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EDUCATION IN TWELVE
CAPE TOWNS
i
A STUDY
for the
CAPE COD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
:
EDUCATION IN TWELVE
CAPE TOWNS
A STUDY
for the
CAPE COD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Withdrawn
from the
C. R. Be Library
By
MEMBERS OF THE STAFF
of
THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Cambridge
1925-26
Education
LA
304
can
Printed by
AMBROSE PRESS, INC.
Norwood, Mass.
1927
iii
PERSONNEL
The members of the staff of the Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University, engaged in this study and the parts for which
they were primarily responsible are as follows:
L. O. CUMMINGS
Planning and Direction of the Study, parts not
specifically credited to other members of the
staff, editing and unifying the individual
reports.
PAUL H. HANUS
Consultant service on the planning, the con-
duct, and the findings of the entire study.
BANCROFT BEATLEY Secondary Education.
Assisted by
AUBREY A. DOUGLASS
FRANCIS T. SPAULDING
L. LELAND DUDLEY Finance, Buildings.
GEORGE A. MIRICK Instruction in the Elementary Schools.
EDWIN A. SHAW
Measurements in the Elementary Schools.
Assisted by
HARRY F. LATSHAW
EDWARD A. LINCOLN
DANIEL A. PRESCOTT
The following students assisted in the field work on buildings:
S. F BROWN
W. H: LOPER
R. E. KLINGENSMITH
H. P. THOMAS
V
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION. Summary of Recommendations. .
I. THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
Chapter I
The Classification, Ability, and Achieve-
ment of Cape Children.
The Instruction, Organization, and Super-
vision in Elementary Schools.
Chapter II.
II. THE HIGH SCHOOLS.
Chapter III. The Present Status of Cape Cod High
Schools High School Population, Pro-
gram of Studies, Instruction, Administra-
tion.
Chapter IV.
Measurement in Cape Cod High Schools.
Chapter V. Reorganization of Secondary Education on
Cape Cod.
III. ADMINISTRATION OF CAPE COD SCHOOLS.
Chapter VI. The Teaching Staff.
Chapter VII. Buildings.
Chapter VIII. Finance.
Chapter IX Problems of Administration and Organiza-
tion.
vii
INTRODUCTION
This study was begun in the spring of 1924. At this time most of
the field work was done. A large part of the study was written
shortly after, but due to the illness of Professor Cummings, Director
of the survey, the final completion of the written report was delayed
and its submission postponed several times. It has seemed advis-
able, however, not to wait longer for his personal direction in making
up the final completed form, but to submit the various portions, in-
complete though some of them may be.
The survey contains little adverse criticism. That was not our
task. One thing was outstanding in our minds—to provide a stimu-
lus to the school authorities, the teachers, and the communities.
We could see changes that were made because of our coming. Jani-
tors took pride in making buildings as clean as possible. Teachers
felt encouraged to strive for the best instead of settling into a routine.
Superintendents could not but view their own efforts more critically
as a result of friendly contacts and discussions. If our investigation
has provided a measure of self-criticism on the part of the public,
the school committees, the superintendents, and teachers of the Cape,
and if the written report acts as a guide in focusing their attention
on what we deem critical points in Cape education, our efforts will
have been rewarded. This survey contains no complete formula
for making ideal the educational conditions on Cape Cod. It should,
however, act as a stimulus to further study, and it should point the
way along which the public and the school authorities should proceed
in making better educational provision for Cape children.
Only twelve of the fifteen towns within the boundaries of Barn-
stable County, which includes the area commonly called Cape Cod,
are the subject of this study. For purposes of brevity the towns are
referred to as the Cape towns. It will be understood, however, that
only the twelve towns are meant
The undertaking of twelve politically and educationally independ-
ent towns to coöperate in such a study as this is in itself an indication
of the pioneer spirit which characterized the forefathers of this his-
toric region. Some communities were willing to vote funds for con-
ducting the study-an indication of advanced community thinking
and action. The fact that the study was financed independently of
the town treasuries by the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce is a
further evidence of the qualities essential to our democratic society,
namely, a sense of individual responsibility for the general good and a
high regard for education.
viii
To have carried through this work alone would have been impos-
sible. It is fitting, therefore, that we acknowledge here our appre-
ciation of the hearty coöperation given us by the several superintend-
ents of schools, by the teachers, by the members of the Hyannis
School staff, and by many others who made this study possible
through their assistance. During the conduct of the investigation,
Superintendent Galger of Barnstable died suddenly. We wish to
express our appreciation of his fine attitude of coöperation and willing-
ness to know the truth and to bear witness to the many excellencies
of the schools which were under his direction for so many years.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
The major recommendations embodied in this report arise from
conditions found in the study of the schools of twelve Cape Cod towns.
