staff is aware that many secondary schools include these practices and more in their programs to facilitate the occupational adjustment of their leaving youth. These are mentioned here because the data reveal that they are practices of potential value in preparing youth for employment. It is hoped thet these analyses may prove to be a source of encouragement to school people who are sin- cerely trying to make their schools function in the interest of the boys and girls whose formal education will end with secondary-school graduation or earlier. Likewise it is hoped to activate others who are aware of the need but doubtful of their ability to provide an education appropriate to afl. APPENDIX. II Some Technical Considerations INTRODUCTION The data used in this study were gathered from three main sources: the school, the youth, and the employer. This appendix is primarily con- cerned with a treatment of the reliability of information obtained from the youth and of the judgments made about the youth. Two questions arise in connection with the reliability of the data collected for a given group of youth: (1) Would the data have differed significantly had a different set of interviewers been used? (2) Would the data have differed significantly had the interviews been held at a different time? To get an answer to the first question one hundred youth, selected at random from the six schools, were subjected to what were called “double interviews.” One interviewer did the questioning, recorded the answers as he understood them, and made his judgments. Another interviewer was present but did not ask any questions. He simply recorded the youth’s answers as he understood them, and made his judgments independently of the other interviewer. To get an answer to the second question, another one hundred youth were subjected to what were called “repeat interviews.” Youth who had already been interviewed by one person were interviewed again about a week later by a different interviewer using the same interview schedule. For both the double interviews and the repeat interviews the information gathered and the judgments made were compared for the two sets of interviews. IMPLICATION OF THE DOUBLE AND REPEAT INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE It should be observed that the two types of interviews get at entirely different aspects of reliability. The double interviews were designed to give data only on the reliability of recording and the judgments made when two interviewers heard the same responses. When a youth described how he got his present job, did the two interviewers present both check the same coded category on the form? After hearing him discuss his occupational plans for the future, did the two interviewers agree on whether he was making intelligent plans? The reliability of the information as given by the youth was not under investigation in this situation. The unreliability of the information and judgments about the youth revealed by the double interviews was a function of the extent to which the two interviewers in- terpreted and recorded the youth’s responses differently and made behavior ratings differently when observing the same interview. The other aspect of the problem is the reliability of the information as given by the youth. Assuming perfect reliability of recording, would the 109 PKG ABTI TS oe 110 Natronat AssociaTIon oF SEcoNDARY-ScHOOL Principats [November youth’s remarks at one time indicate that he got his present job through the influence c: a member of his family and at another time indicate that it was through the influence of a friend? Would his discussion at two different times of his present job and the future posibilities he saw in it lead a per- fectly reliable judge to make the same ratings on the quality of the youth’s appraisa. of his situation? There were various factors which would account for differences in a youth’s responses in two interviews held one or two weeks apart. Besides the chance inconsistencies to be expected over a week’s period of time due to changes in the youth’s health or spirits or frame of mind, the youth’s occupational status might have changed. He might have been fired, or hired, or given an increase in wages, or new responsibilities, etc. These things did happen to some youth and to the extent to which changes in the youth’s responses between the two interviews reflected true changes in the facts during the interim, the unreliability of the data was spuriously increased. The youth probably differed among themselves with respect to their ability to give consistent answers. Surely it was easier for a highly intel- ligent recent graduate to give consistent responses than it was for a youth with a long work history who had dropped out of school five years ago be- cause he could not master the school work. Differences in reliability could also be expected between different types of information. It was generally much easier to get facts about the present job than it was to get facts about the first job after leaving school. Another factor leading to different responses in the two interviews was the educational effect of the first interview. Information only poorly re- membered for the first interview might be the subject of thought during the interim between the two interviews so that in the second one the facts might be more satisfactorily arranged in the youth’s mind with con- sequent changes in his responses. Aside from requests for factual informa- tion, many of the youth had apparently never before given any serious consideration to some of the questions raised in the first interview. The very fact that they were called on for an answer would lead to some think- ing on the matter. This would probably continue after the interview was over, so that on the second interview their answers might be based on more consideration and hence be somewhat different. That the interviews did stir up some thinking is evidenced by the number of youth who subse- quent to the interview voluntarily went back to the school for the first time seeking advice and counsel. Differences in the original and repeat interviews also could be expected from differences in the interviewers. The personalities of the interviewers and the consequent rapport with the youth varied. Different interviewers probably asked the questions somewhat differently and differed in the amount and kind of subsidiary questioning they used to draw out addi- tional information. Thus it is seen that the repeat interviews involved many aspects of reliability, but it was not possible to dissociate the various factors. The 1940 | Tests Usep 111 unreliability of the information and judgments about the youth revealed by the repeat interviews was a function of changes in the youth’s occupa- tional status, the educative effect of the first interview upon his thinking and behaving, differences in the personality and technique of the inter- viewers, etc., as well as of the unreliability of recording. There is another aspect of reliability which the double and repeat inter- views do not get at. That is whether or not the youth’s responses would agree with information about the same question derived from some de- pendable source other than the youth. The youth might be consistently mistaken or consistently misleading in his responses. The enormous amount of work involved in checking thoroughly on this type of reliability made it impractical to attempt on a large scale. One bit of evidence of this type however is the fact that the average present wages as reported by the youth and by the employers differed by only ten cents a week, with a standard error of twelve and a half cents. TESTS USED TO DETERMINE RELIABILITY OF THE ITEMS IN YOUTH INTERVIEW SCHEDULE The items in the youth interview schedule were of two distinct types in so far as the nature of the information given by the respondent is con- cerned. First, a considerable number of items such as age, wages, time employed, etc., were of a purely quantitative, objective nature. A much larger number of the items were of a qualitative, categorical type, including likes and dislikes about jobs, how jobs were secured, opinions about jobs and school, etc. Here, the respondent’s reaction to the questioning was generally a subjective statement of a fact or an opinion which later was categorized for making machine tabulations. Since the tests of reliability which would be appropriate for the first type of data would not be appro- priate for the second, somewhat different approaches were used with respect to the qualitative items and the quantitative items. For the quantitative items the product-moment correlation coefficient (Pearson “r”) was used as the index of reliability, abetted by tests of the significance of the difference between the means of the original and the “double” or “repeat” data. The data as recorded by the original interviewer were correlated with the data as recorded by the “double” or “repeat” interviewer using precisely the same codings as used in the main body of the report, and the resultant “r” taken as the measure of the concomitant re- lationship between the two series of data. The means and the standard deviations of the two series of data were computed, and the ratio of the difference of the mean to the standard error of the difference’ was derived. 