Glass__jL: C (fo^ l 
 
 Book - ^0 \F 
 
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 COPYRIGHT DEPOSnV 
 
A SPECIAL STUDY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE INCIDENCE OF RETARDATION 
 
 BY 
 
 LOUIS B. BLAN, Ph.D. 
 
 TEACHERS COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 
 CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION, NO. 40 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 JSmti^tXB CCnUfgp, (ttnlumbia ImuerBttc 
 NEW YORK CITY 
 
 1911 
 
 MvMu^iupil 
 
V 
 
 
 Copyright, 1911, by Louis B, Blan 
 
 
 C^CI.A2<S06G7 
 
PREFACE 
 
 An attempt is made in this dissertation to measure primarily 
 the relative frequency of non-promotion in the grades of the 
 public school. The method of approach differs somewhat from 
 that pursued in previous studies of the problem of retardation. 
 The records of the local beginners or the so-called initial starters 
 who have persisted in the present grammar grades were alone 
 sought and from them the endeavor has been made to ascertain 
 with some exactitude the particular grade or grades in which 
 the pupils most frequently tend to be retarded. 
 
 Acknowledgments are due to Professor Edward L. Thorn- 
 dike, of Teachers College, Commissioner David Snedden, of 
 Massachusetts, and Professor G. D. Strayer, of Teachers Col- 
 lege, for the kindly interest manifested and the helpful assist- 
 ance tendered by them during the progress of the investigation. 
 
 The author is also indebted to the superintendents, principals, 
 and teachers in the five city school systems visited who were 
 especially courteous and cheerfully made every effort to assist 
 in securing as accurate information as is possible in view of the 
 prevailing incompleteness of the individual history or record 
 cards. 
 
 Columbia University L.B.B. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Chapter 
 
 I Critical Review of the Important Contributions 
 
 TO THE Study of Retardation . . . . 
 
 II New York City, N. Y. (One District) 1,312 Cases 
 
 III Elizabeth, N. J. 1,088 Cases 
 
 IV Paterson, N. J. 1,246 Cases 
 V East Orange, N. J. 448 Cases 
 
 VI Plainfield, N. J. 485 Cases 
 VII Summary .... 
 Bibliography 
 
 Page 
 
 I 
 
 20 
 40 
 
 53 
 67 
 
 80 
 
 92 
 
 109 
 
THE INCIDENCE OF RETARDATION 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBU- 
 TIONS TO THE STUDY OF RETARDATION 
 
 The handicap of an inadequate terminology occasions con- 
 siderable ambiguity in various fields of educational endeavor. 
 The necessity for caution in the use of " biological analogy " in 
 one's theory of education has been pointed out by noted edu- 
 cational philosophers.^ The analogous application of terms 
 prevails quite as much in the specific fields of school study -a 
 tendency which here too frequently leads to difficulty. 
 
 The term "retardation" has been borrowed recently from 
 physics, and seemingly well adapted, its use has been favored by 
 all school-men. In defining its true meaning, however, there has 
 arisen some difference of opinion to be explained largely in 
 terms of relative emphasis. In one case the rate of progress, 
 that is, the length of time it takes the pupil to do one year's 
 work, is taken to be the proper criterion in estimating whether 
 he is to be adjudged subnormal, normal, or supernormal. On the 
 other hand, the age-grade standard is considered by many at 
 once the more precise and objective measure of retardation. 
 
 Not unmindful of the fact that children vary greatly physi- 
 cally and mentally and hence cannot be measured at all times in 
 terms of age-relations, the prevailing method of classification of 
 children by grades and ages in all the progressive school systems 
 of this country must be acknowledged as being more worth while 
 in that it affords a better, if not the only, objective means of de- 
 termining the number of backward children in our schools. The 
 contention that retardation is not to b^ gleaned from the age- 
 o-rade table but is to be estimated in terms of the pupil's rate of 
 
 1 Harris, W. T., The Danger of Using Biological Analogies in Reason- 
 ing on Eciucational Subjects. Proceedings N. E. A., 1902:215. 
 
2 A special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 speed through the grades irrespective of his age at entrance or 
 thereafter, cannot be justified. 
 
 It has been charged by the advocates of the progress-standard 
 that the measure of retardation in terms of a modal age group 
 is unfair. Superintendent Greenwood, of Kansas City, rather 
 dogmatically insists that "retardation is not a question of age 
 without respect to progress, but it is one of time required to do 
 a given amount of work within a specified time without regard 
 to age." Those who voice this latter opinion do so, it would 
 seem, more out of fear than otherwise. Since the serious import 
 of retardation as a vital educational problem has awakened the 
 school authorities throughout the land to investigate along these 
 lines, some of the usual conservatives have striven to prove 
 the alarm an exaggeration. They argue that it is sensible and in- 
 telligent for the parents to send their children to school at a 
 late age for where such children do enter the first grade, say, 
 at eight years of age or over, they soon make up for lost time 
 by "skipping" classes. How, then, they ask, is it possible to 
 gauge retardation on the basis of a hypothetical normal age for 
 grade. 
 
 If it were definitely established that it is of little consequence 
 when a child enters school because of this proved tendency to 
 " skip," the progress-standard for measuring retardation certainly 
 would hold good, but only for the lower grades, for, by the time 
 the " over-age " entrance pupil reached the higher grades, he 
 would be one of the normal age group himself. There is, how- 
 ever, little evidence other than mere opinion to prove this 
 tendency. No adequate attempts have been made to study this 
 important problem. Such studies on record which treat of the 
 extent of " skipping " in our graded city schools tend to show 
 the presence of a small percentage of these rapidly progressing 
 pupils. How many of the " over-age " initial starters are in- 
 cluded therein no one is in a position to say. 
 
 In a recent article published in the Educational Reviezu,^ Mr. 
 R. P. Falkner cites from the reports of several large and 
 small cities such statistics as he and other investigators could 
 find which bore on the subject or revealed the amount of ex- 
 ceptionally rapid movement of some of the pupils through the 
 
 ^ Falkner, R. P., Retardation, its Significance and its Requirements, 
 Educa. R. 1909. 
 
Critical Review of the Important Contributions 3 
 
 grades. In Somerville, Mass., 1907, the amount of rapid pro- 
 gress, i.e., the promotions over more than one grade plus the 
 promotions during the year, amounted to 1.4 per cent of all 
 the promotions. In Springfield, Ohio, where 4755 promotions 
 were recorded only seven of these or not quite 0.15 per cent 
 represented the number promoted more than one grade at the 
 end or during the yearly term. In New York City, Mr. L. P. 
 Ayres, of the Russell Sage Foundation, studied the records of 
 946 fifth grade pupils and found that 5.4 per cent of these 
 achieved their work in less than the regularly allotted time. 
 In one of the Philadelphia school reports, Mr. Falkner found 
 that 2,406 pupils out of 122,644 or less than 2 per cent were 
 thus described as incidental. 
 
 Keeping in mind, then, these small percentages of rapidly ad- 
 vancing pupils, it would at least seem an unwise chance for the 
 pupil to enter the first grade at a late age and depend upon his 
 ability solely as a result of his initial "over-ageness'' to "skip" 
 grades and make up the handicap of a year or more which he 
 concedes his schoolmates at the very start. 
 
 Much of the dissension is attributable to the arbitrary fixing 
 of a normal age for grade. The considerable diversity of opinion 
 manifest demonstrates plainly the futility of defining the nor- 
 mal child. In some cities the so-called " theoretical age-limit " 
 for a pupil entering the first grade is five years. ^ Others hold that 
 a child should enter the first year of school before his seventh 
 birthday and then if he advances regularly, he will have accom- 
 plished the eight years' course before he is fifteen years of age. 
 Professor L. Witmer, of the University of Pennsylvania, regis- 
 tered the opinion, ^ when Dr. Bryan made his investigation in 
 Camden, N. J., (1904-06) and found 72 per cent above this lat- 
 ter age-limit (6 years o months to 6 years 11 months inclusive 
 for entrance to first grade, etc.) that only those be counted as 
 retarded who exceeded this age-limit by one year or more. This 
 lowered the percentages as follows : 47 per cent, one year or 
 more over the age-limit; 26 per cent, two years or more; 13 per 
 cent, three years or more ; and 5 per cent, four years or more. 
 Duly considering then these alarming retardation figures, Pro- 
 
 1 In Medford, Mass., the superintendent regards five years as the proper 
 age-standard for entrance to the first grade. 
 
 2 Witmer, L., What is meant by Retardation? Psy. Clinic. Oct. 1910. 
 
4 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 fessor Witmer tells us that it was deemed advisable to call all 
 those pupils " pedagogically retarded " who exceeded the age- 
 limit by two years or more and that investigators of statis- 
 tics of age distribution have generally accepted this as the age- 
 standard in their studies of the problem of retardation in other 
 cities. 
 
 In order to properly analyze conditions in any city, statistical 
 comparisons with other cities become imperative. Only within 
 recent years the statistics of retardation have been published. 
 At present they occupy a vitally important place in the annual 
 and special reports of every efificient superintendent. Statisti- 
 cians are wont to build up tables showing the relative amounts 
 of retardation prevalent in various systems on the basis of the 
 published percentages of "over-ageness" recorded in the respec- 
 tive school reports. While due precaution at times is taken to 
 observe that in each system the same normal age-standard is 
 assumed, nevertheless these comparisons when made simply on 
 this basis are commonly misleading. So long as full age-grade 
 tables are shown recording accurately the distribution of all pu- 
 pils according to age, e.g., in first grade, so many 5 years o 
 months to 5 years 11 months inclusive; so many 6 years o 
 months to 6 years 11 months inclusive; etc., it matters little 
 what specific theoretical age-limit is taken. The complete dis- 
 tributory tables furnish the only true means of comparing con- 
 ditions in the schools of any given city or of city with city. 
 The variance in interpreting just what 5 years as a normal en- 
 trance age, or 6 years, etc., really means is a real cause for many 
 fallacious comparisons. Some understand 5 years of age to 
 mean anywhere between 4^ and 5j4 years ; others regard it as 
 
 5 years o months to 5 years 11 months inclusive, etc. It is 
 plain then that great care ought to be exercised in this matter of 
 explaining the true signification of each age-heading in all age- 
 grade tables. 
 
 Professor Witmer in the aforementioned article outlines in 
 brief the history of the growth of the study of retardation in 
 our schools. He asserts that the mind of the school authority 
 was first aroused to notice the prevailing conditions of retarda- 
 tion among school children in the ye&r 1895. In part this 
 awakening is attributed to the introduction of medical inspection 
 and to the resulting valuable medical reports tabulating the vari- 
 
Critical Review of the Important Contributions 5 
 
 ous defects of the pupils examined. Since then the Hterature of 
 retardation has grown to vast proportions. Aluch that has been 
 written is definite in the way of contribution towards the under- 
 standing of this serious problem of school management. In 
 considering critically some of the publications of the leading 
 students of retardation, the quantitative aspect of each of these 
 studies will be treated as the fundamental concern of this dis- 
 sertation. Discussions treating of the causes, and suggestions 
 as to remedies will be omitted. 
 
 A large majority of the valuable studies of the retardation 
 have appeared in the pages of the Psychological Clinic, a peri- 
 odical in issue since March, 1907, edited by Professor L. Wit- 
 mer, of the University of Pennsylvania. In the February num- 
 ber of this psychological journal. District Superintendent O. P. 
 Cornman, of Philadelphia, collated statistics showing the amount 
 of retardation in five selected city school systems. In the main 
 his system of statistical tabulation demonstrated conclusively the 
 value of the age-grade table as a standard for measuring the 
 extent of retardation in any school and as a means for comparing 
 the same in the school systems of various cities. Philadelphia, 
 Boston, New York City, Camden, and Kansas City were selected 
 for study. 
 
 Assuming 7 years to 7 years 11 months inclusive as the nor- 
 mal age for entrance to the first grade, Superintendent Cornman 
 found the range of "over-ageness" to be from 51 per cent in 
 Boston to 77.6 per cent in Kansas City. ^ From Table Yl sum- 
 marizing the percentages of enrollment above normal age, one 
 notes in all five cities a progressive increase of retardation till the 
 fifth grade and then a gradual falling off in the sixth and 
 seventh grades and a marked drop in the eighth grade. This 
 is especially so in Camden and in New York City. Superintend- 
 ent Cornman quite correctly accounts for this on the assumption 
 that the older children in the later grades drop out of school to 
 go to work. Some students of retardation observing similar con- 
 ditions have made the serious error of concluding that the larger 
 retardation per cents in the lower grades proved that the earlier 
 grades were unquestionably more difficult than the later ones. 
 Mr. L. P. Ayres, in his investigation of the records of 20,000 
 New York City school pupils, is the chief ofifender in this re- 
 
 ^ Psychological Clinic. Feb. 1908: Tables I to V. 
 
6 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 spect. He assumes the frequency of repetition in the upper 
 grades, beginning with the sixth, is absolutely nothing and bases 
 his estimates of retardation on this false assumption.^ 
 
 Superintendent Cornman's study shows, then, by means of 
 clear systematic age-distribution tables the great diversity of 
 ages of the pupils in their respective grades and emphasizes 
 the value of the age-grade table as unmistakable proof of the 
 fact of retardation. That his admirable work had a considerable 
 effect in decreasing the number of retarded pupils may at least be 
 presumed on comparing such statistical information cited in his 
 reports of June, 1907 and June, 1908. Whereas in the earlier year 
 he found 12.7 per cent as being 20 or more months in one grade, 
 in the next year there were only 6.6 per cent so retarded. It is 
 highly probable that the marked reduction in the amount of re- 
 tardation was due in large part to the mere fact that attention was 
 called to the prevailing conditions. 
 
 In the Psychological Clinic issued during the month of May, 
 1908, Dr. R. P. Falkner, former Commissioner of Education 
 for Porto Rico, endeavored to show some further possibilities 
 of interpretation of the valuable statistical material gathered by 
 Superintendent Cornman in the same five city school systems. 
 This article is largely a special critique of method and chal- 
 lenges many of Superintendent Cornman's contentions. Dr. 
 Falkner points out the significant fact that the serious effect 
 of retardation is the shortening of the amount of education 
 measured in time, for the few. For example, the age-grade 
 tables of Camden, N. J., show 317 pupils in the third grade 
 and eleven years old. In comment Dr. Falkner says that " the 
 sad fact is not that they will be 16 years old when they reach 
 the eighth grade but that the vast majority will never get there." 
 Retardation means then that only the relatively few succeed 
 in finishing the entire elementary course. 
 
 The question next under consideration is to determine to just 
 what extent Cornman's age-grade tables are comparable. The 
 statistical material having- been gathered from annual school 
 reports in which the grade distributions represent conditions re- 
 ported at different periods throughout the year, some of the 
 comparisons are obviously unfair. And in this connection there 
 appears a just criticism of the methods of recording statistics 
 
 ^ Referred to again more fully on pages 12 and 13. 
 
Critical Review of the Important Contributions 7 
 
 of enrollment as employed in these cities. In Boston, the facts 
 are recorded at the end of the year ; in Philadelphia and New 
 York City, after the June promotions ; in Camden and Kansas 
 City, at various times during the year. Dr. Falkner discusses 
 the three methods and declares the Boston system to be the 
 best and the simplest. Even so, it is not considered altogether 
 satisfactory. He suggests that the faults of this method would 
 be obviated by recording enrollment figures on the first of Octo- 
 ber, for by that time the regular fall registration is complete 
 and the school population has reached its maximum. 
 
 It is generally admitted by school-men and serious research stu- 
 dents that the school reports of the majority of our cities furnish 
 information of rather doubtful accuracy. Many of them do not 
 show the correct age records of the pupils. Whereas accuracy 
 is possible since the original records frequently call for age in 
 years and date of birth, the teacher in most cases is inclined 
 to report age in years alone irrespective of the time when the 
 question is asked. The writer was particularly hampered while 
 gathering material for the following quantitative study of re- 
 tardation, in consequence of this neglect on the part of the 
 teacher in the matter of securing the complete age record. It 
 became necessary on innumerable occasions to ask the pupils 
 individually to write out the exact date of birth, year, month, 
 day, as well as the present age in years. 
 
 In addition, then, to this original error of the class teacher, 
 mistakes frequently arise as a result of carelessness or even will- 
 fulness in copying ofif the figures of the class-room register. 
 All these errors of transcription combine to make the final figures 
 as reported out by the superintendent misstate the real facts. 
 Such discrepancies as do occur when comparing the studies on 
 the one hand of those who obtain their records from the class- 
 room registers or individual record cards and of those research 
 students of the official annual school reports are largely attrib- 
 utable to these inaccuracies in transcribing the original entries. 
 
 Noting the age-distribution tables of Superintendent Corn- 
 man, attention is called to the tremendous falling off at the age of 
 fourteen years. Dr. Falkner commenting on the fact that at 
 fourteen only an approximate one-half of those who are in school 
 at twelve are still present, concludes that dropping out of school 
 is more dependent upon age than upon the stage of grade ad- 
 
8 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 vancement, — " a fact " which he says is " of cardinal importance 
 in the study of retardation." 
 
 The next point of vital consequence is to consider how much 
 there is in the prevalent contention that, were the complete sta- 
 tistical material at hand, the financial loss to the municipality 
 as a result of this so-called damming of the stream of the regu- 
 larly advancing pupils, would be surprisingly large. Superin- 
 tendent Cornman claims that a child who takes ten years to ac- 
 complish an eight year course, costs the city 25 per cent more 
 than one who goes through in the regular time. Whereas this 
 may be so theoretically, the fundamental fallacy is to assume that 
 it is actually thus in practice and to argue from it as a premise, 
 the advisability of studying to remedy the evils of retardation. 
 The fact must be recognized that innumerable pupils drop out 
 of school in consequence of being held back who if regularly 
 promoted year after year would perhaps remain throughout the 
 entire eight year course and thus cost the city the expense of 
 the added year or years of instruction. On the whole Professor 
 E. L. Thorndike, of Teachers College Columbia University, esti- 
 mates that " of pupils failing of promotion in the last grammar 
 grade about one-third are eliminated before the next year's 
 enrollment is counted ; of pupils failing in the seventh grade 
 about one-fourth ; in the sixth about one-fifth ; in the fifth about 
 one-sixth."^ Dr. Falkner in challenging Cornman's notion says 
 " that if retardation were wholly eliminated from our schools 
 the cost would be increased." He agrees that a wasteful expendi- 
 ture of money is a result of retardation, but argues that the 
 expenditure is wasteful largely because of its ineffectiveness. 
 The money expended although not greater than it ordinarily 
 would amount to yields considerably less than it would under 
 more favorable conditions. 
 
 One of the most informational contributions to the study of 
 retardation was made by Mr. Leonard P. Ayres, of the Russell 
 Sage Foundation, who undertook the investigation of 20.000 
 pupils in fifteen schools in the Borough of Manhattan, New York 
 City. The findings of this investigation were published -in 1909 
 in a volume entitled, "Laggards in Our Schools." An endeavor 
 is made to learn from the official reports of sixty-three American 
 
 ' Thorndike, E. L. Promotion, Retardation, and Elimination. Psy. 
 Clinic. Feb. 1910. 
 
Critical Review of the Important Contributions 9 
 
 cities and from the published and vmpubhshed school records in 
 New York City something of the conditions and the related 
 causes of retardation. Many important phases of the question 
 are clearly set forth by Mr. Ayres and definite conclusions sub- 
 stantially correct in many cases are set down at the end of each 
 chapter, and merit the praise due the investigator who makes 
 definite advances toward solving so vital a problem. 
 
 Air. Ayres' results prove beyond any question that the con- 
 siderable variance in the relative amounts of retardation recorded 
 in many of the city school reports is largely a result of the 
 difference in method of obtaining such statistics. Tabulations 
 must be made upon a uniform basis in order to be comparable. 
 Assuming 6 to 8 years as the normal age for the first grade 
 pupil ; 7 to 9 years for the second grade ; 8 to 10 years for 
 the third grade; and so on. he finds that Medford, Alass., shows 
 the least retardation of the 31 cities and the colored pupils 
 in Memphis, Tenn., the most. Taken generally the schools of 
 the New England States show comparatively little retardation ; 
 the schools of the Eastern and Central States record modal 
 percentages of retardation ; the schools of the Southern 
 States, especially the colored ones, register the maximum 
 tendency. Of course these percentages are to be con- 
 sidered merely as approximations as the time when the 
 statistics were obtained varies from September, in some cases, 
 to June in others. Again this massing of figures quite often 
 yields results of a somewhat distorted character. To say for in- 
 stance that in the 31 cities on the average 2>Z-7 P^r cent of 
 the children are above normal age for their grades means little. 
 Far more satisfactory conclusions could be drawn were the age- 
 grade tables of at least a few of these cities printed in full so 
 that the student could see plainly the nature of the respective dis- 
 tributions. Mr. Ayres agrees that the discrepancy between the 
 two cities, Medford, Mass., and A/[emphis, Tenn. (colored) 
 which two represent the extreme cases, would not be so great 
 were the computations made on the same basis. It is question- 
 able if he is entirely correct in assuming that even if the data were 
 gathered on a truly comparable basis the record of Medford 
 would still be the best and that of Memphis, the worst. 
 
 In this connection it is well to remark that only in a few city 
 school systems can one obtain the individual record or so-called 
 
lo A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 history cards dating back more than five years. ^ In Medford, 
 Mass., these records are obtainable and the superintendent en- 
 forces the age-standard with unusual severity ; five years being 
 taken as the normal age for a first grade pupil. In all probability 
 this attitude explains in part the excellent showing made by this 
 city, only 7.5 per cent of the pupils being classed as above 
 normal age. 
 
 As a result of a laborious study of the rates of progress of 
 pupils through the grades, Mr. Ayres has quarried out certain 
 facts. His data show "that for every pupil making rapid pro- 
 gress there are from eight to ten making slow progress and for 
 every term gained by the rapid pupils from ten to twelve are 
 lost by the slow ones." But Mr. Ayres is not at all careful in 
 distinguishing between the retarded pupil and the repeating pupil. 
 For example, in his third chapter treating of the factors affect- 
 ing grade distribution, Mr. Ayres discusses the factor of retarda- 
 tion solely on the basis of percentages of promotion. If, as 
 he maintains, the pupils who are "over-age" at the time of en- 
 trance to the first grade make the quickest progress and by "skip- 
 ping" grades soon catch up to the normal-age pupil, it follows 
 that the percentages of repetition and retardation in the early 
 grades would show an inverse correlation. In this case, if the 
 complete records were obtainable the figures showing repetition 
 could be used as a check on those of retardation directly for those 
 pupils who are of normal age and indirectly in the case of the 
 "over-age" pupils in question. 
 
 Quite often where there is a considerable increase in the num- 
 ber of pupils promoted and a corresponding decrease in the num- 
 ber left back to repeat the grade one or more times, the percent- 
 ages above normal age may show only slight reduction. This 
 was the case at the end of the school year 1908 in Philadelphia. 
 Superintendent Cornman reported in June, 1907, 37.1 per cent 
 as being- above normal age and in June, 1908, 36.8 per cent, a 
 difference of only 0.3 per cent in spite of the marked increase 
 in percentages of promotion and decrease in percentages of 
 " hold-overs. "- 
 
 The writer found it quite impossible to utilize the percentages 
 of retardation of the pupils in the eighth grades to check up 
 
 ^ In Plainfield, N. J., full history cards are kept, dating back twelve 
 years and over. 
 
 ^ See first paragraph, pagip '^ 
 
Critical Review of the Important Contributions 1 1 
 
 the percentages of the repeating pupils in these grades. Chart I 
 shows the percentages of eighth grade pupils repeating one or 
 more times during their entire school life. Chart II represents 
 the amount of retardation in per cents of these same pupils who 
 ere now in the eighth grade. 
 
 Pc/rc-B'n is. 
 
 qo 
 
 80 
 
 
 Pe/r-'^e>n^s. 
 
 
 So 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 lo 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 to 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i>0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 So 
 40 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 to 
 )o 
 
 
 
 
 io 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 C,l/s^ MY. Pa6. 
 
 Ehz 
 
 Ph 
 
 £0. C,i>e.= //Y. Pai. Elu 
 
 Flo 
 
 10 
 
 Chart i. Percentages of 
 eighth grade pupils repeating 
 one or more times during entire 
 school life 
 
 Chart 2. Percentages of re- 
 tardation in the eighth grades : 
 assuming 13 years to 13 years 
 II months inclusive as the nor- 
 mal entrance age to the eighth 
 grade 
 
 In New York City (one district) whereas 65 per cent of the 
 eighth grade pupils repeated one or more times during their en- 
 tire school life, 71 per cent of those in this same grade were 
 "over-age" for grade, assuming 13 years o months to 13 years 11 
 months inclusive as the normal entrance age to the eighth grade ; 
 in Paterson 55 per cent of the eighth grade pupils repeated one 
 or more times, and 40 per cent were found to be "over-age." 
 In Elizabeth and East Orange the contrasts were very marked 
 indeed. In the former the writer found only 29 per cent of re- 
 peaters as against 62 per cent of retarded pupils, and in the lat- 
 ter city, 38 per cent of the repeaters with yy per cent retarded. In 
 Plainfield the maximum of repetition was found, 90 per cent, 
 and 78 per cent of the eighth grade pupils were above normal 
 age for grade. ^ 
 
 The foregoing comparisons prove beyond question that it is 
 by no means correct to use the terms repetition and retardation 
 interchangeably. Such confusion of terms can only lead to seri- 
 
 ^ Explanation of these excessively high percentages is found on page 86. 
 
12 A special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 ous error especially when the percentages of repetition are mere- 
 ly theoretical estimates based on the number of probable be- 
 ginners, e.g., Mr. Ayres' method of determining the number of 
 repeaters by finding what per cent the pupils in a given grade 
 is of the probable number of beginners in the school. 
 
 But, as Professor Thorndike points out, Mr. Ayres' unpar- 
 donable error is his assumption that from the sixth grade on, 
 the frequency of repetition is zero. His elimination and retarda- 
 tion figures being derived on this basis, show up much too high 
 for grades one to six and much too low for grades six and over. 
 
 Mr. Ayres in determining the number of repeaters in the 
 elementary grades, of a given system takes the "average of the 
 generations of the ages seven to twelve in the school membership 
 of the system" as the number of probable beginners and uses 
 this average as the base in such estimations. A single instance 
 will suffice to show how far wrong Mr. Ayres' method may 
 lead one in estimating the relative frequency of non-promotion 
 in the grades. 
 
 According to this method the assistant superintendent of 
 schools, Cleveland, Ohio, reckons the repeaters in the schools of 
 his city for 1908-09 would be distributed as follows:^ 
 
 First grade 5,260 pupils repeating 
 
 Second grade 2,216 
 
 Third grade 2,243 " 
 
 Fourth grade i-Si? " 
 
 Fifth grade 823 
 
 Sixth grade o " 
 
 Seventh grade o " 
 
 Eighth grade o " 
 
 Total 12,059 " " 
 
 On actual investigation, however, the true figures were found 
 to be thus distributed: 
 
 First grade 3,364 punils repeating 
 
 Second grade 1,274 
 
 Third grade 1,235 
 
 Fourth grade 1,086 
 
 Fifth grade 797 
 
 Sixth grade 474 
 
 Seventh grade 320 
 
 Eighth grade 103 
 
 Total 8,653 
 
 ' Educational Review. June, 19 10. 
 
Critical Review of the Important Contributions 13 
 
 N-ote, then, whereas Mr. Ayres figures that 20.2 per cent on 
 the total registration repeated grades in the Cleveland schools 
 during the school year, in reality the percentage of repeaters is 
 only 14.5 per cent. His method shows an excess of 56.4 per cent 
 on the actual number of repeaters in the first grade ; 73.9 per cent 
 more in the second; 81.6 i)er cent more in the third; 39.7 per 
 cent more in the fourth ; 2)-2) per cent more in the fifth ; and to- 
 tally neglects the number of repeaters in the sixth, seventh, and 
 eighth grades. 
 
 In the Educational Reznciv, February, 1910, Professor E. L. 
 Thorndike, of Teachers College, reviewed Mr. Ayres' book, 
 pointing out its many valuable features. Compliment is paid 
 the author for his having avoided certain common errors, 
 e.g., the neglect of the inverse correlation of physical defects 
 with age and the effect of the school entrance age upon the 
 rate of progress therein. Many important relations, however, 
 which could have been determined from the individual records 
 of the New York City pupils are mentioned by the reviewer and 
 the author is severely criticised for such omission. For example, 
 Mr. Ayres says nothing concerning the typical rate of progress 
 and the variations from this rate for, say lA pupils, at the age 
 of six, seven, etc. He neglects to ascertain the correlations be- 
 tween failure of promotion in a given grade and failure of pro- 
 motion in subsequent grades ; between failure of promotion in two 
 or more grades and retention in other grades, e.g., comparing the 
 sixth and seventh grades with the fourth and fifth grades with 
 respect to the extent of non-promotion in the third grade. This 
 sort of comparative grade study is well worth while, the result- 
 ing correlations being integral in measuring the underlying causes 
 of failure. 
 
 The only serious attempt to gauge the comparative lengths of 
 the different grades of the elementary school is found in a criti- 
 cal study made by Professor Thorndike and published in the 
 January and February numbers, 1910, of the Psychological Clinic, 
 under the caption, " Promotion, Retardation and Elimination." 
 
 Professor Thorndike carefully examined the school reports of 
 over one hundred cities and towns and from the statements of 
 the number of promotions by grades recorded therein, he has 
 ascertained with a reasonable amount of accuracy the relative 
 lengths of the various grades of city school systems in general. 
 
14 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 Actual percentages of pupils who fail based on the grade enroll- 
 ment at the end of the year are found and in order that the in- 
 vestigator may conveniently elicit from these figures the extent 
 to which the grades are of unequal length, the ratios of these per- 
 centages to the average for grades two to eight are computed. 
 It was advisable to use as the base grades two to eight rather 
 than one to eight on account of the considerable variability 
 among cities in the proportion of failures in the first grade. 
 
 Tables II and IV in Professor Thorndike's study show the dis- 
 tribution of non-promotion in grades two to eight. Table II 
 reports on fifteen cities of which thirteen have complete data. 
 Table IV records thirteen other cities treated in Mr. Ayres' in- 
 vestigation. Selecting from these two tables the cities with com- 
 plete data and only those having eight yearly systems, the follow- 
 ing two groups may be formed wherein similar tendencies prevail : 
 
 GROUP A 
 
 Proportion which the Percentage of Pupils enrolled at the End of 
 the Year who fail of Promotion, is of the Average of such Percen- 
 tages for Grade 2 to the last Grammar Grade, inclusive, in the 
 City in Question. 
 
 Grades 
 Manhattan, N. Y, 
 
 Chester, Pa 
 
 Providence, R. I. , 
 Wilkesbarre, Pa . . 
 
 Elgin, Ind 
 
 Pasadena, Cal. . . . 
 Jamestown, Va. . 
 
 .48 
 ■93 
 •99 
 •45 
 .41 
 
 •25 
 .64 
 
 •49 
 •50 
 .61 
 
 •59 
 .70 
 .01 
 
 98 
 
 85 
 78 
 40 
 
 99 
 00 
 68 
 
 .09 
 
 •93 
 .21 
 
 •71 
 .00 
 .88 
 .82 
 
 •99 
 
 •38 
 •35 
 . II 
 
 •05 
 •93 
 .61 
 
 I .09 
 I .09 
 I .49 
 I .41 
 
 1^15 
 I .03 
 
 •97 
 
 1 .09 
 1 .62 
 
 .85 
 
 2 .22 
 1.36 
 
 1-35 
 2 .00 
 
 Grades 
 
 Brooklyn, N. Y. . 
 Fort Wayne, Ind 
 Columbus, O. . . . 
 Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Chicago, 111 
 
 Wheeling, W. Va 
 Springfield, O . . . 
 San Francisco, Cal 
 Cincinnati, O. . . . 
 
