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THE HIGH SCHOOL FAILURES
A STUDY OF THE SCHOOL RECORDS OF PUPILS
FAILING IN ACADEMIC OR COMMERCIAL
HIGH SCHOOL SUBJECTS
By
FRANCIS P. OBRIEN
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the
Faculty of Philosophy, Columbia University
PUBLISHED BY
Teachers College, Columbia University
NEW YORK CITY
1919
Teachers College, Columbia University
NEW YORK CITY
1919
Copyright, 1919, by FRANCIS P. OBRIEN
PREFACE
Grateful acknowledgment is due the principals of each of the high schools whose records are included in this study, for the courteous and helpful attitude which they and their assistants manifested in the work of securing the data. Thanks are due Dr. John S. Tildsley for his generous permission to consult the records in each or any of the New York City high schools. But the fullest appreciation is felt and acknowledged for the ready criticism and encouragement received from Professor Thomas H. Briggs and Professor George D. Strayer at each stage from the inception to the completion of this study.
F.P.O.
CONTENTS
I.—THE GENERAL INTRODUCTION OF THE SUBJECT
PAGE 1. The Relevance of This Study 1 2. The Meaning of Failure in This Study 3 3. Scope and Content of the Field Covered 4 4. Sources of the Data Employed 6 5. Selection and Reliability of These Sources 8 6. Summary of Chapter, and References
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II.—HOW EXTENSIVE ARE THE FAILURES OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS?
1. A Distribution of All Entrants in Reference to Failure 12 2. The Later Distribution of the Pupils by Semesters 14 3. The Distribution of the Failures—by Ages and by Semesters 14 4. Distribution of the Failures by Subjects 19 5. The Pupils Dropping Out—Time and Age 24 6. Summary of Chapter, and References 27III.—WHAT BASIS IS DISCOVERABLE FOR A PROGNOSIS OF THE OCCURRENCE OR THE NUMBER OF FAILURES?
1. Some Possible Factors—Attendance, Mental and Physical Defects, Size of Classes 29 2. Employment of the School Entering Age for the Purpose of Prognosis
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tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">31 3. The Percentage of Failure at Each Age on the Possibility of Failures for That Age 36 4. The Initial Record in High School 37 5. Prognosis of Failure by Subject Selection 39 6. The Time Period and the Number of Failures 40 7. Similarity of Facts for Boys and Girls 45 8. Summary of Chapter, and References 45
IV.—HOW MUCH IS GRADUATION OR THE PERSISTENCE IN SCHOOL CONDITIONED BY THE OCCURRENCE OR BY THE NUMBER OF FAILURES?
1. Comparison of the Failing and the Non-failing Groups in Reference to Graduation and Persistence 48 2. The Number of Failures and the Years Required to Graduate 49 3. The Number of Failures and the Semesters of Dropping Out, for Non-graduates
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tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">51 4. The Percentages That the Non-graduate Groups Form of the Pupils Who Have Each Successively Higher Number of Failures 55 5. Time Extension for the Failing Graduates 56 6. Summary of Chapter, and References 57
V.—ARE THE SCHOOL AGENCIES EMPLOYED IN REMEDYING THE FAILURES ADEQUATE FOR THE PURPOSE?
1. Repetition as a Remedy for Failures 60 a. Size of Schedule and Results of Repeating. b. Later Grades in the Same Kind of Subjects, Following Repetition and Without it. c. The Grades in Repeated Subjects and in New Work. d. The Number and Results of Identical Repetitions. 2. Discontinuance of the Subject or Course, and the Substitution of Others 68 3. The Employment of School Examinations 69 4. The
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Service Rendered by the Regents' Examinations in New York 70 5. Continuation of Subjects Without Repetition or Examination 73 6. Summary of Chapter, and References 74
VI.—DO THE FAILURES REPRESENT A LACK OF CAPABILITY OR OF FITNESS FOR HIGH SCHOOL WORK ON THE PART OF THOSE PUPILS?
1. Some Are Evidently Misfits 76 2. Most of the Failing Pupils Lack Neither Ability nor Earnestness 77 3. The School Emphasis and the School Failures Are Both Culminative in Particular School Subjects 81 4. An Indictment Against the Subject-Matter and the Teaching Ends as Factors in Producing Failures 83 5. Summary of Chapter, and References 85VII.—WHAT TREATMENT IS SUGGESTED BY THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE FACTS OF FAILURE?
1. Organization and Adaptation in Recognition of the Individual Differences in
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Abilities and Interests 87 2. Faculty Student Advisers from the Time of Entrance 89 3. Greater Flexibility and Differentiation Required 90 4. Provision for the Direction of the Pupils' Study 92 5. A Greater Recognition and Exposition of the Facts as Revealed by Accurate and Complete School Records 94 6. Summary of Chapter, and References 96