2 2 Ou mM, cs V On, + om, ~2 72%, where oO ~ S: or the original data, and MN? or the “‘repeat” or ‘‘double’’ data, and Fie is the correlation coefficient for the two series. ’ ee eee [November 112 Nationa AssociaTION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS For the qualitative items, rigorous correlation methods could not be used. Since these data were to be used almost exclusively for group analyses it was desired to test the statistical significance of the differences between the group distributions for each item. If the differences between the two distributions were not significant, it could be assumed for all practical purposes that they gave subsiantially the same description of the youth. The value of the Chi-square (goodness of fit) function’ was determined twice for each item—for the original and “double” distributions, and for the original and “repeat” distributions. The Chi-square probability, P, was obtained for the appropriate number of degrees of freedom. In addition, for the qualitative items considerable use was made of agreement and disagreement counts—the actual number or per cent of agreements or disagreements between the original and the “double” or “repeat” data for the various items. While these counts did not give any absolute index of optimum consistency in and of themselves, they did prove valuable for more subjective analyses of the items. DATA ON THE RELIABILITY OF THE ITEMS ON THE YOUTH INTERVIEW SCHEDULE Analysis by Correlation The correlation coefficients for 24 of the quantitative items from the Youth Interview Blank are summarized in Table 52. In interpreting the correlation coefficients a coefficient of .70 or higher was considered sufficient to justify using a particular variable in the group analyses TABLE 52. FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF PRODUCT-MOMENT CORRELATION COEFFI- CIENTS FOR TWENTY-FOUR QUANTITATIVE ITEMS FROM THE ORIGINAL AND DOUBLE OR REPEAT INTERVIEWS Double Interview Data Repeat Interview Data Correlation Number Per Cent Cumulative Number Per Cent Cumulative Coefficients of Items Per cent of Items Per Cent .98-1.00 6 25.0 2 8.3 eae .95-0.97 8 33.3 58.3 2 8.3 16.6 .90-0.94 3 12.5 70.8 5 20.8 37.4 .85-0.89 l 4.2 75.0 6 25.0 62.4 -80-0.85 l 4.2 79.2 1 4.2 66.6 .75-0.79 3 12.5 91.7 2 12.5 79.1 Less than 0.75 2 8.3 100.0 5 20.8 99.9 Total 24 100.0 24 99.9 Median 953 .870 (f,-f.)” x? - > £ where fy is the frequency in the distribution of the original TY Ath *' distribution and k is the number of data and f, is the frequency in the ‘“‘double’’ or “repeat categories, and the sum of f, equals the sum of fy - 16.8 74 Fourth year 97 367. . ae 32 Fifth year sue Average annual earnings since school 91 413. 827. y Hs 90 Earnings during 1939 96 ; 335. 690. - 10.6 81 Highest level of . skill reached 45 ‘ 491 2.78 530 .055 18 Youth's feeling about not having desired kind of work (rating) 43 76 1.44 762 =1.56 870 .088 1.36 =) “ ‘© *e a) _ we =) _ oS Ve N sh NAY ve a —) to ¢ n .o oo as —-~ 2 ee a RE TAS M,.- M, , a The mean difference-standard error ratio equals ——2—__——=_ The difference between the , C m,-Mp two means is statistically significant at the .o5 level if the numerical value of the ratio equals or exceeds 1.96 and at the .o1 levei if it equals or exceeds 2.58. 6 Too few cases to carry out the computations. 114 TABLE 54. CORRELATIONS AND RELATED DATA FROM ORIGINAL AND REPEAT INTERVIEWS Original Double Data Data (Pearson “r’’) Standard Deviation Standard Standard Error of Difference Mean Difference- Standard Error Ratios Correlation Coefficient Deviation _ a foal _ as aw Date left school 100 Hours worked per week 85 No. months on present job 98 Beginning weekly wage on present job 98 Present weekly wage on present job 97 Months unemployed after leaving school 100 Beginning weekly wage on first job 98 No. different jobs held 100 No. months worked after leaving school: First year 100 Second year 65 Third year 42 Fourth year #19 Fifth year 56 Per cent of time employed since school 100 : . i ; : 1.54 No. months employed during 1939 100 P ; au , : 215 Annual earnings after leaving school: First year 99 : ‘ 2 q BS Second year 64 : 3 . ; 312. 21.7 Third year 42 : : a . 290. 21.3 Fourth year 19 - : 4 . 250. 24.4 65 Fifth year 56 oe wa Pees Average annual earnings since school 100 d ; ’ 755. 364. 18.1 1.58 Earnings during 1939 99 : : A 617. 304. 14.6 1.76 to to fo N VI oo VW Ww n> w oc w _ Von -_ VION wr w Highest level of skill reached 91 ‘ ‘ 651 2.81 570 .068 59 Youth's feeling about not having desired kind of work (rating) 38 .44 1.47 854 1.34 623 129 1.01 a The mean difference-standard error ratio equals M M . The difference between the Onm.-ma two means is statistically significant at the .o5 level if the numerical value of the ratio equals or exceeds 1.96 and at the .o1 level if it equals or exceeds 2.58. 6 Too few cases to carry out the computations. 115 116 Nationar AssociaTIOn oF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats [November level of skill reached” cannot be justified for use in this report, and was therefore not used, even though if it could be reliably obtained it would be of unquestionable importance. Analysis by Difference between Means For most of the quantitative items, group averages were to be used to derive inferences in the general report. It was deemed desirable, therefore, to find out whether or not the arbitrary selection of interviewers or the time at which the interview was held would cause any appreciable fluctuations in these averages. The means, their standard deviations, the standard errors of differences between the means, and mean difference-standard error ratios of the twenty-four quantitative items are summarized in Tables 53 and 54. , For the double interviews none of the variables has a difference between the means which is significant at the .05 level. For the repeat interviews only two show a significant difference at this level. It should be noticed that both of these variables deal with the initial occupational experiences of the youth, Analysis by Use of the Chi-Square Test The Chi-square test was applied to the two distributions for each of the qualitative items from the Youth Interview Blank in order to determine whether the differences in the group responses were statistically significant. A frequency distribution of the Chi-square probabilities for 81 of the qualitative items is presented in Table 55. With these data when P=.10 or more it seemed reasonable to assume that differences in the group responses were not statistically significant. It may be noted in Table 55 that only one of the items from the double interviews and another from the repeats have P-values of less than .10. TABLE 55. FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF THE CHI-SQUARE PROBABILITIES (P) FOR EIGHTY-ONE ITEMS FROM THE ORIGINAL AND DOUBLE OR REPEAT INTERVIEWS Double Interview Data Repeat Interview Data Chi-Square Number Per Cent Number Per Cent Probability (P) of Items of Total of Items of Total 90-100 35.8 25.0 80-89 9.9 10.0 70-79 7.4 8.8 60-69 11.1 13.8 50-59 6.2 - 25 40-49 7.4 8.8 30-39 4.9 3.8 20-29 13.6 8.8 10-19 2.5 17.5 0-9 1.2 1.3 Total 100.0 100.3 Median P nN N v=) = eNIwstInNneK se Oo _— _ =—NK AYO DH & _ fo] a ao o 1940] RELIABILITY OF THE Ways oF BEHAVING 117 The “reason for the youth choosing his expected occupation” from the repeat interviews had a P-value of .06; “how the youth is planning to finance his future training” from the double interviews had a P-value of .04. In regard to the item from the repeat interviews, it should be stated that quite frequently the youth did not have clearly in mind the reason why he had chosen his expected occupation, and one constantly encountered expressions such as “I told the other interviewer something else” or “I don’t remember what I told the other interviewer.” The items from the double interview produce inconsistent results primarily because the youth was generally vague and incoherent in his remarks. It is believed that the remainder of the 81 qualitative items from the Youth Interview Blank have been secured with sufficient reliability to be reported for purposes of group comparisons. The evidence which follows from an analysis of agreements and disagreements also bears out this assumption derived from the use of the Chi-square test. Analysis by Agreements and Disagreements In making the analysis of agreements and disagreements the original interview form and the double or repeat interview form were placed side by side and hand tallies were made of all pairs of responses which were coded alike and all pairs of responses for which the coded answers were not alike. When the coded responses were alike the pair of responses was tallied as an agreement and where the coded responses were dissimilar the pair of responses was tallied as a disagreement. Since 100 double and 100 repeat interviews were used, the agreement and disagreement frequencies for each of the items were equivalent to the actual percentages of agreement and disagreement for the various items. For the items from the double interviews the per cents of agreement ranged from 63 to 100; and for the repeat interviews from 31 to 100. A frequency distribution of the per cents of agreement and disagreement on each of 94 qualitative items from the Youth Interview Blanks is given in Table 56. The mean per cent of agreement for the items from the double interviews was 87 and for the repeat interviews 74. The mean difference-standard error ratio for these two means is 6.32, indicating a significant difference in the means. RELIABILITY OF THE WAYS OF BEHAVING The nature of the double and repeat interviews has already been explained. Each of these procedures resulted in pairs of ratings on the Ways of Behaving as applied to about 100 youth. The original ratings were made on a “Yes,” “?,” “No” basis, but since few “?” ratings were given, they were combined with the “No’s,” and comparisons were based on a “Yes”—“Not-yes” classification. One simple measure of the extent of agreement between the original interviewers and the “double” or “repeat” interviewers would be the pro portion of the cases in which their ratings were the same. For example, for Way of Behaving One, the first and second interviewers in double interviews agreed in their ratings on 78% of the youth. However, the 118 Nationar Association oF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PrincipaLs_ [November TABLE 56. FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF THE PER CENTS OF AGREEMENT ON NINETY- FOUR ITEMS FROM THE ORIGINAL AND DOUBLE OR REPEAT INTERVIEWS Double Interview Data Repeat Interview Data Number Per Cent Number Per Cent of Items of Total of Items of Total 12.8 9.6 75 Per Cent of Agreement — N 96-100 23 24.5 91-95 14 14.9 86-90 16 17.0 81 85 14 14.9 76-80 16 17.0 71-75 5.3 66-70 3.2 61-65 3.2 56-60 51-55 46-50 41-45 36-40 31-35 94 Total ‘ Mean (%) d 74.2 S " 16.63 1.72 19.2 10.6 9.6 75 8.5 4.3 4.3 5.3 1.1 — Uparnoulsesea! nO oM size of a figure like this can be accounted for not only by the expertness of the judges but also by the tendency for a given rating to be used predominately. For example, a high percentage of agreements might be reached merely by giving everybody a “Yes” rating regardless of any characteristics they exhibited. Hence, the way in which the total number of ratings is divided between “Yes” and “Not-yes” ratings should be taken into consideration. For the Way of Behaving just mentioned, 31% of the ratings were “Yes” and 69% were “Not-yes.” To get a measure that would combine these two aspects of the problem, coefficients of correlation between the ratings of the first and second interviewers were determined. Tetrachoric coefficients of correlation were used for this purpose. This was done on the assumption that the ratings of the Ways of Behaving would have been normally distributed had it been possible to apply accurately a finer measure than the rough “Yes”—“Not-yes” classification that was used. These coefficients were read from Thurstone’s computing diagrams.