 ^•52 
 2 .13 
 2.17 
 
 1 .24 
 2.25 
 
 2 .08 
 I .40 
 
 .89 
 1 .82 
 
 GROUP B 
 
 (Same) 
 
 .91 
 
 .87 
 
 •59 
 I .07 
 
 I ^13 
 1.25 
 1. 18 
 I .09 
 I .20 
 
 3 
 
 .96 
 
 •94 
 
 •93 
 
 I .02 
 
 •94 
 i^i3 
 I .32 
 I .24 
 I .20 
 
 •995 
 1.05 
 I .20 
 .96 
 .88 
 I .46 
 1. 18 
 1. 16 
 I .20 
 
 5 
 
 .105 
 
 .22 
 
 .09 
 
 .19 
 
 •13 
 .42 
 
 •03 
 .16 
 
 •94 
 
 I .14 
 .84 
 
 I .0=; 
 .96 
 
 1 .06 
 •54 
 
 1.25 
 
 I .09 
 
 7 
 
 1 .215 
 
 1 .08 
 
 1 . 12 
 
 .90 
 
 1 .00 
 
 .88 
 
 .81 
 
 .81 
 
 Of the sixteen cities recorded above, the seven in Group A 
 show the average length of the first four grades to be less than 
 the average length of the last four grades ; and the nine in Group 
 
Critical Review of the Important Contributions 
 
 15 
 
 B .show the reverse. The larger number in the second group is 
 easily explained. The average weights all grades equally and as 
 the first grade in nearly all cases is exceptionally long and the last 
 grade in many cases rather short, several of these cities should 
 not properly be classed in this group. The comparison would be 
 far truer were these extreme grades eliminated. Thus comparing 
 the averages of the lengths of the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades, 
 one is enabled to get a more correct estimate of the relative 
 lengths of the lower and upper grades of the city school systems 
 in question. Groups A^ and B^ show then more accurately in 
 average per cents how the three lower grades compare in length 
 with the three higher grades. 
 
 GROUP Ai 
 
 Average of Proportions which the Percentage of Pupils enrolled at the 
 End of the Year who fail of Promotion in Grades 2, 3, and 4 as 
 compared with such Averages in Grades 5, 6, and 7 is of the same 
 Base: the Average of such Percentages for Grade 2 to last Grammar 
 Grade inclusive. 
 
 Manhattan, N. Y. 
 
 Chester, Pa 
 
 Providence, R. I. 
 Wilkesbarre, Pa . , 
 
 Elgin, Ind 
 
 Brooklyn, N. Y . . 
 Fort Wayne, Ind 
 Columbus, O. . . . 
 
 Chicago, 111 
 
 Pasadena, Cal. . . 
 
 Grades 2, 3, and 
 
 and 4 
 
 5, 6, and 7 
 
 92 
 
 I .06 
 
 66 
 
 1-13 
 
 •71 
 
 1 .02 
 
 •50 
 
 1.08 
 
 .78 
 
 I .07 
 
 .96 
 
 i-iS 
 
 •95 
 
 I. OS 
 
 .91 
 
 1 .09 
 
 .98 
 
 1 .06 
 
 •94 
 
 •95 
 
 Wheeling, W. Va . . 
 
 Springfield, O 
 
 San Francisco, Cal. 
 
 Cincinnati, O 
 
 Jamestown, Va. . . . 
 
 GROUP Bi 
 
 (Same) 
 Grades 2, 3, and 4 5, 6, and 7 
 
 Of equal average length in : 
 Philadelphia, Pa 
 
 I .23 
 
 I .16 
 
 I .20 
 
 .87 
 
 •95 
 
 I .03 
 
 I .02 
 
 .90 
 
 .80 
 
 If the lengths of the grades may be taken as criteria of the 
 relative difficulty of these grades the upper grades are unquestion- 
 ably more difficult than the lower. From the statistics of the 
 entire fifteen cities gathered by Professor Thorndike, the central 
 
i6 A Special SUidy of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 tendencies in the records of non-promotion figured as percent- 
 ages of the June enrollment are as follows •} 
 
 Grades 234567 8 
 
 Medians 12.25 14.00 14.75 16.00 14.25 15.00 12.50 
 
 Combining the records of these cities with those found in Mr. 
 Ayres' report: 
 
 Grades i 234567 8 
 
 Medians 160 95 94 99.5 109 102 99.5 89 
 
 The progressive increase of non-promotion up to the sixth 
 grade is plainly the tendency. The smaller percentages in the 
 sixth, seventh, and eighth grades must not be taken to imply 
 that these grades are less difficult than the earlier grades. In all 
 probability a large number of the failing pupils in the fifth grade 
 leave school and go to work and for those that remain, the 
 seventh grade would seem to again function as the final selective 
 force. Certainly if all the pupils who failed of promotion in the 
 fifth grade remained long enough to struggle through the sixth, 
 seventh, and eighth grades, these grades would show very much 
 larger percentages of non-promotion. The writer found upon 
 careful examination of the individual records of 3,865 grammar 
 grade pupils in five city school systems that the grade distribu- 
 tion of non-promotion showed plainly a progressive increase of 
 non-promotion from the first grade till the eighth grade, the 
 seventh grade in all five cities recording the highest percentage 
 of retention. The assumption then that very few pupils who 
 reach the upper grades fail of promotion and repeat the work of 
 the grade is wrong. The facts demonstrate that the retarding 
 force in the grammar grades is certainly no less than in the pri- 
 mary. 
 
 It is justifiable to assume that the conditions discovered in the 
 five cities treated in the present retardation study outline the gen- 
 eral tendency. In this connection the reader is referred to Chap- 
 ter XIX in the forthcoming 1910 report of the Commissioner of 
 Education, written by Professor G. D. Strayer, of Teachers Col- 
 lege, Columbia University. This chapter in so far as it touches 
 on retardation is a summary of a statistical study soon to appear 
 in a special bulletin issued by the Bureau of Education. It dis- 
 cusses the retardation and elimination of pupils as the result of 
 
 ^Psychological Clinic, Jan. 1910:240. 
 
Critical Review of the Important Contributions 1 7 
 
 a study of three hundred and nineteen cities of varying size in 
 all sections of the United States. The conclusions are based on 
 an age-grade census. The normal age is defined as six to eight 
 for the first grade, seven to nine for the second, eight to ten for 
 the third, and so on. Professor Strayer prefers to take the larg- 
 est age group as a measure of the number entering school during 
 the year for which the data were secured. He argues the reli- 
 ability of this estimate of the entering group as opposed to the 
 customary average of the ages seven to twelve. Wherever the 
 actual number of beginners could be determined the latter meas- 
 ure has proved too small. 
 
 The tables expressing the frequency of retardation of boys and 
 girls show the wide variability among cities. The sexes are dis- 
 tributed in the following manner : 
 
 Quantity: Per Cent of the Total Frequency: Number of Cities 
 Number of Boys 
 
 Boys Girls 
 
 Per Cent No. of Cities Per Cent No. of Cities 
 
 6 2 \ 2 
 
 8 9 
 
 5 ^ 16 10 7 1- 19 
 
 12 9 J 12 3 J 
 
 14 S 1 14 7 1 
 
 16 if-ii 16 11^28 
 
 18 S J 18 10 J 
 
 20 9 I 20 , 
 
 22 S r 22 22 20 }■ 46 
 
 24 
 
 8 I 24 14 J 
 
 26 14 1 26 25 
 
 28 17 [42 28 231-67 
 
 30 19 J 
 
 32 26 1 32 2 
 
 34 17 [ 66 34 18 J- 56 
 
 J 42 9 J 
 
 6 23 J 36 17 J 
 
 38 26 1 38 22 1 
 
 40 i6J-65 40 i8}-49 
 
 42 
 
 44 21 1 44 
 
 46 121-51 46 3 1- 19 
 
 48 18 J 48 6 J 
 
 50 8 ] 50 5 
 
 52 5 (• 18 52 
 
 54 
 
 5 J 54 3 J 
 
 56 3l 56 5 
 
 58 2 ;• II 58 7 i- 13 
 
 60 6 J 60 I J 
 
A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 Quantity: Per Cent of the Total Frequency: Number of Cities 
 Number of Boys 
 
 Boys 
 
 Girls 
 
 Per Cent 
 62. . . 
 64... 
 66. . . 
 
 No. of Cities 
 
 68, 
 
 70. 
 72. 
 
 74 
 
 4 
 
 4 \ 9 
 
 I J 
 
 il 
 4 \ 6 
 
 I J 
 
 Per Cent 
 62. . 
 64... 
 66. . , 
 
 70. 
 72. 
 
 74. 
 
 No. 
 
 of Cities 
 
 
 n 
 
 3J 
 
 4 
 
 
 oj 
 
 5 
 
 
 I ^ 
 
 1 
 
 The mode ranges in the case of the boys from .32 to .42 ; 
 whereas for the girls the modal range is from .26 to .36. These 
 percentages show plainly that boys in general tend to be more 
 retarded than girls. The theoretical age-limit allowing in each 
 grade one year on the normal age assumed in the subjoined study 
 accounts for the low percentages of retardation as compared with 
 those of the five eastern school systems. 
 
 Median percentages indicating the distribution of boys and 
 girls retarded i year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years and over, again 
 show that the boys are more frequently retarded. The cities are 
 classified by population as follows : 
 
 Population 
 
 " Over-Age " Pupils 
 
 Total 
 Percent- 
 ages 
 
 " Under- 
 age " 
 Pupils 
 
 One 
 
 year 
 
 Two years 
 
 Three years 
 
 Four years 
 and over 
 
 One year 
 and more 
 
 
 Boys 
 
 Girls 
 
 Boys 
 10 
 
 Girls 
 
 Boys 
 
 Girls 
 
 Boys 
 
 Girls 
 
 Boys 
 
 Girls 
 
 Boys 
 
 Girls 
 
 25,000 and 
 over (133 
 cities) .... 
 
 20 
 
 18 
 
 9 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 38 
 
 32 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 Less than 
 25,000 (186 
 cities) .... 
 
 20 
 
 18 
 
 1 1 
 
 8 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 38 
 
 36 
 
 4 
 
 S 
 
 Professor Strayer advises the separate sex classification in the 
 study of the problem of retardation. He advocates the formation 
 of " special classes for the bright, the slow, the backward, and the 
 deficient." Special opportunity should be afforded those ^o pro- 
 gress in direct proportion to their ability instead of compelling 
 the monotonous repetition of the same work over and over again. 
 
 It is significant that even assuming a rather liberal theoretical 
 age-limit, in more than two-thirds of the cities considered, over 
 
Critical Review of the Important Contributions 19 
 
 thirty per cent of the boys are retarded. The excessive retarda- 
 tion in the schools of many cities throughout the country de- 
 mands scientific consideration. If we would acclaim the principle 
 of equal opportunity in our public schools, the relative amount 
 of withdrawal, year by year and grade by grade, must be reduced. 
 This necessitates primarily a decrease in the percentage of 
 retarded pupils and a corresponding increase in the number 
 accelerated. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 NEW YORK CITY (One District) 1,312 CASES 
 
 The present chapter concerns the retardation of elementary 
 school pupils only, in one school district of New York City.^ 
 The study was made during the months of October and Novem- 
 ber, 1909 and P'ebruary, 1910. A method of investigation was 
 used which enables one to measure the incidence of retardation, 
 so as to estimate with some exactitude the amount of it in each 
 grade. The cases studied are confined to pupils who began 
 school in the kindergarten or the first grade of the school in 
 which they now are. 
 
 The district selected is a suburban one. The six schools con- 
 sidered range in registry numbers from 400 to 1,500 pupils ap- 
 proximately. Such selection was made solely on the basis of 
 convenience and of close personal acquaintance with the facul- 
 ties of the schools. 
 
 The method employed in studying the 1,312 initial starters in 
 this district will serve as the plan of treatment in the subsequent 
 chapters devoted to the study of the cases recorded in the other 
 four cities. 
 
 The Migration of Pupils 
 
 As a preliminary consideration it is worth while to note the 
 following tabulated comparison by grades of the net results of 
 the eflfect of the migratory tendency plus the tendency to enter 
 the grades beyond the first. 
 
 A rather poor statistical measure, yet interesting in this case, 
 is the range in per cent of the effect of the migratory tendency 
 in the various sections of a school district. It is seen in Table I 
 to be from 22 per cent to 62 per cent, i.e., whereas in School 
 F the pupils who are now in the grammar grades and whl^ entered 
 the kindergarten or the i A grade represent about one-fifth of 
 the present total register in these grades, in School A there are, 
 
 ^ This chapter was published as a special article in the Educational 
 Review, June, igio. Some changes have been made in the text. Table 
 6 has been added and sex distributions are shown. 
 
 20 
 
New York City {One District) i,ji2 Cases 
 
 21 
 
 subject to the same conditioning factor, more than three times 
 as many. The 78 per cent in the one case or the 38 per cent in 
 the other would represent the migration from other schools 
 plus the number of those who were admitted as absolutely new 
 pupils in or beyond the second grade. As a matter of fact the 
 number of such absolutely new admissions is unquestionably 
 
 TABLE 1 
 Per Cents of Initial Starters ' 
 
 Schools 
 
 A 
 
 B 
 
 C 
 
 D 
 
 E 
 
 F 
 
 Aver. 
 
 Grades 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 8B 
 
 60 
 
 26 
 
 60 
 
 44 
 
 45 
 
 27 
 
 43-7 
 
 8 A 
 
 57 
 
 34 
 
 45 
 
 30 
 
 50 
 
 6 
 
 37-0 
 
 7B 
 
 62 
 
 32 
 
 46 
 
 38 
 
 36 
 
 17 
 
 38.5 
 
 7 A 
 
 56 
 
 17 
 
 29 
 
 31 
 
 42 
 
 17 
 
 32 .0 
 
 6B 
 
 64 
 
 44 
 
 43 
 
 19 
 
 58 
 
 40 
 
 44.7 
 
 6 A 
 
 51 
 
 46 
 
 7^ 
 
 25 
 
 43 
 
 1 1 
 
 41 .2 
 
 sB 
 
 59 
 
 S3 
 
 71 
 
 24 
 
 49 
 
 17 
 
 45-5 
 
 5 A 
 
 72 
 
 58 
 
 48 
 
 66 
 
 51 
 
 17 
 
 52.0 
 
 4B 
 
 81 
 
 TOO 
 
 56 
 
 4 5 
 
 46 
 
 40 
 
 61.3 
 
 4A 
 
 58 
 
 91 
 
 60 
 
 50 
 
 63 
 
 26 
 
 58.0 
 
 Average 
 
 62 
 
 50 
 
 53 
 
 3 7 
 
 48 
 
 22 
 
 45-3 
 
 ' The quotients obtained by dividing the numbers of pupils in each grade, who entered 
 the school in which they are at present enrolled in either the lA grade or in the kinder- 
 garten, by the present total register of the grade in which they now are, are changed to 
 per cents. 
 
 SO small that it is scarcely worth considering. Taken generally 
 the net results obtained by subtracting the per cents given from 
 100 per cent show quite accurately the migratory tendency pre- 
 valent in the district studied. 
 
 Considering the 7 A grades in aggregate one notes that the min- 
 imum of 32 per cent, and in all the 4 B grades the maximum of 
 61.3 per cent show similarly the wide range in grade distribution 
 of those who originally entered the lowest grade of school. Or 
 more generally in grades 6 A and up through 8 B, on the average 
 60 per cent of the registered pupils have been received mostly 
 by transfer from other schools to, or have been admitted as new 
 
2 2 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 pupils in grades beyond, the i A grade. On the other hand in 
 grades 5 B and down through 4 A there is a decrease of 25 per 
 cent on that rate, showing 45 per cent as not having entered the 
 initial grade of the school in which they now attend. 
 
 The Age-Grade Relations of the 1,312 Initial Starters 
 The actual numbers of pupils in the grades of the six schools 
 are shown, segregated according to ages, in Table 2. The age 
 of each individual is given in years only and represents the en- 
 trance age to the present grade. In the last column of Table 2 
 the numbers of retarded pupils are changed to per cents. 
 
 TABLE 2 
 Six Schools. Age Distribution. Aggregate 1,312 Cases 
 
 Grade 
 
 7 
 
 or 
 less 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 1 1 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 or 
 
 more 
 
 Total 
 
 Abov 
 mal 
 
 No. 
 
 eNor- 
 Age 
 
 Per 
 cent 
 
 8B 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 28 
 
 27 
 
 19 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 83 
 
 55 
 
 66 
 
 3 
 
 8A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 13 
 
 24 
 
 23 
 
 3 
 
 
 65 
 
 50 
 
 76 
 
 9 
 
 7B 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 14 
 
 33 
 
 30 
 
 10 
 
 8 
 
 
 96 
 
 81 
 
 84 
 
 4 
 
 7A 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 18 
 
 ii 
 
 18 
 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 95 
 
 72 
 
 75 
 
 8 
 
 6B 
 
 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 40 
 
 39 
 
 29 
 
 7 
 
 3 
 
 
 138 
 
 118 
 
 85 
 
 5 
 
 6A 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 45 
 
 41 
 
 30 
 
 17 
 
 9 
 
 I 
 
 
 145 
 
 98 
 
 67 
 
 6 
 
 5B 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 24 
 
 50 
 
 47 
 
 23 
 
 13 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 164 
 
 139 
 
 84 
 
 8 
 
 SA 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 4.2 
 
 48 
 
 36 
 
 13 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 
 152 
 
 109 
 
 71 
 
 7 
 
 4B 
 
 
 
 26 
 
 61 
 
 47 
 
 34 
 
 13 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 19c 
 
 164 
 
 86 
 
 3 
 
 4A 
 
 1 
 
 16 
 
 48 
 
 55 
 
 35 
 
 13 
 
 II 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 184 
 
 119 
 
 64 
 
 7 
 
 Total 1,312 
 
 Case.'^ 
 
 
 Assuming 9 years to 9 years 11 months inclusive as the nor- 
 mal entrance age in grade 4 A, had no pupils been delayed in en- 
 tering school or held back thereafter in the six schools considered, 
 in general it may be said that 66.3 per cent of those in 8 B who 
 entered their respective schools in the first grade, are " over-age " ; 
 76.9 per cent in 8 A; 84.4 per cent in 7 B, etc., to 64.7 per cent 
 in 4 A. Taking 6 years to 6 years 1 1 months inclusive as the nor- 
 
New York City {One District) 1,312 Cases 
 
 2; 
 
 mal entrance age to grade i A, 7 years to 7 years 1 1 months inclu- 
 sive to grade 2 A, 8 years to 8 years 1 1 months inckisive to grade 
 3 A, 9 years to 9 years 11 months inclusive to grade 4 A, etc., 
 the writer is following the usual custom. In reality the modal 
 entrance age in the schools of the particular district studied, as 
 shown hy Table 2, is almost seven years, probably 6 years 10 
 months or thereabouts. Percentages of "over-ageness" as stated 
 in the last column of Table 2 are therefore too high. Taking 
 10 years to 10 years 11 months inclusive as the normal age of 
 a jiupil entering the fourth grade, these percentages for 8 B 
 through 4 A would reduce to t^^.J, 40.0, 50.0, 41. i, 56.5, 39.3, 
 54.3, 40.1, 56.8, 34.8, respectively. 
 
 The accompanying graph illustrates in per cents the modes, 
 maxima and minima, of retardation by grades in the various 
 schools : 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 7B 
 7A 
 6B 
 6A 
 
 5B 
 
 5A 
 4B 
 4A 
 
 64 
 
 -80 
 
 62 
 
 i.S 
 
 74 
 
 ■85 
 
 75 
 
 80 
 
 I cm 
 
 Chart 3. Scale ^—^^-^ 10 per cent. 
 
24 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 Table 3 shows in full the approximate modes by grades, de- 
 viations from these modes and average deviations. 
 
 TABLE 3 
 
 Retardation in Per Cents. Based on Entrance Age to 
 Present Grade 
 
 Schools 
 
 A 
 
 B 
 
 C 
 
 D 
 
 E 
 
 F 
 
 Ap- 
 pro X. 
 Mode 
 
 Deviations from Mode 
 
 Aver. 
 Dev. 
 
 A 
 
 B 
 
 c 
 
 D 
 
 E 
 
 F 
 
 Grades 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 8B 
 
 73 
 71 
 
 88 
 
 43 
 
 73 
 
 90 
 
 50 
 
 70 
 
 + 3 
 
 + 18 
 
 — 27 
 
 + 3 
 
 + 20 
 
 20 
 
 15-2 
 
 8A 
 
 98 
 
 77 
 
 50 
 
 73 
 
 100 
 
 75 
 
 + 4 
 
 + 23 
 
 + 2 
 
 —25 
 
 — 2 
 
 + 25 
 
 13. S 
 
 7B 
 
 92 
 
 96 
 
 74 
 
 64 
 
 100 
 
 67 
 
 80 
 
 + 12 
 
 + 16 
 
 —6 
 
 —16 
 
 + 20 
 
 — 13 
 
 13.8 
 
 7A 
 
 77 
 
 67 
 
 80 
 
 100 
 
 69 
 
 40 
 
 70 
 
 + 7 
 
 — 3 
 
 + 10 
 
 + 30 
 
 — I 
 
 — 3C 
 
 13.5 
 
 6B 
 
 86 
 
 97 
 
 81 
 
 100 
 
 78 
 
 so 
 
 80 
 
 + 6 
 
 + 17 
 
 + 1 
 
 + 20 
 
 — 2 
 
 —30 
 
 12.7 
 
 6A 
 
 66 
 
 68 
 
 62 
 
 75 
 
 74 
 
 100 
 
 7 5 
 
 — 9 
 
 —7 
 
 — 13 
 
 
 
 — I 
 
 + 25 
 
 9.2 
 
 sB 
 
 93 
 
 88 
 
 74 
 
 88 
 
 83 
 
 100 
 
 85 
 
 + 8 
 
 + 3 
 
 — II 
 
 + 3 
 
 — 2 
 
 + 15 
 
 7.0 
 
 SA 
 
 67 
 
 89 
 
 52 
 
 79 
 
 75 
 
 100 
 
 75 
 
 —8 
 
 + 14 
 
 —23 
 
 + 4 
 
 
 
 + 25 
 
 12.3 
 
 4B 
 
 90 
 
 83 
 
 76 
 
 100 
 
 95 
 
 7 5 
 
 85 
 
 + 5 
 
 — 2 
 
 — 9 
 
 + 15 
 
 + 10 
 
 — 10 
 
 8.5 
 
 4A 
 
 66 
 
 80 
 
 54 
 
 45 
 
 70 
 
 40 
 
 60 
 
 + 6 
 
 + 20 
 
 —6 
 
 — 15 
 
 + 10 
 
 2C 
 
 12.8 
 
 The sex distributions of retarded pupils in the grades 4 A 
 through 8 B are shown in the following table and comparative 
 charts. The plain type in each square numbers the boys graded 
 according to entrance age to present class ; the numbers of girls 
 are printed in italics in the upper part of these same squares. 
 
 The last column in Table 4 indicates the ratios in per cents of 
 the boys above normal age to the total number of boys in their 
 respective classes and the figure above in each case indicates 
 the ratio in per cent of the "over-age" girls to the total number of 
 girls. A statement then such as the following may be made: 
 Whereas 65.1 per cent of the total number of male initial start- 
 ers now in grade 8 B are above the assumed normal age 13 years 
 to 13 years 11 months inclusive, 67.5 per cent of the total number 
 of female initial starters now in this same class are thus graded 
 " over-age." However, in only three grades, 8 B, 6 A, and 5 B, 
 are there larger percentages of retarded girls than boys. Charts 
 4 a and 4 b illustrate plainly the tendency in this New York 
 City district. The median for the ten grades in the case of the 665 
 boys is 79.0 per cent ; and for the 647 girls it is 75.0 per cent. 
 
New York City {One District) i,ji2 Cases 25 
 
 TABLE 4 
 
 Six Schools. Age-Grade Table Showing Sex Distribution 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Grades 
 
 7 
 
 or 
 less 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 or 
 
 more 
 
 Total 
 
 Abov 
 mal 
 
 No. 
 
 e Nor- 
 Age 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 
 8B 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 12 
 
 15 
 
 10 
 9 
 
 3 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 
 40 
 43 
 
 27 
 28 
 
 67-5 
 65.1 
 
 8A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 70 
 14 
 
 6 
 17 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 
 41 
 
 7,? 
 
 32 
 
 75 -o 
 
 78.0 
 
 7B 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 i6 
 17 
 
 J4 
 16 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 3 
 
 
 47 
 49 
 
 J5 
 43 
 
 6'o.p 
 
 87.8 
 
 7A 
 
 17 
 
 7 
 
 17 
 16 
 
 10 
 8 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 
 52 
 43 
 
 39 
 
 33 
 
 75 -o 
 76.7 
 
 6B 
 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 10 
 
 z6 
 
 24 
 
 21 
 
 ^4 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 ^5 
 73 
 
 55 
 63 
 
 86.3 
 
 6A 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 19 
 26 
 
 25 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 
 7f' 
 
 75 
 
 5^ 
 47 
 
 72. P 
 
 62 .7 
 
 5B 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 7 
 17 
 
 26 
 
 24 
 
 26 
 21 
 
 77 
 12 
 
 5 
 8 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 7P 
 
 «5 
 
 7-r 
 
 68 
 
 80.0 
 
 5A 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 32 
 10 
 
 21 
 27 
 
 22 
 14 
 
 5 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 I 
 
 7 
 
 3 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 <?7 
 65 
 
 55 
 54 
 
 (5 J. 2 
 83.1 
 
 4B 
 
 
 
 18 
 8 
 
 30 
 31 
 
 20 
 27 
 
 ^7 
 17 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 I 
 
 
 
 P4 
 96 
 
 7^ 
 88 
 
 So. 8 
 91.7 
 
 4A 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 9 
 
 7 
 
 23 
 25 
 
 28 
 
 27 
 
 22 
 
 7 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 8q 
 95 
 
 57 
 62 
 
 64.0 
 65-3 
 
 Total 
 
 647 
 665 
 
 Girls 
 Boys 
 
 
 (Charts 4 a and 4 b referring to Table 4 are found on page 30.) 
 
 It has been suggested that it is unfair to assume that six years 
 is the average entrance age of a pupil admitted to the i A grade 
 in the schools of this city. Table 5 is a simple statement of the 
 ages at entrance to i A grade of the 1,312 children treated in this 
 chapter. 
 
 Reading from Table 5, one notes that of the 373 initial start- 
 ers in School A, 46 entered grade i A at the age of five or 
 
26 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 less; 137, at the age of six; 119, at seven; and 71, at eight years 
 or more. This means that about one half of these children were 
 "over-age" at the time of their entrance to the first grade. 
 
 TABLE 5 
 
 Age Distribution of 1,312 Pupils at Time of Entrance to 
 I A Grade 
 
 Schools 
 
 5 
 
 or 
 less 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 or 
 more 
 
 Total 
 
 Above Normal 
 Age 
 
 
 No. 
 
 Percent 
 
 A 
 
 46 
 
 137 
 
 119 
 
 71 
 
 373 
 
 igo 
 
 50-9 
 
 B 
 
 31 
 
 109 
 
 81 
 
 58 
 
 279 
 
 139 
 
 49.8 
 
 C 
 
 34 
 
 162 
 
 90 
 
 34 
 
 320 
 
 124 
 
 38.8 
 
 D 
 
 1 1 
 
 40 
 
 S3 
 
 13 
 
 117 
 
 66 
 
 56-4 
 
 E 
 
 17 
 
 74 
 
 55 
 
 41 
 
 187 
 
 96 
 
 51-3 
 
 F 
 
 10 
 
 12 
 
 9 
 
 5 
 
 36 
 
 14 
 
 38.9 
 
 Total 
 
 149 
 
 534 
 
 407 
 
 222 
 
 1,312 
 
 629 
 
 47-9 
 
 For the six schools, about 48 per cent of the 1,312 pupils 
 treated were over six years of age (i.e., 6 years o months to 6 
 years 11 months inclusive) w^hen they were admitted to grade 
 I A. The large numbers in the seven-year and eight-year 
 columns are, perhaps, to be accounted for by the fact that prior 
 to October i, 1909 the compulsory attendance age in the schools 
 of this city ranged from eight to sixteen. At present the amended 
 Compulsory Education Law says, in part, that "every child be- 
 tween seven and sixteen years of age, in proper physical and 
 mental condition to attend school, shall regularly attend upon in- 
 struction during the compulsory school year." 
 
 In order to learn more in detail concerning the age records 
 of the 1,312 initial starters as furnished in Table 6, the follow- 
 ing table was constructed to show how old these pupils were 
 when they entered the i A class, distributed according to pres- 
 ent grade. 
 
 The extreme column on the right in Table 6 tells us that 48.2 
 per cent of the present 8 B pupils were " over-age " at the time 
 
New York City {One District) i,ji2 Cases 
 
 27 
 
 
 6/) 
 < 
 
 > 
 
 9 
 
 
 00" 
 
 
 
 <D 
 
 NO 
 
 6 
 
 NO 
 
 ON 
 
 10 
 
 ID 
 LO 
 
 ID 
 
 
 
 
 d 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 -1- 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 00 
 
 CO 
 
 NO 
 
 00 
 
 
 
 ON 
 CN 
 NO 
 
 
 
 
 
 CC 
 
 
 1 ID 
 
 00 
 
 
 -0 
 
 On 
 
 00 
 
 10 
 
 NO 
 
 M 
 
 IN 
 
 ir-i 
 
 
 
 On 
 
 CO 
 
 CM 
 ID 
 
 
 a 
 
 Q 
 <; 
 
 2i 
 
 
 
 c 
 
 Ih 
 
 nl 
 bo 
 
 lin 
 
 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 CNJ 
 
 ■"I 
 
 u-j 
 
 
 
 
 W 
 
 N 
 
 M 
 
 M 
 
 NO 
 
 -* 
 
 t NO 
 
 00 
 
 IN 
 
 NO 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 < 
 
 Q 
 
 ro 1 M 
 
 " 
 
 " 
 
 
 
 
 
 " 
 
 rO 
 
 ro 
 
 
 
 ID 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 Tf w 
 
 uo 
 
 rf 
 
 M 
 
 't t^ 
 
 M 
 
 ro 
 
 CM 
 
 <D 
 
 
 
 
 < 
 en 
 
 z 
 
 CQ 
 
 ro ro 
 
 ■O 
 
 f) 
 
 CO 1 1- 
 
 NO 
 
 CO 
 
 1 00 
 
 M 1 
 
 00 
 10 
 
 
 <r^ 
 
 " 
 
 D 
 
 CA 
 
 
 
 
 
 t^ 
 
 l^ 
 
 
 
 " 
 
 00 
 
 r^ 
 
 
 u 
 
 ;^ 
 
 > 
 
 C/2 
 
 &-( 
 
 <N 
 
 " 
 
 " 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ro 
 
 CM 
 
 On 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 W 
 
 CS 
 
 LO 
 
 r^ 
 
 M 
 
 NO 
 
 to 
 
 M 
 
 r^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 "^ 
 
 M 1 iri 
 
 
 
 Q 
 
 '^ 
 
 ro 
 
 r^ U-) 
 
 -^ 
 
 Tf 
 
 ro 
 
 On 
 
 cs 
 
 CM 
 
 M 
 
 D 
 
 
 CD < 
 
 
 
 rO 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 0^ 
 
 00 
 
 M 
 
 M 
 
 On 
 
 00 r^ 
 
 
 
 On 
 
 
 TABLE 
 312 Pupils 
 
 CQ 
 
 W 
 
 LO 
 
 ON 
 
 ro 
 
 M n 
 
 On 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 M 
 
 00 
 
 00 
 
 
 < 
 
 't 
 
 U-) 
 
 <D CO 
 
 ui 
 
 00 J^ 
 
 M 
 
 NO 1 0) 1 On 
 
 
 
 fe 
 
 M 
 
 P 
 
 
 
 ro 
 
 ot 
 
 M M 
 
 
 
 M 1 CM 
 
 CM 
 
 
 M 
 
 W 
 
 \o 
 
 'S- 
 
 ro rf 
 
 NO ON 
 
 i-i 
 
 '^ 
 
 00 
 
 On 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 Q 
 
 ro 
 
 '^ 
 
 ro 
 
 M 
 
 W 1 t^ ro 
 
 ■* 
 
 t^ 
 
 On 1 
 
 1 '*' 
 
 
 
 
 vO 
 
 ^ 
 
 ON 
 
 
 
 (N 00 
 01 H 
 
 hH 
 
 On 
 
 CM 
 
 NO 
 
 
 m 
 S 
 
 Q 
 
 m 
 
 00 
 
 "+ 
 
 ■* 
 
 01 
 
 M 
 
 ;; 
 
 NO 1 00 1 LO 
 
 On 
 M 
 
 
 < 
 
 00 
 
 ON 
 
 
 
 r^ P) 00 
 
 
 
 NO 1 M 
 M (N 
 
 1 J^ 
 
 CM I CO 
 
 t " 
 
 
 w 
 
 Q 
 
 t/3 
 w 
 
 H-) 
 
 u 
 
 CO 
 
 a; 
 >^ 
 
 > 
 
 Hi| 
 
 
 
 l-H 
 
 f-t 
 
 ^ 
 
 (N M M 
 
 *"* 
 
 C) 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 1-1 w 1 0) 
 
 M M 
 
 M 
 
 u-> 
 
 U-V 
 
 
 
 
 Q 
 
 '^ 
 
 M 
 
 « 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 M ro j M 
 
 M M 
 
 
 
 
 CN 
 
 ro 
 
 ^ 1 
 
 N 
 
 cs 
 
 
 
 W 1 
 
 CD 1 10 1 rt 
 1 ro 
 1 
 
 
 
 m 1 " 
 
 " 
 
 ■* 1 ro 
 
 ^ 
 
 '-* 
 
 IN 
 
 IN 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 ID 
 
 
 
 < 
 
 N 
 
 l-t 
 
 
 
 
 
 ro 
 
 M 
 
 M 
 
 M 
 
 C>l 
 
 M 
 
 M 
 
 NO 
 
 
 
 in 
 < 
 
 in 
 
 'o 
 
 
 
 
 'Si 
 
 t/) 
 0) 
 
 5" 
 
 
 
 <; 
 
 NO 
 
 
 
 tD 
 
 < 
 
 
 < 
 
 "3 
 
 H 
 
 
28 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 of their entrance to the i A grade ; 46.2 per cent in 8 A ; 59.4 
 per cent in 7 B, etc., to 41.3 per cent in 4 A. In all the grades 
 from 4 A to 8 B inclusive, the percentages range from 40.7 to 
 59.4. The fourth and sixth grades show minimum percentages 
 of initial "over-ageness" ; the fifth and seventh, maximum per- 
 centages. Referring to Table 2 one notes that the present per- 
 centages of "over-ageness" in the fifth and seventh grades are 
 larger than those in the other grades. The natural tendency is 
 to conclude that a large proportion of such "over-ageness" is 
 the result of original "over-ageness" at the time of school en- 
 trance as recorded in Table 6. For example, one is inclined 
 to say that out of the 66.3 per cent of "over-age" pupils now in 
 8 B, 48.2 per cent were " over-age " at the time of entrance to 
 the I A grade. This is by no means correct for the forty pupils 
 in the one case do not of necessity refer to the same 40 individ- 
 uals out of 55 who are now graded as " over-age " in 8 B. Where- 
 as the same groups are referred to, it was found impossible under 
 the present circumstances to handle the individual records of 
 these pupils so as to afii'ord an explanation of the exact amount 
 of present "over-ageness" due to initial "over-ageness." All 
 that one is justly entitled to say concerning these percentages 
 of pupils above normal age as recorded in Tables 2 and 6 is 
 that these percentages in both cases are relatively high. It is 
 probable then that a large proportion of these present "over-age" 
 pupils were " over-age " at the time of their entrance to the i A 
 grade, in so far as there are at present in the 8 B grade only 
 83 initial starters of which 40 were above normal age when 
 they began school and 55 are "over-age" now. 
 