In all fairness to the towns it should be stated that much of the edu-
cation on the Cape is good, some progressive, and in some few com-
munities possibly below the level which parents of Cape children
should expect for their children. The very motives which prompted
this study-the desire to know how the Cape schools can better serve
the needs of the Cape children-is a spirit which has much to do with
the quality of Cape education. Yet there are several respects in
which the schools of Cape Cod fall below the standard to which we
should like to see them held. In these respects they are not greatly
different from other communities of Massachusetts, though probably
their problems are more difficult of a practical solution than in the
cities.
The trend in the development of public education in this country is
toward giving to every individual the type of education suited to his
needs and capacities and in harmony with social ends. Yet in most
Cape schools children are treated as if they were alike; they are put
through the same "system” of education. For some this scheme is
well adapted, for others not just what they should have, and for a
few the very sort of treatment they should not have. If one problem
is more important than any other in Cape education, it is the problem
of meeting the needs of individual children caused by their differences.
Both in elementary and secondary education is this a live problem.
Its solution lies in several directions. In part it is a problem of the
point of view and ability of the teacher; in part it is an administrative
problem; and in part, also, a problem of what values and ends the
public seeks through its schools.
Let us consider in turn each of these aspects.
To appreciate the significance of the newer point of view in edu-
cation—that education seeks to make out of every human being a
well-rounded, useful, happy person-necessitates good teachers. It
requires teachers with training, with breadth of view, and with a
love for children. Many Cape teachers meet these conditions.
ix
Such teachers can command good salaries and a few communities are
willing to pay these salaries because they have found that these
teachers are real teachers and that they give something to children
which cannot be measured in terms of money. Cape towns can and
must procure more teachers of this type.
The administrative problems connected with realizing the edu-
cational objective set up above are by no means easy to solve. They
include better supervision of the instruction and the further consoli-
dation of Cape schools. The consolidated school offers large possi-
bilities for realizing this end, because sufficiently large numbers of
children are brought together to make it possible and practicable to
meet various needs. This means new buildings and better equipped
buildings. It means also coöperation of the various Cape educational
units in providing expert supervision, in planning the offering of
schools, and in setting up this offering. "In unity there is strength
applies as much to education on Cape Cod as to war.
But not only does the attainment of this educational ideal depend
upon the teachers and upon the administration of the schools, but
also upon the public and upan the chosen representatives of the public
in educational affairs, the school committees. The public wants
good schools. Cape Cod towns can pay for the best schools without
burden. It is the duty of the school committees and superintendents
to show the public what good schools are, and to educate the public
to want as good schools for all its children as every citizen wants for
his own children. That the school committees and superintendents
may best perform their functions requires that the superintendent be
so freed from clerical duties that he may have opportunity to attack
the larger educational questions and that the school committee con-
sider only large questions of policy, leaving administrative matters to
their executive officer, the superintendent of schools. That progress
toward this ideal has been made since this study was undertaken is
shown by the recent achievements in the various towns. Most of
the towns report larger appropriations for education. In several
towns the salaries of teachers have been raised considerably. Teachers
have been added to some of the corps and new subjects placed in the
curriculum. New, consolidated schools have been completed in
Chatham and Bourne, and a new school is planned for Sandwich.
In two towns the superintendent has been given more clerical assist-
ance, thus freeing him from routine work for work of broader scope.
The chief methods by which Cape schools may be further improved
in conformance with the general objective set forth above may be
summed up under eight points. Each recommendation is arrived
at on the basis of careful study of Cape schools and is discussed fully
in the following chapters.
1. Better provisions for individual differences among children
on the part of the teacher, through administrative arrange-
ments, and through a changed conception of education on
the part of all, including the school committee and the public
X
2. Better supervision of instruction in both elementary and high
schools.
3. Thorough reorganization of secondary education on Cape
Cod.
4. Better salaries and living conditions for teachers.
5. Better, fewer, larger buildings.
6. Careful consideration of their duties by school committees
in order to serve the best interests of the public and the
schools.
7. Clerical assistance for superintendents. .
8. Consolidation wherever feasible.
This program is practicable, but it will cost money. Education in
the future will not cost less; it will cost more and more. But it will
be worth more. Its possibilities for enhancing the wealth of com-
munities and for increasing the happiness of people have scarcely
been tried. Cape Cod, by reason of its wealth and progressive
attitude in education, may well lead other communities in solving
these most perplexing problems of education.