‘ For Way of Behaving One on the double interviews this coefficient was .72. The proportion of the ratings on which both judges agreed and the tetrachoric correlation coefficients between the ratings for each of the Ways of Behaving based on the youth interview are presented in Table 57. ‘Chesire, Leone, Saffir, Milton, and Thurstone, L. L. Computing Diagrams for the Tetrachoric Correlation Coefficient. Chicago: University of Chicago Bookstore, 1933. 1940 | RELIABILITY OF THE Ways oF BEHAVING 119 TABLE 57. MEASURES OF AGREEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL RATINGS ON WAYS OF BEHAV- ING BASED ON YOUTH INTERVIEW GIVEN BY TWO INTERVIEWERS Double Interviews Repeat Interviews Per cent of Agreements Number of Youths Per cent of “Yes” Ratings Per cent of Agreements of Youths Way of Behavinge Number 69 66 72 67 75 71 76 73 58 66 76 73 69 72 52 62 75 58 85 38 37 70 77 87 74 51 83 70 78 45 100 70 52 88 68 49 95 82 -40 98 77 24 97 71 51 96 81 39 97 64 50 97 71 51 98 77 56 97 48 72 96 78 CoOnNnAUMaAwWHD —& UANAOOWOWHwWwWDL SSSIRSKSSSSEssey 98 93 94 78 72 89 75 80 70 75 74 69 74 81 84 76 72 74 69 66 80 73 67 87 65 72 85 69 82 @ For the statement of the ways of behaving corresponding to these numbers see Appendix III, pages 145-146. 6 The number of pairs of judgments varies with the Way of Behaving mainly because a particular Way of Behaving did not apply to all youth, and in a few other instances because for some reason the data were not complete. Note: The table may be read as follows: For Way of Behaving One, there were pairs of ratings based on 99 youth. Of the 198 ratings involved, 31 per cent were ‘Yes’ ratings. Seventy-eight per cent of the 99 youth were rated either ‘Yes’ by both interviewers or else ‘‘Not-Yes’ by both interviewers. The tetrachoric coefficient of correlation between the two sets of ratings was .72. It was not thought advisable to attempt to get double and repeat interviews from the employers, so the reliability of the judgments based on these interviews could not be checked in the same way the reliability of the judgments based on the youth interview was checked. What was done was to determine whether a reader, from reading the filled-in tied Pe ia Ske: cece ran ee 5 a os Me ots — moana ate gh ty, 120 Nationat AssociaTIon oF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principacs [November Employer Interview Blank, would make the same ratings as were made by the original interviewer at the time of the interview. After the completed forms were filed in the central office, a random sample of them was taken and the rating sheets removed. Each of these forms was then read by some member of the interviewing staff other than the original interviewer. After going over the form as a whole, the reader would give his rating on each of the Ways of Behaving, referring to the specific items on the form designed to throw light on the particular way of behaving under consideration. The readers’ ratings were then compared with the ratings of the original interviewers in the same manner that the ratings of the first and second interviewers on the Ways of Behaving based on the youth inter- views were compared. These comparisons are presented in Table 58. ' Since the percentages of “Yes” ratings given on these Ways of Behaving were rather consistently high, it might be argued that the “agree- TABLE 58. MEASURES OF AGREEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL RATINGS ON WAYS OF BEHAV- ING BASED ON EMPLOYER INTERVIEWS AS GIVEN BY ORIGINAL INTERVIEWERS AND BY READERS Way of | Number Per cent of Percentof .. Tetrachoric Behavinge of Youth “Yes” Ratings Agreements re 27 1 100 100 eis 28 13 100 100 , aia 29 69 90 97 95+ 30 76 95 100 1.00 31 76 ' 95 97 95+ 32 76 88 93 91 33 42 69 90 93 34 76 95 100 1.00 35 69 80 94 95+ 36 70 89 99 95+ 37 26 96 92 . d ' 38 76 95 97 ; "95+ 39 53 85 96 ' 95+ 40 74 82 94 95+ 41 75 89 99 I+ 42 54 54 100 ‘1.00 a For the statement of the Ways of Behaving corresponding to these numbers see Appendix III, pages 146-147. 6 The number of pairs of judgments varies with the Ways of Behaving because a particular me of behaving often applied to only part of the youth. ¢ The tetrachoric ‘‘r’s’’ recorded as .95-++ are somewhere between .95 and 1.00. From the computing diagrams used it is not possible to read values of ‘‘r” in excess of .95 d There were no “‘No” ratings given on this way of behaving by the readers. Note: The table may be read as follows: For the Way of Behaving Twenty-nine, there were pairs of ratings on 69 youth. Of the 138 ratings involved, ninety per cent were ‘Yes’ ratings. Ninety- seven per cent of the 69 youth were rated either “Yes” by both judges or else ‘‘Not-Yes’’ by both judges: The tetrachoric coefficient of correlation between the two sets of ratings was in excess of .95. eo -. a 1940] RELIABILITY OF THE Ways oF BEHAVING 121 ment” of the two sets of judges in giving a large proportion of “Yes” ratings was an indication of their lack of ability to distinguish relative degrees of excellence on the way of behaving in question rather than being an indication that most of the youth deserved a high rating on an absolute scale. Two facts seem to justify the ratings given. In the first place, when “No’s” were given they were given reliably, i.c., both sets of judges tended to give the “No” to the same persons. In the second place, the employers seemed to be on the whole well pleased with the youth they employed. For example, the question, “Does he produce work of the amount and kind that you believe he should?” frequently got an answer something like this: “Why of course, or else I wouldn’t have him here!” The tests applied so far have been concerned with the reliability of the judgments for the individual youth concerned. Did the individual youth tend to receive the same ratings from both the original interviewers and the “double” or “repeat” interviewers? The subsequent use of the data on the Ways of Behaving in the general analysis was to be in terms of whether one group of youth, such as the youth from a given school or the youth in a given curriculum, received a significantly different per- centage of “Yes” ratings than did some other group. The question, there- fore, arose as to whether or not the percentage of “Yes” ratings given a certain group would have been materially affected had another set of interviewers been used or had the interviews been held at a different time. To answer these questions for the experimental groups the group ratings given by the original interviewers were compared with the group ratings given by the “double” or “repeat” interviewers. The difference between the percentages of “Yes” ratings given by the two sets of inter- viewers was compared with its standard error to see if the difference was statistically significant. This was done for both types of interviews. For illustration consider the data for Way of Behaving One on the double interviews. There were 99 youth for whom there were pairs of ratings on this way of behaving. The original interviewers gave 28% of them “Yes’s” and the double interviewers gave 34% of them “Yes’s,” giving a difference of 6%. The standard error of this difference’ was 6.6%. The ratio of the difference to its standard error was .91. Since the .05 level of significance for such ratios is 1.96, the difference is not statistically significant. The results of applying this test to each of the Ways of Behaving based on the interview with the youth are presented in Table 59. In Table 60 are presented the results of applying the test to the ratings on the Ways of Behaving based on the employer interview as given by the original inter- viewers and by the readers. In no instance was the difference significant. 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JO LNAD Wad “6S ATAVL 1940] RELIABILITY OF THE AREA JUDGMENTS 123 TABLE 60. PER CENT OF ‘‘YES’’ RATINGS ON WAYS OF BEHAVING BASED ON EMPLOYER INTERVIEWS GIVEN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP BY ORIGINAL INTERVIEWERS AND BY READERS Percentage of “Yes” Ratings Differencec 8. E. of Diff. Way of Number of Behavinga Youth Original Reader 27 1 ie 28 13 sss 29 69 88 30 76 95 31 76 93 32 76 90 33 42 69 34 76 95 35 69 81 36 70 90 37 26 92 38 76 96 39 53 87 40 74 82 wots 41 75 89 0.2 42 54 54 = 10.4 Nees. a For a statement of the Ways of Behaving corresponding to these bers, see Appendix III, pages 146-147. 6 The number of youth for whom there were pairs of ratings varies with the Way of Behaving mainly because particular Ways of Behaving did not apply to all youth, and in a few other instances because for some reason the data were not complete. ¢ A difference is statistically significant at the .o5 level if the numerical value of this ratio equals or exceeds 1.96 and at the .o1 level if it equals or exceeds 2.58. Standard Error of Difference —0.6 —0.8 0.8 0.4 —2 —15 0.8 0.6 on VMN WOMwW wu | Keo WHEWY UN! ; AN w won ae iS} RELIABILITY OF THE AREA JUDGMENTS At the time the judgments were made on the Ways of Behaving, the interviewers also made certain area judgments. Those based on the youth interview were a judgment on the area of planning for the future,” a judgment on the area of appraisal of present job situation, and an over- all judgment on the youth’s occupational adjustment as a whole.’ Testing the reliability of these area judgments presented the same problems as testing the reliability of the Ways of Behaving except that the area judgments were made on a five-point scale rather than on a three or two-point scale. The Pearson product-moment coefficients of correlation were computed for each of the area judgments. See Table 61. In the general analysis involving the data on the area judgments, group comparisons were to be made on the proportions in the respective groups receiving ratings of 1 or 2. To test the consistency of this proportion as given the experimental groups by the two sets of interviewers, the difference between the proportions of high ratings (1 and 2) given by the two sets of interviewers was divided by its standard error. This was done for both *See Appendix III, page 143. See item 79.1 in Youth Interview Blank, Appendix III, page 137. 