 Table 7 shows the initial age-grade records of the 1,312 cases 
 distributed according to sex, and the appended charts illustrate 
 graphically the "over-age" boys at the time of their entrance to 
 the I A grade as compared with the " over-age " girls. 
 
 From Table 7, of the boys who remain through the fourth, 
 fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades about 50 per cent were 
 over 6 years 11 months when they entered the lA grade; of 
 the girls, about 46 per cent. In this district then the boys re- 
 maining in all the grammar grades who entered the first class 
 of the school in which they now are, show larger percentages 
 
New York City {One District) 1,312 Cases 
 
 29 
 
 "a; 
 < 
 
 > 
 
 
 '-^ 
 
 q CO 
 
 
 ^ CN 
 
 
 •-^ d 
 
 f LO 
 
 ro 
 
 6 -' 
 
 t ^ 
 
 
 
 rO'O 
 
 Oo Ov 
 
 r^jod 
 ^ ro 
 
 CDs 
 
 d 
 12; 
 
 VD -1- 
 
 ^ o> 
 
 Co 
 CM M 
 
 
 CM ro 
 
 CM ro 
 
 ^ CN 
 
 Oo 
 
 
 Os I- 
 r^ ro 
 
 1^ M 
 
 Os ro 
 CM ro 
 
 c 
 C 
 r 
 
 1 t/3 
 
 tv. 
 
 
 
 CM ro 
 
 ir-, ro 
 
 ly-i 
 
 0, LO 
 
 t^co 
 
 Oo vO 
 
 Os OS 
 
 0\ >o 
 
 Oo ON 
 
 l^ ir, 
 
 ^ so 
 
 u 
 
 u 
 
 
 
 m 
 u 
 
 X 
 
 <u 
 
 w 
 
 fa 
 
 
 
 
 
 '-1 
 
 Q 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 " 
 
 CM 
 
 -H 
 
 r^ (N 
 
 W 
 
 >~< l-c 
 
 w 
 
 •^H M 
 
 "^ (N 
 
 1-1 ro 
 
 -^i ro 
 
 CM -T 
 
 ^ -3- 
 
 1-1 n 
 
 r^j ro 
 
 <^ ro 
 1-1 N 
 
 Q 
 
 Q ro 
 
 M 
 
 ►-H 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 
 
 " 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 1-1 tN 
 
 
 
 c^ 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 i~i ro 
 
 w 
 
 1-1 'l- 
 
 1-1 ro 
 
 CN 
 
 CM (N 
 
 "^ ro 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 CM M 
 
 >-( w 
 
 r^« 
 
 1-1 (N 
 
 m 
 
 C\J M 
 
 tM « 
 
 r--) ro 
 
 1-1 w 
 
 ^ -*• 
 
 r^« 
 
 r^ rvj 
 
 ij~j ro 
 
 ^0 
 
 ir^ ro 
 
 CM vO 
 
 C~^ (N 
 
 <; 
 
 " 
 
 l~( M 
 
 <5 ro 
 
 ^ ^ 
 
 <^ ro 
 
 T- ro 
 
 r^ -t 
 
 ^ •* 
 
 ^o "-. 
 
 '^ t 
 
 Os IN 
 
 c^ ro 
 
 •73 
 U 
 
 a; 
 c/2 
 
 fa 
 
 P4 
 
 
 
 ►-< 
 
 " 
 
 Q 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CM « 
 
 1-1 n 
 
 ■^u-, 
 
 fa 
 
 ^\) 
 
 »-< ■* 
 
 ►^ (N 
 
 CM 
 
 CM •^ 
 
 rn M 
 
 t^ ^ 
 
 •^ ro 
 
 CM 04 
 
 >J~) Wj 
 
 CM (N 
 
 1 
 
 Q 
 
 (\1 C< 
 
 Cg M 
 
 <i M 
 
 CM ro 
 
 r^« 
 
 1-1 ro 
 
 1-1 (N 
 
 r.-)vO 
 
 >1 M 
 
 r<-j Ov 
 
 CM n 
 
 
 
 1^,00 
 
 CM cs 
 
 'q-o 
 
 ■s> LO 
 
 (V^ U-, 
 
 ir^O 
 
 ^ t^ 
 
 {^ 01 
 
 r^ LO 
 
 vo M 
 
 r»-) r^ 
 
 03 
 
 0) 
 
 CM ro 
 
 ►~( CO 
 
 CM M 
 
 \J- t- 
 
 Ln t^ 
 
 T LO 
 
 \o ^ 
 
 Lr, t^ 
 
 'q- ■* 
 
 <^C0 
 
 C^Tl- 
 
 < 
 
 r^ « 
 
 1-1 rr 
 
 <M « 
 
 
 t^oo 
 
 '^ -* 
 
 Oo 0^ 
 
 ►x 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 CM ■* 
 
 >-i i-i 
 
 (^ LO 
 
 NO ro 
 10 so 
 
 1 
 
 >-< 
 
 X 
 
 fa 
 
 CN 
 
 Q 
 
 
 
 >~l (N 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 w 
 
 Q « 
 
 
 
 i~i 
 
 H M 
 
 ■^GO 
 
 fa 
 
 >!- IN 
 
 1-1 ro 
 
 ►^ <N 
 
 (^^ 
 
 CM Tj- 
 
 ■^ 10 
 
 \C iri 
 
 r»~- M 
 
 >J~) ro 
 
 Co » 
 
 r<~) ro 
 
 Q 
 
 CM « 
 
 -< 
 
 (M M 
 
 K, 
 
 K, W 
 
 '^ ro 
 
 1-1 0» 
 
 c\j M 
 
 LT) M 
 
 r^vO 
 
 CM 00 
 CM M 
 
 CJ 
 
 c^ o\ 
 
 <^ n-) 
 
 "■^O 
 
 tv. M 
 
 U-^ LT; 
 
 CM 
 
 00 
 
 1^ 
 
 IN 
 
 1-1 
 
 0\ 
 
 ►~i 
 H M 
 
 Oq r^ ( 
 
 ffi 
 
 ■-I 
 
 '^ -+ 
 
 ii ro 
 
 r^« 
 
 Oo 1- 
 
 -1 
 
 1-1 n 
 
 >-1 
 
 ^ (N 
 
 t^OO 
 
 Os 
 
 1-1 
 
 1 00 
 
 < 
 
 ^ M 
 
 CM t^ 
 
 ir-i « 
 
 i-r^ 0) 
 
 Xi 
 
 Go 
 
 t^ ro 
 
 Oo CO 
 
 " 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 CM 00 
 
 OsOO 
 
 
 fa 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 Q " 
 
 - 
 
 >-, « 
 
 ^ 
 
 t-l 
 
 " 
 
 ►-1 W 
 
 
 
 i^u-, I 
 
 fa 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 
 i~i 
 
 1-1 r1 
 
 « 
 
 " 
 
 '-1 
 
 C\] ro 
 
 1-1 -rt 
 
 M 
 
 Q 
 
 ►~, 
 
 w 
 
 
 
 l-l 1-1 
 
 
 
 " 
 
 " 
 
 CM H 
 
 ►-I 
 
 •-, 
 
 lOjSO 
 
 
 
 K, M 
 
 ►-( M 
 
 i~l c^ 
 
 CM M 
 
 ••I M 
 
 ••^ HI 
 
 -0 -1- 
 
 ^ Hi 
 
 CM w 
 
 LO 
 
 ^ CO 
 
 PQ 
 
 >-^ 
 
 M 
 
 <M c^ 
 
 CM w 
 
 " 
 
 M 
 
 ^~, « 
 
 >-1 M 
 
 Lr^LTj 
 
 ^ (N 
 
 NO LO 
 
 <; 
 
 »-( HH 
 
 >- 
 
 ^ M 
 
 1"^ ro 
 
 CM n 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 •**, M 
 
 U~)VO 
 
 Lr-, t^ 
 
 1-1 
 
 CM Tf 
 CM N 
 
 I/) 
 
 lU 
 
 bo 
 < 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 tr. 
 1) 
 
 V- CO 
 
 
 
 CO 
 
 
 
 
 
 pa 
 10 
 
 < 
 li-0 
 
 pa 
 -t 
 
 < 
 
 13 
 
 
 
30 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 CIh 
 
 < 
 
 < 
 u 
 
 1, C3- 
 
 h: -° 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 -1 
 
 
 
 -< 
 
 iQ 
 
 'XI 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 £ 
 
 
 
 -=c 
 
 
 
 
 iQ 
 
 ^ 
 
 < 
 
 Pi 
 < 
 
 o 
 
New York City {One District) 1,312 Cases 31 
 
 of initial "over-ageness" than the girls. At the same time one 
 notes in Table 4 that these boys now in the grammar grades tend 
 to be more retarded than the girls. In the eighth and seventh 
 grades, the median percentage for "over-age" boys (Table 4) 
 is 77.4; for "over-age" girls it is 75.0; whereas from Table 7 
 the median percentages of initial "over-ageness" of boys and girls 
 for these same grades are 58.1 and 44.6 respectively. Other 
 things being equal these figures would indicate the probability 
 that the selected boys who reach the high grades and are retarded, 
 are so more as a result of their initial "over-ageness" than is 
 the case with the retarded girls. 
 
 Charts 5 a and 5 b show clearly that in the matter of " over- 
 ageness" at the time of school entrance boys are considerably 
 more variable per grade than girls. 
 
 The Incidence of Retardation 
 
 The second part of this chapter is devoted to the measurement 
 of the relative frequency of non-promotion in the different 
 grades. Each pupil was asked to state in what grade or grades 
 he had been kept back for a second term. In the event of the 
 pupil's inability to remember accurately, a note was made of 
 such inability and recourse was had to the record card filed in 
 the office of the principal. Such action was necessary in 2)^ out 
 of 1,312 cases and the writer was particularly fortunate in ob- 
 taining full records of same ; for it was noted that in the majority 
 of cases the record cards of the upper grade pupils did not show 
 in full their history since their entrance into grade i A. The 
 records usually read back only as far as 1904. This explains 
 why it became necessary to visit each and every class in grades 
 4 A through 8 B in the six schools in order to obtain direct from 
 the pupils the information sought. This information was checked 
 up by the records when possible. 
 
 In the first place an endeavor was made to ascertain the fre- 
 quency of non-promotion of those pupils now in the grammar 
 grades including 4 A and 4 B. 
 
 The figures in Table 8 a show how many pupils of the initial 
 starters who had reached any given grade from 4 A on, in the 
 
32 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 six schools, had been "held back" once, twice, three times, etc. 
 Converting these figures to per cents for purposes of comparison, 
 we have Table 8 b. These figures do some of the pupils an in- 
 justice in that no allowance was made in the case of those pupils 
 who failed in a given grade but "skipped" a grade either previ- 
 ously or thereafter. 
 
 TABLE 8a 
 Six Schools. Aggregate 1,312 Cases 
 
 Left Back 
 
 4A 
 
 4B 
 
 SA 
 
 5B 
 
 6A 
 
 6B 
 
 7A 
 
 7B 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 None 
 
 78 
 
 68 
 
 42 
 
 67 
 
 45 
 
 41 
 
 30 
 
 40 
 
 17 
 
 36 
 
 One 
 
 64 
 
 53 
 
 54 
 
 41 
 
 36 
 
 40 
 
 23 
 
 27 
 
 23 
 
 20 
 
 Two 
 
 25 
 
 35 
 
 36 
 
 38 
 
 42 
 
 39 
 
 26 
 
 24 
 
 17 
 
 21 
 
 Three 
 
 9 
 
 20 
 
 10 
 
 IS 
 
 IS 
 
 13 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 Four 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 S 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 3 
 
 Five or More 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 106 
 
 122 
 
 no 
 
 97 
 
 100 
 
 97 
 
 6S 
 
 56 
 
 48 
 
 47 
 
 Total Cases 
 
 184 
 
 190 
 
 152 
 
 164 
 
 145 
 
 138 
 
 95 
 
 96 
 
 65 
 
 83 
 
 TABLE 8b 
 Same Converted to Per Cent Equivalents 
 
 Left Back 
 
 4A 
 
 4B 
 
 5 A 
 
 sB 
 
 6A 
 
 6B 
 
 7A 
 
 7B 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 None 
 
 42 
 
 36 
 
 28 
 
 41 
 
 31 
 
 3c 
 
 32 
 
 42 
 
 26 
 
 43 
 
 One 
 
 35 
 
 28 
 
 36 
 
 25 
 
 25 
 
 29 
 
 24 
 
 28 
 
 35 
 
 24 
 
 Two 
 
 14 
 
 18 
 
 24 
 
 23 
 
 29 
 
 28 
 
 27 
 
 25 
 
 26 
 
 25 
 
 Three 
 
 5 
 
 1 1 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 9 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 II 
 
 2 
 
 Four 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 Five or More 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 S8 
 
 65 
 
 74 
 
 59 
 
 69 
 
 70 
 
 67 
 
 58 
 
 74 
 
 56 
 
Nciv York City {One District) 1,312 Cases 
 
 33 
 
 The opinion has been expressed by many of the teachers and 
 principals questioned at the time of the investigation that the 
 so-called " average " pnpil, mentally, does reach the 8 B grade but 
 is left back at least twice during his or her school life. The 
 use of the expression "average" pupil is confusing, to say the 
 least. Whether or not those who enter i A and pass through 
 8 B in the same school are of average ability, the fact is that 
 almost one half of these pupils are never left back at all ; one 
 fourth, once ; one fourth, twice ; 2 per cent, three times ; 4 per 
 cent, four times ; and i per cent, five times or more. The me- 
 dian evidently would be somewhere in the "one-time" group. 
 
 These same data are distributed according to sex in the fol- 
 lowing tables. The charts compare eighth grade boys and girls 
 with respect to promotion and repetition during their entire 
 school life. 
 
 TABLE 9a 
 
 Pupils Repeating and Non-Repeating During Entire 
 School Life 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Left Back 
 
 4A 
 
 4B 
 
 SA 
 
 5B 
 
 6A 
 
 6B 
 
 7A 
 
 7B 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 None 
 
 40 
 
 36 
 
 33 
 
 3^ 
 1 1 
 
 35 
 32 
 
 21 
 24 
 
 17 
 
 24 
 
 19 
 1 1 
 
 i& 
 22 
 
 7 
 10 
 
 15 
 21 
 
 One 
 
 33 
 31 
 
 28 
 
 25 
 
 29 
 
 25 
 
 21 
 
 20 
 
 18 
 18 
 
 17 
 23 
 
 10 
 
 13 
 
 13 
 14 
 
 12 
 
 1 1 
 
 12 
 
 8 
 
 Two 
 
 II 
 
 19 
 16 
 
 17 
 19 
 
 18 
 
 20 
 
 23 
 19 
 
 22 
 
 17 
 
 15 
 1 1 
 
 13 
 1 1 
 
 4 
 13 
 
 II 
 
 10 
 
 Three 
 
 3 
 6 
 
 7 
 13 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 10 
 
 6 
 9 
 
 5 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 2 
 
 I 
 6 
 
 / 
 I 
 
 Four 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 Five or More 
 
 3 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 6 
 
 I 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 51 
 55 
 
 59 
 63 
 
 56 
 54 
 
 44 
 53 
 
 49 
 51 
 
 48 
 49 
 
 33 
 32 
 
 29 
 
 27 
 
 17 
 31 
 
 25 
 22 
 
 Total Cases 
 
 89 
 95 
 
 94 
 96 
 
 S7 
 65 
 
 79 
 85 
 
 70 
 
 75 
 
 65 
 13 
 
 52 
 43 
 
 47 
 49 
 
 24 
 41 
 
 40 
 43 
 
34 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retai'daiion 
 
 TABLE 9b 
 Same Converted to Per Cent Equivalents 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Left Back 
 
 4A 
 
 4B 
 
 5A 
 
 sB 
 
 6A 
 
 6B 
 
 7A 
 
 7B 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 >J 
 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 None 
 
 42.7 
 42.1 
 
 37-2 
 34-4 
 
 35-6 
 16.9 
 
 44-3 
 37-6 
 
 30.0 
 32.0 
 
 26.2 
 32.9 
 
 36.5 
 25.6 
 
 38.3 
 46.9 
 
 29.2 
 
 24.4 
 
 37-5 
 48.8 
 
 34-4 
 36.9 
 
 One 
 
 37-2 
 32.6 
 
 29.8 
 26.0 
 
 33-3 
 38.5 
 
 23-5 
 
 25-7 
 24.0 
 
 2<5.2 
 31-5 
 
 ip.2 
 
 30.2 
 
 27.7 
 28.6 
 
 50.0 
 26.8 
 
 30.0 
 18.6 
 
 37-5 
 22.6 
 
 Two 
 
 12.4 
 
 14.7 
 
 20.2 
 16.7 
 
 19.5 
 29.2 
 
 22.8 
 
 23-5 
 
 J2.p 
 
 25-3 
 
 23-3 
 
 28.8 
 25.6 
 
 27.7 
 22.4 
 
 16.7 
 31-7 
 
 27-5 
 23-3 
 
 27.4 
 
 Three 
 
 3-4 
 6.3 
 
 7-4 
 13-5 
 
 5-7 
 7-7 
 
 II. 8 
 
 12.0 
 
 '7-7 
 II. 
 
 p.<5 
 7.0 
 
 6.4 
 4-1 
 
 4.2 
 14.6 
 
 2-5 
 2-3 
 
 3-1 
 
 8-3 
 
 Four 
 
 I.I 
 
 3-2 
 
 4-3 
 3-1 
 
 4.6 
 3-1 
 
 0.0 
 
 3-5 
 
 2.9 
 6.7 
 
 6.2 
 
 1-4 
 
 3-8 
 
 7.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 2.4 
 
 2-5 
 
 4-7 
 
 i.<5 
 3-6 
 
 Five or More 
 
 3-4 
 I.I 
 
 I.I 
 6.3 
 
 I.I 
 
 4.6 
 
 0.0 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 0.0 
 
 /.p 
 
 4.7 
 
 0.0 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 2-3 
 
 0.0 
 I .2 
 
 Total Left 
 Back 
 
 56.2 
 57-9 
 
 62.8 
 65.6 
 
 64.4 
 83.1 
 
 55-7 
 62.4 
 
 •/o.o 
 68.0 
 
 67.1 
 
 74-4 
 
 61.7 
 
 55-1 
 
 7o.<y 
 75-6 
 
 62.5 
 
 51-2 
 
 63.1 
 
 iThese percentages are derived from the 8A and 8B columns of Table ga. Use sum of 
 41 + 43 = 84 as base for Boys ; 24 + 40 =64 as base for Girls. 
 
 Chart 6 a. Eighth grade boys. Chart 6 b. Eighth grade girls. 
 Repeaters and non-repeaters dur- Repeaters and non-repeaters dur- 
 ing school life ing school life 
 
 The top row of Table 9 b records, in grades 4 A through 5 B 
 as compared with grades 6 A through 8 B, the girls promoted 
 in larger numbers than the boys. The larger percentage of regu- 
 larly promoted boys then considering only those who reach the 
 
New York City {One District) 1,312 Cases 35 
 
 highest grades in this school district would indicate that these 
 boys are brighter than their girl classmates. On the other hand, 
 whereas larger percentages of eighth grade girls left back once 
 during their entire school life are recorded, the percentages of 
 boys left back twice, three, four, and five or more times by 
 far exceed those of the girls. 
 
 Charts 6 a and 6 b again show the boys who are successful 
 in their elementary school work to be more variable than the 
 girls in the matter of promotion and non-promotion. It would 
 seem in this district at any rate that the boys may be properly 
 grouped at both extremes of the curve of distribution. They 
 as compared with the girls are brighter and more stupid ; the 
 girls evidently maintain the average position, assuming of course 
 the records of promotion and repetition as criteria. 
 
 Tables 9 a and 9 b throw some light on the question as to 
 the extent to wdiich each of the sixteen half-year grades acts 
 as a stumbling block for those who survive the entire course 
 and each of the fifteen for those who reach 8 A ; and each of the 
 fourteen grades for the 7 B pupils, etc., down through all of the 
 grammar grades including 4 A and 4 B. 
 
 The facts will be clearer, however, from the two following 
 tables. Table 10 a is the statement of the aggregate represent- 
 ing the records of 1,312 pupils in the six schools. Table 10 b 
 gives the same facts in per cents. 
 
 In cases where a boy or girl was left back once in one grade 
 and once in another, records are made in both places, the same 
 as if the records of two pupils, each showing one non-promotion, 
 were given. If a pupil is left back twice in one grade the record 
 counts as a double score in that grade, in the same way as the 
 records of two individuals who are left back in that grade would 
 count. It is for this reason that Tables 10 a and 10 b do not 
 seem at first glance to tally with Tables 8 a and 8 b. In order 
 to check up Table 10 a turn to Table 8 a and note the following: 
 For example, in 8 B there are 20 left back once which means 20 
 records; 21 left back twice, or 42 records; 2 left back three 
 times, or 6 records ; 3 left back four times, or 12 records, and 
 I left back five times to count as 5 records. The sum of 
 20 + 42 + 6+12 + 5, or 85 records, is the same as the sum 
 total of non-promotions in grade 8 B, as recorded in the next 
 to the last column of Table 10 a. 
 
36 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 TABLE 10a 
 Grade Distribution of Non-Promotion in Aggregate 
 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 5B 
 
 sA 
 
 4B 
 
 4A 
 
 3B 
 
 3A 
 
 2B 
 
 2A 
 
 iB 
 
 lA 
 
 Grand Total 
 
 Grades 
 
 No. 
 left 
 back 
 
 Total pro- 
 moted and 
 non-prom. 
 
 8B 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 8 
 
 II 
 
 9 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 85 
 
 121 
 
 8A 
 
 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 14 
 
 i6 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 82 
 
 90 
 
 7B 
 
 
 
 i8 
 
 9 
 
 7 
 
 12 
 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 90 
 
 130 
 
 7A 
 
 
 
 
 25 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 lO 
 
 19 
 
 12 
 
 14 
 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 13s 
 
 165 
 
 6B 
 
 
 
 
 
 23 
 
 22 
 
 27 
 
 18 
 
 IS 
 
 16 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 177 
 
 218 
 
 6A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 24 
 
 24 
 
 27 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 25 
 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 13 
 
 3 
 
 II 
 
 193 
 
 238 
 
 sB 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 29 
 
 20 
 
 17 
 
 23 
 
 17 
 
 10 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 
 174 
 
 241 
 
 SA 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 22 
 
 21 
 
 31 
 
 21 
 
 32 
 
 29 
 
 17 
 
 10 
 
 19 
 
 202 
 
 244 
 
 4B 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 26 
 
 33 
 
 46 
 
 33 
 
 35 
 
 28 
 
 22 
 
 30 
 
 253 
 
 321 
 
 4A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 24 
 
 37 
 
 24 
 
 18 
 
 13 
 
 33 
 
 179 
 
 257 
 
 TABLE 10b 
 Same in Per Cents 
 Using Total of Promoted and Non-Promoted as the Base 
 
 Grades 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 sB 
 
 sA 
 
 4B 
 
 4A 
 
 3B 
 
 3A 
 
 2B 
 
 2A 
 
 iB 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 lA 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 8B 
 
 5-8 
 
 41 
 
 6.6 
 
 9.1 
 
 7-4 
 
 5-8 
 
 5.8 
 
 4.1 
 
 2.5 
 
 3-3 
 
 3-3 
 
 4-1 
 
 1-7 
 
 3-3 
 
 1-7 
 
 1-7 
 
 8A 
 
 
 6.1 
 
 9.1 
 
 14.1 
 
 16.2 
 
 4.0 
 
 6.1 
 
 6.1 
 
 6.1 
 
 S.I 
 
 4.0 
 
 4.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 l.o 
 
 0.0 
 
 I.O 
 
 7B 
 
 
 
 13.8 
 
 6.9 
 
 S-4 
 
 9.2 
 
 6.2 
 
 4.6 
 
 3-1 
 
 3-1 
 
 2.3 
 
 4.6 
 
 0.8 
 
 3-1 
 
 1-5 
 
 4.6 
 
 7A 
 
 
 
 
 152 
 
 8.S 
 
 9.1 
 
 6.1 
 
 II-5 
 
 7.3 
 
 8.S 
 
 4.8 
 
 3.6 
 
 1.8 
 
 2.4 
 
 1.8 
 
 1.2 
 
 6B 
 
 
 
 
 
 10.6 
 
 10. 1 
 
 12.4 
 
 8.3 
 
 6.9 
 
 7-3 
 
 6.0 
 
 6.4 
 
 4.1 
 
 4.6 
 
 2.8 
 
 1.8 
 
 6A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10. 1 
 
 10. 1 
 
 11-3 
 
 8.0 
 
 8.4 
 
 I0.5 
 
 5-9 
 
 5-5 
 
 S-S 
 
 1-3 
 
 4.6 
 
 sB 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12.4 
 
 12.0 
 
 8.3 
 
 7-1 
 
 9-5 
 
 7.1 
 
 4-1 
 
 3-3 
 
 3-3 
 
 5.0 
 
 sA 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9.0 
 
 8.6 
 
 12.7 
 
 8.6 
 
 131 
 
 II. 9 
 
 7.0 
 
 4-1 
 
 7.8 
 
 4B 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8.1 
 
 10.3 
 
 14.3 
 
 10.3 
 
 10.9 
 
 8.7 
 
 6.9 
 
 9-3 
 
 4A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 II. 7 
 
 9-3 
 
 14.4 
 
 9-3 
 
 7.0 
 
 S-i 
 
 12.8 
 
 Aver.i 
 
 5.8 
 
 5-0 
 
 lO.O 
 
 ii-S 
 
 9-4 
 
 8.7 
 
 9.2 
 
 9.1 
 
 7-1 
 
 8.6 
 
 8.4 
 
 8.3 
 
 6.1 
 
 5-3 
 
 3-4 
 
 5.9 
 
 Aver, 
 of per 
 cents 
 
 5.8 
 
 51 
 
 9.8 
 
 II-3 
 
 9.6 
 
 8.1 
 
 8.4 
 
 8.4 
 
 6.5 
 
 7.8 
 
 7-3 
 
 7-4 
 
 S-o 
 
 4.6 
 
 2.9 
 
 S-O 
 
 1 In this row the averages are obtained from Table loa as follows:^ For example, there 
 are 11 of those now in 8B who were left back in 7A; 14 now in 8A who were left 
 back in 7 A; 9 in 7B left back in 7 A; and 25 in 7 A left back in 7 A. The sum of these is 
 5 9. Dividing same by the sum of the total promotions and non-promotions in grades 
 8B, 8A, 7B, and 7A as recorded in the last column ©f Table loa, i.e., 121 -(-09 +130 -Hi65 = 
 515; and then changing quotient to per cent one gets 11. 5 per cent. This statement of 
 averages is a truer one than that made in the bottom row of Table lob as the latter states 
 merely the averages of gross per cents and in doing eo weights all grades alike. 
 
New York City {One Distrkt) 1,312 Cases 37 
 
 Reading from Table 10 b it is seen, concerning those now in 
 8 B of the initial starters, that 5.8 per cent represents the amount 
 of non-promotion in grade SB; 4.1 per cent in grade 8 A; 6.6 
 per cent in grade 7B; 9.1 per cent in grade 7 A; 7.4 per cent 
 in grade 6 B, etc., . . . to 1.7 per cent in grade i A. Again 
 concerning those now in 8 A, there was a non-promotion of 6.1 
 per cent in 8 A; 9.1 per cent in 7B; 14.1 per cent in 7 A, 
 
 etc to I per cent in i A. In like manner, the other 
 
 grammar grades may be interpreted. 
 
 In fine, it may be said concerning those pupils who are now 
 in grade 8 B that the retention in grade 8 B amounts to about 
 one in seventeen ; of those who are in 8 B or are in 8 A, it is 
 about one in twenty in the 8 A grade ; of those in or beyond 7 B 
 it is about one in ten in grade 7 B ; about one in nine in 7 A, etc. 
 To account for the low percentages in the first and second 
 grades is difficult. One may contend that the memory of the 
 pupil in the higher grade is at fault, that he is more inclined 
 to forget that he was left back in i A or i B than in the other 
 grades. While this is possible, it certainly does not seem prob- 
 able as the entire cause. Perhaps it may be due to the fact 
 that the number of incoming new pupils is, as a rule, quite 
 large, and in consequence there is the necessity for promoting 
 freely in the lowest grades of the school to afiford sitting room 
 for the new arrivals. Again it may be that many "under-age" 
 pupils enter the i A or i B grades and, after a short time, are 
 taken out by their parents on account of the strain and placed 
 in the kindergarten or are kept at home for the rest of the year. 
 These pupils, if asked later in school life to state the grades in 
 which they were left back, would not be inclined to say that they 
 were " held over " in i A or i B, provided that on their second 
 trial which covered a full term, they passed through these grades 
 successfully. And it does seem reasonable to justify their atti- 
 tude in this matter. 
 