SECTION 1. THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
1
CHAPTER I-THE CLASSIFICATION, ABILITY AND
ACHIEVEMENT OF CAPE CHILDREN
In this section the facts gathered by the Survey Staff that bear on
the placement, ability, and achievement of children are examined
critically to see what implications they hold concerning the organiza-
tion of Cape Cod schools. Taken separately, these data give an
imperfect picture of conditions. When studied in relation to each
other, however, they throw much light on actual conditions and have
mportant implications for educational workers.
THE CLASSIFICATION OF CHILDREN ACCORDING TO AGE AND GRADE
Age of Entrance to Grade One
Two-thirds or four out of six children entering Grade One are six
or six and one-half years of age. Approximately one out of six is
less than six years of age and a like proportion older than six and one-
half. Eighty-four per cent enter school by six and one-half years of
age and ninety-three per cent enter by seven years of age. A table
showing the age of entrance to Grade One in September, 1924, in the
twelve Cape towns participating in this study is given below.
TABLE 1.-Chronological Age of Entrance--Cape Cod
Age
Number
%
%
16.3
16.3
5
51
6
67.6
62
76.7
7
72
8
82
1
81
218
123
46
23
7
4
1
16.1
7
The ages of six and six and one-half years are here regarded as the
normal ages for entrance to Grade One. Thus about eighty-four per
cent of the Cape children enter Grade One during or before the normal
age. About sixteen per cent are over age at entrance aocording to
this standard. This definition of normal age is somewhat stricter
1 A child age six is one who is between five years nine months and six years
three months old; one age six and one-half is between six years three months and
six years nine months old; etc.
2
than is usually used, but is in fact fairer to children and also gives a
truer picture of conditions. Most writers prefer to call three age
groups (six, six and one-half, and seven years) the normal period for
entrance into Grade One in schools having yearly promotions. This
method really penalizes half of the children, for one-half may enter
in either one of two Septembers while still being counted normal.
The other half of the children can enter only in a particular Septem-
ber. To be fair to all, therefore, a single year span is here regarded
as the normal age of entrance. While it is true that it is not always
serious if a child enters at seven instead of at six years of age, yet a
year is saved if he enters at six: he is really one year older than he
might have been on entering Grade One. If he progresses normally
from grade to grade, he is thirteen or fourteen years old on entering
Grade Eight and nearly fourteen or fifteen on completion, depending
on whether he entered Grade One at six or at seven. Thus, if we
think in terms of his completing the elementary school, a year is
certainly a significant amount of time. An effort should be made in
every town to get most of the children to enter Grade One while six
or six and one-half years of age or before, if conditions warrant it.
The factors of health, physical maturity, and mental ability will, of
course, cause some variation in this rule.
Since only about one-sixth of all children entering Grade One were
over six and one-half years of age, the standard here proposed for
entrance to Grade One seems to have been fairly well fulfilled. Con-
siderable variation, however, occurs between the various towns. In
Falmouth thirty-three, or about one-fourth of the children, entered
at seven years old or older. Most of these were in the East Falmouth
School, ten being in the sub-primary. The mental-ability-test results
show that this late entrance may possibly be justified, but every case
of late entrance warrants investigation.
No children were reported as having entered older than age six
and one-half in Mashpee, Yarmouth, and Orleans, and only one or
two in Bourne, Chatham, and Eastham. In Dennis eleven of the
twenty-six children who entered were seven or more years of age.
The cause of this late entrance should be ascertained.
中 ​.
4 ge-Grade Study
When all the elementary school children of the Cape are grouped
together in one table according to age and grade, we have a magnified
picture of the conditions found in individual schools. This is given
in Table 2. The range in ages of pupils in Grade One is from five to
eleven years, in Grade Two from six to fourteen years, and so on. If
we disregard the extreme cases of a few individuals, the greatest spread
in ages occurs in Grades Four, Five, and Six. Since no attempt is
made in any of the Cape towns to separate groups in the same grade
according to chronological age or physical or social maturity, these
facts give a fair picture of the problem that many teachers face in
teaching in the same grade children of widely different ages and, there-
3
fore, of widely different interests. A perfect grading system ought
to consider the facts of a physical and social age in the grouping of
children. Because of the small numbers this is very difficult in many
Cape schools. Even if this is not possible, teachers should remember
that even those children found in the same grade differ widely in
age, in maturity, and in their interests. They must, therefore, be
approached differently and in many cases two groups in the same
grade and room must be appealed to in different ways.