124 Nartionat AssociaTION oF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats [November the doubles and repeats. In no case was the discrepancy between the ratings large enough to be significant. The results are presented in Table 62. An area judgment on the youth’s adjustment to his present job was made by the original interviewer at the time of the interview with the employer. The readers also made a judgment on this area on the basis of the filled in Employer Interview Blank. The correlation between these two ratings, based on 76 cases, was .74. When the ratings of the interviewers and the readers were compared as to the proportion of high ratings given, it was found that the former had given 83% of the group ratings of 1 or 2 while the latter had given 88% of the group such ratings. The difference between the two percentages is not significant. DETERMINING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS IN RATINGS ON WAYS OF BEHAVING In comparing various groups of youth on the Ways of Behaving the problem arose of determining whether or not the differences that did exist in the samples interviewed were statistically significant. The answers to two questions were sought. First, did the groups differ among themselves significantly? Second, which were significantly above or below the average? TABLE 61. CORRELATIONS OF RATINGS ON AREAS OF ADJUSTMENT MADE BY ORIGINAL INTERVIEWERS AND BY THE DOUBLE AND REPEAT INTERVIEWERS A Doubles Repeats ee N r N r Over-all 98 58 99 56 Planning 100 55 99 46 Appraisal 96 44 95 44 TABLE 62. PERCENTAGE OF HIGH RATINGS ON AREAS OF ADJUSTMENT GIVEN EXPERI- MENTAL GROUPS IN FIRST AND SECOND INTERVIEWS Percentage of $ High Ratings a cate Type of Interview ‘ 3 2] Differences end Number of & s lt Sls 5 ; Youth | si | BS /E1 EES Area of Adjustment #5 SS [Fs S| SSis. L. of Diff. = So jLsles SS ax =. ales = & QL 2 > Double Over-all 98 62 59 3 .070 0.4 Planning 100 42 39 3 069 0.4 Appraisal 96 61 62 —l 070 —0.1 Repeat Over-all 99 61 65 —4 069 —0.6 Planning 99 56 ers se ce Appraisal 95 76 73 3 063 0.5 a A difference is significant at the .05 level if the ratio equals or exceeds 1.96, and significant at the .o1 level if the ratio equals or exceeds 2.58. 1940 | DETERMINING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE D1FFERENCES 125 ~ The procedures used will be illustrated by carrying through the calculations on an example. Table 63 sets forth the data used in comparing the six schools on the basis of their group ratings on Way of Behaving One. First, the per cent of youth who received the “Yes” rating was determined for each school separately and for the total group. On the basis of the per cent of “Yes” rating in the total group and the number of youth rated in each school, the standard error was determined for each school. The formula used was Op = Pa: The significance of the difference between the per cent for the individual school and the per cent for the total group was determined by dividing this difference by its standard error. To determine whether the schools differed significantly among themselves the Chi-square test was used. TABLE 63. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DIFFER- ENCES AMONG SCHOOLS IN THE PERCENT- AGE OF YOUTH RECEIVING ‘‘YES’’ RATINGS ON WAY OF BEHAVING ONE Number of Percentage Difference Standard School Youth Rated from Error of ta t? Rated “Yea” Average Difference 147 40.1 4.9 3.94 1.24 1.54 180 37.7 2.5 3.56 0.70 0.49 150 43.3 8.1 3.90 2.08 4.32 94 30.2 —5.0 4.39 —3.04 9.24 148 29.7 5.5 3.93 —1.40 1.96 179 34.1 —1.1 3.57 —0.31 0.10 X= tH17.65 @ The difference divided by the standard error of the difference. Note: The table may be read as follows: Of the 147 youth from School I who were rated on Way of Behaving One, 40.1% received ‘‘Yes’’ ratings. This is 4.9 percentage points above the average per cent for all schools, 35.2. The standard error of a percentage in the sample of 147 drawn at random from a population having a percentage of 35.2 is (352) 1.648) sw am, 100 ./ 147 aa The difference divided by its standard error gives a ‘‘t’’ ratio of 1.24. This, value squared gives 1.54. In the problems of this type x= so that in the example under con- sideration 17.65 is the value that would have been obtained had the Chi- square test been applied to the distribution into “Yes” and “Not-yes” ratings in the six schools, the theoretical frequencies being based on the 35.%. For a Chi-square with 5 degrees of freedom, the .01 level of significance is at 15.09. Hence, these six schools do differ significantly among themselves in the proportions of “Yes” ratings given. For determining whether a particular school was reliably above or below the average for all schools, the .01 level of significance was chosen, i. €., a “critical” or “t” ratio numerically equal to or greater than 2.58. In the present example School IV is significantly below the average of all the schools in the percentage of its youth receiving “Yes” ratings on this Way of Behaving. In a similar way those schools (or other selected groups) which had significantly higher or lower percentages of “Yes” ratings in the remaining Ways of Behaving were determined. APPENDIX III Sample Instruments Form A THE OCCUPATIONAL ADJUSTMENT STUDY of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS YOUTH INTERVIEW BLANK Name... Address... Age Now Yrs. —. 1*.1* Sex: M F 1.2* Color: W N O 2.1 Last grade completed: 9A 9B 10A 10B 114A 11B 12A 12B 13A 13B 3.1* Present employment status: FR FI PTR UN WPA CCC NYA NEM .. School_ i _ Phone Mos. Date Left School LIKES I Emp.oyep AT PRESENT (Otherwise skip to Sec. II) 4.0 Description of present job 4.1 Employer Address Immediate Superior 4.2* Name of job 4.3* Kind of work done Now: Changes: 4.4 Date secured 4.5* Hours worked per week 4.6 No. of mos. worked 4.7* How secured 1 Employed by member of family 2 Employed by employer of member of family 3 Through influence of member of family 4 Employed by friend or relative 5 Employed by employer of friend or relative 6 Through influence of friend or relative 7 Through school authorities 8 Through answering advertisement 9 Through commercial employment agency 0 Through agency public employment 126 _ Interviewer__ P _ Date School _ Place of Interview: Home Other X Through personal application Y Other 4.8* Beginning kly wage 4.9" Present weekly wage Comments: 5.1* What do you like most about your job? DISLIKES Nothing Entire job Certain duties of job Salary Fellow-workers Superior or “boss” Working conditions Future opportunities Independence and responsi- bility provided by job Other Comments: 5.2* What do you dislike most about your job? 6.1 What do you like to do that you get a chance to do on this job? None HC 6.2 What do yeu like to do that you get no chance to do on this job? None HC 7.1* Were you ready for this job when you took it? Explain. BAAaAAE wD os 1 No. 2 Doesn’t know 3 Yes—previous work experience 4 Yes—skills acquired in high school Yes—no special skills required Yes—training in tool subjects 1940] 7 Yes—general education acquired in high school 8 Yes—Other 8.1 Do you feel confident in your ability to do everything that is required in this job? Explain. Yes No. ? HC Are you capable of holding down a better job than this one with- out further training? Explain. Yes No. ? HC Do you feel that you will be able to keep this job as long as you want it? Explain. Yes No. ? HC Will this job remain the same for you (i.e, duties, wages, working conditions) if you stay in it as time goes on? Yes No. ? HC If “No” to 11.1, how will it change? If “No” to 11.1, when do you expect to change? How do you know? Will this job lead to one pro- viding the kind of work you will be capable of doing in the fu- turef Yes No ? HC Do you think that you are getting paid what you are worth on this job? Why? 1 Doesn’t know 2 Hasn’t considered 3 Overpaid 4 Paid about right 5 Paid what job is worth, but I should have a better job 6 Underpaid How much do you expect to earn per week in the neat 5-10 years if you stay on this job or one to which it leads? Why? HC ? Until how late in life can people stay in this job if they should so desire? Why? 1 Doesn’t know 2 Hasn’t considered 3 As a youth only 4 Through middle age 5 Throughout life 6 Other What are the special employ- ment benefits attached to this job if any? None ? What do they mean to you? HC ? Are there any kinds of sickness SAMPLE INSTRUMENTS associated with this job? Yes No ? HC 17.2 Have you noticed any change in your health since working on this job? Better Worse None 17.3 If a change, have you investi- gated as to the cause? Yes No 17.4 Describe: 18.1* What chief thing have you learned from your job? 1 Nothing 2 Specific tasks related to job 3 Greater skill 4 To be a better worker 5 To meet and work with people 6 To accept independence and responsibility 7 Value of money 8 Necessity for appraising pro- spective jobs 9 About things worked with 0 Other 19.1* Do you think the high school could have given you more spe- cific training that would have helped you in getting and keep- ing your present job? Explain. 1 None 2 Doesn’t know 3 Training in poise 4 Courses made less “bookish” 5 More training along line already received 6 Educational guidance 7 Development of voc. skills 8 How to get jobs 9 Other: II. UNEMPLOYED AT PRESENT (If employed skip to III) 4.0 Description of last regular job 4.1 Employer Address Immediate Superior ................ ve 4.2* Name of job 4.3* Kind of work done: Just prior to leaving: Changes: 4.4 Date secured 4.5 Date left 4.6 No. of months worked 4.7* How secured: 1 Employed by member of family 2 Employed by employer of member of family 3 Through influence of member of family 4 Employed by friend or relative 5 Employed by employer of friend or relative 6 Through influence of friend or relative 7 Through school authorities 8 Through answering advertisement 9 Through commercial employment agency 0 Through public employment agency X Through personal application Y Other 4.8 Beginning weekly wages...........- 4.9 Final weekly wages .................- 4.X* Chief reason for leaving 1 Slack business conditions 2 End of temporary job 3 Didn’t like work 4 To take a more desirable job To look for a more desirable job 6 Too little pay 7 Undesirable working conditions 8 Ill health or accident 9 Released for other reasons © Other ................ 