 Turning to Table 10 b again one notes the large per cents in 
 the seventh grades. This seems to indicate that these grades are 
 the chief stumbling blocks, serving to delay the normal progress 
 of a considerable number and so acting with telling efifect as 
 the final weeding-out process of the incapable. 
 
 Of course it may be argued that whereas about one-half of 
 the pupils in the seventh grades (see Table 2) are fourteen years 
 
38 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 or more, in consequence the desire to drop out and go to work, 
 coupled with a consequent indifference to the work in these 
 grades, makes for this high rate of " hold-overs," especially when 
 the said pupils are not permitted by their parents to leave school. 
 On the other hand, does not the relative time manifestation of 
 this final selective action seem to be the natural course of events 
 in the high school and the college as well as in the elementary 
 school? Once a student has reached the senior year of his 
 course, one may safely say that he will almost invariably be 
 graduated at the end of the year, the next to the last year func- 
 tioning as the ultimate selective force. 
 
 The following comparative grade study uses data furnished 
 in Table 10 b. Comparing those who are now in the sixth 
 grades with those now in the fourth grades as to the number of 
 times left back, say in the third grades, this table shows : 
 
 Grades 3B 3A Grades 3B 3A 
 
 per cent per cent 
 
 In 6B grade 6.0 6.4 In 4 B grade 14-3 10 -3 
 
 In 6A grade 10.5 5.9 In 4 A grade 9.3 14.4 
 
 Median 6.2 Median 12.3 
 
 Generally speaking, then, this means that of those who are now 
 in the sixth grades about i in 15 was left back in the third grade; 
 whereas of those who are in the fourth grades the ratio of reten- 
 tion increases to approximately i in 8. The differences become 
 more marked as we compare grades farther apart. To illustrate, 
 of those now in the eighth grades it will be found that only i in 
 25 was left back in the third grades. 
 
 Now comparing the eighth and seventh grades with the fifth 
 and fourth grades with respect to non-promotion in the third 
 grades, one notes the following distribution : 
 
 Grades 3B 3A Grades 3B 3A 
 
 per cent per cent 
 
 8B grade 3.3 4.1 5 B grade 9.5 7.1 
 
 8 A grade 4.0 4.0 5 A grade 8.6 13.1 
 
 7 B grade 2.3 4.6 4 B grade 14 -3 10 -3 
 
 7 A grade 4.8 3.6 4A grade 9.3 14.4 
 
 Median 4.0 Median _ 9.9 
 
 That is, the ratio of non-promotion in the third grades of 
 those initial starters who are now in the seventh and eighth 
 grades to those now in the fourth and fifth grades, is. as 4 is to 
 10 approximately. 
 
New York City {One District) 1,312 Cases 39 
 
 Assuming the proper correction to be made for errors of 
 memory in those cases where the card records were not obtain- 
 able and the teachers and classmates were unable to check up the 
 doubtful pupils' statements, it seems justifiable to conclude that 
 intrinsically the grades one to seven in this district are progres- 
 sively harder. For the same pupil, retardation becomes more 
 probable grade by grade till the eighth. The common view that 
 retardation is chiefly a matter of the primary grades is certainly 
 false for these schools, the fact being that the many pupils who 
 are retarded in grades one to four would be retarded still oftener 
 if they continued in school. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 ELIZABETH, N. J. 1,088 CASES 
 
 In Elizabeth, N. J., five schools were visited during the month 
 of March, 1910. These schools typify conditions in all sections 
 of the city. They represent the entire number of schools having 
 the complete series of grades from the first to the eighth inclusive. 
 The records of 1,088 pupils were obtained and tabulated ac- 
 cording to the method employed in Chapter II. The numbers of 
 pupils on register in the schools studied are approximately: 
 School G, 600; School H, 1,600; School I, 900; School J, 500; 
 School K, 700. 
 
 The Migration of Pupils 
 
 Table 11 shows the per cents of initial starters.^ Subtracting 
 these per cents from 100 per cent one may determine the relative 
 amount of migration in these schools plus, as was previously ex- 
 plained, the percentage of those pupils who were admitted as 
 absolutely new pupils in or beyond the second grade. 
 
 TABLE 11 
 
 Per Cents of Initial Starters 
 
 Schccls 
 
 G 
 
 H 
 
 I 
 
 J 
 
 K 
 
 Aver. 
 
 Grades 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 Eighth 
 
 8 
 
 61 
 
 7 
 
 19 
 
 55 
 
 32.9 
 
 Seventh 
 
 9 
 
 58 
 
 32 
 
 26 
 
 44 
 
 33-6 
 
 Sixth 
 
 16 
 
 57 
 
 33 
 
 46 
 
 3 5 
 
 37-0 
 
 Fifth 
 
 3 7 
 
 60 
 
 54 
 
 53 
 
 38^ 
 
 51-5 
 
 Fourth 
 
 43 
 
 48 
 
 51 
 
 35 
 
 41 
 
 44.8 
 
 A vera ge 
 
 23 
 
 57 
 
 35 
 
 36 
 
 43 
 
 40.8 
 
 ^ Method of obtaining these per cents is explained on page 2 i, chap. II 
 40 
 
Elizabeth, N.J. i,o88 Cases 
 
 41 
 
 From Table 11 it is seen that on the average 40.8 per cent^ of 
 the pupils in grades four through eight of the schools of Eliza- 
 beth began their work in the first, grade of the schools they now 
 attend. The range is from 23 per cent in School G to 57 per 
 cent in School H. Grades 6, 7, and 8 average below 40.8 per cent, 
 grades 4 and 5 are above, indicating the lack of persistency on 
 the part of the initial starters as they advance to the higher 
 grammar grades. 
 
 The Age-Grade Relations of the 1,088 Initial Starters 
 
 The distribution of pupils according to age at the time of 
 entrance to the present grade is shown in the following table. 
 The percentages of retardation are printed in the last column. 
 
 TABLE 12 
 Five Schools. Age Distribution. Aggregate 1,088 Cases 
 
 Grades 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 IC 
 
 1 1 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 Total 
 
 Abovt 
 mal 
 
 No. 
 
 ;Nor- 
 Age 
 
 Per 
 cent 
 
 Eighth 
 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 4C 
 
 42 
 
 31 
 
 7 
 
 130 
 
 80 
 
 61.5 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 M 
 
 58 
 
 46 
 
 18 
 
 3 
 
 172 
 
 125 
 
 72.7 
 
 Sixth 
 
 
 
 14 
 
 34 
 
 Si 
 
 48 
 
 35 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 218 
 
 170 
 
 78.0 
 
 Fifth 
 
 
 8 
 
 46 
 
 107 
 
 99 
 
 62 
 
 27 
 
 
 
 349 
 
 295 
 
 84.5 
 
 Fourth 
 
 4 
 
 .3 7 
 
 65 
 
 48 
 
 41 
 
 13 
 
 1 1 
 
 
 
 2ig 
 
 178 
 
 81.3 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total . . 
 
 
 1,088 
 
 Cases 
 
 
 In the eighth grade 61.5 per cent of the pupils are reported as 
 being "over-age," assuming 13 years to 13 years 11 months 
 as the normal entrance age to the eighth grade ; '/2.y per cent in 
 grade 7; 78.0 per cent in grade 6; 84.5 per cent in grade 5; 
 and 81.3 per cent in grade 4. These percentages are extremely 
 high and show a marked progressive decrease from the fifth grade 
 to the eighth grade inclusive. Counting only those pupils in 
 the fourth grade as "over-age" who exceed the age limit of 9 
 
 1 This percentage is derived by dividing the entire number of records 
 obtained by the total register o'f the five schools (grades 4 to 8 only) 
 at the time of visitation. 
 
42 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 years o months to 9 years ii months inclusive by one or more 
 years and measuring the other grades accordingly these percent- 
 ages of retardation would lower to: Eighth grade, 29.2 per 
 cent ; seventh grade, 39.0 per cent ; sixth grade, 40.8 per cent ; 
 fifth grade, 53.9 per cent; and fourth grade, 51.6 per cent. 
 
 The distribution of the retarded pupils in these grades accord- 
 ing to sex is shown in the table and charts following. 
 
 TABLE 13 
 Five Schools. Age-Grade Table Showing Sex Distribution 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Grades 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 Total 
 
 Abov 
 mal 
 
 No. 
 
 e Nor- 
 Age 
 
 Per 
 cent 
 
 Eighth 
 
 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 21 
 ^9 
 
 25 
 17 
 
 10 
 21 
 
 64 
 66 
 
 37 
 43 
 
 57 
 65 
 
 8 
 2 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 22 
 IS 
 
 27 
 31 
 
 21 
 
 25 
 
 5 
 13 
 
 3 
 
 
 84 
 88 
 
 56 
 69 
 
 66 
 
 78 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 Sixth 
 
 
 
 8 
 6 
 
 15 
 
 55 
 52 
 
 47 
 34 
 
 52 
 47 
 
 27 
 21 
 
 29 
 
 33 
 
 12 
 21 
 
 II 
 16 
 
 2 
 4 
 
 
 2 
 
 103 
 
 82 
 
 76 
 79 
 
 5 
 6 
 
 Fifth 
 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 T5 
 
 165 
 
 ^47 
 148 
 
 79 
 89 
 
 7 
 
 Fourth 
 
 3 
 
 I 
 
 22 
 
 33 
 32 
 
 28 
 
 2C 
 
 J/ 
 
 24 
 
 5 
 8 
 
 4 
 7 
 
 
 
 112 
 
 107 
 
 87 
 91 
 
 77 
 85 
 
 7 
 
 
 Total 
 
 55P 
 529 
 
 Girls 
 Boys 
 
 
 r<S- r'c^ Q^n -is, 
 
 80 
 
 70 
 fco 
 50 
 40 
 30 
 ?o 
 )o 
 
 P&T-cj^n is. 
 
 10 
 feo 
 50 
 40 
 3o 
 
 )0 
 
 GracJ&s. S 7 fe 5 4 
 
 Chaet 7 a. Percentages of re- 
 tarded boys 
 
 Grac/'S'S 8 7 i 5 4 
 
 Chart 7 b. Percentages of re- 
 tarded girls 
 
Elizabeth, N.J. i,oS8 Cases 
 
 43 
 
 In the schools of EHzabeth there seems to be no doubt con- 
 cerning sex difference in retardation. In every instance as shown 
 in the preceding table the boys are more retarded than the girls. 
 The median for the 529 cases (boys) in grades 4 through 8 is 
 79.6; whereas for the 559 cases (girls) it is 76.5. In the two 
 upper grammar grades the boys as compared with the girls show 
 relatively more "over-ageness" than in the two lower grades. 
 With both sexes the same progressive increase in retardation is 
 noticeable (see charts 5 a and 5 b) in descending from the eighth 
 to the fourth grade. Were the theoretical age limit for the fourth 
 grade taken to extend from 9 to 1 1 years, for the fifth grade from 
 10 to 12 years, for the sixth grade from 11 to 13 years, etc., 
 the "over-age" boys in each case would again be recorded in 
 larger numbers. 
 
 Table 14 shows the distribution of the 1,088 cases according 
 to age at the time of their entrance to the first grade of the school 
 in which they now attend. 
 
 TABLE 14 
 
 Age Distribution of 1,088 Pupils at Time of Entrance to the 
 
 First Grade 
 
 Schools 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 or 
 more 
 
 Total 
 
 Above 
 A 
 
 No. 
 
 Normal 
 
 Per 
 cent 
 
 G 
 
 5 
 
 36 
 
 60 
 
 32 
 
 ^U 
 
 92 
 
 69.2 
 
 H 
 
 17 
 
 145 
 
 246 
 
 120 
 
 528 
 
 366 
 
 693 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 62 
 
 65 
 
 ii 
 
 164 
 
 98 
 
 59.8 
 
 J 
 
 3 
 
 32 
 
 51 
 
 24 
 
 no 
 
 75 
 
 68.2 
 
 K 
 
 5 
 
 37 
 
 74 
 
 3 7 
 
 153 
 
 III 
 
 72.5 
 
 Total 
 
 34 
 
 312 
 
 496 
 
 246 
 
 1,088 
 
 742 
 
 68.2 
 
 Approximately 68 per cent of the cases studied were "over- 
 age" at the time of entrance to the first grade. Relative to this 
 exceptionally high figure, the superintendent explained that the 
 parents were encouraged during the past five years by the medi- 
 cal officials of the city in public circulars and otherwise, not to 
 
44 ^ Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 send their children to school before the age of seven. This ac- 
 counts for the fact that of the five cities reported on in this 
 study, Elizabeth records by far the largest percentage of initial 
 "over-ageness."^ The modal entrance age as shown in the fore- 
 going distribution is clearly in the group, 7 years to 7 years 11 
 months inclusive. 
 
 The distribution of these 1,088 pupils at the time of their 
 school entrance is again recorded in Table 15. This table is 
 more valuable in that it shows also the distribution by grades. 
 
 From the percentages of "over-ageness" at the time of entrance 
 to the first grade, as read in the last column of Table 15, one 
 notes that in grades 4 and 5 such "over-ageness" is at a maxi- 
 mum. Evidently the fact aforementioned concerning the atti- 
 tude of the medical men largely accounts for these high percent- 
 ages. The upper grades show less pupils above normal age. 
 Whereas it is certainly wrong in comparing Tables 15 and 12 
 to say positively that 61.5 per cent now in the eighth grade are 
 "over-age," 56.2 per cent of the eighth grade pupils were "over- 
 age" at the time of entrance to the first grade, therefore approx- 
 imately 85 per cent of those who are "over-age" now are so be- 
 cause of "over-ageness" at the time of school entrance, still it may 
 be true and is highly probable that the vast majority of the re- 
 tarded pupils in the Elizabeth schools are so in consequence 
 of their initial "over-ageness" on starting school. 
 
 Comparison of sexes in the matter of age-record at the time of 
 their entrance to the first grades is shown in Table 16 and 
 accompanying charts. 
 
 Of the 529 boys whose records were taken, 72.2 per cent were 
 found to be over 6 years 11 months when they entered the first 
 grade; of the 559 girl initial starters, 61.5 per cent were thus 
 "over-age." Just as was pointed out in comparing the boys and 
 girls classified as retarded in their present grades (see page 43), 
 the boys in each grade show here larger percentages above the as- 
 sumed normal entrance age. 
 
 In the eighth grade whereas 65.2 per cent (Table 13) of the 
 boys are above normal age, a still larger proportion (74.2 per 
 cent) of these boys were "over-age" when they began school. In 
 all the other grades the percentages of initial "over-ageness" 
 closely approximate the present "over-ageness" in the case of 
 
 iSee Chapter VII, Table 51. 
 
Elizabeth, N.J. i,oSS Cases 
 
 45 
 
 Ph 
 
 ^ H 
 
 w 
 
 H 
 
 hJ 
 
 o; 
 
 m 
 
 (/) 
 
 < 
 
 J 
 
 H 
 
 CU 
 
 
 D 
 
 
 CIh 
 
 o <u 
 
 O "J 
 
 
 1 <N 
 
 OO 
 
 CO 
 
 SO 
 
 4 
 1- 
 
 On 
 
 N 
 
 00 
 
 NO 
 
 d 
 
 
 ON 
 
 0^ 
 
 o 
 
 \o 
 
 NO 
 
 
 O 1^ 
 
 HO 
 
 o 
 
 M 
 r^ 
 
 00 
 (N 
 
 t 
 
 ON 
 
 00 
 00 
 
 o_ 
 
 o 
 
 "5) 
 W 
 
 w 
 
 CO 
 
 T^ 
 
 00 
 
 \0 
 
 NO 
 
 
 o 
 
 1—1 
 
 N 
 
 LO 
 
 
 
 r^ 
 
 
 1— 1 
 
 M •rt- 
 
 •^ 
 
 M 
 
 On ro 
 
 s 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 O 
 IN 
 
 o 
 
 CO "-' 
 
 ^^ 
 
 u 
 
 tNl 
 
 C 
 CO 
 
 w 
 
 ro 
 
 CO 
 
 o o 
 
 IN 
 
 rj- 
 
 •—1 
 
 M 
 
 ro 
 
 N 
 
 
 o> 
 
 
 
 vO 
 
 -o 
 
 o 
 
 On 
 
 NO 
 
 ffi 
 
 
 o 
 
 IT) 
 
 ON 
 
 NO 
 
 t 
 
 NO 
 
 o 
 
 vO 
 
 00 
 
 ro l^ 
 
 NO 
 t-I 
 
 O 
 
 •NO 
 
 Six Years 
 
 ^.^ 
 
 •^ 
 
 IN 
 
 ^ 
 
 On 
 
 U-) 
 
 
 •—1 
 
 'S- 
 
 00 
 
 lO 
 
 OO 
 
 t^ 
 
 i^ 
 
 - 
 
 CO 
 
 0^ 
 
 00 
 
 " 
 
 O 
 
 M 
 
 NO 
 
 ffi 
 
 OO 
 
 o 
 
 00 
 
 
 IN 
 
 
 o 
 
 Tt vO On m 1 vO O 
 
 u 
 
 >^ 
 
 > 
 
 w 
 
 O 
 
 (N 
 
 
 
 l-H 
 
 IN 
 
 in 
 
 •— > 
 
 hH 
 
 " 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 1^ 
 
 H- 1 
 
 <N 
 
 
 o 
 
 M 
 
 o 
 
 1 
 
 ffi " 
 
 '^ 
 
 ro 
 
 •~o 
 
 IN 
 
 M 
 
 o 
 
 " 
 
 o 
 
 " 
 
 (N 
 
 ■"^ 
 
 LO 
 
 CO 
 
 be 
 < 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 CO 
 
 to 
 
 03 
 
 o 
 
 J3 
 
 a; 
 
 Cfl 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 E 
 
 n 
 o 
 tj-, 
 
 03 
 
 o 
 H 
 
46 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 fe 
 
 < 
 
 Z 
 
 o . 
 
 a I 
 
 H 
 
 
 f^ 
 
 o 
 
 < 
 
 Y— ( 
 
 
 
 m 
 
 W 
 
 F-1 
 
 h-1 
 
 & 
 
 PQ 
 
 t3 
 
 <1 
 
 Ph 
 
 H 
 
 CO 
 
 Above Nor- 
 mal Age 
 
 
 
 
 "^00 
 ^ IN 
 NO ^ 
 
 1-^ (N 
 
 NO 00 
 
 On o' 
 
 Vi 00 
 
 ^J~l c^ 
 
 1-1 u-j 
 NO r^ 
 
 
 ^ IN 
 
 
 ^NO 
 
 CM ro 
 
 Oo NO 
 t^oo 
 
 ^00 
 
 ^ On 
 
 '— ' tr. 
 
 O cc 
 
 HO 
 
 VD MO 
 
 OO 00 
 
 ir-) ro 
 >-i O 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 1 
 
 OO NO 
 
 CM r^ 
 
 1-1 O 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 On On 
 
 l<-^ IN 
 
 o 
 u 
 
 W 
 
 ■;v; 
 
 0) 
 
 1 rr^ M ^ •* 
 
 0\ 1^ 
 
 CV-, CO 
 
 O r^ 
 CM M 
 
 ►— > 
 
 1 o o 
 
 1-1 M CM CO '^t'O 
 
 '^ CO 
 
 i~i ro 
 
 1-1 H 
 
 1— I 
 
 i-s 1-1 
 
 r<l M 
 
 '^i CM r-v ^ 
 
 '^ LO 
 
 C5s •* 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 
 1-1 i-s M 
 
 OvCO 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 U~)VO 
 
 O 
 
 l-i (N 
 
 <^ <N 
 
 0-) ^ u~,\n 
 
 ■^ ro 
 
 <5 NO 
 
 12 
 
 >^ 
 C 
 > 
 
 \^ 
 
 N Ol 
 
 1-H CN W~) UO 
 
 CM CN 
 
 VD NO 
 
 
 1 > 
 
 1-1 (N 
 
 K:, NO 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 CN-)NO 
 
 C^OO 
 CM N 
 
 h-l 
 
 H t~o 
 
 t^l -* 
 
 t>0 (X) 
 
 Oo P) 
 
 On 
 
 Oo r-- 
 
 CM CO 
 
 w 
 
 H IN 
 
 CM 00 
 CM <N 
 
 CO 00 
 CM CT 
 
 1-1 00 
 
 O 0) 
 CM N 
 
 O CO 
 
 1~( M 
 
 o 
 
 tVj ly-5 
 
 l>,o 
 
 (^ o 
 
 y^ O 
 
 ■^nO 
 
 CM r<0 
 
 1-. 
 C/2 
 
 w 
 
 W-^ IN 
 
 t^ lO CM IN 
 
 VD ro 
 
 ^M 
 
 CM H 
 
 1—) 
 
 r^M 
 
 '^^ 
 
 •^M 
 
 ^ <N 
 
 M- CO 
 
 1-1 w 
 CM M 
 
 1— 1 
 
 v:^ N 
 
 0\ O 
 
 M 
 
 ij-, ro CNJ u-; NQ, ^ 
 
 1-1 
 
 c^ cs 
 
 ^1 O CC O 
 
 m 1 (M i-H M 
 
 CM H 
 
 CM LO C»-) On 
 CM w 1-1 
 
 ^ ON 
 
 Oo uo 
 
 o 
 
 <^ H 1 '^a- p) ij-) '^ 
 
 Co CO 
 
 ^ M -^ (N 
 CM H 
 
 1/1 
 u 
 03 
 
 14 "° 
 
 N M O O 
 
 >~H O 
 
 1-1 H 
 
 c»-; (N 
 
 O M O M 
 1 > 
 
 1-1 O 
 
 o o 
 
 o o 
 
 1-1 <s 
 
 1— 1 
 
 l-i w 
 
 1-1 o 
 
 O 
 
 >-i o 
 
 o o 
 
 cv^M 
 
 
 S M 
 
 ■^ CO 
 
 CM H 
 
 CM H 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 O r- 
 
 H O 
 
 o o 
 
 ^ O 
 
 CM 
 
 •~i o 
 
 ^ O 
 
 CO 
 bJD 
 
 < 
 
 r/5 
 
 'o 
 o 
 
 ha 
 W 
 
 c 
 > 
 
 <Li 
 
 
 
 u 
 
 o 
 
 ct3 
 O 
 
 H 
 

 
 
 Elizabeth, N . 
 
 /• ^ 
 
 ,o88 Cases 
 
 47 
 
 Pe/rc' e/n is. 
 85 
 
 
 35 
 
 8o 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 SO 
 
 
 
 75 
 
 
 
 
 
 75 
 70 
 45 
 6o 
 
 
 70 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 4.5 
 
 
 4,0 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 45 
 
 
 45 
 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 
 35 
 
 35 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 3o 
 
 
 
 r5 
 
 
 IS 
 
 
 
 zo 
 
 
 1o 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 Croa 
 
 W 8 
 
 7 
 
 (c 
 
 5 4 
 
 Graa 
 
 fejr 8 
 
 7 
 
 & 5 4 
 
 Chart 8 a. " Over-age " boys 
 entering first grade 
 
 Chart 8 b. " Over-age " girls 
 entering first grade 
 
 the boys. Some such statement then as the following is justifi- 
 able : Whereas the boys are more retarded than the girls in 
 the schools of Elizabeth, such retardation is probably due more 
 to initial retardation rather than to failure to pass regularly 
 through the grades. As for the boys this would seem at first 
 glance to argue the advisability of encouraging them to enter 
 school later in years. Table i8b (page 49) however disproves 
 this. 
 
 That the boys are more variable than the girls in this instance 
 is again evident from the appended diagrams. Note the progres- 
 sive increase in initial "over-ageness" of the girls in grades 8 
 through 4 (Chart 8 b). The same steady increase in present 
 " over-ageness " is to be noted in Chart 7 b, page 42. 
 
 The Incidence of Retardation 
 The numbers of repeating and non-repeating pupils of the 
 1,088 children investigated are shown in Table 17 a. These fig- 
 ures are changed to per cents in Table 17 b. 
 
48 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 TABLE 17a 
 Five Schools. Aggregate i,o88 Cases 
 
 Left Back 
 
 Fourth 
 
 Fifth- 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Eighth 
 
 None 
 
 ^5i 
 
 176 
 
 ^iZ 
 
 113 
 
 92 
 
 One 
 
 56 
 
 127 
 
 62 
 
 40 
 
 29 
 
 Two 
 
 22 
 
 3^ 
 
 20 
 
 17 
 
 7 
 
 Three 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 Four 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 Total' Left Back 
 
 86 
 
 173 
 
 85 
 
 59 
 
 38 
 
 Total Cases 
 
 219 
 
 349 
 
 218 
 
 172 
 
 130 
 
 TABLE 17b 
 Same Converted to Per Cent Equivalents 
 
 Left Back 
 
 Fourth 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Eighth 
 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 None 
 
 61 
 
 50 
 
 61 
 
 66 
 
 71 
 
 One 
 
 26 
 
 36 
 
 28 
 
 23 
 
 22 
 
 Two 
 
 10 
 
 1 1 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 5 
 
 Three 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 Four 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 39 
 
 50 
 
 39 
 
 34 
 
 29 
 
 In the five grades tabulated, the mode in each case is in the 
 "no-time" group. Although the percentages of retardation are 
 highest in the Elizabeth schools, the percentages of pupils re- 
 peating during their entire school life are lowest when compared 
 with those of the other four cities. This again seems to point 
 to the fact that the present considerable "over-ageness" in the 
 schools of this city is due largely to "over-ageness" at the time 
 of entrance to the first grade. 
 
 The sex distribution of repeaters and non-repeaters is shown 
 next in tables and diagrams. 
 
Elizabeth, N.J. i,(><SS Cases 
 
 49 
 
 TABLE 18a 
 Pupils Repeating and Non-Repeating During School Lite 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Left Back 
 
 Fourth 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Eighth 
 
 None 
 
 71 
 62 
 
 102 
 74 
 
 83 
 
 50 
 
 56 
 
 57 
 
 47 
 45 
 
 One 
 
 32 
 24 
 
 60 
 67 
 
 27 
 
 35 
 
 18 
 22 
 
 14 
 15 
 
 Two 
 
 6 
 16 
 
 18 
 
 20 
 
 5 
 15 
 
 8 
 
 2 
 5 
 
 Three 
 
 3 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 Four 
 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 4r 
 45 
 
 82 
 91 
 
 .?2 
 
 53 
 
 2^ 
 31 
 
 ^7 
 21 
 
 Total Ca.ses 
 
 112 
 
 107 
 
 184 
 165 
 
 115 
 103 
 
 .^4 
 88 
 
 ^4 
 66 
 
 TABLE 18b 
 Same Converted to Per Cent Equivalents 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Left Back 
 
 Fourth 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Eighth 
 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 None 
 
 ()3-4 
 57-9 
 
 55-4 
 44.8 
 
 72 .2 
 48.5 
 
 66.7 
 64.8 
 
 73-4 
 68.2 
 
 One 
 
 28.6 
 22 .4 
 
 32.6 
 40 .6 
 
 23-5 
 34 -o 
 
 21 .4 
 
 25.0 
 
 27 .p 
 
 22.7 
 
 Two 
 
 5-4 
 15 .0 
 
 9.8 
 12 . r 
 
 4-3 
 14 .6 
 
 70.7 
 9.1 
 
 3-^ 
 7.6 
 
 Three 
 
 2.7 
 2.8 
 
 2.5 
 
 0.0 
 2.9 
 
 7 .2 
 I .2 
 
 0.0 
 
 1-5 
 
 Four 
 
 0.0 
 I .9 
 
 I .1 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 0.0 
 
 .0 
 
 I .6 
 
 .0 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 36.6 
 42.1 
 
 44.6 
 56.4 
 
 27. .S' 
 51-5 
 
 33-3 
 
 35-2 
 
 2f5.^ 
 
 31.8 
 
50 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 15 TS 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 fcS 
 
 
 t5 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 to 
 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 45 
 
 
 45 
 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 35 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 30 
 
 . ■ 
 
 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 
 If 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 )0 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 ^om 
 
 One 
 
 Thre/e/ Foe 
 
 Mon&' One, 
 
 Thi-ae. Four 
 
 Chart g a. Eighth grade boys. 
 Repeaters and non-repeaters dur- 
 ing school life 
 
 Chart 9 b. Eighth grade girls. 
 Repeaters and non-repeaters dur- 
 ing school life 
 
 The girls recorded in these five schools are unquestionably 
 brighter than the boys if one measures mental ability on the basis 
 of the relative frequency of promotions and non-promotions. In 
 the fourth through the eighth grades the ratio of the regularly 
 promoted girls to the total number of girls promoted and non- 
 promoted exceeds that of the boys similarly figured. The boys 
 in almost every grade are also left back more frequently once, 
 twice, and three times. The two girls in the fifth grade and the 
 one in the eighth grade (see Table 18 a) repeating four times are 
 quite exceptional. 
 
 In the eighth grade, it is seen from Table 18 b that 73.4 per 
 cent of all the girls studied, were never left back during their en- 
 tire school life; 21.9 per cent were left back once; and 3.1 per 
 cent, twice. Of the boys 68.2 per cent were promoted regularly 
 since school entrance ; 22.7 per cent failed once ; and 7.6 per cent 
 failed twice. Again it would seem that the selected girls who 
 reach the graduating class must be credited with better records 
 although the differences are not so marked as in the lower grades, 
 especially the sixth. Judged accordingly, the girls here by far 
 
Elizabeth, N.J. i,oSS Cases 
 
 SI 
 
 outstrip the boys in mental ability. The charts show respectively 
 the percentages of promoted and non-promoted eighth grade boys 
 and girls. The one glaring fact is the large percentages of regu- 
 larly advancing pupils in both cases. 
 
 Relative to the grade distribution of the repeating pupils, Table 
 19 a in actual numbers and Table 19 b in per cents show plainly 
 such incidence of retardation. 
 
 TABLE 19a 
 Grade Distribution of Non-Promotion in Aggregate 
 
 
 bo 
 
 > 
 
 (7) 
 
 
 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 Grand Total 
 
 Grades 
 
 No. 
 Left 
 back 
 
 Total 
 Prom, 
 and 
 Non- 
 Prom. 
 
 Eighth 
 
 8 
 
 13 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 50 
 
 142 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 24 
 
 9 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 8 
 
 1 1 
 
 15 
 
 80 
 
 193 
 
 Sixth 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 25 
 
 24 
 
 13 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 III 
 
 244 
 
 Fifth 
 
 
 
 
 77 
 
 49 
 
 41 
 
 33 
 
 29 
 
 229 
 
 405 
 
 Fourth 
 
 
 
 
 
 46 
 
 37 
 
 24 
 
 19 
 
 126 
 
 259 
 
 TABLE 19b 
 
 Same in Per Cents 
 LTsing Total of Promoted and Non-Promoted as the Base 
 
 
 Eighth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Fourth 
 
 Third 
 
 Second 
 
 First 
 
 Grades 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 Eighth 
 
 5-6 
 
 9.2 
 
 2 .1 
 
 2 .1 
 
 4.2 
 
 4.9 
 
 3-5 
 
 3-5 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 12 .4 
 
 4.7 
 
 4.1 
 
 2.6 
 
 4.1 
 
 5-7 
 
 7.8 
 
 Sixth 
 
 
 
 12 .3 
 
 10 .2 
 
 9.8 
 
 5 -3 
 
 3-7 
 
 4.1 
 
 Fifth 
 
 
 
 
 19.0 
 
 12 .1 
 
 10 . 1 
 
 8.1 
 
 7.2 
 
 Fourth 
 
 
 
 
 
 17.8 
 
 10.4 
 
 9-3 
 
 7-3 
 
 Aver. 
 
 5-6 
 
 II .0 
 
 7-3 
 
 " -5 
 
 10.5 
 
 8.5 
 
 6.6 
 
 6.3 
 
52 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 The progressive increase of retardation till the sixth grade is 
 manifest in the bottom row of average percentages, Table 19 b, 
 computed in the manner explained in the preceding chapter on 
 page 36. The distribution curve in the case of the school children 
 of Elizabeth would show two distinct high levels, one in the fifth 
 grade and the other in the seventh. It is reasonable to suppose 
 then that a large number of pupils are eliminated in the difficult 
 fourth and fifth grades and that those pupils who remain find 
 little trouble in accomplishing the sixth grade work but are sub- 
 jected to the final selective test when they enter the seventh 
 grade. The successful seventh grade scholars then pass into the 
 easy eighth grade, from which nearly all at the close of the year 
 are permitted to graduate. 
 