TABLE 2.-Age-Grade Table for Twelve Cape Towns
Grades
Years
Total
I II
III
IV
V
VI VII VIII
ar
4-9 to 5-3 5
5-3 to 5-9 52
5-9 to 6-3 6
6-3 to 6-9 62
6-9 to 7-3
7-3 to 7-9 7
7-9 to 9-3 S
8-3 to 8-9 81
8-9 to 9-3 9
9-3 to 9-9 92
9-9 to 10-3 10
10–3 to 10–9 101
10-9 to 11-3 11
11-3 to 11–9 117
11-9 to 12-3 12
12–3 to 12–9 121
12-9 to 13-3 13
13-3 to 13–9 131
13–9 to 143 14
14-3 to 14–9 141
14-9 to 15-3 15
15-3 to 15–9 151
15-9 to 16-3 16
16-3 to 16–9 167
1
67
122 8
132 51
65 150 8
47 104 26
23 75 134
5 43 112
2 16 57
1 18 45
3 8 28
1 5 14
1 2 18
2 12
1 1
1 3
1
1 1
1 1
1
11 1 1
36 5
83 10
87 44 3
79 108 24
38 82 39
27 42 109
22 38 74
14 30 50
19 22
7 12 21
4 10 23
4 6 6
3 7 10
1 4
2 1 4
1
2
4
5
12
38
63
75
1
67
130
183
223
177
245
201
168.
198
254
184
213
194
173
203
154
158
92
83
54
26
11
13
47
40
30
13
11
8
3
3
2
8
14
36
58
79
44
49
38
11
7
8
Total Number
470 486 462 436 420
420 417
417 360
354
3405
The median age, the age of the middle pupil when their ages range
from low to high, in each grade is consistently somewhat greater than
one would expect to find. This is shown in Table 3. It is greatest
in Grade Four, being seven months above normal, due to the piling
up of repeaters in this grade. This indicates that, as a group, Cape
children are older for their respective grades than they should be.
This over-ageness is a general problem, but more critical in certain
schools of the Cape than in others. As explained under the dis-
cussion of the age of entrance, a high standard for normal age for
entrance to a grade aids in getting a picture of the real conditions as a
4
lower standard would not. This study considers the following ages
as normal for entrance to the various grades in the Cape schools:
Grade I six and six and one-half years
Grade II seven and seven and one-half years
Grade III eight and eight and one-half years
Grade IV nine and nine and one-half years
Grade V ten and ten and one-half years
Grade VI eleven and eleven and one-half years
Grade VII twelve and twelve and one-half years
Grade VIII — thirteen and thirteen and one-half years
TABLE 3.—Normal Median and Cape Median Chronological Ages in Each
Elementary Grade
Grade
Normal
Median
Cape
Median
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
6-3
7-3
8-3
9-3
10-3
11-3
12-3
13-3
6-5
7-5
8-6
9-10
10-6
11-6
12-8
13-7
In Grade One those pupils less than five years nine months on
September first are termed under-age for their grade. There are
sixty-eight such children in Cape schools. They are younger than
the normal group; they have a head start, so to speak, on other
children in their school careers. Children older than six years nine
months on entering Grade One are termed over-age for their grade.
There are forty-eight of these. They are older than normal children.
Where large numbers are in this group this condition is serious, be-
cause it has been found that over-age children tend to drop out of
school sooner and in a lower grade than do children of normal age,
thus receiving only a part of the benefits that they should get from
their school careers. An inspection of Table 2 will show that large
numbers are retarded, not only one-half or one year but in some
cases several years. It is realized that even in a perfectly graded
school all the children in the various grades would not fall within the
normal-age groups. There would be variations on account of the in-
fluence upon grade placement of other factors than chronological age,
such as mental age, social and moral qualities, health, and physical
development. Yet the extremely wide variation in the percentages
that are under, normal, and over age in the different grades im-
mediately suggests that something is wrong. The percentages are
shown in Table 4 below. The percentage of under-age children varies
from 7.4 per cent in Grade Three to nearly 17 per cent in Grade
5
Eight. This is as would be expected from the persistence of under-
age children in school while the group as a whole grows steadily
smaller year by year. The largest percentage of normal children is
found in Grade Three (53.2%) and the smallest in Grade Seven
(38.4%). The over-age children in Grade One constitute 31.5% of
the group, and in Grade Four 50.2% of the group. These figures
seem to indicate that Grade Four is the point where many children
meet difficulty. This condition is also true to a lesser degree of
Grades Three and Five. In Grades Four and Seven there are five
times as many children over-age as under-age. Considering that we
found only 16 per cent of the children in the present Grade One who
were over-age because of late entrance, these figures lead one to infer
that most of this over-ageness in the grades is due to non-promotion.
These facts deserve careful investigation, because they point to a
breakdown in our traditional methods of pupil classification.