4.Y No. of mos. unemployed since leaving Comments: 5.1* What did you like most about your job? LIkEs DISLIKES 1 Nothing 1 2 Entire job 3 Certain duties of job 4 Salary 5 Fellow-workers 6 Superior or “boss” 7 Working conditions 8 Future opportunity 9 Independence and respon- sibility provided by job 9 I Scchicecictesccesnntinscehisesnasibbadetes Comments: 5.2* What did you dislike most about your job? 6.1 What do you like to do that you got a chance to do on this job? None HC 6.2 What do you like to do that you did not get a chance to do on this job? None HC 7.1* Were you ready for this job when you took it? Why? 1 No 2 Doesn’t know 3 Yes—previous work experience on S2nNQa wr 128 Nartionat AssociATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS | November 4 Yes—skills acquired in high school 5 Yes—training in tool subjects 6 Yes—no special skills required 7 Yes—general education acquired in high school 8 Yes—other 8.1 Did you feel confident in your ability to do everything that was required on this job? Explain. Yes No ? HC 9.1 Were you capable of holding down a better job than this one at the time? Explain. Yes No ? HC Did you feel at the time that you would have been able to have kept thie job as long as you wanted it? Explain. Yes No ? HC Would this job have remained the same (i.e., duties, wages, working conditions) if you had stayed in it as time went on? Yes No ? HC If “No” to 11.1, how would it have changed? If “No” to 11.1 how do you know? Would this job have led to one providing the kind of work you would have been capable of doing in the future? Yes No ? HC 13.1* Did you think you were getting paid what you were worth on this job? Why? 1 Doesn’t know 2 Hasn’t considered 3 Overpaid 4 Paid about right ‘5 Paid what the job was worth, but I should have had a better job 6 Underpaid 14.1 How much did you expect to earn per week in the neat 5-10 years if you had stayed on this job or one to which it would have led? Why? HC ? Until how late in life can peo- ple stay on this job if they should so desire? Why? 1 Doesn’t know 2 Hasn’t considered 3 As a youth only 4 Through middle age 10.1 11.3 12.1 15.1 1940] 5 Throughout life What were the special employ- ment benefits attached to this job if any? None What did they mean to you? HC ? Were there any kind of sick- nesses associated with this job? Yes No ? HC Did you notice any change in your health while working on this job? Better Worse None If a change, did you investigate as to the cause? Yes No 17.4 Describe: 18.1* What chief thing did you learn from your job? Nothing Specific tasks related to job 3 Greater skill To be a better worker To meet and work with people To accept independence and re- sponsibility Value of money Necessity for appraising prospec- tive jobs 9 About things worked with 0 Other .... 19.1* Do you think the high school could have given you more spe- cific training that could have helped you in getting and kesp- ing a jobf Explain 1 None 2 Doesn’t know 3 Training in poise 4 Courses made less “bookish” 5 More training along line already received 6 Educational guidance 7 Development of voc. skills 8 How to get jobs 9 Other 20.1* What have you'done to get any job? 1 Friends 2 Relatives 3 School official or teacher 4 Answering ad in paper 5 Commercial employment service 6 Public employment service 7 Random applications 8 Other 20.2 What specific things have you done during the past week? None 16.1 SAMPLE INSTRUMENTS 129 What do you think is the main reason you do not have a job? HC ? 21.1 22.1* How do you feel about not hav- ing any kind of work? 1 Still hopeful but aware of dif- ficulties 2 Disappointed but resigned and determined to make the best of it 3 Resigned, intends to get along 4 Discontented and vaguely resent- ful vad 5 Bitter against society for his lack of opportunity Comments III Art YourH-—ForMerR Work Ex- PERIENCE 23.1* How many months were you unemployed after leaving school, before getting your first job? 24.0 Description of first job after leaving school . ; 24.1 Employer Address Immediate Superior 24.2* Name of job 24.3* Kind of work done: Just prior to leaving: Changes: 24.4 Date secured 24.5 Date left 24.6 No. of months worked 24.7* How secured 1 Employed by member of family 2 Employed by employer of member of family 3 Through influence of member of family 4 Employed by friend or relative 5 Employed by employer of friend or relative 6 Through influence of friend or relative 7 Through school authorities 8 Through answering advertisement 9 Through commercial employment agency 0 Public employment agency X Through personal application Y Other 24.8 Beginning weekly wages 24.9 Final weekly wages 24.X* Chief reason for leaving 1 Slack business conditions 2 End of temporary job ; : 130 3 Didn’t like work 4 To take a more desirable job 5 To look for a more desirable job 6 Too little pay 7 Undesirable working conditions 8 Ill health or accident 9 Released for other reasons 0 Other 24.Y No. of mos. wnemployed be- tween Ist and 2nd job .............-. Comments: 25.0 Description of second job held BE.) TWAT YOR 2nnacccecscccncccsccnssnscossessicrce MOOG sactinsccesnletsiginnitiigaccersbestecene Immediate Superior .................. 25.2 Name Of fod .............-.-..-cse-cesceceee 25.3 Kind of work done: Just prior to leaving: Changes: 25.4 Date secured 25.5 Date left ..............00.-00-- Ginmieiaat 25.6 No. of months worked ................ 25.7 How secured: 1 Employed by member of family 2 Employed by employer of member of family 3 Through influence of member of family 4 Employed by friend or relative 5 Employed by employer of friend or relative 6 Through influence of friend or relative 7 Through schoo] authorities 8 Through answering advertisement 9 Through commercial employment agency 0 Through agency X Through personal application , Ene ee Seen 25.8 Beginning weekly wage ............ 25.9 Final weekly wage.....................- 25.X Chief reasons for leaving: 1 Slack business conditions 2 End of temporary job 3 Didn’t like work 4 To take a more desirable job 5 To look for a more desirable job 6 Too little pay 7 Undesirable working conditions 8 Ill health or accident 9 Released for other reasons 0 Other public employment 25.Y No. of mos. unemployed between 2nd and 3rd job ....Comments: 26.0 Description of 3rd job held NaTIoNaL AssociATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 26.2 Name of job 26.3 Kind of work done: 26.4 Date secured 26.5 Date left 26.6 No. of mos. worked ..............--. [ November 26.1 Hemployer .........-....-..ssrccccccesccreeees AID insti sceoacesctsegesietecacclttinss Immediate Superior ...............-.. Just prior to leaving: Changes: 26.7 How secured: 1 Employed by member of family 2 Employed by employer of member of family 3 Through influence of member of family 4 By friend or relative 5 By employer of friend or relative 6 Through influence of friend or relative 7 Through schoo] authorities 8 Through answering advertisement 9 Through commercial employment agency 0 Through agency X Through personal application Y Other public emplovment 26.8 Beginning weekly wage .............. 26.9 Final weekly wage ...............-.. mt 26.X Chief reason for leaving: 1 Slack business conditions 2 End of temporary job 3 Didn’t like work 4 To take a more desirable job 5 To look for a more desirable job 6 Too little pay 7 Undesirable working conditions 8 Ill health or accident ‘9 Released for other reasons 0 Other 26.Y No. of mos. unemployed between 8rd and 4th job Comments: 27.1* Number of different jobs held since leaving school ...............-+ 28.1 Number of mos. worked since leaving school? D camsescetcinss SONNE hscccrccotencs 1 _ nent ase Second year .............. 2 | eae Third year .............. 3 D nities Fourth year .............. 4 © eccuvenins Fifth year .............. 5 a Sixth year .............. 6 1940] 28.2* Percentage of time employed since leaving school? 28.3" Average annual percentage of employment 29.1* Annual earnings 1 First year 2 Second year 3 Third year 4 Fourth year 5 Fifth year 6 Sixth year 29.2* Average annual earnings .......... 30.1* Highest level of skill reached 1 First year 2 Second year 3 Third year 4 Fourth year 5 Fifth year 6 Sixth year 2.0.0.0... 31.1* What was the chief reason for your taking your first full-time job after leaving school? 1 First one applied for 2 Only one available as far as could tell and needed or wanted work 3 Amount of wages paid 4 Most promise of continued em- ployment 5 Offered opportunity to something 6 Chance for advancement 7 Job was offered to him Do hvtatinreibditeencesciesatensserctsosonten 32.0 Work ewperience during last 2 years in school 32.1* Kind of work performed: 32.2* How Secured 1 By school directly 2 As outgrowth of school activities 3 Secured independently of school 6 I Be Ri nteiliescisiccnne learn IV Art YoutH—OccuPATIONAL PLANS 33.1* What do you expect is going to be your regular occupation? 33.2* What is the chief reason why you choose this? 1 Thinks he would like it 2 Likes things or people he would be working with 3 Relative or friend does it 4 Thinks he has special abilities along that line Has high school training for it Has other than high school train- ing for it an 35.1 35.4 35.5 SAMPLE INSTRUMENTS 131 7 Has had work experience in same field 8 Likes chances for continued em- ployment 9 Likes chances for advancement 0 Thinks occupation has good pay X Doesn’t know Y Other 34.1 When did you decide definitely upon what you expect will be your regular occupation? 1 In elementary school 2 In Junior high (or equiv.) 3 In Senior high (or equiv.) 4 Since leaving school and prior te present job 5 While on present job 6 Still undecided FN dete we 35.0* Did you have any experiences while at school that you remem- ber using or thinking about that helped you to decide what occu- pation you wished to enter? Did you talk with anyone while at school who helped you to decide? 1 No 2 Doesn’t know 3 Teachers 4 Counselors 5 Principal 6 Other 35.2 Did you take any courses while at school which helped you tu decide? 1 No 2 Doesn’t know 3 Cooperative work time 4 Tryout 5 Special vocational skill 6 Part-time course 7 Regular course I itll edncsis i cs shslnctesiicaoseecsasnes 35.3 Did you engage in any eztra- curricular activities while at school which helped you to de- cide? How? Yes No ? Did you ever take a test, while at school, which helped you to decide? How? Yes No ?. Did you have any other eaxperi- ences while in school which helped you to decide? Describe. Yes No ? ’ : ; 132 Nationa AssociATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 36.1* What outstanding work experi- ence do you remember using or thinking about that helped you to decide what occupation you wished to enter? Describe. After-school and Saturday work Summer work Apprenticeship since leaving school owe 4 A particular job since leaving school 5 A self-made job © GRRE vccenesicgenccnictaecsiescesisonsccmestonvntiicens 7 None 37.1 Any other kinds of experience that you remember using? Describe Yes No 38.1 What abilities do you think you have that will help you to be successful in the kind of work you eventually want to do? Describe HC ? 