 Comparing percentages of eighth, sixth, and fourth grade pu- 
 pils with respect to their records of failure in the third grade. 
 
 Table 19 b shows : 
 
 Third Grade 
 per cent 
 
 In eighth grade 4.9 
 
 In sixth grade 5.3 
 
 In fourth grade 10.4 
 
 Approximately twice as many pupils in the fourth grade as 
 compared with either the sixth or eighth grade are left back in the 
 third grade. In grades eight and six about i in 20 were "held 
 over" in the third grade, whereas of the fourth grade pupils as 
 many as i in 10 failed in the lower grade. 
 
 The relative amounts of retention in the third grade of the 
 eighth and seventh grade pupils and those of the fifth and fourth 
 
 grades are: 
 
 Third Grade Third Grade 
 
 per cent per cent 
 
 In eighth grade 4.9 In fifth grade 10. i 
 
 In seventh grade 4.1 In fourth grade 10.4 
 
 Median 4.5 Median 10.3 
 
 In fine, then, it may be said that the fourth or fifth grade pupil 
 is left back in the third grade more than twice as often as the 
 eighth or seventh grade pupil. The fact that the fourth, fifth, 
 and seventh grades in this city school system are the most difficult 
 for the children who have gone through them, is undeniable. The 
 high percentage of repetition in the seventh grade indicates this 
 grade to be the ultimate selective force. Those who just survive 
 the fourth and fifth grades, were they to remain, would most 
 probably be "held over" again in the seventh grade if not elim- 
 inated altogether. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 PATERSON, N. J. 1,246 CASES 
 
 The five schools of Paterson, N. J., reported in this chapter 
 furnished records of 1,246 initial starters. Only the grammar 
 grade pupils are considered and these are tabulated as in New 
 York City in half-yearly grades. The "A" classes, however, are 
 the upper and the "B" classes the lower grades in the Paterson 
 school system. School O with 1,500 pupils registered represents 
 the largest school and School N with a registry of 900 pupils, 
 the smallest at the time of visitation during the months of March 
 and April, 1910. 
 
 The Migration of Pupils 
 
 The approximate percentages of initial starters now in the 
 grammar grades are shown in Table 20. 
 
 TABLE 20 
 
 Per Cents of Initial Starters 
 
 Schools 
 
 L 
 
 M 
 
 N 
 
 
 
 P 
 
 Average 
 
 Grades 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 8A 
 
 62 
 
 39 
 
 37 
 
 52 
 
 49 
 
 48.3 
 
 8B 
 
 44 
 
 57 
 
 44 
 
 60 
 
 44 
 
 51 .0 
 
 7A 
 
 33 
 
 58 
 
 38 
 
 49 
 
 43 
 
 47-4 
 
 7B 
 
 67 
 
 60 
 
 41 
 
 60 
 
 45 
 
 55-4 
 
 6A 
 
 46 
 
 47 
 
 49 
 
 52 
 
 53 
 
 50.3 
 
 6B 
 
 38 
 
 47 
 
 39 
 
 41 
 
 28 
 
 40 . 1 
 
 SA 
 
 46 
 
 55 
 
 45 
 
 59 
 
 36 
 
 49-1 
 
 5B 
 
 55 
 
 43 
 
 61 
 
 53 
 
 37 
 
 50-3 
 
 Average 
 
 48 
 
 51 
 
 45 
 
 54 
 
 43 
 
 48.9 
 
 53 
 
54 I ^ Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 Accordingly 48.9 per cent of the grammar grade pupils regis- 
 tered in the five schools are rated as initial starters. That is, ap- 
 proximately half the number of grammar grade children in the 
 Paterson schools must have either migrated to the schools they 
 now attend from other schools in Paterson or from other cities 
 or else must have been admitted as new pupils in their present 
 school in a higher grade than the first. This would seem to be 
 the tendency in all the grammar grades with but slight deviation. 
 The largest school, School O, with .52 in 8 A and .60 in 8 B 
 and an average for all the grammar grades of .54 excels all 
 the others in percentages of initial starters. 
 
 The Age-Grade Relations of the 1,246 Initial Starters 
 
 The 1,246 pupils tabulated in the following distribution are seg- 
 regated with respect to age at the time of entrance to the present 
 grade. 
 
 TABLE 21 
 Five Schools. Age Distribution. Aggregate 1,246 Cases 
 
 Grades 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 T3 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 Total 
 
 Abov 
 mal 
 
 No. 
 
 eNor- 
 Age 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 
 8A 
 
 
 
 
 
 17 
 
 5c 
 
 37 
 
 17 
 
 8 
 
 129 
 
 62 
 
 48.1 
 
 8B 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 42 
 
 53 
 
 39 
 
 9 
 
 I 
 
 147 
 
 49 
 
 33-3 
 
 7A 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 15 
 
 63 
 
 53 
 
 28 
 
 2 
 
 
 162 
 
 83 
 
 51-2 
 
 7B 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 44 
 
 58 
 
 52 
 
 20 
 
 2 
 
 
 186 
 
 74 
 
 39-8 
 
 6A 
 
 
 3 
 
 14 
 
 57 
 
 59 
 
 29 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 176 
 
 102 
 
 58.0 
 
 6B 
 
 
 3 
 
 19 
 
 56 
 
 35 
 
 21 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 140 
 
 62 
 
 44-3 
 
 5^ 
 
 
 13 
 
 38 
 
 46 
 
 23 
 
 16 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 139 
 
 88 
 
 63-3 
 
 sB 
 
 7 
 
 41 
 
 59 
 
 27 
 
 13 
 
 18 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 167 
 
 60 
 
 3 5-9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Tota 
 
 1 
 
 1,246 
 
 Cases 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The percentages of "over-ageness" in the grades of the Pater- 
 son schools are seen to be relatively small but considerable vari- 
 ation is manifest. The fifth and sixth grades show higher per- 
 centages than the seventh and eighth. The upper seventh grade 
 
Paterson, N . J. 1,246 Cases 
 
 55 
 
 recording 51.2 per cent as above normal age is significant. Those 
 that do reach this grade are probably " held back " here more 
 than in the preceding grades. (See Table 21.) 
 
 Assuming 14 years to 14 years 11 months inclusive instead 
 of 13 years to 13 years 11 months inclusive as the normal en- 
 trance age to the eighth grade, the percentages of "over-age" 
 pupils would decrease to: 8 A grade, 19.4 per cent; 8B grade, 
 6.8 per cent; 7 A grade, 18.5 per cent; 7B grade, 11.8 per cent; 
 6 A grade, 24.4 per cent; 6B grade, 14.3 per cent; 5 A grade, 
 30.2 per cent ; 5 B grade, 19.8 per cent. 
 
 Note that in each instance the lower " B " grades show smaller 
 percentages of retarded pupils than the upper "A" grades for 
 
 TABLE 22 
 Five Schools. Age-Grade Table Showing Sex Distribution 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Grades 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 1 1 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 Total 
 
 Above Nor- 
 mal Age 
 
 
 No. 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 
 8A 
 
 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 5 
 
 32 
 18 
 
 ^5 
 22 
 
 8 
 9 
 
 3 
 
 5 
 
 70 
 59 
 
 26 
 
 26 
 
 .?7-i 
 44.1 
 
 8B 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 2 
 
 22 
 
 20 
 
 26 
 27 
 
 15 
 
 24 
 
 I 
 8 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 65 
 82 
 
 16 
 
 00 
 
 24.6 
 
 40.2 
 
 7A 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 9 
 6 
 
 38 
 
 25 
 
 32 
 21 
 
 16 
 12 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
 97 
 65 
 
 49 
 34 
 
 52.3 
 
 7B 
 
 
 
 5 
 5 
 
 23 
 
 2T 
 
 25 
 
 25 
 27 
 
 8 
 12 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 
 ^7 
 99 
 
 ' 34 
 40 
 
 5(9.1 
 
 40.4 
 
 6A 
 
 
 2 
 I 
 
 8 
 6 
 
 29 
 
 28 
 
 23 
 36 
 
 18 
 II 
 
 9 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 89 
 87 
 
 50 
 52 
 
 0.2 
 
 59-8 
 
 6B 
 
 
 2 
 I 
 
 10 
 9 
 
 33 
 
 23 
 
 12 
 
 23 
 
 10 
 II 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 67 
 
 73 
 
 22 
 
 40 
 
 54.8 
 
 5A 
 
 
 9 
 
 4 
 
 18 
 
 20 
 
 2g 
 
 17 
 
 10 
 13 
 
 9 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 I 
 
 
 
 77 
 62 
 
 1'' 
 38 
 
 64.9 
 61.3 
 
 5B 
 
 4 
 3 
 
 26 
 15 
 
 24 
 3 5 
 
 II 
 16 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 II 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 77 
 90 
 
 2J 
 37 
 
 25.9 
 41. 1 
 
 Total 
 
 629 
 611 
 
 Girls 
 Boys 
 
 
56 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 the reason that the same theoretical normal age was assumed 
 for the lower half-yearly grade as for the higher. The same 
 holds true of the New York City schools with the single ex- 
 ception of the eighth grades. (See Chapter II, page 22.) If, 
 for example, the age limit for the 8 B grade were taken to ex- 
 tend from 13 years to 13 years 11 months inclusive, it would per- 
 haps have been fairer to have taken 13 years 6 months to 14 years 
 5 months inclusive as the normal entrance age to the 8 A grade. 
 
 Table 22 and the graphic illustrations represent the sex distri- 
 bution of the " under-age," " normal," and " over-age " pupils, 
 the diagrams referring only to the last group. (Chart 10 a and 
 10 b which refer to Table 22 are found on page 60.) 
 
 From the preceding age-grade table one learns that with the ex- 
 ception of grade 5 A, the boys are retarded much more often than 
 the girls. The median in the case of the former for the eight 
 grades tabulated would be 48.2 ; in the case of the latter, only 
 38.1. The diiference is most marked in the two eighth grades. 
 The boys as compared with the girls who do reach these grades 
 are much older. The larger ratios of "over-age" boys would 
 still hold in all grades excepting 7 A and 6 A were the age limit 
 raised a year in each case. The charts illustrate plainly that in 
 the matter of retardation the grammar grade girls of the Pater- 
 son schools are much more variable than the boys. 
 
 The following table records the age distribution of these gram- 
 mar grade pupils at the time of their entrance to the i B grade 
 of the school in which they now are. 
 
 Of the 1,246 initial starters, 286 or only 23 per cent were 
 over 6 years 11 months when they entered the i B grade of the 
 school. Just as Paterson with no exception has less retardation 
 in its grammar grades than the other cities, it likewise shows con- 
 siderably less initial " over-ageness " of its local beginners. 
 Whereas the largest school, School O, had the largest percent- 
 age of initial starters (see page 53), Table 23 records this school 
 as having the largest percentage of "over-ageness" on the part 
 of such pupils. School N with next to the smallest percentage 
 in Table 20 holds in Table 23 the minimum record. The median 
 entrance age in the Paterson schools would fall in the group 6 
 
Paterson, N . J ■ 1,246 Cases 
 
 57 
 
 years to 6 years 11 months inclusive, the normal entrance age 
 considered throughout in this special study. 
 
 TABLE 23 
 
 Age Distribution of 1,246 Pupils at Time of Entrance 
 TO iB Grade 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Above Nor- 
 mal Age 
 
 Schools 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Per 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 No. 
 
 cent 
 
 L 
 
 84 
 
 69 
 
 39 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 205 
 
 52 
 
 25-4 
 
 M 
 
 122 
 
 84 
 
 43 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 256 
 
 50 
 
 19.8 
 
 N 
 
 76 
 
 66 
 
 26 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 175 
 
 33 
 
 18.9 
 
 
 
 15^^ 
 
 137 
 
 67 
 
 22 
 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 403 
 
 108 
 
 26.8 
 
 P 
 
 74 
 
 90 
 
 39 
 
 3 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 207 
 
 43 
 
 20.8 
 
 Total 
 
 514 
 
 446 
 
 214 
 
 44 
 
 24 
 
 4 
 
 1,246 
 
 286 
 
 23.0 
 
 Table 24 shows the same pupils considered in Table 23 dis- 
 tributed according to present grade and entrance age to the i B 
 grade. 
 
 Comparing this table with Table 21 one can find little reason 
 to explain the present grade "over-ageness" on the basis of the 
 initial " over-ageness " of the beginners. In grade 7 A, Table 21 
 records nearly the highest percentage of retardation ; whereas 
 Table 24 shows almost the smallest percentage : 19.8 per cent of 
 the present 7 A pupils as " over-age " when they entered school. 
 On the other hand Table 24 tells us that the highest proportion, 
 30.6 per cent of the present 7 B pupils, were above normal age 
 at the time of their entrance to grade i B ; Table 21 records only 
 39.8 per cent or the sixth from the highest percentage of present 
 "over-age " pupils. 
 
 The sex distribution of these initial starters is stated in Table 
 25 and the graphic illustrations of the "over-age" boys and girls 
 entering grade i B are shown on page 60 (Charts 11 a and lib). 
 
 In total, 23.5 per cent of the girls as opposed to 22.4 per cent 
 of the boys were above 6 years 11 months when they entered 
 school. Just as the girls showed the largest percentages of re- 
 
58 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 w 2 
 
 P 
 
 
 Above 
 
 Normal 
 
 Age 
 
 U 4^ 
 
 PL, 0^ 
 
 o 
 
 00 
 
 H 
 
 00 
 On 
 
 M 
 
 NO 
 
 d 
 
 ro 
 
 On 
 ro 
 
 NO 
 
 00. 
 
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 CO 
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 q 
 
 CO 
 CN 
 
 
 6 
 
 ro 
 
 
 ro 
 
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 Oh 
 
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 t:^ 
 
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 Tl- 
 
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 ^ 
 
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 ■* 
 
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 S 
 
 " 
 
 ^ 1 O 1>- 
 
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 t>~ 
 
 •* 
 
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 hJ 
 
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 CO 
 
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 r^ 
 
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 '/I 
 
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 cd 
 
 >^ 
 
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 Ph 
 
 O 
 
 r^ 1 M 
 
 LO 
 
 LO 
 
 NO 
 
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 M 1 O 
 
 H On 
 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 On 
 
 M 
 
 On 
 
 M 
 
 M O 
 CM M 
 
 •* 
 
 Z' 
 
 CO 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 00 
 
 I>- 
 
 c^ 
 
 On 
 
 LO 
 
 On 
 
 NO 
 NO 
 
 
 s 
 
 •+ 
 
 ro 
 
 01 r^ 
 
 NO 
 
 CO H 
 
 00 
 
 CO 
 
 
 hJ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ro 
 
 NO CO 
 
 « 
 
 M 
 
 On no 
 
 On 
 
 NO 
 
 
 in 
 u 
 cd 
 
 fin 
 
 o 
 
 OO 
 
 NO 
 
 ro 
 
 On 
 
 CO 
 
 ■* 
 
 NO 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 LO 
 
 <N 
 
 
 
 NO 
 CN 
 
 o 
 
 H 
 
 M 
 01 
 
 co 
 
 LO 
 
 
 "Z, 
 
 (N 
 
 -* 
 
 LO 
 
 O 
 
 00 
 
 
 OO 
 
 01 
 
 OO 
 
 NO 
 
 
 S 
 
 " 
 
 M 
 
 ^ NO 
 
 <N l-l 
 
 O o» 
 M C-) 
 
 On 
 
 O 
 
 Ol 
 _OI 
 
 
 fJ 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 NO 
 
 LO 
 
 0^ 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 CN) 
 
 C^ 
 
 00 
 
 
 < 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 C/5 
 
 u °° 
 
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 P3 
 
 00 
 
 < 
 
 
 < 
 
 NO 
 
 pq 
 
 NO 
 
 LO) 
 
 pq 
 
 LO 
 
 Cd 
 o 
 
 H 1 
 
Pater son, N.J. 1,246 Cases 
 
 59 
 
 Above 
 
 Normal 
 
 Age 
 
 c^8 
 
 
 Od 00 
 
 VO ox 
 
 
 (\) -rt- 
 
 O\0d 
 C\J M 
 
 6 NO 
 
 (N, M 
 
 q 
 
 On 6 
 
 <Ni (N 
 
 6 
 
 
 1~H M 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 C\j ro 
 
 
 ►-I -1 
 
 00 
 0) « 
 
 iJ-iOO 
 
 ^ M 
 
 Co M 
 
 ^ -1 
 
 1— t/j 
 
 +J in 
 
 ca 
 HO 
 
 
 1^ LO 
 
 "^, IN 
 
 <j 00 
 
 K. to 
 
 Oo ON 
 
 0\ I-- 
 
 Oo 00 
 
 
 t^NO 
 
 l^ 
 
 l>^ Os 
 
 Osr^ 
 
 CNJ M 
 
 XD NO 
 
 u 
 
 
 
 U 
 03 Of 
 
 C 
 
 2 
 
 „ 1 " 
 ^ 1 
 
 
 
 CO 00 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 -1 
 
 j °° 
 
 ro 
 
 c^ 
 
 '^, ^ 
 
 c^ 
 
 H- 
 
 ^ ro 
 
 C 
 
 NO: 'O 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 S 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 1-1 IN 
 
 hJ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ►-1 
 
 CM H 
 
 1-1 
 
 '^ 1 
 
 U2 
 CT3 
 
 CM 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 00 00 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 ^ CN 
 
 
 
 t\) CO 
 
 " 
 
 Pg M 
 
 C\l (N 
 
 (\J « 
 
 c 
 
 CNl 
 
 1-1 00 
 
 1^1 M 
 
 z 
 
 
 
 ►-I 
 
 
 
 •1 
 
 P) 
 
 c 
 
 ro 
 
 CM to 
 
 s 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 -H 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 C w 
 
 >-( i-o 
 
 hJ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 c\l 
 
 ^ M 
 
 1-1 
 
 CM M 
 
 NO CN 
 
 CO 
 
 >^ 
 c 
 
 > 
 
 fl^ 
 
 LT, 
 
 \0 IH l~< ^1 
 
 \t- ro 
 
 ii~, r^ 
 
 CM 
 
 CO 
 
 ^ 
 
 On 
 
 •-< IN 
 
 
 
 y^ ro 
 
 C\l H 
 
 Lr-i U-) 
 
 ^^^^ 
 
 tx. cs 
 
 ir-, M 
 
 K. rr-. 
 
 NO 
 
 On 00 
 
 I^; IN 
 
 2 
 
 ^ M 
 
 *~l w 
 
 1-1 H 
 
 t\i t^ 
 
 (V-, „ 
 
 N M 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 
 
 T's ro 
 1-1 M 
 
 S 
 
 M 
 
 C\) <N 
 
 Ov « 
 
 <^* 
 
 t^ !N 
 
 f^-* 
 
 •1 rO 
 
 '^H 
 
 lJ-;O0 
 
 CN] tH 
 
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 1-1 ^O 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ u~, 
 
 1-1 CN 
 
 >-1 CNl 
 
 U-) M 
 
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 r-jX) 
 
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 '•-, -r 
 
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 1^,10, 
 
 
 
 ►-1 c^ 
 
 1-1 
 
 
 1-1 00 
 1-1 
 
 (^ o. 
 
 1-1 
 
 tr-j iy*j 
 
 1 
 
 Ooo 
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 ^ 
 
 tN. N 
 
 If-) LO 
 
 {^ M 
 
 ^ ro 
 
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 •^" 
 
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 t^ On 
 
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 1-1 
 
 ^ ro 
 
 ■'J- (N 
 
 NO r^ 
 
 kr-^O 
 
 •T- t 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 CM H 
 
 ^ M 
 
 N r^ 
 
 ^I ON 
 
 NO 00 
 
 Co M 
 
 ■^ (N 
 
 •^ to 
 
 c*-N ro 
 
 1-. 
 
 CC 
 di 
 
 >^ 
 > 
 
 (Ih 
 
 •-i c^ 
 
 i:^0 
 
 ^ N 
 
 t^sO 
 
 0, 
 
 01 M 
 
 ^ 'r'-j 
 
 l-< LO 
 
 <N) IN 
 
 
 
 1-1 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 t-1 
 
 •1- ro 
 
 l~l M 
 
 1- (N 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 Ki -C 
 
 NO 
 
 1-1 
 
 OnO 
 
 2 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 ^ 
 
 C\j ro 
 
 
 
 'N'-) U-) 
 
 ^ <^j 
 
 CNJ vO 
 
 t>, to 
 
 1-1 M 
 
 CM t 
 
 § 
 
 ir^vO 
 
 \:5 10 
 
 1-1 ro 
 
 0\ r^ 
 
 1-1 OS 
 
 "1 M 
 >1 H 
 
 U~) rj- 
 
 On 
 
 t-v tr; 
 
 tr^jNO 
 
 J 
 
 Oo « 
 
 u~)« 
 
 <N) -^h 
 
 Oq i-^ 
 
 •^ •* 
 
 "?^o 
 
 CM 00 
 
 "^ to 
 
 Oo NO 
 
 < 
 
 
 
 
 ■J'l 
 
 £ 00 
 
 
 
 03 
 00 
 
 < 
 
 1^ 
 
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 LO 
 
 to 
 
 To 
 
 H 
 
6o A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 
 fin 
 
 < 
 
 3 vn o 
 
 FQ 
 
 > 
 O 
 
 w 
 (J 
 
 pq 
 
 O 
 
 CM 
 
 o 
 ft. 
 
 < 
 
 rq (4 o< 
 
 U 
 
Peterson, N.J. 1,246 Cases 
 
 61 
 
 tardation in the sixth and seventh grades (Table 22), in Table 
 25 they also show more initial "over-ageness'' in these grades. 
 
 Whereas the boys are retarded more in the fifth and sixth 
 grades and least in the 7 B grade according to Table 22 ; in the 
 eighth and the fifth grades and mostly in the 7 B grade, one notes 
 the largest percentages above normal age at the time of school 
 entrance (Table 25). Evidently late entrance with the boys is 
 not so potent a cause of retardation as in the case of the girls. 
 Charts 11 a and lib again call attention to the tendency toward 
 greater variability on the part of the boys. 
 
 The Incidence of Retardation 
 
 Table 26 a represents in numbers the distribution of the 1,246 
 Paterson school children according as they were or were not 
 left back during their entire school life. Table 26 b reports the 
 same, only the numbers are changed to per cent equivalents. 
 
 TABLE 26a 
 Five Schools. Aggregate 1,246 Cases 
 
 Left Back 
 
 5B 
 
 5A 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 None 
 
 94 
 
 75 
 
 58 
 
 91 
 
 89 
 
 74 
 
 65 
 
 60 
 
 One 
 
 32 
 
 40 
 
 42 
 
 47 
 
 58 
 
 48 
 
 46 
 
 36 
 
 Two 
 
 19 
 
 18 
 
 30 
 
 27 
 
 29 
 
 33 
 
 25 
 
 3 c 
 
 Three 
 
 17 
 
 5 
 
 9 
 
 1 1 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 3 
 
 Four or mere 
 
 5 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 73 
 
 64 
 
 82 
 
 85 
 
 97 
 
 88 
 
 82 
 
 69 
 
 Total Case? 
 
 167 
 
 139 
 
 140 
 
 176 
 
 186 
 
 162 
 
 147 
 
 I2q 
 
 With the exception of the fifth grades and the upper sixth, the 
 mode expressing the frequency of non-promotion falls in the 
 " one-time " group. The tendency of the pupils of Paterson who 
 have reached the highest grades is to be left back once during 
 their entire school life. Rather large percentages of pupils in 
 all the grades of the grammar department, especially the high 
 ones, are left back twice. In the lower grades a considerable 
 number have repeated three times since they began school. 
 
62 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 TABLE 26b 
 
 Same Converted to Per Cent Equivalents 
 
 Left Back 
 
 sB 
 
 SA 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 None 
 
 56 
 
 54 
 
 41 
 
 52 
 
 48 
 
 46 
 
 44 
 
 47 
 
 One 
 
 19 
 
 29 
 
 30 
 
 27 
 
 31 
 
 30 
 
 31 
 
 28 
 
 Two 
 
 1 1 
 
 13 
 
 21 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 20 
 
 17 
 
 23 
 
 Three 
 
 10 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 Four 
 
 3 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 44 
 
 46 
 
 59 
 
 48 
 
 52 
 
 54 
 
 56 
 
 53 
 
 The statement showing the sex of the promoted and non-pro- 
 moted children now in the grammar classes is found in the next 
 tables. The graphic illustrations compare the boys and girls 
 of the eighth grade as to relative frequency of promotion and 
 repetition. 
 
 TABLE 27a 
 Pupils Repeating and Non-Repeating During School Life 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Left Back 
 
 5B 
 
 5A 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 None 
 
 43 
 51 
 
 42 
 
 38 
 20 
 
 54 
 3 7 
 
 41 
 48 
 
 49 
 
 25 
 
 30 
 
 35 
 
 J7 
 23 
 
 One 
 
 17 
 15 
 
 19 
 21 
 
 17 
 25 
 
 16 
 31 
 
 28 
 30 
 
 2(5 
 
 22 
 
 22 
 24 
 
 22 
 14 
 
 Two 
 
 6 
 13 
 
 14 
 4 
 
 II 
 19 
 
 16 
 II 
 
 12 
 17 
 
 21 
 
 12 
 
 12 
 13 
 
 19 
 
 Three 
 
 10 
 
 7 
 
 / 
 
 4 
 
 / 
 8 
 
 3 
 8 
 
 5 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 5 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 Four 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 34 
 39 
 
 35 
 29 
 
 29 
 
 53 
 
 35 
 50 
 
 46 
 51 
 
 4<? 
 
 40 
 
 J5 
 47 
 
 33 
 
 36 
 
 Total Cases 
 
 77 
 90 
 
 77 
 62 
 
 67 
 73 
 
 89 
 
 87 
 
 <?7 
 99 
 
 P7 
 65 
 
 ^5 
 82 
 
 70 
 59 
 
Paterson, N . J . 1,246 Cases 
 
 63 
 
 TABLE 27b 
 Same Converted to Per Cent Equivalents 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Left Back 
 
 
 5B 
 
 5 A 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 A V erase 
 8B and 8 A 
 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 None 
 
 55 
 56 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 54-5 
 53 -2 
 
 56.7 
 27.4 
 
 60 .y 
 
 42.5 
 
 47.1 
 48.5 
 
 49-5 
 
 38-5 
 
 46 .2 
 42.7 
 
 52.9 
 39-0 
 
 49.6 
 41. 1 
 
 One 
 
 22 
 
 16 
 
 I 
 7 
 
 33-9 
 
 25-4 
 34-2 
 
 18.0 
 35-6 
 
 32.2 
 
 2(5.5 
 
 33-8 
 
 J.?. 5 
 29-3 
 
 3^-4 
 23-7 
 
 32.6 
 27.0 
 
 Two 
 
 7 
 14 
 
 8 
 
 4 
 
 6.5 
 
 16 .4 
 26 .0 
 
 16". 
 12 .6 
 
 13.8 
 17.2 
 
 2/.<5 
 
 18.5 
 
 18.5 
 
 15-9 
 
 ^5-7 
 32.2 
 
 17.0 
 
 22 .7 
 
 Three 
 
 13 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 1-3 
 6.5 
 
 ■r-5 
 1 1 .0 
 
 3-4 
 9.2 
 
 5-7 
 2 .0 
 
 1 .0 
 7-7 
 
 ■r-5 
 9.8 
 
 0.0 
 
 5-1 
 
 0-7 
 
 7.8 
 
 Four 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 4 
 
 .0 
 
 0.0 
 r -4 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 
 1 .1 
 2 .0 
 
 0.0 
 1-5 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 
 0.0 
 2 .4 
 
 0.0 
 1 .4 
 
 Total Left 
 Back 
 
 44 
 
 43 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 45-5 
 46.8 
 
 72 .6 
 
 39-3 
 
 57-5 
 
 52.9 
 51-5 
 
 49-5 
 61.5 
 
 5J-^ 
 
 57-3 
 
 47.1 
 61 .0 
 
 5(^-4 
 58.9 
 
 5o 
 
 
 50 
 
 ^^. 
 
 
 
 
 
 45 
 
 
 
 45. 
 
 40 
 
 35 
 
 5o 
 
 25 
 
 ZO 
 
 15 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 
 
 4o 
 55 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Z5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15 
 JO 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 h. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 __ 
 
 , 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 /Ko. 
 
 O^e 
 
 Thre.c/ Fo c 
 
 Mor. 
 
 ThreiO' four 
 
 Chart 12 a. Eighth grade boys. 
 Repeaters and non-repeaters dur- 
 ing school life 
 
 Chart 12 b. Eighth grade girls. 
 Repeaters and non-repeaters dur- 
 ing school life 
 
 From the bottom row of Table 27 b one notes that the boys 
 fail to be promoted much more freqtiently than the girls in nearly 
 all the grades. In the eighth grades whereas 49.6 per cent of 
 the girls were never left back during their entire school life, the 
 
64 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 percentage in the case of the boys is 41.1. On the other hand, 
 50.4 per cent of the girls as opposed to 58.9 per cent of the boys 
 were left back one or more times since their entrance in school. 
 
 The girls however show a greater tendency to be left back 
 once, the boys being "held back" in larger numbers, two, three, 
 and four times. In grades 5 B and 7 B the distribution is quite 
 similar to that in the district of New York City reported in 
 Chapter II, page 35. The boys may be placed here at both ex- 
 tremes of the distribution curve, the girls being about average. 
 Measured then on the basis of the relative frequency of promo- 
 tion and repetition, as read in all the grades tabulated, the girls 
 of the Paterson schools are brighter than the boys. In Chart 
 12 a more variation is apparent than in Chart 12 b. 
 
 Tables 28 a. and 28 b show again in numbers and in per cents 
 respectively the relative frequency of non-promotion and the 
 particular grades in which such non-promotion occurs. 
 
 TABLE 28a 
 Grade Distribution of Non-Promotion in Aggregate 
 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 7A 
 
 7B 
 
 6A 
 
 6B 
 
 sA 
 
 sB 
 
 4A 
 
 4B 
 
 3A 
 
 3B 
 
 2A 
 
 2B 
 
 lA 
 
 iB 
 
 Grand Total 
 
 Grades 
 
 No. 
 Left 
 Back 
 
 Total 
 Prom, 
 and 
 Non- 
 prom. 
 
 8A 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 16 
 
 14 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 105 
 
 165 
 
 8B 
 
 
 •10 
 
 17 
 
 10 
 
 7 
 
 12 
 
 7 
 
 14 
 
 II 
 
 9 
 
 5 
 
 10 
 
 3 
 
 8 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 131 
 
 106 
 
 7A 
 
 
 
 17 
 
 12 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 II 
 
 13 
 
 1 1 
 
 8 
 
 14 
 
 S 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 136 
 
 210 
 
 7B 
 
 
 
 
 24 
 
 IS 
 
 12 
 
 18 
 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 II 
 
 5 
 
 11 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 4 
 
 149 
 
 238 
 
 6A 
 
 
 
 
 
 23 
 
 20 
 
 17 
 
 10 
 
 9 
 
 9 
 
 16 
 
 10 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 134 
 
 225 
 
 6B 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 23 
 
 12 
 
 15 
 
 14 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 
 14 
 
 7 
 
 12 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 134 
 
 102 
 
 SA 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 18 
 26 
 
 13 
 17 
 
 9 
 9 
 
 13 
 t7 
 
 9 
 
 14 
 
 7 
 19 
 
 5 
 II 
 
 3 
 If 
 
 12 
 
 95 
 141 
 
 170 
 
 sB 
 
 
 
 235 
 
 Beginning with about three per cent as the average percentage 
 of pupils now in the grammar grades who were left back in the 
 first grades, there is a relatively steady increase from these grades 
 till the eighth grades in the proportion of such non-promotions. 
 The seventh grades in this system are unquestionably the select- 
 ins: srrades and those who are fortunate enough to withstand 
 
Paterson, N.J. 1,246 Cases 
 
 65 
 
 the .strain here, proceed to the eighth grades where most all at 
 the end of the "A" term are awarded the coveted diploma. 
 