TABLE 4.-Percentages of Children Under, Normal, and Over Age in the Cape
Schools
Under Age
Normal
Over Age
Grade
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
14.5
12.1
7.4
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
68
59
34
47
60
67
59
60
10.8
14.3
16.1
16.4
16.9
254
254
246
170
190
183
138
137
44.0
52.3
53.2
39.0
45.2
43.9
38.4
38.7
148
173
182
219
170
177
163
157
41.5
35.6
39.4
50.2
40.5
40.0
45.2
44.4
The Age-Grade Table in a Small School
The problem raised for the individual Cape teacher by the great
variation in chronological age is shown in the age-grade distribution of
the East Dennis School, which is not greatly unlike that of many
other Cape schools. Three children in Grade One have chronological
ages of six and one-half, eight and one-half, and ten y:ears respectively;
three in Grade Two of six and one-half, seven, and nine and one-half
years, and three in Grade Three of eight, eleven, and fourteen years.
In these three grades the ages range from those normal for Grade One
to those normal for the first grade in the high school. The range
in Grades Four and Five is much less.
The problem in this particular school is somewhat less acute than
in many schools because there are only sixteen children. This small
number of pupils gives time for much individual work which must
certainly be needed where the variation in chronological age is so
great. Under a skillful teacher the opportunities afforded for in-
dividual rapid progress would seem to be great in such a school.
To make the most of this splendid opportunity, however, the teacher
6
TABLE 5.--Age-Grade Table for the East Dennis School
Grades
Years
Total
I II
III
IV
V
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
6–3 to 6-9 62
6-9 to 7-3 7
7-3 to 7-9 71
7-9 to 8-3 8
8-3 to 8-9 81
8-9 to 9-3 9
9-3 to 9-9 91
9-9 to 10-3 10
10-3 to 10-9 101
10-9 to 11-3 11
11-3 to 11-9 11
11-9 to 12-3 12
12–3 to 12-9 121
12-9 to 13-3 13
13-3 to 13-9 131
13-9 to 14-3 14
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
Total
3
3
3
3
4
16
must be awake to the possibilities, must think in terms of pupil
achievement rather than formal grade instruction, and must inspire
the children with a zeal to learn.
An Age-Grade Distribution of a Large Cape School
The Sagamore School may be taken as one of the larger elementary
schools of the Cape. The age-grade distribution is given below in
Table 6. The spread in age in the several grades is not nearly as
large in this school as in some other schools of the Cape, but never-
theless shows the serious problem presented by the school having one
grade to the room. Here the range in ages is greatest in Grades
Four, Five, and Six. The fourth grade contains children ranging
from eight years to fifteen and one-half years. Granting that many
of these children may be well grouped according to mental age, it
would seem as if some of them must be social misfits in a fourth-grade
room. But these older children cannot be placed in groups with
fifth or sixth-grade children for some of the school activities because
there is but one grade in the room. The influence of these older
children upon younger ones in single-graded rooms is often not the
best.
The practice of dividing up a grade into several divisions, which
was found even in many of the small rural Cape elementary schools,
is to be heartily commended. This is an indication that teachers
are considering the progress of individual pupils. In schools such
as the Sagamore School, however, where there is but one grade to
each room, the opportunities for children of exceptional ability to
7
break the lock-step system of being in one grade a year is rather
remote. Many graded schools are meeting this problem by placing
two grades in each room. This allows children to advance, to make
up work, or to drop back a half year.
TABLE 6.-Age-Grade Table for the Sagamore School
Grades
Years
Total
I II III IV V VI VII VIII
COVO
7
17
2 5
1 5
3 12
3
2
arh CO COOK
3
8
9
5-3 to 5-9 52
5-9 to 6-3 6
6-3 to 6-9 61
6-9 to 7-3 7
7-3 to 7-9 71
7-9 to 8-3 8
8-3 to 8-9 81
8-9 to 9-3 9
9–3 to 9-9 91
9-9 to 10-3 10
10-3 to 10-9 101
10-9 to 11-3 11
11-3 to 11–9 117
11-9 to 12-3 12
12-3 to 12–9 121.
12-9 to 13-3 13
13-3 to 13–9 131
13-9 to 14-3 14
14-3 to 14–9 141
14-9 to 15-3 15
15-3 to 15–9 151
15-9 to 16-3 16
16-3 to 16–9 167
1
7
17
7
6
16
14
13
12
16
19
9
12
18
14
14
9
9
1
4
4
7
1
6
6
1
4
1
2
7
7
4
1
2
2
4
2
9
2
3
4
HA CON
1
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
1
1
1
Total
30 31
35 29
30 27
25
19
226
The Significance of the Age-Grade Table
The age-grade table is a very rough measure. It has the ad-
vantage of telling us that something is wrong, or at least of indicating
a departure from the ordinary, in a particular situation. Further in-
vestigation is necessary to point out just where the trouble lies.