39.1 From whom have you sought advice about your occupational problems since leaving school? Describe 1 School officials 1 2 Y.M.C.A or/and related sources 2 3 Public employment service 3 4 Workers or relatives on jobs you are interested in 4 5 Parents 5 6 Relatives 6 7 Friends (adult) of the family 7 8 Immediate personal friends 8 9 Private paid counseling service 9 DO DUIOD: cisctctireinncesnceciibaemcenngbtnain 0 X No one xX 39.2* Which one of these do you con- sider to have been of most help in order of importance? Why? What are the opportunities for you to get a job in the occupa- tion you wish to enter? Explain. Excellent Good Average Poor Very poor Doesn’t know Hasn’t considered Are there any special restric- tions, legal or otherwise, upon entrance into this occupation? How do you know? Yes No ? HC 40.1 snot She 41.1 [ November How steady do you think em- ployment in this occupation will be? How do you know? 1 Doesn’t know 2 Hasn’t considered 3 Very steady 4 Steady but seasonal 5 Not steady 6 Not steady and seasonal 7 Other ... 43.1 What are the hours for your chosen occupation? HC ? Will this work tend to be healthy for you? Why? Yes No ? HC Is this work dangerous? Yes No ? HC Will you be pretty much your own boss or will someone else be telling you what you have to do most of the time? Explain. Yes No ? HC How much do you expect to earn at first in your chosen oc- cupation? Explain. ? HC suit Per week How much do you expect to earn after you have been in it for about 10 years? Explain. onaaieaal Per week Will your job in your chosen occupation change for you im the next 10 years? Yes No ? HC 45.2 If “Yes,” how? 1 Advanced skill 2 Greater responsibility work 3 Supervision of other workers _ 4 Other 45.3 How do you know? 46.1 Until how late in life can peo- ple stay in your selected occu- pation if they should desire? 1 Doesn't know 2 Hasn’t considered 3 As a youth only 4 Through middle age 5 Throughout life 6 Other ............... 47.1 Ir Emptoyep AND IN DEsIRED Jos. How long did it take you to get into the kind of work you wanted? 42.1 43.2 43.3 in own 48.0 Att YoutH Nor 1n CHOSEN OccuPATION. 48.1 What have you done up to now to get into your chosen occupa- tion? 1 Friends 2 Relatives 3 School placement office 4 5 6 e 8 9 48.2 3 4 5 6 49.0 49.1 50.1 50.2 School official or teacher Answering ad in paper Commercial employment service State employment service Random applications PIII askconcincuseccdmerssls ilideartineh oicoeees Are you actively seeking a job in your chosen occupation? Yes No Ir “No,” when and why did you stop taking active steps to try to get into your chosen occupa- tion? Ir “Yes,” what specific things have you done during the past week? How do you feel about not get- ting the kind of work you want? Still hopeful but aware of diffi- culties Disappointed and determined to make the best of it Resigned, intends to get along Discontented and vaguely resent- ful Bitter against society for his lack of opportunity Other UNEMPLOYED YOUTH For how long after you left your last job (or school) did you actively try to get the kind of job you wanted before you were willing to take any job you could get? After giving up hope of secur- ing the kind of job you wanted, for how long did you try to get any other job. you could get? Have you taken any kind of training since leaving school? Yes No Ir “No,” why not? 50.3* Ir “Yes,” where? 1 Correspondence 2 Part-time 3 In-service 1 Public evening school 2 Post-graduate 3 School of business SAMPLE INSTRUMENTS Can orm OO bo oem aS Om vo — 3 4 Through Scan 4 Recognized university 5 Private correspondence school 6 Technical or trade school 7 Diesel engineering, air-condition- ing school and the like Comments: 50.4* Kind of training taken. For: _ Professional or semi-professional occ. Managerial and office e-c. Sales and kindred occ. Clerical and kindred occ. Personal service occ. Domestic service occ. Mise. service occ. Skilled tradesmen Agric., forestry, fishery, and kin- dred lL) |” di ARR SUE Retina REDE CPO Comments: 50.5* What was your main reason for taking this training? To advance on present job To get a specific job other than present one To get a job To prepare for a career To maintain skill Further training required by em- ployer to keep job 7 Recommended by friends or rela- tives Avocational purposes LE oe oe ee ERG eae Comments: 50.6* Where did you find out about the training opportunities? (Main source.) Advertisement in magazine, news- paper and/or radio 2 Advertising literature mailed to youth Bulletins read while at school recruiting officer of given school 5 Through friend or relative who went to given school 6 Through friend or relative who knew about school Through employer or supervisor Through fellow workers | Through previous attendance at that school 0 Througk school authorities X Through someone about town Ar MI rca Alias cacti sceeenningnenitvingaatesesians 51.1 Are you planning on taking any training? Yes No 134 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 51.2 Ir “No,” why not? 51.3 Ir “Yes,” where? one NO Ol im & to = 51.4 BS) tw l NO e wt “NM DAW Wwe & os Soa > =x None wwe Correspondence Part-time In-service Public evening school Post-graduate School of business Recognized university Private correspondence school Technical or trade school Diesel engineering, air-condition- ing schools, and the like Comments: What kind of training are you planning on? Professional or semi-professional oce. Managerial and office occ. Sales and kindred occ. Clerical and kindred occ. Personal service occ. Domestic service Occ. Mise. service occ. Skilled tradesmen Agric., forestry, fishery, and kin- dred COU. scitnictsincsssinietesstadalabcsvcniaeiiaitadetinil Comments: Why are you planning on this training? To get advance on present job To get specific job other than present one To get a job To prepare for a career To maintain skill Further training required by em- ployer to keep job Xecommended by friends or rela- tives Avocational purposes Other fetdnceied Comments: If necessary, how do you plan to finance your training? Doesn’t know Hasn’t considered Parents or guardians Loan fund Present personal savings Future persona] savings Comments: 52.2 How long do you expect to take to finish your training? HC ? 53.1 55.1 55.2 [ November If you should find that unem- ployment or some other factor should prevent you from get- ting a job in your chosen occu- pation, what other occupations would you try to enter? HC ? What occupations do you want to get into for the present? Why? Boys AND GIRLS How much do you estimate you would need: to live on in the future, if you remain single? Explain. HC ? Boys If you should get married, how much do you estimate you would need to live on? Ex- plain. HC ? Ve Att YoutH—Scuoo.t Data 56.1* What was the chief reason you oo = ao 1 ie 2) 0 x left school? Graduated Requested to leave by school au- thorities or anticipated expulsion Wanted to work (to look for work) rather than go to school To accept proffered job To help at home To work for father To help- support family Couldn’t afford necessaries to go to school Thought work Couldn’t get along with teachers Couldn’t get along with fellow- pupils he was unable to do | RRO er errr: FU aon tee 57.1* With whom did you have an 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 interview prior to school leav- ing? (connected directly with school-leaving ) None Subject-teacher Home-room teacher Counselor Principal Attendance officer Office clerk Other 1940] 57.2* What was it about chiefly? 1 None held 2 Future educational matters 3 Gen. school adjustment 4 Occupational adjustment 5 Personality adjustment 6 Other 58.1* Do you feel that you are better off as far as occupational ad- justment is concerned than peo- ple who have had no high school training? Explain. Yes No ? How do you feel about your high school education as far as its helping you become occupa- tionally adjusted is concerned? Subject of most value Eaplain: Subject of least value Eeplain: Subjects not taken and offered by the school which you now think would have been valuable. Eeplain: Subjects, or kind of cducation, not offered by the school but which you feel would have been valuable to you. 59.1* Subject of most value ................ 59.2* 59.3* 59.4* 59.5* 59.6* 59.7* 59.8* 60.1* Explain: For what specific job, if any, did your school training pre- pare you? None 61.1* To whom have you gone back to school for help since leaving? 1 No one 2 Subject-teacher 3 Home-room teacher 4 Counselor 5 Principal (or Ass’t.) 6 Other 61.2* About what, chiefly, did you go back? 1 Did not go back 2 Placement 3 Personal guidance 4 Educational guidance 5 Getting into an advanced school 6 Vocational guidance 7 Other 61.3* On whose initiative did you go back? 1 Did not go back SAMPLE INSTRUMENTS 135 2 Own 3 School 61.4" If you haven’t gone back, why not? 1 Felt didn’t need any help 2 Lack of time 3 Felt no one there would be inter- ested 4 Had never thought of it 5 Felt no one there could give him necessary help 6 Other 62.1* Hae the school ever gotten in touch with you since you left? 1 No 2 Yes—to try to place him 3 Yes—to inquire about educ. sta- tus 4 Yes—to inquire about voc. status 5 Yes—other 63.1* Has the school ever attempted to place you ina job? Yes No 63.2 Ir “Yes,” by whom? Where sent? 64.1* Did the school ever furnish you a contact with some adult or organization to help you become adjusted occupationally? Describe: Yes No ? In what extra-curricular activi- ties did you participate during your last two years in school? (Underline major participa- tion) Athletics School paper, magazine, or year- book Student government Subject club Hobby club Glee club Band or orchestra School service group Dramatics Other Comments: 65.1* w= SCLel@BNSoRrowo VI Att YourH—Home anp Famiry BACKGROUND 66.1* Status of parents now 1 Both living 2 Both dead 3 Father dead 4 Mother dead {36 NaTIONAL AssocIATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 66.2* Status of parents during school 1 Both living 2 Both dead 3 Father dead 4 Mother dead 67.1* Parental relationships now 1 Living together 2 Separately, due to work 3 Separated 4 Divorced 5 One parent dead 6 Both parents dead 67.2" Parental relationships during school 1 Living together 2 Separately, due to work 3 Separated 4 Divorced 5 One parent dead 6 Both parents dead 68.1* Nattonality and citizenship of parents Both native born—both citizens Both native born—one citizen Both native born—neither citizen Both foreign born—one citizen Both foreign born—neither citizen One foreign born—both citizens One foreign born—one citizen One foreign born—neither citizen 1 2 3 4 Both foreign born—both citizens 5 6 coo- 69.1* Marital status Single Married Separated Divorced Widowed 69.2* Number of children....................