 TABLE 28b 
 
 Same in Per Cents 
 
 Using Total of Promoted and Non-Promoted as the Base 
 
 Grades 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 7A 
 
 7B 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 6A 
 
 6B 
 
 5A 
 
 sB 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 4A 
 
 4B 
 
 3A 
 
 3B 
 
 2A 
 
 2B 
 
 lA 
 
 iB 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 8A 
 
 3.f) 
 
 3-0 
 
 9-7 
 
 8.5 
 
 4.8 
 
 S-5 
 
 3-6 
 
 3.6 
 
 4-2 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 8 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 8 
 
 I 
 
 8 
 
 3-6 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 2 
 
 
 
 8B 
 
 
 S-i 
 
 8.7 
 
 S-i 
 
 3-6 
 
 6.1 
 
 3-6 
 
 7-1 
 
 5-6 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 S 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 S 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 2 .0 
 
 
 
 7 A 
 
 
 
 8.1 
 
 5-7 
 10. 1 
 
 4.8 
 
 4.8 
 
 S-2 
 
 6.2 
 
 S-2 
 
 3 
 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 3-3 
 
 9 
 
 7B 
 
 
 
 
 6.3 
 
 ^■0 
 
 7.6 
 
 5-9 
 
 S-.S 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 9 
 
 2 
 
 9 
 
 3-4 
 
 I 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 6A 
 
 
 
 
 
 10.2 
 
 8.0 
 
 7.6 
 
 4-4 
 
 4.0 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 8 
 
 I 
 
 8 
 
 2.6 
 
 6 
 
 6B 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12.0 
 
 6.2 
 
 7.8 
 
 7-3 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 4,2 
 
 4 
 4 
 
 S 
 
 7 
 
 SA 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5-0 
 
 10.6 
 
 7.6 
 
 S 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 9 
 
 1.8 
 
 7 
 
 sB 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I I.O 
 
 7.2 
 
 3 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 6.8 
 
 I 
 
 Aver. 
 
 3.6 4.2 
 
 8.8 
 
 7.4 
 
 6.1 
 
 7-0 
 
 S.8 
 
 7-1 
 
 5.8 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 3 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 3-6 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 Proceeding as in the previous chapters to a brief comparative 
 study of grade retention, the failures in the 3 A and 3 B grades 
 of the present 7 A and 7 B pupils as compared with the present 
 5 A and 5 B pupils may be gleaned from Table 28 b. 
 
 Grades. 
 
 Grades. . . . 3A 3B 
 per cent 
 
 In 5 A grade 7.6 5.3 
 
 In 5B grade 7.2 6.0 
 
 Alcdiaii 6.6 
 
 3 A 3B 
 
 per cent 
 
 In 7 A grade 6.7 2.4 
 
 In 7B grade 2.1 4.6 
 
 Median 3.5 
 
 In the fifth grades about i in 15 was left back in the third 
 grades. Of the present seventh grade pupils approximately i 
 in 30 failed in these grades. 
 
 Comparing now the eighth and seventh grades with the sixth 
 and fifth grades on the basis of failure of promotion in the third 
 grades the following mav be noted : 
 
 Grades 3A 3B 
 
 per cent 
 
 In 8 A grade 1.8 2.4 
 
 In 8B grade 2.5 5.1 
 
 In 7 A grade 6.7 2.4 
 
 In 7 B grade 2.1 4.6 
 
 Median 2.45 
 
 Grades .... 3A 3B 
 per cent 
 
 In 6 A grade 7.1 4.4 
 
 In 6B grade 6.2 7.3 
 
 In 5 A grade 7.6 ^^ .3 
 
 In 5 B grade 7.2 6.0 
 
 Aledian 6.65 
 
66 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 The chance then that a sixth grade or a fifth grade pupil was 
 left back in the third grade is more than twice as great as is the 
 case of a pupil known to have reached the seventh or the eighth 
 grade. Only i in 40 of these upper grade grammar pupils re- 
 peated the primary grade in cjuestion ; whereas the ratio of re- 
 tention in the case of the fifth and the sixth grade pupils is 
 about I to 15. 
 
 Taking the averages of the "A" and "B" grades to count as 
 the amount of retention in what would be a single yearly grade, 
 the percentages are as follows : 
 
 Grades: 
 
 First 
 
 Second Third Fourth Fifth 
 
 Sixth Seventh Eighth 
 
 3-4 
 
 3-4 5-0 5-0 6.5 
 
 6.6 8.0 4 .0 
 
 . In no other city system is the steady gradual increase from the 
 first till the eighth grade so marked as in the Paterson schools. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 EAST ORANGE, N. J. 448 CASES 
 
 The selection of the East Orange schools for study was 
 l^rompted by the desire to get records from enough select schools 
 to offset those obtained from the schools of the other cities at- 
 tended largely by the poorer class of children. Only four schools 
 in East Orange have the complete graded system extending 
 through the grammar department. They have an approximate 
 register of 500, 600, 550, 650 pupils, respectively. These schools 
 were visited in March and April, 1910. 
 
 The Migration of Pupils 
 Small percentages of initial starters characterize the condition 
 in the East Orange system. This is a result of the combined 
 action of three main causes: the considerable migration from 
 school to school in the city itself, also from other cities, and the 
 tendency of the parents to send their children in their earlier 
 years to private institutions with a view to have them trans- 
 ferred later to the regular public schools. 
 
 TABLE 29 
 Per Cents of Initial Starters 
 
 Schools 
 
 Q 
 
 R 
 
 S 
 
 T 
 
 Average 
 
 Grades 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 Eighth 
 
 36 
 
 43 
 
 43 
 
 34 
 
 39-9 
 
 Seventh 
 
 33 
 
 38 
 
 24 
 
 41 
 
 33-8 
 
 Sixth 
 
 42 
 
 33 
 
 3 I 
 
 26 
 
 30 -4 
 
 Fifth 
 
 38 
 
 33 
 
 38 
 
 66 
 
 43-3 
 
 Fourth 
 
 52 
 
 36 
 
 53 
 
 42 
 
 45-7 
 
 Average 
 
 40 
 
 3 7 
 
 38 
 
 42 
 
 38. 3 
 
 67 
 
68 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 Only 38.3 per cent of those who are now in grades four to 
 eight inclusive originally entered the schools in which they now 
 attend. Although the larger percentages are apparent in the 
 fourth and fifth grades this does not signify that the migratory 
 tendency is becoming less active. Many of these lower grade 
 initial starters will be eliminated in, or perhaps before, they reach 
 the higher grades, and so these percentages will be reduced to at 
 least the same level as those now recorded in the upper three 
 classes. 
 
 The Age-Grade Relations of the 448 Initial Starters 
 
 In the following age-grade table the grammar grade pupils in- 
 cluding those in the fourth grade are distributed according to 
 their age at the time of entrance to their present grade. 
 
 TABLE 30 
 Four Schools. Age Distribution. Aggregate 448 Cases 
 
 Grades 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 Total 
 
 Abo 
 ma 
 
 No. 
 
 ve Nor- 
 1 Age 
 
 Per 
 
 cent 
 
 Eighth 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 19 
 
 40 
 
 26 
 
 12 
 
 3 
 
 105 
 
 81 
 
 77.1 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 25 
 
 22 
 
 1 1 
 
 I 
 
 
 74 
 
 59 
 
 79-3 
 
 Sixth 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 57 
 
 45 
 
 78.9 
 
 Fifth 
 
 I 
 
 14 
 
 35 
 
 22 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 
 91 
 
 76 
 
 83.5 
 
 Fourth 
 
 23 
 
 35 
 
 31 
 
 22 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 
 
 121 
 
 98 
 
 81 .0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Tot 
 
 al 
 
 448 
 
 Cases 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 From Table 30 one notes in the last column the percentages 
 of "over-ageness" in the five grades. These figures are sur- 
 prisingly high. The lower grades seem especially burdened with 
 retarded pupils. Assuming 9 years to 9 years 11 months inclusive 
 as the normal entrance age to the fourth grade, 81 per cent of 
 the initial starters in this grade in the four schools are "over-age." 
 
East Orange, N. J. 44S Cases 
 
 69 
 
 In .the fifth grade adding one year to the theoretical age hmit 
 assumed in the fourth grade, a still larger proportion of pupils 
 are ahove tlie normal age. 
 
 More pupils 16 and 17 years of age are found in the graduating 
 classes of these " aristocratic " schools than in the schools of 
 the cities previously treated. It is evident that the parents 
 can afiford to permit their children to remain in school until they 
 finish, no matter how long it takes them to accomplish the course. 
 The same is likewise noticeable in the select schools of Plainfield, 
 considered in the next chapter. 
 
 Taking 10 years to 10 years 11 months as the normal age 
 for the fourth grade, 1 1 years to 1 1 years 1 1 months, for the fifth 
 grade, etc., these percentages of retarded pupils reduce as follows : 
 Eighth grade, 39.0 per cent; sixth grade, 56.1 per cent; fifth 
 grade, 45.1 per cent; fourth grade, 52.1 per cent. 
 
 Distributing these retarded pupils according to sex, Table 31 
 and Charts 13 a and 13 b show the desired comparison. 
 
 TABLE 31 
 Four Schools. Age-Grade Table Showing Sex Distribution 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Grades 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 Total 
 
 Above Nor- 
 mal Age 
 
 Per 
 No. cent 
 
 Eighth 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 9 
 
 17 
 
 23 
 
 16 
 10 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 53 
 52 
 
 4i\ 77-4 
 40 76.9 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 2 
 
 17 
 8 
 
 10 
 12 
 
 7 
 4 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 44 
 
 30 
 
 34 
 
 25 
 
 77-3 
 83-3 
 
 Sixth 
 
 
 
 6 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 29 
 
 28 
 
 23 
 22 
 
 79-3 
 78.6 
 
 Fifth 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 18 
 17 
 
 7 
 
 15 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 I 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 39 
 
 52 
 
 30 
 46 
 
 76.9 
 88.5 
 
 Fourth 
 
 17 
 6 
 
 16 
 19 
 
 14 
 17 
 
 6 
 16 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 56 
 65 
 
 39 
 59 
 
 69.6 
 90.8 
 
 Total 
 
 221 
 227 
 
 Girls 
 Boys 
 
 
70 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 Pe. re. e/n Ij. 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 80 
 
 
 
 
 1 1 
 
 80 
 
 
 
 70 
 
 
 
 70 
 4,0 
 
 ' L 
 
 
 CO 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 Cfac/&t 
 
 -87 t 5 
 
 4 
 
 CraJ&5 S 1 i, 5 
 
 4 
 
 Ch. 
 
 VET 13 a. Percenta 
 tarded boys 
 
 ges of 
 
 re- 
 
 Chart 13 b. Percentages of 
 tarded girls 
 
 re- 
 
 The median percentage above normal age in the case of the 
 boys is in the seventh grade, 83.3 per cent. In the case of the 
 girls it is also found in the same grade with 77.3 per cent re- 
 tarded. The boys are much more retarded than the girls in the 
 fourth, fifth, and seventh grades of this system. In the other two 
 grades, the ratios are about equal. The percentages of "over- 
 age" boys as compared with the girls in the seventh and eighth 
 grades reduce in greater proportion when the age limit is ex- 
 tended in these grades up to 14 years and up to 15 years respec- 
 tively. 
 
 The graphic illustrations following Table 31 show the consider- 
 able variability manifested by the retarded boys as against the 
 
 TABLE 32 
 
 Age Distribution of 448 Pupils at Time of Entrance to the 
 First Grade 
 
 Schools 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 Total 
 
 Above Normal Age 
 
 No. 
 
 Per cent 
 
 Q 
 
 13 
 
 47 
 
 28 
 
 9 
 
 I 
 
 98 
 
 38 
 
 38.8 
 
 R 
 
 29 
 
 52 
 
 32 
 
 7 
 
 I 
 
 121 
 
 40 
 
 33-^ 
 
 s 
 
 20 
 
 49 
 
 32 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 115 
 
 46^ 
 
 40 .0 
 
 T 
 
 20 
 
 S3 
 
 38 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 114 
 
 41 
 
 35-9 
 
 Total 
 
 82 
 
 201 
 
 130 
 
 32 
 
 3 
 
 448 
 
 165 
 
 36.8 
 
East Orange, N. J. 448 Cases /i 
 
 comparatively even distribution of the "over-age" girls in grades 
 four through eight. 
 
 Table 32 is a statement of the ages of the 448 pupils when they 
 entered school. 
 
 Only 36.8 per cent of the 448 pupils whose records were taken 
 were seven years or more when they entered the first school 
 grade. The six-year column evidently in all the four schools 
 holds the modal entrance group. The schools are seen to vary 
 only slightly in the matter of "over-age" initial starters, the me- 
 dian being approximately 37 per cent. 
 
 The distribution of pupils with respect to school, present 
 grade, and initial entrance age is shown in the next table. 
 
 In this table showing the age-grade groups of the initial start- 
 ers one notes that whereas the largest percentages of present 
 grade " over-ageness " as read in Table 30 are recorded in the 
 fourth and fifth grades, here too the minimum and maximum 
 amounts are registered as above the assumed normal age for 
 these same grades. Again the reader is cautioned not to take 
 these latter percentages in certain explanation of the former. 
 Although the groups treated are the same, the individuals who 
 were " over-age " may be by no means the same individuals who 
 were "over-age" in their present grades. Comparing Tables 
 32 and 33 there seems to be more evidence of deviation from 
 the median percentage above normal age in the five grades m 
 the latter, where the pupils are distributed according to grades, 
 than in the former table wherein merely school totals are re- 
 corded. 
 
 Relative sex comparisons of the ages of the initial starters 
 when they entered school follow on pages 73 and 74. The ap- 
 pended diagrams compare only those boys and girls who were 
 above 6 years 11 months when they were admitted to the first 
 
 grade. 
 
 The percentage of boys now in the grammar and fourth grades 
 who were "over-age" on admission to the first grade is a trifle 
 more than the corresponding percentage of girls. In the one 
 case it is 37.9 per cent; in the other. 35.7 per cent. The boys 
 at present are retarded in great numbers in the fourth grade 
 (see Table 31). From Table 34 it appears that a very small 
 percentage of these fourth grade boys were "over-age" when 
 thev entered school. In the fifth grade, however, whereas 88.5 
 
72 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 fe 
 
 (TO H 
 
 CO 
 
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 w < 
 
 IS 
 
 Is, 
 
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 ro 
 
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 u-> 
 
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 w ? 
 
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 j;p 
 
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 Pi 
 
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 Tf 
 
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 O) 
 
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 ^ 
 
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 r^ 
 
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 CO 
 OJ 
 
 >H 
 
 > 
 
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 CN 
 
 " 
 
 ro 
 
 ^ 
 
 o 
 
 
 
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 iXl 
 
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 CO -i^f 
 
 ^ 
 
 r^ 
 
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 Pi 
 
 ■* 
 
 t^ 
 
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 ro 
 
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 0\ 
 
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 ^ 
 
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 cu 
 
 > 
 
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East Orange, N.J. 448 Cases 
 
 ^ 
 
 w :5 
 
 S 2 
 
 H ^ 
 
 w 
 
 CO 
 
 H-) 
 
 
 m 
 
 -1 
 
 <^ 
 
 0. 
 
 o 
 
 s 
 
 Z be 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ CO 
 
 CM C>» 
 
 
 6 
 2 
 
 0<, ^ 
 
 >-1 (N 
 
 tN. M 
 
 Hi 
 
 l-l CN 
 
 CM 
 
 0\^ 
 
 t^OO 
 
 Total 
 Cases 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 o>,co 
 
 CM (N 
 
 
 
 CM CM 
 
 CM M 
 
 in 
 u 
 
 C 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1-1 
 
 
 
 
 1 00 
 
 C/3 1 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 CD 
 
 ^ "" 
 
 
 
 
 
 c 
 
 c 
 
 
 00 CO 00 O" 
 
 C 
 
 C M 
 
 t/3 
 
 H 
 
 1 tM 00 
 
 
 
 Q 
 
 CM 
 
 iXl 
 
 i-H ';r 
 
 ■-I 
 
 0^ '~< 
 
 C "^ 
 
 
 Pi 
 
 C\) ro >- 
 
 
 
 c 
 
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 CM "-. 
 
 o» 
 
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 ■-1 
 
 
 
 l~, LO W 
 
 CM t^ 
 
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 >^ 
 
 C 
 
 > 
 
 H 
 
 C\) i-t 
 
 Vn^ LTj 
 
 In ci 
 
 t^v "^ 
 
 H 1-1 
 
 
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 r^; r^ 
 
 in-t 
 
 t^ IT) 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 00 
 
 r^j ^ 
 
 r^ ro 
 
 t^ M 
 
 c^ 
 
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 U-, r-l- 
 
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 ir. 
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 H 
 
 ■o 1- ^ ^J 
 
 -f IN 
 
 Co ro 
 
 CM ""' 
 
 1-1 
 
 ■0 t- 
 
 C^H 
 
 C/3 
 
 X3 CO t-^ IN l-s t^ 
 
 >-< 
 
 OOO 
 
 CM cs 
 
 Cii 
 
 OsvO ^ ""' 
 
 t\J M 
 
 U-, ON 
 
 CV-j !>. 
 
 <^ ON 
 CM M 
 
 o> 
 
 t^ ^ ^01 
 
 r^« 
 
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 CM uo 
 
 CM <N 
 
 12 
 
 H 
 
 C\) 
 
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 (M « 
 
 C\) (N 
 
 .^vO 
 
 
 
 cfi 
 
 l-M ^ 
 
 (\l rt 
 
 1-, ro 
 
 ►-1 
 
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 M 
 
 Oi 
 
 K, rrj 
 
 tv^ -t 
 
 (M ro 
 
 >--l M 
 
 T-O 
 
 K, 00 
 1-1 M 
 
 a 
 
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 1-1 M 
 
 
 
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 ^ " 
 
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 bf 
 
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 0) 
 
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.4 Special Study of the Incidence of Retardatioi 
 
 Co 
 
 
 to 
 
 55 
 
 
 55 
 
 50 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 45 
 
 45 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 40 
 
 1 
 
 4o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 55 
 30 
 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 ZO 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 15 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 Croc:/i 
 
 J5 3 1 
 
 G 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 Crod&s 9 1 
 
 (= 
 
 5 
 
 4- 
 
 Chart 14 a. " Over-age " boys 
 entering first grade 
 
 Chart 14 b. " Over-age " girls 
 entering first grade 
 
 per cent of the boys are at present retarded, 55.8 per cent of this 
 same group of boys were "over-age" in the first grade. The per- 
 centages of "over-age" girls of the sixth and seventh grades are 
 larger than is the case with the boys in these same grades. In 
 the other grades the reverse is true. The records for all the 
 grades show the boys to be more variable than the girls. 
 
 The Incidence of Retardation 
 The following tables outline the repeaters and non-repeaters 
 during their entire school life with respect to present grade dis- 
 tribution. Table 35 a records the actual numbers of promoted 
 and non-promoted children ; Table 35 b, the per cents. 
 
 TABLE 35a 
 Four Schools. Aggregate 448 Cases 
 
 Left Back 
 
 Fourth 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Eighth 
 
 None 
 
 71 
 
 56 
 
 35 
 
 43 
 
 66 
 
 One 
 
 28 
 
 28 
 
 15 
 
 26 
 
 30 
 
 Two 
 
 20 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 9 
 
 Three 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 50 
 
 35 
 
 22 
 
 31 
 
 39 
 
 Total Cases 
 
 121 
 
 91 
 
 57 
 
 74 
 
 105 
 
East Orange, N.J. 44S Cases 
 
 TABLE 35b 
 Same Coxverted to Per Cent Equivalents 
 
 Left Back 
 
 Fourth 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Eighth 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 None 
 
 59 
 
 62 
 
 61 
 
 58 
 
 63 
 
 One 
 
 23 
 
 31 
 
 26 
 
 35 
 
 29 
 
 Two 
 
 17 
 
 8 
 
 1 1 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 
 Three 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 41 
 
 38 
 
 39 
 
 42 
 
 37 
 
 In East Orange a rather anomalous situation presents itself. 
 Table 30 proves the excessive extent of retardation in the schools 
 studied. Table 33 shows a relatively small amount of " over-age- 
 ness " of these initial starters at the time of their entrance to the 
 first grade. Finally, Table 35 b to perplex the problem records 
 exceedingly high percentages of regular promotion : 59 per cent in 
 the fourth grade ; 62 per cent in the fifth ; 61 per cent in the 
 sixth ; 58 per cent in the seventh ; and 63 per cent in the eighth. 
 In each case the mode falls in the uppermost row. In the fifth 
 grade where retardation registered a maximum of 83.5 per cent, 
 the percentage of pupils never left back (Table 35 b) is 62 per 
 cent; with 31 per cent repeating once, and 8 per cent, twice. 
 A possible explanation of this exceptional condition would be 
 found in complete age-grade tables for the school year 1909-10. 
 Unfortunately no such tables are published in any of the super- 
 intendent's reports. 
 
 The regularly promoted boys and girls and those repeating 
 once, twice, and three times throughout the entire school course 
 are distributed in Tables 36 a and 36 b. 
 
 Table 36 b states that 58.5 per cent of the 53 girls reported in 
 the eighth grade were promoted regularly since their entrance 
 in school; 34 per cent were left back once; and 7.5 per cent, 
 twice. Of the 52 eighth grade boys, 67.3 per cent were never 
 left back; 23.1 per cent repeated once; and 9.6 per cent, twice, 
 during their entire school life. 
 
 Thus measured the boys show a greater range of mental ability 
 than the girls, the latter occupying the average position ; the 
 
76 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 former, the two extremes of the normal distributory curve. ( See 
 Charts 15 a and 15 b.) 
 
 In grades 4, 5, 6, and 7, however, the girls show by far larger 
 percentages of regular promotion, than the boys. Reading from 
 
 TABLE S6a 
 Pupils Repeating and Non-Repeating During Entire School Life 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Left Back 
 
 Fourth 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Eighth 
 
 None 
 
 37 
 34 
 
 27 
 29 
 
 20 
 15 
 
 30 
 13 
 
 31 
 
 35 
 
 One 
 
 10 
 18 
 
 II 
 
 17 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 II 
 
 15 
 
 iS 
 12 
 
 Two 
 
 9 
 
 II 
 
 6 
 
 I 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 2 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 Three 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 19 
 
 31 
 
 12 
 
 9 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 17 
 
 22 
 17 
 
 Total Cases 
 
 56 
 65 
 
 39 
 
 52 
 
 29 
 28 
 
 44 
 30 
 
 53 
 
 52 
 
 TABLE 36b 
 Same Converted to Per Cent Equivalents 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Left Back 
 
 Fourth 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Eighth 
 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 None 
 
 66.1 
 
 52.3 
 
 6p .2 
 
 55-8 
 
 6g .0 
 
 53-6 
 
 68.2 
 
 43-3 
 
 58.5 
 67-3 
 
 One 
 
 ly.g 
 27.7 
 
 28.2 
 32.7 
 
 24.1 
 28.6 
 
 25 .0 
 50 .0 
 
 34-0 
 23 .1 
 
 Two 
 
 16. 1 
 16 .9 
 
 2.6 
 II-5 
 
 3-4 
 17.9 
 
 6.8 
 6.7 
 
 7-5 
 9.6 
 
 Three 
 
 0.0 
 3-1 
 
 .u 
 .0 
 
 3-4 
 .0 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 33 -Q 
 47-7 
 
 30.8 
 44.2 
 
 31.0 
 46.4 
 
 31.8 
 56.7 
 
 41-5 
 32.7 
 
East Orange. N. J. 44S Cases 
 
 P^rc- 
 
 ^nl3. 
 
 P^r'^e.nds. 
 
 45 
 
 
 (.5 
 
 GO 
 
 
 (oO 
 
 
 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 45 
 
 
 4-5 
 
 
 
 ^c 
 
 
 4o 
 
 
 
 35 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Jo 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 ^5 
 
 
 
 Z5 
 
 
 
 Zo 
 
 
 
 Zo 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 )5 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chart 15 a. Eighth Chart 15 b. Eightli 
 
 gracle boys. grade girls. 
 
 Repeaters and non-repeaters during school life 
 
 the bottom row of Table 36 b one notes that in all grades ex- 
 cepting the highest the boys repeat much oftener than the girls. 
 
 The grade distributions of the repeaters in the grammar and 
 fourth grades of the Ea.st Orange schools (Tables 37 a and 37 b) 
 show the relative frequencies in number and per cent respectively. 
 
 TABLE 37a 
 Grade Distribution of Non-Promotion in Aggregati^ 
 
 
 
 c 
 
 > 
 
 OJ 
 
 
 Si 
 
 X, 
 
 'x. 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 m 
 
 u 
 
 £ 
 
 Grand Total 
 
 Grades 
 
 No. Left 
 Back 
 
 Total 
 Prom, and 
 Non- 
 Prom. 
 
 Eighth 
 
 5 
 
 17 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 48 
 
 114 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 9 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 36 
 
 79 
 
 Sixth 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 30 
 
 65 
 
 Fifth 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 10 
 
 8 
 
 42 
 
 98 
 
 Fourth 
 
 
 
 
 
 17 
 
 22 
 
 16 
 
 19 
 
 74 
 
 145 
 
78 
 
 A Special SUidy of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 TABLE 37b 
 
 Same in Per Cents 
 
 L'sing Total of Promoted and Non-Promoted as the Base 
 
 Grades 
 
 Eighth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Fourth 
 
 Third 
 
 Second 
 
 First 
 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 Eighth 
 
 4-4 
 
 14.9 
 
 7.0 
 
 4-4 
 
 4-4 
 
 2.6 
 
 0.9 
 
 3-5 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 II .4 
 
 7.6 
 
 8.9 
 
 6.3 
 
 2-5 
 
 3-8 
 
 5-1 
 
 Sixth 
 
 
 
 13.8 
 
 7-7 
 
 4.6 
 
 6.2 
 
 6.2 
 
 7-7 
 
 Fifth 
 
 
 
 
 10 .2 
 
 7.2 
 
 7.2 
 
 10 .2 
 
 8.2 
 
 Fourth 
 
 
 
 
 
 II. 7 
 
 15-2 
 
 II .0 
 
 13. 1 
 
 Aver. 
 
 4-4 
 
 13-5 
 
 8.9 
 
 7.6 
 
 7-4 
 
 7.6 
 
 6.8 
 
 8.0 
 
 From the averages obtained, with due regard to the proper 
 totals of promoted and non-promoted in grades 4 to 8 inclusive, 
 one learns that the seventh grade holds clearly the maximum 
 record of retention. Eliminating the first grade, the grades from 
 the second till the eighth increase in percentages of "hold-overs," 
 progressively to the seventh, in which grade an amazingly large 
 percentage of non-promotion is recorded. A considerable drop 
 quite as remarkable is manifest in the final grade. Unquestion- 
 ably in this small city school system the seventh grade is the 
 potent selective force in deciding on the- competent ones fitted 
 to enter the graduating class. 
 
 Taken from Table 37 b the following percentages compare 
 grade retention : 
 
 Third Grade 
 per cent 
 
 In eighth grade 2.6 
 
 In sixth grade 6.2 
 
 In fourth grade i5-2 
 
 Whereas i pupil in 38 of those now in the eighth grade was 
 left back in the third grade, for those in the sixth grade the 
 ratio is i to 16 and for those in the fourth grade about i to 7. 
 
t.ast Orange, N.J. 448 Cases 79 
 
 Again comparing those now in the eighth and the seventh 
 grades who were left back in the third grade, with those now 
 in the fifth and the fourth grades, the distribution is as follows : 
 
 
 Third Grade 
 
 
 Third Grade 
 
 
 per cent 
 
 
 per cent 
 
 In eighth grade. . . 
 
 2.6 
 
 In fifth grade . . . . 
 
 7.2 
 
 In seventh grade . 
 
 2.5 
 
 In fourth grade . . 
 
 15.2 
 
 Median 
 
 2.55 
 
 Median 
 
 II .2 
 
 The probable chance then that a fifth or a fourth grade pupil 
 was left back in the third grade is at least four times as great 
 as in the case of the eighth or the seventh grade pupil. 
 
 The indication from Table 37 b that in the grammar grades 
 excepting the graduating class, the pupils are invariably retained 
 more frequently in their present grade than in the previous 
 grades is evidence that a gradual eliminating process is at work 
 in grades five and on, culminating in the difficult seventh. In 
 this grade so much pressure is brought to bear on the pupils 
 that about every seventh one is forced to repeat or sufifer elim- 
 ination. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 PLAINFIELD, N. J. 485 CASES 
 
 The Plainfield system is distinctive in that it segregates the 
 sixth, seventh, and eighth year pupils in central schools. The 
 lower grades are distributed regularly in the other schools. The 
 tables in this chapter show then the distributions with respect 
 to grade only. 
 
 The city of Plainfield was included in this special study be- 
 cause it was the only system situated within convenient dis- 
 tance of New York City in which complete history cards were 
 obtainable. These individual record-forms of the pupils dating 
 back to the time when they entered the first grade of the school 
 show accurately the regular promotions and the incidence of grade 
 repetition. The writer, however, visited each class room of the 
 fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades and questioned the pupils 
 individually as in the other cities. Their written answers were 
 then carefully checked up by the official record cards and the er- 
 rors corrected. It is significant to mention here, this being the 
 one city wherein it was possible to check up all the records, 
 that the pupils made comparatively few mistakes in answering 
 the formal questions. Such errors as were found, were mostly 
 in reply to the question asking the pupils to state the number of 
 times they were left back during their entire school life and 
 the grades in which they were retained. The fact is that in 
 nearly every case where the individuals' own statements were 
 unwittingly false concerning the latter in particular, their mem- 
 ory seemed to waver only in the case of the primary grades. 
 Quite often the pupil himself when in doubt as to his failure in 
 an upper grade was reminded either by his classmates or perhaps 
 by the teacher. 
 
 Again, wherever it was found that the pupils deliberately 
 misstated the facts, their records as read from the individual 
 history cards were invariably somewhat worse than they cared 
 to admit. For example, when pupils replied that they were left 
 
 80 
 
Plainficld, N . J . 48 fi Cases 81 
 
 back a given number of times, on checking up their statements 
 it was found that in no case were they left back less than they 
 stated. On the other hand, in quite a number of instances their 
 history cards showed one or more retentions above the number 
 admitted bv them in class. 
 
 The Migration of Pupils 
 
 The per cents of initial starters are distributed as follows in 
 the grammar grades of the Plainfield schools : 
 
 TABLE 38 
 
 Per Cents of Inttial Starters 
 
 
 Eighth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Average 
 
 Grammar Grades 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 
 56 
 
 53 
 
 57 
 
 56 
 
 56 
 
 The percentages in Table 38 are high when compared with 
 those of the other four cities because of the prevailing method 
 of centralizing the upper grade pupils as previously explained. 
 All those pupils who entered the first grade of any public school 
 in Plainfield proper were recorded in this particular city ; where- 
 as in the other cities only those who entered the first grade of 
 the school in which they now attend or in its official "feeding" 
 school were rated as initial starters and their records sought. 
 From Table 38 one reads that 56 per cent of the pupils now in 
 the grammar grades of the Plainfield schools entered the first 
 grade of one of the schools in that city. 
 
 The Age-Grade Relations of the 485 Initial Starters 
 
 The ages of the 485 pupils when they entered their present 
 grades are given in Table 39. 
 
 Assuming 10 years to 10 years 11 months inclusive as the nor- 
 mal entrance age to the fifth grade ; 1 1 years to 11 years 1 1 
 months inclusive for the sixth grade, etc., the percentages of 
 "over-age" grammar grade pupils are shown in the last column 
 of Table 39. The largest proportion of retarded pupils is found 
 in the eighth grade. The percentages in all four grades are 
 rather hig'h. 
 
82 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 TABLE 39 
 Grammar Grades. Age Distribution. Aggregate 485 Cases 
 
 Grades 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 Total 
 
 Above Nor- I 
 mal Age 
 
 Per 
 
 No. cent 
 
 Eighth 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 17 
 
 29 
 
 21 
 
 13 
 
 3 
 
 I 
 
 85 
 
 67 
 
 78.8 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 i1 
 
 36 
 
 32 
 
 12 
 
 5 
 
 I 
 
 
 128 
 
 86 
 
 67 .2 
 
 Sixth 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 3fc 
 
 59 
 
 34 
 
 22 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 157 
 
 118 
 
 75-2 
 
 Fifth 
 
 6 
 
 25 
 
 35 
 
 19 
 
 21 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 115 
 
 84 
 
 73-0 
 
 Total 
 
 
 485 
 
 Cases 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Counting only those as retarded who exceed the assumed nor- 
 mal age by one or more years in the respective grades the pro- 
 portion of "over-age" pupils would be : Eighth grade, 44.7 per 
 cent; seventh grade, 39.1 per cent; sixth grade, 37.6 per cent; 
 fifth grade, 42.6 per cent. 
 