The age of a child is but one of the factors that determine his grade
or class placement. Others that have been referred to are his mental
age, his relative brightness, his physiological age, his social and moral
development, and his educational attainment.
THE TESTING PROGRAM
Through the testing program in the elementary schools we have a
description of the children in the Cape towns in terms of impartial
measuring instruments. These measuring instruments, known as
8
ability tests and educational tests, are used to gauge academic in-
telligence and educational attainment respectively. They yield
results which are not influenced by friendship, family ties, local
patriotism, or any form of prejudice. They are not perfect measuring
instruments, but have been found to be much more dependable than
the subjective judgments of teachers.
Tests 1 were given in forty elementary schools of the Cape. Some-
what more than three thousand pupils were tested. The testing was
done by selected representatives from the schools-superintendents,
principals, supervisors, and teachers who were trained at the Hyannis
Normal School-on two successive Saturdays in April, 1925, by four
staff members of the Psycho-Educational Clinic of Harvard Uni-
versity under the direction of Professor Shaw. The examiners were
given practical experience in the administration of the tests and were
constructively criticised as to test technique. The tests were given
in the schools beginning Monday, April 27, 1925, and the testing
was completed approximately within the next two weeks. The test
papers were sent to the Psycho-Educational Clinic, where they were
scored and tabulated by specially trained workers.
THE MEASUREMENT OF ABILITY
A leading objective in any measurement program is the evaluation
of achievement. Achievement involves two main elements, ability
and attainment. Fairness requires that both these elements be taken
into account in evaluating the work either of children or of teachers.
Desirable conditions exist whenever the work done equals that
characteristic of a large number of other children of similar mental
level. To ascertain the quantity and quality of the school work
being done requires the giving of intelligence tests. In this study the
terms ability, mental level, capacity, and intelligence are taken to be
synonymous.
The ability of the elementary school children of the Cape was
measured by the Dearborn Group Tests of Intelligence, which have
been used with success in numerous surveys. In the series of tests
for Grades Four to Twelve inclusive approximately one-half of the
test elements depend upon the child's ability in language, and half
do not depend upon language. In the primary series only the under-
standing of simple oral directions is required; the series does not
depend upon written language and but little scholastic information.
1 The following tests were used in the elementary schools:
Dearborn Group Tests of Intelligence
Series I-A. Grades I-III inclusive.
Series II-C. Grades IV-VIII inclusive.
Peet-Dearborn Progress Tests in Arithmetic
Primary and Intermediate. Grades I-V inclusive.
Upper Grade Series. Grades VI-VIII inclusive.
Ayres Burgess Scale of Measuring Ability in Silent Reading
Grades III-VIII inclusive.
9
Comparison of results with the Dearborn Group Tests and Binet
Individual Tests of Intelligence show that there is a close correspond-
ence. It is safe to say that testing the large numbers of children by
individual Binet Tests would not give substantially different results
from those secured in this testing program. In other words, there
is a high degree of probability that a child scoring a certain mental
age by the methods used in this study would have secured the same
rating if tested individually. Thus, while it is not certain that the
score of each child represents the best measure of his ability, unless
he is given three separate testings, the results are dependable with
respect to a group, since the deviations of the individual scores from
the true score tend to counteract each other. The impracticability
of a program of individual testing with the time and funds available
for this study, as well as the reliability of the results secured, indicates
the wisdom of the methods used.
It is also well to make explicit the fact that intelligence tests make
no pretense of measuring either character traits or mechanical ability.
They do measure reasonably well innate learning capacity, which of
course is a very important factor in school success. The results of
intelligence tests are to be used merely as one source of information
and are to be supplemented by such additional information as may
be obtained from all other pertinent competent sources.
Mental Age-Grade Distribution for the Cape
A distribution of the mental ages of Cape children according to
grade is given in Table 7. If it is assumed that a first-grade child
should have a mental ability equal to the average child between six
and seven years of age, then in May, when the tests were given, first-
grade children should have montal ages eight months older, or be-
tween six years eight months and seven years eight months. We
would expect to find that the average child in May had a mental age
of approximately seven years two months. The norms for Grade
Two would be one year greater than those for Grade One. The
mental age-grade table is not strictly comparable with the chrono-
logical age-grade table, because the normal age for entering various
grades is just three months greater in the mental age-grade table
than in the chronological age-grade table. Comparisons can, never-
theless, be made if it is kept in mind that the mental age-grade table
is somewhat more lenient than the other.