-. Oe De 70.1* With whom do you live now? 1 With both parents 2 With father only 3 With mother only 4 With mother and stepfather 5 With father and stepmother 6 With relatives 7 Boarding with non-relatives 8 Own househeld 70.2* With whom did you live during school? 1 With both parents 2 With father only 3 With mother only 4 With mother and stepfather 5 With father and stepmother 6 With relatives [ November 7 Boarding with non-relatives 8 Own household 71.1* How were you supported during school? 1 By parents 2 By self DP eaiciccccencedaieicse 71.2* How are you supported now? 1 By parents 2 By self RE ascii licdeitinipibteccemsinns 72.1* No. of older siblings .................. 72.2 No. of younger siblings ............ 72.3* No. of siblings employed ............ 72.4 No. of siblings unemployed ...... 72.5 No. of siblings NEM. .................. 73.1* Did anyone other than members of the immediate family live in the home during your last two years at school? Yes No 74.1* Does your mother work outside the home now? 1 F 2 PT 3 No 4R 74.2* Did your mother work outside the home during your last two years at school? 1 F 2 PT 3 No 4R8 75.1* Is your father employed now? 1FR 2FI 3 PTR 4 PTI 5 Un 6R 7WR_ 8 NEM 75.2* Was your father employed dur- ing your last two years at school? 1FR 2FI 3PTR 4 PTI 5 Un 6R 7WR 8 NEM 76.1 Father's (or guardian’s) regu- lar occupation 76.2* Kind of work done: 76.3. Employer 76.4 Position or title of father ......... 77.1* No. of days of work missed because of personal illness since leaving 8ChOOl .............cseeeeeeeeeeee- 78.1* What is your main problem in connection with getting ad- justed occupationally? 1 Getting a job 2 Getting or advancing to a more desirable job 3 Doing work required 4 Security of present job 5 Not making enough money 6 Reconciling present job with educational accomplishments 7 Getting along with boss 8 Getting along with fellow-workers 1940] SAMPLE INSTRUMENTS 9 Relationship to worker organi- good adjustment. zation 3 Not sure 0 General dislike for type of work 4 Not sure, probably inclined to done on present job poor adjustment X Future marital status 5 Poorly adjusted Y Other .. 80.1 Own appraisal of his occupa- 79.1* Interviewer’s estimate of the tional adjustment ............--+--++-. youth’s occupational adjustment ie at ae 1 Well adjusted 81.1* §8-E Status (S.B.DS.) .............- 2 Not sure, probably inclined to General Comments: The Occupational Adjustment Study Form A—Supplement Name ere =| ERIN LY noe Address Lesa easie:- * IIE caste enceti Will you please fill in answers to the following questions? Your replies are strictly confidential. No one but the interviewers will ever see this paper. 1. How do you feel about this whole matter of finding your place in the working world? Do you think you are making a good start toward becoming occupationally well adjusted? Check the one statement below which most nearly expresses your feeling on the matter. oneeutatiee I think I have made an excellent start so far on my life’s work. ccniseotobin I might have done better in places, but on the whole I think I have done pretty well. covseapeni It could be better, but I suppose I really don’t have much to complain about. ocaece I’ve made a little progress, but not much. I’d dislike to think it was going to be like this all the time. sates I haven’t gotten started at all. I’m no farther along than when I left school. 2. What is your weight now as nearly as you know?........................ 3. What is your height now as nearly as you kuow?............ BBisniescugsoys in, The following seven items refer to your parents’ home, or your regular place of residence. Answer items 4-10 as they applied to your home when you left school. Underscore correct answer 4. Do you have a radio in your home? Yes No 5. Do you have a piano in your home? Yes No 6. Do you have a telephone in your home? Yes No 7. Does your family have an automobile? Yes No 8. About how many books are in your home? (A row of books three feet long would have about 25 books in it.) Underscore the number nearest correct. 50 100 200 300 400 more than 400 9. What is the total number of persons actually living in your home, including brothers, sisters, parents, other relatives, friends, or boarders ?...........-...- 10. How many rooms not counting bathroom or basement, are there in your home ?................ 138 Nationa AssociATION OF SECONDARY-SCHHOL Principacs [November No. 1.1 2.1 3.1 4.0 * 6.2 6.3 7.1 7.2 8.1 Date.... Position. Youth..... School........... Form B The Occupational Adjustment Study EMPLOYER INTERVIEW BLANK cee Person interviewed...................-.--:::ce--s0eee----+ se, I ain vaca nathcdinsntaglcageitesennidies Job title of youth................-.-- Weekly salary of youth............ Work done by youth.............--.-.-- How did you happen to hire this youth for this job? Because of what quality in par- ticular ? Because of what source of contact in particular? If not working here now, what is the reason? Had he ever sent you a letter of application? 1 Yes 2 No If yes to 6.1, was it of any value in helping to get the job? 1 Used but of no value 2 Used and of some value 3 Used and of great value If yes to 6.1, what was your im- pression of it? Good Bad 1 Neatness 1 Clarity English Legibility Businesslike Other If no to 6.1, would a letter of application have made it easier for him to get the job? 1 Of no value 2 Would have been of some value Did you require him to fill in any forms in applying for the job! 1 Yes 2 No If yes, what was your impression of his efforts? a om Oo PO oO om Co PO Good Bad 1 Neatness 1 2 Legibility 2 3 Accuracy 3 4 Completeness 4 DN nciiuictecinesisutondes 5 Has he had any occasion to be disappointed since coming with you? (Such as opportunities for advancement of one kind or an- other did not materialize as had been expected.) 1 Yes 2 No 8.2 If yes, how did he take it? 1 Very well 2 Moderately well 3 Poorly 4 Unable to say Does he follow directions quickly and accurately? 1 Yes 2 No 10.1 Does he produce work of the amount and kind that you believe he should? 1 Yes 2 No 11.1 How quickly did he learn to per- form his duties? 1 Very quickly 2. In a satisfactory length of time 3 Very slowly 12.1 How well does he maintain his poise or self-control at work? 1 Exhibits a high degree of 9.1 self-control 2 Loses control only occasion- ally 3 Freqnently loses control of himself 13.1*Is there any particular way in which this youth could have built his job into a better one? 1 No 2 Doesn’t know 3 Yes—wages 4 Yes—level of work 5 Yes—responsibility 6 Yes—permanency of tenure 7 Yes—other 13.2 If yes to 13.1, did this youth do so? 1 Yes. 2 No 3 Partially If yes to 13.1 what chief charac- teristic does he possess that en- abled (or prevented) him to do so? 13.3 Good Bad 1 Ambition 1 2 Initiative 2 3 Following directions 3 4 4 Further training 1940} 5 Ability to get along with people 6 Other 6 14.1 If business should go downhill when would he be let go? 1 Among the first 2 Among the second ones to go 3 Among the very last 14.2*What determines your policy here? 1 Seniority of employment 2 Merit 3 Combination of above 4 Other 15.1 What is your judgment of his be- havior towards you? 1 Good 2 Satisfactory 3 Poor 16.1 How does he take criticism? 1 Accepts comments in good spirit and attempts to profit from them Attempts to profit from com- ments but shows resentment at criticism Accepts comments in ap- parently good spirit but makes no attempt to profit from them Aecepts comments in dis- gruntled way and makes no attempt to profit from them 17.1 How does he get along with his fellow workers? 1 Is popular and respected 2 Is respected but is not popu- lar with them 3 Is popular but is not res- pected 4 Is neither popular nor res- pected 18.1 Does this youth have to meet and deal with customers? 1 Yes 2 No 18.2*If yes, how well does he establish relations with them? 1 Meets customers and secures their good will easily 2 Meets customers with diffi- culty but eventually secures their good will Has no difficulty meeting cus- tomers but does not have success in securing their good will Has difficulty both in meeting and securing good will of customers Has no occasion to meet cus- tomers SAMPLE INSTRUMENTS 139 19.1 Does he have to work with ma- chines and tools to any consider- able extent? 1 Yes 2 No 19.2*If yes, how well does he adjust himself to their use and manipu- lation ? 1 Handles machinery and tools well and seems to enjoy doing so * Handles machinery and tools well but in a routine methodi- cal way Seems to like to work with machinery and tools but is not very successful at it Is successful at handling machinery and tools but dis- likes such work Is unsuccessful at handling machines and tools and dis- likes such work 6 Has no occasion to use tools or machines 20.1*How well does he meet the strength requirements of this job? 1 No unusual amount needed 2 With no difficulty 3 Cannot do some of the things required occasionally without help 4 Needs help much more fre- quently than other employees 5 Work is absolutely too strenu- ous for his physical strength 21.1 Do you have any regulations with respect to health and safety that this youth is required to observe ? 1 Yes 2 No 21.2 How well does he observe such regulations? 1 Very carefully 2 Moderately 3 Very carelessly 22.1 What kind of an attendance record has he maintained? 1 Good 2 Fair 3 Poor 22.2*How important do you consider attendance as a factor affecting the youth’s job status? 1 Unimportant 2 Important—for affecting chance for advancement 3 Important—for affecting se- curity of tenure Important—for affecting wage status Important—other 140 Nationa AssociATION oF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 23.1 Does he co-operate in additional ways not directly concerned with his immediate duties? Yes No 1 Clean-up work 1 2 Social group activities 2 of employees sponsored by employer ee ee ee 3 Has he demonstrated interest in his work? 1 Yes 2 No Can he be trusted to work alone without supervision ? 1 Yes 2 No In what ways does he show an interest in the success of larger aspects of the business than his immediate duties? 1 In no ways 2 Suggestions made 3 Offer of help when needed 4 Questioning employer 5 Other . 26.2*How do you regard the value of such larger interests? 1 A desirable quality in em- ployees 2 Valuable occasionally 3 Would rather have employees do just what they are told 4 An undesirable quality and not wanted at all 27.1*What are his prospects for being employed with this concern for the next year? 1 None 3 Fair 2 Poor 4 Good 28.1*Has he had the right kind of [ November education, general or specific, for this job? 1 Unnecessary 2 No 3 Yes 28.2*If not for this job, ad any job? 1 Yes No 29.1*In what way, if any, do you think the school could have made him a more valuable employee? (One chief way) 1 None 2 Yes 30.1*Do you provide any opportuni- ties for in-servce training here? 1 None 1 2 Training under super- 2 visor or foreman while on job 3 Regular part-time classes 3 established by employer 4 Vestibule training 5 31.1*No. of employees on following weekly wage scale exclusive of employer. 