 The sex distribution of the 485 initial starters respecting age- 
 grade relations is to be noted in the following table and graphic 
 
 illustrations : 
 
 TABLE 40 
 
 Grammar Grades. Age-Grade Table Showing Sex Distribution 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Above Nor- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 mal Age 
 
 Grades 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Per 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 No. 
 
 cent 
 
 Eighth 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 10 
 
 13 
 
 13 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 47 
 
 36 
 
 76.6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 16 
 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 38 
 
 31 
 
 81.6 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 21 
 
 ri 
 
 ■r? 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 o\ 
 
 do 
 
 37 
 
 61 .7 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 16 
 
 23 
 
 17 
 
 6 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 68 
 
 49 
 
 72.1 
 
 Sixth 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 11 
 
 3J 
 
 17 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 7J 
 
 55 
 
 ^/.7 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 25 
 
 28 
 
 17 
 
 13 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 86 
 
 60 
 
 69.8 
 
 Fifth 
 
 3 
 
 13 
 
 13 
 
 10 
 
 8 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 49 
 
 33 
 
 ^7 -J 
 
 
 3 
 
 12 
 
 22 
 
 9 
 
 13 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 66 
 
 SI 
 
 77-3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 227 
 258 
 
 Girls 
 Boys 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Plain field, N. J . 48 j Cases 
 
 83 
 
 fhrc^e" 
 
 ^/3 
 
 Pe-rcje>nii. 
 
 
 
 gP 
 
 
 
 80 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 10 
 
 feo 
 
 
 
 
 70 
 
 
 1 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 to 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 50 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 45 
 
 
 ^0 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 •Zo 
 
 
 Zo 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 Chart i6 a. Percentages Chart i6 b. Percentages 
 of retarded boys of retarded girls 
 
 The boys in grades eight, seven, and five are more retarded 
 tlian the girls. Whereas in the sixth grade 81.7 per cent of the 
 girls are "over-age," the boys record only 69.8 per cent. Allow- 
 ing one year on the assumed theoretical age-limit for this grade, 
 these percentages would change to 38.0 per cent in the case of 
 the girls and to 37.2 per cent for the boys. The modal age for 
 the fifth grade girls and boys is evidently 11 years to 11 years 
 II months inclusive; for the sixth grade, 12 years to 12 years 
 II months inclusive, etc. Assuming these age-limits the girls 
 show 40.4 per cent with an average deviation of 2.95 as the me- 
 dian percentage of retardation for the four grades, the median 
 for the boys being 38.85 per cent, A. D. 2.0. The girls of the 
 grammar grades in this school system are more variable than the 
 boys in the matter of present "over-ageness." 
 
 Age Distribution of 
 
 TABLE 41 
 
 |.8s Pupils at Time of Entrance to 
 First Grade 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Above Nor- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 mal Age 
 
 Ages 
 
 4 
 
 =; 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Per 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 No. 
 
 cent 
 
 Grammar Grades 
 
 2 
 
 79 
 
 249 
 
 1 1 1 
 
 29 
 
 12 
 
 3 
 
 485 
 
 155 
 
 32.0 
 
 The 485 pupils entering the initial grade in any of the Plain- 
 field schools are distributed in the above table according to their 
 ages at the time of such entrance. One hundred and fifty-five 
 
84 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 of these children or 32 per cent were "over-age" when they be- 
 gan school. The modal entrance age is clearly 6 years o months 
 to 6 years 11 months inclusive. 
 
 The next table records the age-grade distribution of these 
 initial starters classified according to present grade. 
 
 TABLE 42 
 
 Age-Grade Distribution of 485 Pupils at Time of Entrance 
 TO First Grade 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Above Nor- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 mal Age 
 
 Ages 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Per 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 No. 
 
 cent 
 
 Grades 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Eighth 
 
 I 
 
 24 
 
 35 
 
 19 
 
 5 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 85 
 
 25 
 
 29.4 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 
 32 
 
 66 
 
 24 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 128 
 
 30 
 
 23-4 
 
 Sixth 
 
 I 
 
 12 
 
 93 
 
 36 
 
 13 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 157 
 
 51 
 
 32.5 
 
 Fifth 
 
 
 
 II 
 
 55 
 
 32 
 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 115 
 
 49 
 
 42.6 
 
 Total 
 
 2 
 
 79 
 
 249 
 
 III 
 
 29 
 
 12 
 
 3 
 
 485 
 
 15s 
 
 32 -o 
 
 The lower grammar grades show considerably more initial 
 "over-ageness" than the upper grades. From Table 39 one notes 
 that the percentages of retardation at present in the two lower 
 as compared with the two higher classes approximately aver- 
 age the same. 
 
 The classification in the following age-grade table (Table 43) 
 shows the sex distribution of the initial starters. 
 
 Of the 258 boys whose records were taken in Plainfield, 78 
 or 30.2 per cent were seven years or more when they entered 
 the first grade; whereas of the 227 girls yy or 33.9 per cent 
 were above normal age at that time. In the eighth grade and 
 especially in the fifth grade the girls show more initial "over- 
 ageness" than the boys. Concerning the percentages of present 
 grade retardation as read in Table 40, the boys iii both fifth 
 and eighth grades record the larger proportions. The greater 
 variability among the girls as illustrated in Charts 16 a and 16 b 
 is perhaps a result of the similar tendency manifest at school 
 entrance. 
 
Plainfidd, N . J . 4<Sj Cases 
 
 TABLE 43 
 
 Age-Grade Sex Distribution of 4S5 Pupils at Time of 
 Entrance to First Grade 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Ages 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 Total 
 
 Abov 
 mal 
 
 No. 
 
 e Nor- 
 Age 
 
 Per 
 cent 
 
 Grades 
 
 Eighth 
 
 I 
 
 
 12 
 12 
 
 19 
 16 
 
 13 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 47 
 38 
 
 15 
 10 
 
 31 .g 
 26.3 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 
 
 16 
 16 
 
 31 
 
 10 
 14 
 
 1 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 do 
 68 
 
 13 
 ^7 
 
 21 .J 
 ■25 -o 
 
 Sixth 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 6 
 6 
 
 42 
 
 51 
 
 19 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 
 7^ 
 86 
 
 2J 
 28 
 
 32.6 
 
 Fifth 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 8 
 
 20 
 
 ^9 
 
 13 
 
 4 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 / 
 
 49 
 66 
 
 26 
 23 
 
 34.8 
 
 Total 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 37 
 42 
 
 112 
 137 
 
 59] 13 
 52 16 
 
 4 
 8 
 
 I 
 2 
 
 227 
 258 
 
 77 
 7!^ 
 
 30.2 
 
 50 
 
 45 
 40 
 55 
 5o 
 
 15 
 
 45 
 
 55 
 
 •^nts. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 LMr^e/e^ O 
 
 Chart 17 a. " Over-age " 
 boys entering first grade 
 
 C,n3c/e,£ 8 1 i, S 
 
 Chart 17 b. "" Over-age " 
 girls entering first grade 
 
 Tpie Incidence of Retardation 
 
 Tables 44 a and 44 b inJicate in aggregate and in per cent 
 respectively the present grade distribution of repeaters. 
 
 It appears from .Tables 44 a and 44 b that of the 85 eighth 
 grade pupils recorded, only 9 per cent were never left back during 
 their entire school life ; 48 per cent were left back once ; ^2 per 
 
86 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 cent twice ; and lo per cent three times. These extraordinary 
 percentages need explanation. Until four years ago the Plain- 
 field schools had in reality though not officially a nine year sys- 
 tem. Children entered a so-called lower first class, remained 
 there a year, and then advanced to the upper first class, a yearly 
 grade also. Only the exceptionally bright w^ere permitted to 
 advance to the second grade after spending one year in the ini- 
 tial grade. This arrangement was abolished quite recently. The 
 records, however, of the present grammar grade pupils are af- 
 
 TABLE 44a 
 Grammar Grades. Aggregate 485 Cases 
 
 Left Back 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Eighth 
 
 None 
 
 32 
 
 44 
 
 25 
 
 8 
 
 One 
 
 51 
 
 59 
 
 52 
 
 41 
 
 Two 
 
 22 
 
 38 
 
 31 
 
 27 
 
 Three 
 
 9 
 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 9 
 
 Four 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 Five 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 83 
 
 113 
 
 103 
 
 77 
 
 Total Cases 
 
 115 
 
 157 
 
 128 
 
 85 
 
 TAE 
 Same Converted to 
 
 5LE 44b 
 Per Cen 
 
 t Equiva 
 
 LENTS 
 
 
 Left Back 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Eighth 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 None 
 
 28 
 
 28 
 
 20 
 
 9 
 
 One 
 
 44 
 
 38 
 
 41 
 
 48 
 
 Two 
 
 19 
 
 24 
 
 24 
 
 32 
 
 Three 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 1° 
 
 10 
 
 Four 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 Five 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 72 
 
 72 
 
 80 
 
 91 
 
Plainfield, N. J. 4SJ Cases 
 
 87 
 
 fected in consequence. The superintendent now insists that the 
 teachers record all the pupils who remained in the first grade 
 more than one year as having repeated that grade. Advance- 
 ment from lower to upper first grade is not regarded as a pro- 
 motion in such cases where the pupil remained over a year 
 in these classes. In the majority of cases when the writer 
 checked up the records of the pupils who claimed not to have 
 been left back since school entrance, it was found that the his- 
 tory cards reported a non-promotion in the first grade. These 
 latter records being officially sanctioned by the superintendent 
 it was thought best to employ them rather than those gathered 
 in the class rooms from the pupils. Naturally in all the gram- 
 mar grades one notes that the tendency of non-promotion dur- 
 ing school life is recorded in the "one-time" group. In all prob- 
 ability eliminating the first grade repeaters the mode would fall 
 in the top row. 
 
 Classifying the repeaters and non-repeaters according to sex, 
 the following tables and charts show the distributions : 
 
 TABLE 45a 
 Pupils Repeating and Non-Repeating During School Life 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Left Back 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Eighth 
 
 None 
 
 16 
 16 
 
 24 
 20 
 
 12 
 13 
 
 5 
 3 
 
 One 
 
 22 
 29 
 
 24 
 
 3 5 
 
 23 
 29 
 
 21 
 20 
 
 Two 
 
 8 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 25 
 
 17 
 14 
 
 /5 
 12 
 
 Three 
 
 3 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 3 
 
 Four 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 ■/ 
 
 
 
 I 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 Five 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 33 
 53 
 
 47 
 66 
 
 48 
 
 55 
 
 42 
 
 3 5 
 
 Total Cases 
 
 49 
 66 
 
 71 
 86 
 
 60 
 68 
 
 47 
 38 
 
A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 TABLE 45b 
 Same Converted to Per Cent Equivalents 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Left Back 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Eighth 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 per cent 
 
 None 
 
 32-7 
 24.2 
 
 33-8 
 23-3 
 
 20 .0 
 19. 1 
 
 10 .6 
 7-9 
 
 One 
 
 44-9 
 43-9 
 
 33-8 
 40 .7 
 
 38.3 
 42 .6 
 
 44-7 
 52.6 
 
 Two 
 
 16.5 
 21.2 
 
 18.3 
 29.1 
 
 28.3 
 20 .6 
 
 31.6 
 
 Three 
 
 6.1 
 9.1 
 
 12.7 
 
 70.0 
 
 10.3 
 
 12.8 
 7-9 
 
 Four 
 
 .0 
 
 ^ -5 
 
 1 .4 
 .0 
 
 1-7 
 7-4 
 
 0.0 
 
 .0 
 
 Five 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 
 .0 
 
 1 .2 
 
 1-7 
 .0 
 
 0.0 
 .0 
 
 Total Left Back 
 
 67-3 
 80.3 
 
 66.2 
 76.7 
 
 <?0.0 
 
 So. 9 
 
 92.1 
 
 yls 
 
 55 
 5o 
 4-5 
 4o 
 55 
 30 
 Z5 
 Zo 
 15 
 
 /Ko/7c 
 
 0/7<3- TkVO 
 
 Xhr 
 
 55 
 
 4o 
 
 
 
 
 
 35 
 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 
 ^5 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 10 
 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 
 /yone 
 
 Chart 18 a. Eighth grade Chart 18 b. Eighth grade 
 boys. Repeaters and non- girls. Repeaters and- non- 
 repeaters during school life repeaters during school life 
 
 The eighth grade girls of the Plainfield schools show at once 
 better records of regular promotion and the larger percentages 
 of more frequent repetition. 
 
I'lainficld, N. J. -/(S'5 Cases 
 
 89 
 
 The boys and girls indicate a modal tendency of repeating 
 once during their entire school life. In the matter of frequency 
 of non-promotion, the boys are more variable than the girls. 
 (Compare Charts 18 a and 18 b.) 
 
 In all the grammar grades the following is noted : That the 
 girls are more often regularly promoted ; that the girls are less 
 frequently held back once, the median in the case of the girls 
 in the "one-time" row being 41.5 per cent, in the case of the boys, 
 43.3 per cent ; that the girls repeat less often twice, and more 
 often three times. The few repeaters four and five times do 
 not justify sex comparison. 
 
 The results of the early system of grading previously ex- 
 ])lained are shown plainly in the next two tables outlining the 
 incidence of retardation of those repeaters who are now in 
 the central schools including the fifth grade pupils. 
 
 TABLE 46a 
 Grade Distribution of Non-Promotion in Aggregate 
 
 
 tuO 
 
 Hi 
 
 > 
 ■J~i 
 
 CO 
 
 
 A 
 
 D 
 
 t-. 
 
 'a 
 H 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 m 
 
 4J 
 
 
 
 Grand Total 
 
 Grades 
 
 No. 
 Left 
 Back 
 
 Total 
 Prom, 
 and 
 Non- 
 prom. 
 
 Eighth 
 
 4 
 
 26 
 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 . 7 
 
 8 
 
 10 
 
 40 
 
 122 
 
 130 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 29 
 
 38 
 
 15 
 
 14 
 
 II 
 
 -i-}. 
 
 62 
 
 182 
 
 207 
 
 Sixth 
 
 
 
 37 
 
 24 
 
 20 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 74 
 
 186 
 
 230 
 
 Fifth 
 
 
 
 
 24 
 
 21 
 
 10 
 
 9 
 
 62 
 
 126 
 
 158 
 
 Reading from the right in the bottom row of Table 46 b (page 
 90), 32.8 per cent of the total promoted and non-promoted gram- 
 mar grade pupils were left back in the first grade ; 6.6 per cent in 
 the second grade; 6.1 per cent in the third; 8.6 per cent in the 
 fourth; 10.5 per cent in the fifth; 15.7 per cent in the sixth; 
 16.3 per cent in the seventh; and 3.1 per cent in the eighth. 
 These figures, not considering the first grade, indicate a progres- 
 sive increase from the second grade through the seventh. The 
 sixth grade school would seem to function as the initial clear- 
 
90 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 ing house for those pupils unfitted to take up the higher class 
 work. The successful sixth graders pass on to undergo an- 
 other and at the same time more severe selective strain in the 
 seventh grade. Those that survive this final ordeal enter the 
 comparatively easy final grade. Only 3.1 per cent of the present 
 pupils of the eighth grade failed therein. 
 
 TABLE 46b 
 
 Same in Per Cents 
 Using Total of Promoted and Non-Promoted as the Base 
 
 Grades 
 
 Eighth 
 
 Seventh 
 
 Sixth 
 
 Fifth 
 
 Fourth 
 
 Third 
 
 Second 
 
 First 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 per 
 cent 
 
 Eighth 
 
 3-1 
 
 20 .0 
 
 10.8 
 
 10 .0 
 
 5-4 
 
 6.2 
 
 7-7 
 
 30.8 
 
 Seventh 
 
 
 14 .0 
 
 18.4 
 
 7.2 
 
 6.8 
 
 5-3 
 
 6.3 
 
 30.0 
 
 Sixth 
 
 
 
 16. 1 
 
 10 .4 
 
 8.7 
 
 6.5 
 
 7.0 
 
 32.2 
 
 Fifth 
 
 
 
 
 15-2 
 
 ^Z-i 
 
 6-3 
 
 5-7 
 
 39-2 
 
 Aver. 
 
 ,3-1 
 
 16.3 
 
 15-7 
 
 10.5 
 
 8.6 
 
 6.1 
 
 6.6 
 
 32.8 
 
 In Table 46 b, on comparing the pupils now in the eighth, 
 seventh, sixth, and fifth grades who repeated the third grade, 
 little variation is apparent. 
 
 Third Grade 
 per cent 
 
 In eighth grade 6.2 
 
 In seventh grade 5.3 
 
 In sixth grade 6.5 
 
 In fifth grade 6.3 
 
 Median 6.25 
 
 The chances of any of the pupils of the grammar grades 
 having been left back in the third grade are about the same. 
 The ratio is i to 16. 
 
 The same holds true on comparing those in the eighth and 
 seventh with those in the sixth and fifth taken together respec- 
 tively. In the fourth grade, however, the fifth and sixth grade 
 pupils have on the average failed twice as frequently as the 
 seventh and eighth grade pupils. 
 
Plainfield, N. J. 48 ^ Cases 91 
 
 The special treatment of retardation in this and the preceding 
 chapters being Hmited to the study of the so-called initial starters, 
 it is unfortunate that in the city of Plainfield where the full his- 
 tory cards are recorded that only 485 cases were obtainable. 
 One notes in some of the tables showing the age-grade relations, 
 promotion and non-promotion statistics, and the accompanying 
 sex distributions, violations of certain tendencies gleaned from 
 the tables of the previous systems. It may be that Plainfield 
 is rather different from the other cities, or on the other hand, 
 the number of cases being somewhat meagre may possibly ac- 
 count for the odd distributions. However, in Table 46 b the 
 general tendency relative to the difficulty of the various grades 
 indicates the same scale of increase from the second through 
 the seventh erade. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 SUMMARY 
 
 GRAMMAR GRADE PUPILS. 3,865 CASES 
 
 The records of the initial starters in the school systems tabu- 
 lated in the foregoing chapters indicate definite tendencies. The 
 summary is confined to the cases in the grammar grades only. 
 Table 47 indicates in number the sex distribution of the pupils 
 in the five cities visited. 
 
 TABLE 47 
 Actual Number of Cases Investigated 
 
 Personal Study of 3,865 Initial Starters in the Gramirar Grades of 
 Schools Selected at Random in FivE Cities 
 
 Cities 
 
 Schools 
 
 Boys 
 
 Girls 
 
 Total 
 
 East Orange, N. J. 
 
 4 
 
 162 
 
 165 
 
 327 
 
 Pla infield, N. J. 
 
 4 
 
 258 
 
 227 
 
 485 
 
 Elizabeth, N. J. 
 
 5 
 
 422 
 
 447 
 
 869 
 
 New York City, N. Y. (One 
 school district.) 
 
 6 
 
 474 
 
 464 
 
 938 
 
 Paterson, N. J. 
 
 5 
 
 617 
 
 629 
 
 I ,246 
 
 Total 
 
 24 
 
 1,933 
 
 i>932 
 
 3,865 
 
 Eliminating the fourth grade cases, the most number of records 
 were obtained from Paterson, the least from East Orange. Bv 
 mere chance the boys and girls were found almost evenly dis- 
 tributed. Of the total 3,865 initial starters in the twenty- four 
 schools, 1,933 were boys and 1,932, girls. 
 
 The Migration of Pupils 
 
 The per cents of initial starters in the grammar grades based 
 on the current register at the time of visitation are shown in 
 Table 48 and in graphic illustration, Chart 19. 
 
 Q2 
 
Summary 
 
 93 
 
 TABLE 48 
 Per Cents of Initial Starters in Grammar Grades 
 
 Grades 
 
 SB 
 
 SA 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 5B 
 
 5A 
 
 Aver, of 
 
 Gross 
 
 Per Cents 
 
 Cities 
 New York 
 
 43-7 
 
 3 7-0 
 
 3S.5 
 
 32.0 
 
 44-7 
 
 41.2 
 
 45-5 
 
 52.0 
 
 41.9 
 
 1 40-4 ! 
 
 1 35-3 1 
 
 1 43-0 i 
 
 1 48-8 1 
 
 
 Paterson' 
 
 48.3 1 51.0 
 1 49-7 1 
 
 47-4 1 S5-4 
 1 51-4 1 
 
 50-3 1 40.1 
 i 45-2 i 
 
 49-1 1 50-3 
 1 49-7 ! 
 
 49.0 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 32-9 
 
 33-6 
 
 3 7-0 
 
 51-5 
 
 38.8 
 
 Pla infield 
 
 56 .0 
 
 53 •° 
 
 57-0 
 
 36 .0 
 
 55-5 
 
 East Orange 
 
 39-9 
 
 33-8 
 
 30-4 
 
 43-3 
 
 3^-9 
 
 Mcdiatis 
 
 40.4 
 
 35-3 
 
 43-0 
 
 49-7 
 
 41.9 
 
 iThe order of grades in Paterson is: 8A, 8B, 7A, 7B, 6A, 6B, sA, 5B. 
 
 Tercent Z ^ h % 10 
 
 50 60 
 
 I' I ' I ' I' 
 
 Elui-beth 
 NeuYorK 
 VeLtenon 
 Vfiivfieli 
 
 Chart 19. Approximate percentages of initial starters in 
 grammar grades 
 
 The median per cents in the five cities show that 40.4 per cent 
 of the registered eighth grade pupils entered the schools in which 
 they now attend; 35.3 per cent in the case of the seventh 
 grade; 43.0 per cent in the sixth grade; and 49.7 per cent in 
 the fifth grade. The median of the averages of gross per cents 
 in all the grammar grades is 41.9 per cent. That is, more than 
 half of the present grammar grade ptipils either migrated to 
 the schools in which they now attend, from other schools in 
 
94 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 the community or elsewhere, and were admitted by transfer, or 
 they entered their present schools in some grade later than the 
 first as new admissions. 
 
 Obviously, to take the average percentage instead of the me- 
 dian would be incorrect in view of the situation in Plainfield. 
 (See Chapter VI, page 8i.) Note that the New York schools 
 register the tendency in the eighth, seventh, and sixth grades. 
 
 One may safely say that less than 50 per cent of the gram- 
 mar grade children of these city school systems have been under 
 the entire charge of their present schools from the first grade 
 up. In Chart 19 the relative comparison of systems in this re- 
 spect is plainly evident. Paterson, in which city retardation 
 is less frequent as compared with any of the other cities, has at 
 the same time a larger percentage of initial starters in its gram- 
 mar department. The city of Plainfield, for reasons previously 
 stated, is not considered. 
 
 Age-Grade Relations 
 
 Concerning the 3,865 grammar grade initial starters, Table 
 49 shows in hundredths the retardation by grades. 
 
 TABLE 49 
 Retardation in Per Cents in Grammar Grades 
 
 Grades 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 sB 
 
 5A 
 
 Cities 
 New York 
 
 66.3 
 
 1 7c 
 
 76.9 
 ■9 1 
 
 84.4 
 1 8c 
 
 7.=;.8 
 
 .1 1 
 
 85-5 
 1 76 
 
 67.6 
 
 ■3 1 
 
 84.8 
 
 1 7S 
 
 71.7 
 
 ■5 1 
 
 Paterson 
 
 48.1 I 33-3 
 40.2 1 
 
 51.2 1 39.8 
 ! 45-1 I 
 
 58-0 1 44-3 
 
 63-3 1 3.v9 
 
 1 51-9 i 
 
 1 48.4 1 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 61.5 
 
 72.7 
 
 78.0 
 
 84.5 
 
 Plainfield 
 
 78.8 
 
 67 .2 
 
 75-2 
 
 73 -o 
 
 East Orange 
 
 77. T 
 
 79-3 
 
 78.9 
 
 83.5 
 
 Medians 
 
 70.9 
 
 72.7 
 
 76.3 
 
 78.5 
 
Summary 
 
 95 
 
 Tercent IO2O304OS0(>010S0l00 10 20304050 60 IPSO l0 203040S0(,0mC IJ^^?^9^i<^f'9'}^^'^ 
 
 Grades|r''''V->V^'"'"' 
 
 y:x?^ 
 
 '■■■■•■■■■■■■• 
 
 Chart 20. Percentages of retardation in grammar grades ; assuming 
 
 10 years to 10 years 11 months inclusive as the normal entrance age 
 to the fifth grade 
 
 To permit of comparison with the other cities, in New York 
 City and Paterson the half-yearly grades are averaged in the 
 following manner : For example, from Chapter II, page 22, 
 one learns that 55, 8 B pupils and 50. 8 A pupils are above 
 normal age. The total numbers of cases in these grades are 
 83 and 65 respectively. The sum 50 + 55 = 105 is divided by 
 the sum 83 + 65 = 148 to obtain 70.9 per cent, the average per- 
 centage of retardation in the eighth grade. 
 
 The median percentages of retardation in the grammar grades, 
 assuming 10 years to 10 years 11 months inclusive as the nor- 
 mal entrance age to the fifth grade, are all above 70 per cent. 
 In the eighth, sixth, and fifth grades New York City again in- 
 dicates the tendency. In Paterson the deviations from the me- 
 dians are by far the greatest. 
 
 Allowing one year on tlie assumed theoretical age-limit, these 
 percentages reduce considerably. The medians now become : 
 Eighth grade, 36.9; seventh grade, 39.1; sixth grade, 40.8; 
 fifth grade, 45.1. That is, 36.9 per cent of the present eighth 
 grade pupils were more than 14 years 11 months when they en- 
 tered the eighth grade; 39.1 per cent were more than 13 years 
 
 11 months when they entered the seventh grade; 40.8 per cent 
 were more than 12 years 11 months when they entered the 
 sixth grade; and 45.1 per cent were more than 11 years 11 
 months when they entered the fifth grade. The progressive 
 decrease from the fifth grade to the eighth grade inclusive in- 
 dicates clearly the efifect of increasing elimination. 
 
96 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 Comparing the grammar grade girls and boys in the matter 
 of retardation, Table 50 and the accompanying charts show the 
 age-grade relations by city and grades. 
 
 TABLE 50 
 Retardation in Per Cents in Grammar Grades. Sex Distribution 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Grades 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 5B 
 
 5A 
 
 Cities 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 67.5 
 
 75-0 
 
 80.9 
 
 75-0 
 
 84.6 
 
 72.9 
 
 5<?.o 
 
 63.2 
 
 New York 
 
 65.1 
 
 78.0 
 
 87.8 1 76.7 
 
 86.3 
 
 62 
 
 •7 
 
 80.0 
 
 83 
 
 .1 
 
 
 70.3 
 
 
 77.8 
 
 
 78.5 
 
 
 75-9 
 
 
 
 71.4 
 
 
 82.6 
 
 
 74-3. 
 
 
 81.3 
 
 
 
 51.4 24.6 
 
 50-5 39-1 
 
 56.2 32.8 
 
 64.9 
 
 29.9 
 
 Pater son 
 
 44.1 40.2 
 
 52.3 40.4 
 
 59-8 54.8 
 
 01.3 
 
 41. 1 
 
 
 
 3^-5 
 
 45-1 
 
 46.2 
 
 
 47-4 1 
 
 
 
 41.8 1 
 
 4S-I 
 
 57 
 
 5 
 
 
 49 
 
 3 1 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 57.8 
 
 66.7 
 
 76 
 
 .? 
 
 79 
 
 ■ Q 
 
 
 65.2 
 
 78.4 
 
 79 
 
 .6 
 
 89 
 
 •7 
 
 Pla infield 
 
 76.6 
 
 61 .7 
 
 81 
 
 •7 
 
 ^7 
 
 •J 
 
 
 81 .6 
 
 72.1 
 
 69 
 
 .8 
 
 77 
 
 -^ J 
 
 East Orange 
 
 77-4 
 
 77-3 
 
 79 
 
 ■3 
 
 76 
 
 9 \ 
 
 
 76.9 
 
 83-3 
 
 78 
 
 .6 
 
 88 
 
 •5 
 
 Medians 
 
 70.3 
 
 66.7 
 
 78 
 
 5 
 
 75 
 
 •P 
 
 
 
 71 
 
 • 4 
 
 
 78 
 
 • 4 
 
 
 74 
 
 •3 
 
 
 81 
 
 .3 
 
 
 P&r'oQynis 
 90 
 
 f^rc^n-L^ 
 
 To 
 60 
 50 
 4o 
 30 
 20 
 
 Cradas 8 
 
 '5 Qrads-s 8 
 
 TO 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 60 
 
 50 
 40 
 30 
 20 
 lO 
 
 
 
 Chart 21 a. Median per- Chart 21 b. Median per- 
 centages of retarded boys centages of retarded girls 
 
Summary 
 
 97 
 
 Reading from Table 50 it appears that the boys are retarded 
 more often than the girls. The median percentage of retarded 
 girls in the sixth grade, 78.5 per cent, is larger than that recorded 
 in the case of the boys. In two out of the five cities, however, 
 there are larger proportions of "over-age" boys in this grade 
 also. The medians in the sex classification table are the same 
 in hundredths as those of New York City, excepting for grade 
 seven, wherein Elizabeth registers the middle tendency. 
 
 The summary table showing the distribution of "over-ageness" 
 at the time of entrance to the first grade follows. Six years 
 to 6 years 11 months is the assumed normal entrance age in 
 Table 51 and Charts 22 and 23. 
 
 TABLE 51 
 
 " Over-Ageness " IN Per Cents at Time of Entrance to 
 First Grade 
 
 Grades 
 
 SB 
 
 8A 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 5B 
 
 5 A 
 
 Average 
 
 Cities 
 New York 
 
 48.2 
 1 47 
 
 46.2 
 
 •3 1 
 
 59-4 
 1 56 
 
 53-7 
 
 •5 1 
 
 46.4 
 
 1 43 
 
 40-7 
 
 •5 1 
 
 47.6 
 
 1 52 
 
 57-9 
 
 •5 1 
 
 49-8 
 
 Paterson 
 
 24.0 1 18.4 
 1 21.0 1 
 
 19.8 1 30.6 
 25.6 1 
 
 23.9 18.6 
 
 1 21.5 ! 
 
 27.3 1 19.8 
 
 23.0 
 
 1 23.2 1 
 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 56.2 
 
 55-8 
 
 68.3 
 
 74.5 
 
 66.5 
 
 Plainfield 
 
 29.4 
 
 23-4 
 
 32 -5 
 
 42 .6 
 
 32.0 
 
 East Orange 
 
 38.1 
 
 37-8 
 
 40 .3 
 
 50-5 
 
 41.9 
 
 Medians 
 
 38.1 
 
 37-8 
 
 40.3 
 
 50-5 
 
 41.9 
 
 Tercent tO2O3O4O50i01O%0 W203040SOi070 f0 203040S060 iO 2030'fOSOtO 
 
 &^^iZ]lZII!I53i5ZI!I 
 
 'V,iWH' 
 
 jixtk' 
 
 E.Ordn^e 
 Eluibethl 
 NeuiYorK 
 rate rson 
 Ffainjielii 
 
 Chart 22. Percentages of " over-ageness " at time of en- 
 trance to the first grade: assuming 6 3'cars to 6 years 11 
 months inckisive as the normal entrance age 
 
98 
 
 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 Terce-KtZ^ 6 i 10 
 
 20 
 
 30 
 
 40 
 
 50 
 
 60 
 
 10 
 
 L.OriTtse 
 Eliza.heth 
 NeuVoTH 
 fdtersoK 
 P/dmjield 
 
 Chart 23. Average percentages of " over-ageness " at time of entrance 
 
 to first grade 
 
 The East Orange system indicates the median tendency in 
 the matter of initial "over-ageness." Of the eighth grade pupils 
 38.1 per cent were above 6 years 11 months at school entrance; 
 seventh grade, 37.8 per cent ; sixth grade, 40.3 per cent ; fifth 
 grade, 50.5 per cent. Taking the median of the averages of all 
 grades," one finds that 41.9 per cent of the children now in the 
 grammar grades were "over-age" at the time of entrance to 
 the first grade. Whereas in each of the grammar grades over 
 70 per cent are at present retarded (see Table 49), the per- 
 centage of pupils who were above the normal age assumed, 
 when they were admitted to the first grade, is approximately 
 40 per cent. 
 