As in the chronological age-grade scale, only a one-year span is
considered normal in the mental age-grade table. Those children
below this normal interval have a lower mental age for their grade
than the average; those above the normal interval, a mental age
greater than is necessary to do the work of the grade. Thus in
Grade Two the range in mental age is from five years eight months
to fourteen years eight months, or from ability scarcely great enough
to do first-grade work to that equal to the average seventh-grade
child. The range in Grade Two is by no means unusual. Only
10
Grade Four is less than in Grade Two, being seven and one-half years,
while in four grades the range is greater. The range of ages in Grades
Five and Six is eleven mental years. It would be difficult to show
that the other factors affecting grade placement (chronological age,
physical age, health, educational attainment, social maturity, etc.)
are of sufficient weight to cause this wide range in mental ability in
each grade. Assuming that a variation of a half year in mental age
TABLE 7.—Mental Age-Grade Table for Twelve Cape Towns-Elementary
Grades
Ages
Total
I II
III
IV
y
VI
VII
VIII
1
4
13
24
71
71
128
70
58
14
8
2
1
1
2
10
24
59
79
99
53
10
31
4-2 to 4-8
4-8 to 5-2
5-2 to 5-8
5-8 to 6-2
6-2 to 6-8
6-8 to 7-2
7-2 to 7-8
7-8 to 8–2
8–2 to 8-8
8-8 to 9–2
9-2 to 9-8
9–8 to 10-2
10–2 to 10-8
10-8 to 11-2
11-2 to 11-8
11--8 to 12-2
12-2 to 12-8
12-8 to 13-2
13-2 to 13-8
13-8 to 142
14-2 to 14-8
14-8 to 15-2
15-2 to 15-8
15-8 to 16-2
16-2 to 16--8
16-8 to 17-2
17-2 to 17-8
17-8 to 18-2
18-2 to 18-8
18-8 to 19-2
5
9
29
53
40
51
45
52
42
43
22
9
12
6
5
3
27
22
13
11
3
1
1
అలాలులు
3
6
22
35
62
50
54
50
48
23
26
10
5
7
5
9
11
20
43
31
49
44
46
45
30
32
7
5
7
6
IA rar
1
4
13
26
81
103
203
211
263
204
206
195
233
220
184
201
156
143
111
98
89
58
1
2
4 3
2
14 7
28 5
39 15
33 24
28 19
51 31
51 31
33 30
29 32
18 32
13 30
10 16
7 10
8 15
4 11
3 6
1 3
1 1
2
NHA E CU
1
14
23
24
28
26
31
35
26
20
21
16
11
7
3
2
1
1
38
1
1
45
31
21
11
5
2
2
1
Total
Median
3158
468 442 427 406 387 388 324 316
7-4 8-5 10-09-11 11-0 12-0 13-1 13–11
from the normal is of little consequence, there are still large propor-
tions in each grade who are unsuited mentally to the work. By these
standards nearly a half (49%) of the children in Grade Three have
mental ability great enough to do the work of more advanced grades.
This same condition is present to a lesser degree in all of the other
grades.
11
The median mental ages found in each grade are presented in
Table 8. It will be seen that the median mental ages of Cape children
TABLE 8.-Cape Cod Median Mental Ages for Each Elementary Grade
Theoretical
Median
Grade
Cape
Median
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
7.2
8.2
9.2
10.2
11.2
12.2
13.2
14.2
7.4
8.5
10.0
9.11
11.0
12.0
13.1
13.10
in Grades One, Two, and Three are slightly greater than those we
would expect to find. The median mental ages for the succeeding
grades are below the theoretical median. Since these medians
represent the middle age when the scores for each grade are arranged
from high to low, the lower-grade children run somewhat older
mentally than do the upper-grade children.
The variation from the theoretical mean is greatest in the third
and fourth grades; in the third grade the median mental age is ten
months above and in the fourth grade seven months below the
theoretical median, which points to a somewhat anomalous situation
in these grades. The finding can possibly be explained by the
presence in the third grade of an unusually large number of children
who are brighter than the average and in the fourth grade by an
excess of those who are duller than the average. Some support for
this surmise is afforded by the fact that in the fourth grade the
children are on the average four months over-age chronologically,
whereas in all the other grades the actual life age is within a month or
so of the expected age. A similar difference is found between these
grades in the scores in arithmetic, especially in the arithmetical
problems (which test much the same abilities as the intelligence
tests) and to a less extent in the scores in reading; in each case the
fourth grade is the farthest below the standards and the third grade
nearer the standards.