10.01—20.00 20.01—30.00 30.01—40.00 32.1*Description of busi 33.1*Number of employees in total business 33.2 Number under control of im- mediate superior of youth General comments: The Occupational Adjustment Study Preliminary Interview Blank Form C: School-Youth Name Address Data from cards by Other data by 1, Sex: M F 2. Color: W N oO . Place of birth School Phone ._... a ae a eae a i es es 3. Date of birth 5. Date entered school 4 6. Grade entered school 7. Date left school 9. 0. 1. Grade last completed 9A 9B 10A 10B 111A 11B 12A 12B a. Number of unexcused absences ........................ oA 9B 10A 10B 111A 1B 12A_ 12B 8. Age left school .... a: b. Number unexcused If graduated, from what curriculum? 1940] SaMPLE INSTRUMENTS 12. Curriculum which best describes work of last two years in school 13. Changes of curriculum while in school Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 14. In approximately what fifth in the ranking of his total grade group on school achievement was this student when he left school? 1 2 3 4 5 15. Subjects and marks for last two years in school Last year, Grade..... Next to last year, Grade Subjects Morks Subjects Marks 16. Vocational skill courses taken Grade taken Marks received $s 2. 3. 4- . Tryout courses taken Grade taken I. 2. 3. 4: . Course in group guidance? Yes No Grade level ................... ses, RIMINI seccpesieisieiiennininant és . Course in occupational information? Yes No BR, EEE = Length —.—................. sine . Results on psychelogical tests of general mental ability Test Date given Raw Score . Rating on achievement tests Name . Results on vocational aptitude tests a. Test Date Given 1. 2. 3. b. Were the results of these tests ever discussed with the pupil? Yes No ? . Results on interest questionnaires a. Name Date Given Results 1. 2. 3. 4. eons b. Were the results of these questionnaires ever discussed with the pupil? Yes No ? . a. Extra-curricular groups belonged to during last two years in school b. Offices held during last two years in school: Appointive Elective . What language is regularly used a. English b. Other (specify) ‘ c. Don’t know . Behavior rating of students while in school A B Cc D E 142 Nationat AssociaTIon oF SECONDARY-SCHOOL Principats | November A. Exercised strong influence for good over other students B. Follower but constructive in attitude and behavior C. Generally neutral or colorless—did not misbehave, but did not contribute positively D. Follower but destructive in attitude and behavior E. Exercised or attempted to exercise strong influence for the detriment of school morale over other students 27. Occupational choices while in school: First Second * UNOS: Dinncsin = jicisieiatieiiabcaddmiaatil Ce TS. 28 Grade 10....... ....... sialeecaisiied mes. Grade 11 sceneainnnnnegitagannaniennipinpiaieiibiaieaadaaiiiiaiats GQiRES BOikcpcctenininntiaED: mnie siktchiicheailinaliniaiinats 28. What is the extent and kind of interviewing to which this iti has been enka in the school? 29. Visits to home during the year prior to leaving: By whom? About what? 30. Did youth participate in any co-operative school-work job while in school? Yes No Description ‘ innemenedie 31. School training prepared for what specific job? psnoieal 32. Would the school have been willing to recommend this uniitet for any full-time employment when he left school with confidence that he would be reasonably successful at it? Yes No a. If “*Yes,"" number the main reasons in order of importance: ates Desirable traits of character or personality ...Superior gencral mental ability Mastery of vocational skills ...Good general education _ Especially favorable out-of-school experiences Physical characteristics -...-Unusual aggressiveness or arene .. «Other. b. If “No, ** number the main reasons in order of importance: ow «Undesirable traits of character or personality ---ewelnferior general mental ability Lack of vocational skills Lack of good general education said Inexperienced in out-of-school affairs on ..Physical handicaps aves lack of aggressiveness or persistence ee 33. senna at job inmente) By whom? When? To whom sent? 34. What outstanding characteristics, such as special aptitudes, interests, general abilities or disabilities, specific vocational abilities, traits (good or bad) physical characteristics, etc., did this student have that might be related to his subsequent — adjustment? Possible helpful 22... Possible harmful ... 35. Why did pupil leave school? . 36. 1. Was there an interview just ‘prior to school leaving? Yes No o. By whom? GID cnctictinainlisithnicasimnes dl. Nature stint 37. Did the youth ever come back to school for help? Yes No To whom? About what? 38. school’s estimate of the net when he left school as to the likelihood of his i halatitiie 0 occupation- ally weli adjusted. ios 2S 1. Very confident that he would become occupationally well adjusted. 2. Rather confident that he would become occupationally well adjusted. 3. No particular reasons for believing he would not become well adjusted, and .no particular reasons for believing he would. 4. Rather doubtful about his becoming occupationally well adjusted. 5. Very certain that he would not become occupationally well adjusted. If 1, 2, 4, or 5, give reasons 39. What specific recommendations concerning occupational adjustment did the school make to this youth as a result of its guidance program with the youth? None. Other 40. General C SAMPLE INsTRUMENTS 143 Form DI The Occupational Adjustment Study Preliminary Interview Blank Principat-School OI iin. Fs etn 1. Size of school................ aera 1935... 1936 1937 1938 1939 2. Organization of school grades................ 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, P. G. 3. Number of faculty members .......... 1934 .......... 1935 .......... 1936. ..........1937 pain 1938 ........1939 4. Number of different subjects offered in 1933-34,............. in 1937-38............. 5. School hours? .................. Any changes in last 5 years?.................. 6. Specific jobs for which school is prepared to train pupils. When introduced t 7. What kinds of counseling are offered? ................ When introduced ?.............. 8. What are the occasions for individual counseling? 9. Who does individual counseling? 10. Who does group counseling? 11. How are counselors selected ? 12. The principal’s opinion as to the general experience and training of the counselors (as a group). 13. Each homeroom teacher (counselor) is responsible for how many pupils ?...... 14. Each homeroom teacher (counselor) has how much time allotted to counseling ?...........- 15. The principal’s opinion as to the general experience and training of the teachers of vocational-skill subjects (as a group). 16. What classes in Group Guidance are offered ? Grade level? Taught by whom? 17. What opportunities to study occupational information are offered? What courses ? Grade level? Taught by whom? 18. Are comprehensive cumulative records kept? Yes No 19. Kind of information kept. a. Family and home background Yes No b. Health — Yes No c. Mental Capacity Yes No d. Progress in school Yes No e. Scholastic Achievement 1. Teacher marks Yes No 2. Standardized Objective Tests Yes No f. Aptitudes and interests Yes No g. Other special abilities and disabilities Yes No 20. Type of Comprehensive Cumulative record kept. Grade span? Description. 21. These records are used by whom and how? 22. Are aptitude tests used in the Guidance program? Yes No How are they used? 23. Are interest questionnaires used in the Guidance program? Yes No How are they used? 24. Are personality rating scales used in the guidance program? Yes No How are they used? 25. Are anecdotal records kept? Yes No By whom and how are they used! 26. Who is responsible for heading up the guidance program in this school}! What activities does he engage in? 27. Is there provision made for a co-operative school-work program in con- nection with any vocational training offered by the school? Yes No Description 28. Is there provision made for interviewing youth about to leave school? Yes No By whom? On what topics? ’ { 144. Nationat AssociaATION OF SECONDARY-SCHOOL PrincipaLs | November 29. Is there a school placement office? Yes No Describe. 30. Is placement done by anyone else? Yes No By whom and how? 31. Are there guidance facilities available for and used by youth who have left school? Yes No a. What are they? ....................-..:.aecesese b. Extent used .............-.--.--s-eceeeeeee+ 32. Does the school keep a record of the jobs held by its school leavers? Yes No a. For how long?.................... b. How does it use such material ?.................... 33. Does the school follow up its school-leaving youth in other socio-economic matters? Yes No a. For how long?.............. ...... b. How does it use such material ?.................... 34. What tryout and exploratory courses are offered? Grade level? When in- troduced ? 35. What vocational-skill subjects are offered? Grade level? When introduced? 36. Does the school attempt to enlist the aid of adults in the community to further its occupational adjustment program? Yes No How? 37. Are library facilities providing occupational information available for use by pupils? Yes No a. What kind ?............ b. What use do pupils make of such materials?............ 38. Does the school make any effort to survey local occupational conditions? Yes No Ro, TI cichsntiastnssbiimiasasiin b. How are the results used? ............---2.-....000000-- 39. Legal school-leaving age................. 40. By and large, where geographically do most of the out-of-school youth get their jobs? 41. General Comments Form D II Investigator __... The Occupational Adjustment Study The Community (Part I) 1. City or town —.......... 2. County 3. State _...... SR 4. Population (1930) (or latest census) Up to 10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years 25 and older Total M F M F M F M F MF RCI ocean cnesnsesesasesscrncssnasesosotesessecsepcehjucbosoveionsacenoacssquvinaesbebuaneacntsepleasteeesiibuabatesiete Native white parentage .............. ; Pon oie DOTeNae OP WARM IO si onsiveicieessnciecesctassccntosscocncsdgsiribatoncuicsiscssestontbessnseidateentti Foreign-born white ............. seseeeeTinasdiapacteein Negro =