 The "over-age" pupils based on the initial age records of 
 the 1,933 boys and the 1,932 girls are distributed in the next 
 table. The median percentages of "over-age" boys and girls 
 may be compared in the appended graphic illustrations. 
 
 Although the median of the averages for the five cities would 
 indicate that more boys as compared with girls were above 6 
 years 11 months when they began school, in grades seven and 
 six the reverse is the tendency. That boys are more variable in 
 the matter of "over-ageness" at the time of entrance to the first 
 grade is apparent in Charts 24 a and 24 b. It is necessary, 
 however, to constantly keep in mind the fact that all the con- 
 clusions in this summary refer to that select class of children 
 who entered the first grade, have remained through the primary 
 grades, and are now in the grammar department of the school 
 in which they were originally admitted. 
 
 1 These averages are reckoned as follows: e.g., In the case of New 
 York City the quotient obtained by dividing the sum of the numbers 
 of the initial "over-age" pupils in all the grammar grades by the sum 
 of the total number of cases studied is changed to per cent. 
 
Summary 
 
 99 
 
 TABLE 52 
 
 Over-Ageness " IN Per Cents at Time of Entrance to 
 First Grade. Sex Distribution 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 Grades 
 
 SB 
 
 8A 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 sB 
 
 5A 
 
 Average 
 
 Cities 
 New York 
 
 40.0 
 55-S 
 
 45-8 
 46.3 
 
 59-6 
 59-2 
 
 44.2 
 65.1 
 
 41-5 
 50-7 
 
 40 
 41 
 
 
 3 
 
 49-4 
 
 55-2 
 61.5 
 
 46.8 
 
 
 42.2 
 
 51-2 
 
 1 i-r.5 
 1 62.0 
 
 
 40.7 
 45-7 
 
 
 1 50-6 
 1 54-7 1 
 
 52.7 
 
 Pater son 
 
 21.4 18.5 
 
 27.1 18.3 
 
 1 20.0 1 
 
 1 22.0 1 
 
 21.6] 28.7 
 16.9 1 32.3 
 
 29.2 
 18.4 
 
 20 
 16 
 
 ■9 
 • 4 
 
 26.0 
 29. 
 
 19.3 
 20.0 
 
 2 J- 5 
 
 
 
 23.0 
 26.2 
 
 
 23.6 
 17-5 
 
 
 
 22.7 1 
 23-7 i 
 
 22.4 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 37-5 
 74.2 
 
 32.4 
 59-1 
 
 72.8. 
 
 82.5 
 
 5P 
 
 73 
 
 5 
 9 
 
 Plainfield 
 
 31 ■ 9 
 26.3 
 
 21 .7 
 25.0 
 
 32 .6 
 
 .5 J ■ / 
 34.8 
 
 33 
 30 
 
 P 
 
 2 
 
 East Orange 
 
 35.8 
 40 .4 
 
 ^8.6 
 36.7 
 
 32 .1 
 
 43-6 . 
 55-8 
 
 40 
 43 
 
 6 
 2 
 
 Medians 
 
 35.8 
 40.4 
 
 -,8.6 
 
 36-7 
 
 40.7 
 32.6 
 
 30 . 6 
 
 54-7 
 
 40 
 43 
 
 6 
 2 
 
 ^a-rc/o^ is 
 55 
 
 50 
 
 45 
 
 40 
 
 55 
 30 
 25 
 20 
 ,15 
 10 
 5 
 
 GraJe 
 
 '.^r'Pd^-5 S 
 
 Chart 24 a. Boys 
 
 Chart 24 b. Girls 
 
 Median percentages of initial " over-ageness " 
 
 The Incidence of Retardation 
 The relative frequency of regularly promoted and non-pro- 
 moted eighth grade pupils is summarized in Table 53. The 
 
loo A Special SUidy of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 accompanying charts illustrate the median percentages of regu- 
 larly promoted pupils and of those left back one, two, three, 
 four, and five times. 
 
 TABLE 53 
 
 Percentages of Eighth Grade Pupils Repeating and Non-Repeating 
 During School Life 
 
 Cities 
 
 None 
 
 One 
 
 Two 
 
 Three 
 
 Four 
 
 Five 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 SB 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 New York 
 
 43 
 
 26 
 
 24 
 
 3 5 
 
 25 
 
 26 
 
 2 
 
 1 1 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 1 36 i 
 
 1 29 1 
 
 1 26 1 
 
 1 6 i 
 
 1 3 1 
 
 ! I 1 
 
 Paterson 
 
 47 1 44 
 i 45 ! 
 
 28 1 31 
 
 1 30 1 
 
 23 1 17 
 1 20 1 
 
 2 1 6 
 1 4 1 
 
 1 I 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 I 1 
 
 1 1 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 71 
 
 22 
 
 5 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 Plainfield 
 
 9 
 
 48 
 
 32 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 
 
 East Orange 
 
 63 
 
 29 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Medians 
 
 45 
 
 29 
 
 20 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 Percent Z4-(>H0 ZO 2Q ^ SO (>0 /IP 
 
 Chart 25. Percentages of eighth grade pupils never left back during 
 
 entire school life 
 
 Tefceict 4 i ilf^'^o 30 ^ SO '^ ^ IZI(,ZO 30 40 ^ S U/620 4S 4 
 
 I M M M M Ul ' ' ' I M M M M I | M ' I ' I M ■;.l ■.! M M ■ I 
 Owe 
 
 ^ 
 
 LeftSicKl 
 
 riu-t- TVVe' 
 
 C.Ora 7»ge 
 Elizabeth 
 HtutiorK 
 Faterson 
 
 Tkmjieli 
 
 I • t- 1. 1 ■ '■'■'•'•' 1 I . I ■ 1. 1 . 1 ■ I 1 .1.1 1 1,1,1 
 
 Chart 26. Percentages of eighth grade pupils repeating during entire 
 
 school life 
 
Summary 
 
 lOI 
 
 Of the eighth grade pupils who entered the first grade of the 
 school in which they now attend, 45 per cent as a median have 
 never been left back during their entire school life ; 29 per 
 cent have repeated once ; 20 per cent, twice ; 4 per cent, three 
 times ; and i per cent, four times. It is justifiable to say that 
 of those selected pupils who reach the highest grade, the tend- 
 ency is to be left back once during their school life. In Eliza- 
 beth and East Orange the mode falls in the "no-time" group. 
 Eliminating Plainfield, these cities deviate most from the me- 
 dian percentage of regularly promoted children. 
 
 Distributing the eighth grade pupils according to sex, Table 
 54 shows the relative frecjuencies as percentages of eighth grade 
 boys and girls promoted and non-promoted throughout the 
 grades. The median percentages are stated in the bottom row. 
 
 T.A.BLE 54 
 
 Eighth Grade Pupils Repeating and Non-Repeating During 
 School Life. Sex Distribution in Per Cents 
 
 Boys in plain type. Girls in italics. 
 
 
 None 
 
 
 
 One 
 
 
 Two 
 
 
 
 Three 
 
 
 Fo 
 
 ur 
 
 
 
 Five 
 
 
 Cities 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8B 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 8B 
 
 8A 
 
 New York 
 
 37-5 
 48.8 
 
 2Q.2 
 24.4 
 
 ■^0.0 
 18.6 
 
 SO.O 
 
 26.8 
 
 27-5 
 23-3 
 
 16. y 
 
 31-7 
 
 2-5 
 2-3 
 
 4.2 
 14.6 
 
 2.5 
 4-7 
 
 0.0 
 2.4 
 
 0.0 
 2.3 
 
 0.0 
 0.0 
 
 34-4 
 36.9 
 
 
 
 37-5 
 22.6 
 
 
 \23-4 
 
 |27-4 
 
 
 3-1 
 
 8.3 
 
 
 1.6 
 3-6 
 
 
 
 0.0 
 1.2 
 
 
 
 52-9 
 
 46.2 
 
 31 -4] 33-8 
 
 15-7 
 
 18.5 
 
 0.0 J. 5 
 
 0.0 0.0 
 
 0.0 1 0.0 
 
 Pa terson 
 
 39-0 
 
 42.7 
 
 23-7129.3 
 \32-6\ 
 
 32.2 
 
 i.q.9 
 
 5.1 9.8 
 
 0.0 2.4 
 0.0 
 
 
 
 .0 1 
 
 
 
 1 49-6 \ 
 
 ly.o 
 
 
 
 0.7 
 
 
 0.0 
 
 
 1 41. 1 1 
 
 I27.0 1 
 
 22.7 
 
 
 
 7.8 
 
 1-4 
 
 
 0.0 1 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 73-4 
 
 21. Q 
 
 31 
 
 0.0 
 
 1.6 
 
 0.0 
 
 
 68.2 
 
 22.7 
 
 7.6 
 
 1-5 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 Plainfield 
 
 10.6 
 
 44-7 
 
 319 
 
 12.8 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 
 7-9 
 
 52.6 
 
 31.6 
 
 7-9 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 East Orange 
 
 58.5 
 
 340 
 
 7-5 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 
 67-3 
 
 23-1 
 
 9.6 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 0.0 
 
 Medians 
 
 4<, 
 41 
 
 h6 
 •4 
 
 
 
 3-1 
 
 1.0 
 
 ■7 
 
 
 22 
 
 •7 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 •7 
 .8 
 
 
 
 
 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .0 
 .0 
 
 
102 A special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 P<5^rc^ 
 
 e'/7 /s. 
 
 
 
 
 
 r^rc^c^n L s . 
 
 
 
 
 
 T5 
 
 
 
 
 
 15 
 45 
 
 
 
 
 
 7o 
 
 
 
 (=5 
 
 
 
 
 Lo 
 
 
 
 
 
 to 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 5o 
 
 
 
 
 
 50 
 45 
 4o 
 
 
 
 
 
 45 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 ---- — .i., 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 
 3o 
 
 
 ' 1 
 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15 
 20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 )5 
 ]0 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 )0 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 Oih<^ 
 
 J ///:' 
 
 Fai 
 
 E/,x 
 
 P/a.:-7 
 
 E 0. 
 
 <w iVe^ 
 
 J MY 
 
 P^^ 
 
 ^Z/^. 
 
 P/o/n 
 
 £,0.. 
 
 Chart 27 a. Eighth grade Chart 27 b. Eighth grade 
 
 boys never left back during entire girls never left back during entire 
 
 school life. Eighth grade school life. Eighth grade 
 
 boys left back once girls left back once 
 
 So 
 7.5 
 •Zo 
 
 a, 
 
 I 
 
 \ j 
 
 I J I 
 
 P^r-c^eyr?ls 
 ho 
 
 7.5 
 
 Zo 
 
 15 
 10 
 5 
 
 /I/ Y. PaL Eh. 
 
 P/a. 
 
 I J 1 
 
 £.0. 
 
 C,i^^ //Y Pai El/. 
 
 p/a. 
 
 EO. 
 
 Chart 28 a. Eighth grade boys Chart 28 b. Eighth grade girls 
 
 left back two and three or more left back two and three or more 
 
 times during school life times during school life 
 
 Two times. Three or Two times. Three or 
 
 more times more times 
 
 In the case of regular promotion and "one-time" repetition 
 the girls record larger percentages, whereas the boys are more 
 frequently left back two and three times. In New York City 
 and East Orange the girls maintain the average position in the 
 distribution curve of mental ability, such ability being measured 
 solely on the basis of relative frequency in the grades. The 
 
Siunuiary 103 
 
 boys on the other hand in these cities occupy the extremes of 
 the distribution. Larger percentages of tiiem have advanced 
 regularly and at the same time more of them have repeated 
 two, three, and more times. In Paterson and Elizabeth the girls 
 unquestionably are brighter than the boys. In the former city the 
 mode in the case of the eighth grade girls is in the " no-time " 
 group while the selected boys tend to be left back once during 
 school life. In Plainfield the boys who finally reach the eighth 
 grade must be credited with the better records. From the medians 
 as read in the bottom row of Table 54, one notes the larger 
 range in relative ability on the part of the boys. The Paterson 
 system records the median tendency of the five cities. 
 
 The fact that the girls who reach the eighth grade in general 
 have been more successful throughout the entire school course 
 in the matter of regular promotion and relative frequency of 
 repetition does not of necessity reflect discredit on the boys. 
 It may sanction the charge that the modern course of study 
 is not sufficiently adapted to the special needs and inherent 
 capacities of the latter. 
 
 The grade distributions of non-promotion as percentages of 
 the total number promoted and non-promoted in the various 
 school systems are shown in Tables 55, 56, 57, 58, and Charts 
 29 through 32. 
 
 Reading from Table 55, the bottom row^ of percentages record 
 with considerable accuracy the prevailing tendencies in the five 
 city school systems. Four and four tenths per cent of the eighth 
 grade pupils who remain through all the grades of the school 
 they originally entered are left back in the eighth grade; 9.5 
 per cent, in the seventh grade ; 7 per cent, in the sixth ; 4.6 per 
 cent, in the fifth ; 4.3 per cent, in the fourth ; 3.9 per cent, in 
 the third ; 2.4 per cent, in the second ; and 3.5 per cent, in the 
 first. It is evident that the seventh grade marks the chief ob- 
 stacle in the progress of the pupil who persists in school. The 
 increasing difficulty of the grades from the first till the eighth 
 is clearly manifest. This holds true of the two systems with 
 half-yearly terms as well as in the case of those cities having 
 the yearly series of grades. In New York City the 6 B and 
 7 A grades show the highest percentages of retention. In Pater- 
 son evidently the upper seventh is the most difficult. 
 
104 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 TABLE 55 
 
 Grade Distribution Indicating Relative Frequency of Non- 
 Promotion IN Hundredths 
 
 Eighth Grade Pupils Only 
 
 Grades 
 
 8B 
 
 S.8 
 1 5 
 
 8A 
 
 5-0 
 
 3 1 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 sB 
 
 5P 
 
 l5 
 
 5A 
 
 5-0 
 
 5 1 
 
 4B 
 
 4-1 
 |4 
 
 4A 
 
 4-1 
 
 I 1 
 
 3B 
 
 3.6 
 l3 
 
 3A 
 
 4.1 
 
 9 1 
 
 2B 
 
 0.0 
 |i 
 
 2A 
 
 2-3 
 
 6 1 
 
 iB 
 
 0.9 
 
 1 2 
 
 lA 
 
 Cities 
 New York 
 
 7-7 
 
 1 g 
 
 "•3 
 
 5 1 
 
 1 1-3 
 
 1 8 
 
 5-0 
 
 2 1 
 
 1-4 
 3 1 
 
 Paterson 
 
 5.6l 4.2 
 
 Q.I 1 6.6 
 
 4-2 I 5-8 
 1 5.0 1 
 
 3.6I5.5 
 I4.6 1 
 
 5-o|3-6 
 I4.3 1 
 
 2.2I3.9 
 I3.0 1 
 
 I-7I3-0 
 I2.4 1 
 
 2.8I2.S 
 
 1 7-9 1 
 
 I2.6I 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 5.6 
 
 0.2 
 
 2.1 
 
 2.1 
 
 4.2 
 
 4.9 
 
 3-5 
 
 3-5 
 
 Plainfield 
 
 3-1 
 
 20.0 
 
 10.8 
 
 10. 
 
 5-4 
 
 6.2 
 
 7-7 
 
 30.8 
 
 East Orange 
 
 4-4 
 
 140 
 
 7.0 
 
 4-4 
 
 4-4 
 
 2.6 
 
 0.9 
 
 3-5 
 
 Medians 
 
 4-4 
 
 9-S 
 
 7.0 
 
 4.6 
 
 4-3 
 
 3 
 
 9 
 
 2.4 
 
 3-S 
 
 )l 
 [o 
 <A 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 4 
 3 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 
 
 Grades 8 7 (^ 5 4 5 2 1 
 
 Chart 29. Median percentages of eighth grade pupils showing the inci- 
 dence of retardation 
 
 
Summary 
 
 105 
 
 TABLE 56 
 
 Grade Distribution Indicating Relative Frequency of Non- 
 Promotion IN Hundredths 
 
 Seventh Grade Pupils Only 
 
 Grades 
 
 7B 
 
 7A 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 5B 
 
 5A 
 
 4B 
 
 4A 
 
 3B 
 
 3A 
 
 2B 
 
 2 A 
 
 iB 
 
 lA 
 
 Cities 
 
 13-8 
 
 II-5 
 
 7-1 
 
 9.2 
 
 6.1 
 
 8.5 
 
 5-4 
 
 6.1 
 
 3-7 
 
 4.1 
 
 1.4 
 
 2.7 
 
 1-7 
 
 2.7 
 
 New York 
 
 1 ^2.2 1 
 
 1 8.1 1 
 
 1 7-3 1 
 
 1 5-8 1 
 
 1 3-9 1 
 
 1 2.0 1 
 
 1 2.2 1 
 
 Paterson 
 
 8.i|8.o 
 
 5-6I4-9 
 
 1 5-3 1 
 
 6..s|6.o 
 1 6.3 1 
 
 5-4| 4-2 
 1 4-8 1 
 
 4.2I3.6 
 
 1 3-9 1 
 
 3-i|2-7 
 1 2.9 1 
 
 3-3|2.2 
 
 1 8.1 1 
 
 1 2.8 j 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 12.4 
 
 4-7 
 
 41 
 
 2.6 
 
 4-1 
 
 5-7 
 
 7.8 
 
 Pla infield 
 
 14.0 
 
 18.4 
 
 7.2 
 
 6.8 
 
 5-3 
 
 6.3 
 
 30.0 
 
 East Orange. 
 
 II. 4 
 
 7.6 
 
 8.9 
 
 6.3 
 
 2-5 
 
 3-8 
 
 5-1 
 
 Medians 
 
 12.2 
 
 7.6 
 
 7.2 
 
 5-8 
 
 3-9 
 
 3-8 
 
 5-1 
 
 
 IZ 
 
 Ctac/e^5 1 
 
 Chart 30. Median percentages of seventh grade pupils showing 
 the incidence of retardation 
 
io6 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 TABLE 57 
 
 Grade Distribution Indicating Relative Frequency of Non- 
 Promotion IN Hundredths 
 
 Sixth Grade Pupils Only 
 
 Grades 
 
 6B 
 
 6A 
 
 5B 
 
 5A 
 
 4B 
 
 4A 
 
 3B 
 
 3A 
 
 2B 
 
 2A 
 
 iB 
 
 lA 
 
 Cities 
 New York 
 
 I0.6 
 
 10. 1 
 
 II. 2 
 
 9.9 
 
 7-4 
 
 7-9 
 
 8.3 
 
 6.1 
 
 4.8 
 
 5.0 
 
 2.0 
 
 3-3 
 
 1 ^°-2 j 
 
 i IO-5 i 
 
 1 7-7 i 
 
 7.2 1 
 
 1 4-9 i 
 
 1 2.6 1 
 
 Paterson 
 
 10.2I10.3 
 1 IO-3 i 
 
 7.0 1 6.0 
 1 6.5 i 
 
 5-5 1 4-1 
 1 4-8 ! 
 
 6.7 1 5.8 
 1 6.2 1 
 
 2.6 1 3.8 
 
 1 3-2 1 
 
 3-4 1 3-6 
 
 1 3-5 ! 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 12.3 
 
 10.2 
 
 9.8 
 
 5-3 
 
 3-7 
 
 4-1 
 
 Pla infield 
 
 16. 1 
 
 10.4 
 
 8.7 
 
 6.5 
 
 7.0 
 
 32.2 
 
 East Orange 
 
 13.8 
 
 7-7 
 
 4.6 
 
 6.2 
 
 6.2 
 
 7-7 
 
 Medians 
 
 12.3 
 
 10.2 
 
 7-7 
 
 6.2 
 
 4-9 
 
 4.1 
 
 13 
 
 1-2 
 11 
 )0 
 <\ 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 Cracfe 
 
 4 
 
 Chart 31. Median percentage of sixth grade pupils 
 showing the incidence of retardation 
 
Summary 
 
 107 
 
 TABLE 58 
 
 Grade Distribution Indicating Relative Frequency of Non- 
 Promotion IN Hundredths 
 
 Fifth Grade Pupils Only 
 
 Grades 
 
 5B 
 
 5A 
 
 4B 
 
 4A 
 
 3B 
 
 3A 
 
 2B 
 
 2A 
 
 iB 
 
 I A 
 
 Cities 
 New York 
 
 12.4 
 
 IO-5 
 
 8..^ 
 
 9.9 
 
 9.1 
 
 10. 1 
 
 8.0 
 
 5-2 
 
 3-7 
 
 6.4 
 
 1 II-2 i 
 
 1 9-2 1 
 
 1 9-6 1 
 
 1 6.6 1 
 
 ! 5-0 1 
 
 Paterscn 
 
 5.9 1 10.9 
 
 1 9-4 1 
 
 7-4 1 4-4 
 i 5-9 ! 
 
 7-4 ! '^•7 
 1 6.5 1 
 
 6.4 1 4.0 
 
 1 5.2 1 
 
 4-7 1 .=^-0 
 1 4.8 1 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 19.0 
 
 12. 1 
 
 10. 1 
 
 8.1 
 
 7.2 
 
 Plain field 
 
 15.2 
 
 ^^■3 
 
 6.3 
 
 5-7 
 
 39-2 
 
 East Orange 
 
 10.2 
 
 7.2 
 
 7.2 
 
 10.2 
 
 8.2 
 
 Medians 
 
 I 1.2 
 
 9.2 
 
 7.2 
 
 6.6 
 
 7.2 
 
 15 
 17. 
 11 
 \o 
 
 5 
 4 
 3 
 2 
 I 
 
 A 
 
 T. 
 
 Chart 32. Median percentages of fifth grade 
 pupils showing the incidence of retardation 
 
io8 A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 That the pupils find the lower much easier than the upper 
 grades is the definite tendency as shown in the foregoing tables. 
 Table 55 indicates the seventh grade with a median of 9.5 per 
 cent as having been the most difficult grade for the present 
 eighth grade pupils. Table 56 indicates the seventh grade again 
 with a median of 12.2 per cent as the most difficult grade for 
 the present seventh grade pupils. In Table 57 the sixth grade 
 pupils show the largest percentages of non-promotion in their 
 present grade. The progress of the fifth grade pupils according 
 to Table 58 is impeded more in the fifth grade than in any of 
 the preceding grades. In grades five, six, and especially seven, 
 the chances of retardation in the case of any given pupil are 
 decidedly more than in any of the other grades. The pupil who 
 is fortunate enough to withstand the strain of the difficult sev- 
 enth grade is practically offered the assurance of success on 
 entrance to the comparatively easy graduating class. 
 
 Taken generally the grammar grades exert much more pres- 
 sure on the pupils in the matter of retardation. It is more than 
 probable that, were all the "hold-overs" in grades one through 
 four to remain in school, the percentages of retardation in the 
 upper grades would be still larger. 
 
 Tables 55 to 58 record the distribution of non-promotion in 
 hundredths of the grammar grade initial starters. These pupils 
 represent a selected class as compared with the children migrat- 
 ing from school to school. It is fair to suppose that, were the 
 histories of these shifting pupils studied, the same progressive 
 increase in grade frequency would be the characteristic tendency. 
 
 The records of the initial starters were obtained from the in- 
 dividual pupils in class room and were checked by a care- 
 ful study of the individual history cards. These cards registered 
 accurately the frequency of grammar grade retention. In the 
 case of non-promotion in the primary grades, where the official 
 records were not obtainable, errors of memory would necessitate 
 some correction of the recorded percentages. Even with a gen- 
 erous corrective allowance there is every reason to believe that 
 the classes would still be progressively harder from the first to 
 the last year of the school. At any rate the burden of proof 
 rests upon those who fancy that a pupil is more likely to suffer 
 retardation in early than in late grades. 
 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 Books 
 
 Ayres LP* Laggards in Our Schools; a Study of Retardation and 
 Elimination in City Systems. New York: Russell Sage Founda- 
 tion Publications, 1909. 
 
 BoNSER F G The Reasoning Ahilitv of Children of the Fourth, Fifth, 
 and Sixth School Grades. New York: Teachers College, Columbia 
 University, 1910. 
 
 CoRNMAN, O. P.* Promotion and Retardation in the Elementary 
 Schools. Philadelphia: 1906. 
 
 Button S T. and Snedden, D. S.* Administration of Public Educa- 
 tion in the United States. New York: Macmillan Company, 1908. 
 
 GuLicK, L. H. and Ayres, L. P.* Medical Inspection of Schools. New 
 York: Russell Sage Foundation Publications, 1908. 
 
 Maennel, B. Auxiliary Education; The Training of Backward Children. 
 Trans, by Emma Sylvester. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co. 
 1909. 
 
 Snedden, D. S. and Allen, W. H.* School Reports and School Effi- 
 ciency. New York: Macmillan Company, 1908. 
 
 Thorndike, E. L.* Educational Psychology. New York: Teachers 
 College', Columbia University, 19 10. 
 
 * Theory of Mental and Social Measurements. New York, 
 
 Science Press, 1904. 
 
 The following reports were examined in order to check the 
 statistical conclusions of some of the investigations referred to 
 in this study. 
 
 General Reports 
 
 Report of the Commissioner of Education. Vol. 2, 1907:577. Sta- 
 tistics of City School Systems. 
 
 Vol. 2, 1908:1057. Sum.m.ary of Statistical Tables. 
 
 — . Vol. 2, 1909:1343. Retardation and Acceleration of Pupils in 
 
 City Schools. 
 Department of Interior. Bureau of Education. Bulletin No. 4, 
 
 1907. The Elimination of Pupils from School. E. L. Thorndike. 
 
 . Bureau of Education. Bulletin No. 5, 1911. G. D. Strayer. 
 
 Report of Commissioner of Education of New York State. 1908: 
 
 610; 1910:3 2. 
 Report of Committee on Delinquent and Dependent Children. 
 
 State Association of Town and City Superintendents. 1908:3-25. 
 
 * Special reference is made to this study. 
 
 109 
 
no A Special Study of the Incidence of Retardation 
 
 City Reports 
 
 Baltimore, Md. Annual Report of Board of School Commissioners. 
 
 1908:51, 119. 
 Boston, Mass. Report of School Committee. June, 1909:20; July, 
 
 1909 :22. 
 Brooklyn, N. Y. Tenth Annual Report of New York City Superin- 
 tendent. 1908:68. 
 Chicago, 111. Report of Board of Education. 1899:123. 
 Cincinnati, O. Annual Report of the Public Schools. 1909:55. 
 Columbus, O. Report of Public Schools. 1902:200. 
 East Orange, N. J. Annual School Report. 1905:19; 1907:56. 
 Kansas City, Mo. Annual Report of Board of Education. 1907:88. 
 Louisville, Ky. Report of School Board. 1907:127. 
 Medford, Mass. Annual Report of School Committee. 1907:17. 
 
 1908:17. 
 New Haven, Conn. Report of Board of Education. 1908:28. 
 New York City, N. Y. Sixth Annual Report of City Superintendent 
 
 of Schools. 1904:42-49. Twelfth Annual Report. 1910:225. 
 Paterson, N. J. Annual Report of Public Schools. 1908:159; 1909:110. 
 Philadelphia, Pa. Report of Board of Public Education. 1907:24 
 
 (Statements J and Iv); 1908:92 (Tables 16-37). 
 Plainfield, N. J. Report of Board of Education. 1908:47; 1909:37 
 Reading, Pa. Biennial Report of Board of Education. 1907:95. 
 Rochester, N. Y. Annual Report of the Public Schools. 1897:7, 30. 
 San Francisco, Cal. Annual Report of the Public Schools. 1892:7. 
 Springfield, O. Annual Report of Pviblic Schools. 1908:31, 53. 
 Trenton, N. J. Annual Report of Commissioners of Public Instruction. 
 
 1897 :204. 
 Wheeling, W. Va. Annual Report of Public Schools. 1907:19. 
 
 Articles from Periodicals 
 
 Educational Revieiv* 1909:122. Retardation, its Significance and its 
 
 Requirements. R. P. Falkner. 
 .* 1909:342. Retardation of Pupils in their Studies. J. M. 
 
 Greenwood. 
 
 .* 1910:48. Elimination and Repetition. F. P. Bachman. 
 
 -. 1910:121. A Neglected Cause of Retardation. W.D.Sheldon. 
 
 Elementary School Teacher. 1910:326. England and her Retarded Chil- 
 dren. H. Leather. 
 
 .* 1910:409. Repeaters in the Upper Grammar Grades. E. L. 
 
 Thorndike. 
 
 Journal of Educational Psychology. 1910:61.* Individual Differences 
 in Grammar Grade Children. W. G. Chambers. 
 
 . 1910:132. The Subnormal Child in New York Gty Schools. 
 
 M. S. Macy. 
 
 1910:435. The Binet Scale for Measuring Intelligence and 
 
 Retardation. E. B. Huey. 
 — . 1911:3. Measuring Results in Education. G. D. Strayer. 
 
 ^Special reference is made to this study. 
 
Bibliography 1 1 1 
 
 N. E. A. Proceedings* 1902 :2i5. The Danger of Using Biological Anal- 
 ogies in Reasoning on Educational Subjects. W. T. Harris. 
 
 . 1908:155. Democracy and Education; Equal Opportunity for 
 
 All. J. E. Russell. Discussion: 159. E. C. Elliott. 
 
 1908:348. Provision for Exceptional Children. J. H. Van 
 
 Sickle. 
 
 . 1910:980. The Standardization of School Statistics. H. 
 
 R. M. Cook. 
 Psychological Clinic* Vol. I, No. 2. April 1907:41. A Method for 
 
 Detennining the Extent and Causes of Retardation in a City School 
 
 System. J. E. Bryan. 
 
 . Vol. I, No. 4. June, 1907:97. Clinical Studies of Retarded 
 
 Children. G. W. Twitmeyer. 
 
 .* Vol. I, No. 8. Jan. 1908:245. The Retardation of the Pupils 
 
 of Five City School Systems. O. P. Cornman. 
 .* Vol. II, No. 3. May 1908:57. Sorhe Further Considerations 
 
 upon the Retardation of the Pupils of Five Citv School Systems. 
 
 R. P. Falkner. 
 • . Vol. II, No. 8. Jan. 1909:227. Some Uses of Statistics in the 
 
 Supervision of Schools. R. P. Falkner. 
 
 . Vol. Ill, No. 2. April 1909:29. Orthogenics in the Public 
 
 Schools. L. Wither. 
 
 . Vol. Ill, No. 6. Nov. 1909:164. Retardation and Elimina- 
 tion in the Schools of Mauch Chunk TowTiship. A. E. Wagner. 
 
 Vol. Ill, No. 7. Dec. 1909:266. Size of Classes and School 
 
 Progress. O. P. Cornman. 
 
 .* Vol. Ill, No. 8. Jan. 1910:232; No. 9, Feb. 1910:255. Pro- 
 motion, Retardation and Elimination. E. L. Thorndike. 
 
 . Vol. IV, No. I. Mar. 1910:1. What can and do School Reports 
 
 show? R. P. Falkner. 
 
 . Vol. IV, No. 2. April 1910:46. Our Responsibility for Retar- 
 dation. C. R. Squire. 
 
 - — . Vol. IV, No. 2. April 1910:40; No. 3, May 1910:79. Ret?r- 
 dation and Elimination in Graded and Rural Schools. G. W. 
 Gayler. 
 
 . Vol. IV, No. 4. June 1910:93. Medical and Dental Inspec- 
 tion in the Cleveland Schools. J. E. Wallin. 
 
 .* Vol. IV, No. 5. Oct. 1910:121. What is meant by Retarda- 
 tion? L. Wither. 
 
 . Vol. IV, No. 8. Jan. 1911:213. The Fundamental Expression 
 
 of Retardation. R. P. Falkner. 
 
 Vol. IV, No. 8. Jan. 191 1 :239. Age per Grade of Truant and 
 
 Difficult School Boys. W. S. Cornell. 
 
 Vol. V. No. I. Mar. 1911:13. Retardation Statistics from, the 
 
 Smaller Minnesota Towns. F. E. Lurton. 
 *Special reference is made to this study. 
 
m to 1911 
 
 lii-.' 
 
One copy del. to Cat. Div. 
 
 lUff 12 19«'