There is probably one other factor which enters into this situation:
namely, the different performance which is to be expected from the
foreign-born children or the children of foreign-born parentage in the
two series of intelligence tests which have been used. General Ex-
amination A, which was given in Grades One to Three, is a non-
verbal test requiring only the understanding of simple directions but
no language in the responses. General Examination C, which was
given in Grades Four to Eight, is a partly verbal and partly non-
verbal test. The foreign children would do relatively better in the
12
non-verbal test, and relatively poorer in the verbal test. An inde-
pendent study which has been made by a member of the Staff, but
which because of its special nature has not been included in this
report, of the performance of the Portuguese children entirely supports
this explanation, and the number of these children in the Cape
schools is sufficiently large to have raised the scores somewhat more
in the first three grades and to have lowered them somewhat more in
Grades Four and above, than would be the case but for this factor.
Examining now the mentally under age children, we find an in-
creasing proportion as we go up in the grades. Not including those
retarded a half-year or less, we find thirty-six, or less than nine per
cent, mentally under-age in Grade Two, and one hundred and thirty-
seven or forty-three per cent who are mentally under-age in Grade
Eight. It should be stated in this connection that a year under-age
mentally at the age of six is approximately as great as two years at
the age of twelve. Therefore, the normal mental age span does not
have an identical significance at the various ages. For this reason
the percentages under and over age mentally are not given. Making
very liberal allowance for all these factors, however, the large numbers
of children with mental ages above and below the grades in which
they are located is sufficient to raise an important question. Are
the methods of classification of children used in the schools of the
Cape just to the individual? Do these methods, which seem to
treat both bright and dull alike, favor the dull or the brilliant? Some
of the data in Table 7 would seem to indicate that the general rule
is to favor the dull and let the brilliant take care of themselves. If
this is not so, how can the presence of twenty-seven children in
Grade Three with mental ability sufficient to be doing average
seventh-grade work or better be justified? It must not be inferred
that this condition is peculiar to Cape Cod schools. They are not
worse in this respect than those of many communities and in some
respects possibly better. The facts bring out very forcibly the
necessity for a change in classification of children--a change that will
give each individual an opportunity to make the most of his abilities
and not be held back because of tradition or administrative difficulties.
Later on in this report a method of attacking this problem is pre-
sented which considers the individual from all angles as to his fitness
for placement in a particular grade.
Mental Age in Individual Schools
A study of a few of the schools of the Cape will show the problems
that confront the teachers and principals of schools.
The mental age-grade distribution for the Orleans schools is given
in Table 9. It is typical of many other schools of the Cape. There
are four classes in the school, two grades to each class.' In Grade
One there are five children whose mental capacity is sufficient to do
third-grade work or better; in Grade Six four children have mental
ages equal to that of high school students. On the other hand, there
13
are quite a large number of children in Grades Five, Six, Seven, and
Eight whose mental age is not sufficient to warrant their being in
these grades. Such variation in mental age causes problems for
every teacher, since the brightest children are obviously not taxed
to their ability while the dull children are often attempting work
beyond their capacity and learning habits of failure with their at-
tendant bad effect upon their mental life. That so great a share
of the effort of the teacher should be devoted to dull children at the
TABLE 9.—Mental Age-Grade Table for the Town of Orleans
Grades
Ages
Total
Room 1
I II
Room 2
III IV
Room 3
V VI
Room 4
VII
VIII
ܟܬ ܟ ܟ ܠܙ ܟ
2
4 2
4
1
1 3
2 1
1
1
1
2
2
3
1
2
2
1
3
12
7
13
10
7
1
2
1
3
3
2
12
6-2 to 6-8
6-8 to 7-2
7-2 to 7-8
7-8 to 8–2
8-2 to 8-8
8-8 to 9-2
9-2 to 9-8
9-8 to 10-2
10-2 to 10-8
10-8 to 11-2
11–2 to 11–8
11-8 to 12-2
12-2 to 12-8
12-8 to 13–2
13-2 to 13-8
13-8 to 14-2
14-2 to 14-8
14-8 to 15-2
15-2 to 15-8
15-8 to 16-2
16--2 to 16-8
16-8 to 17-2
17-2 to 17-8
17-8 to 18-2
1
2
3
1
1
3
2
1
1
2
1 1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1 2
4
2
1
1
1
1
11
3
7
12
5
2
1
1
1
1
2
4
1
2
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
. 1
Total
24 13
15
18
14 20
21
11
136
expense of the bright is to be deplored, but this is just what our
present system of grade organization does. The opportunities for
bettering this condition, however, are great, especially in classes
having more than one grade. Children may be allowed to do work
in more than one grade, thus gaining a year. Careful study of in-
dividual children and better articulation between rooms would also
lessen the gap caused by a change of teachers. With the small
numbers in their classes Cape teachers can certainly find time to
study and assist individuals. The graded system must not become
a lock-step system in which talent is neglected.
14
THE BRIGHTNESS OF CAPE CHILDREN
In Table 10 is shown the distribution of intelligence quotients for
all of the schools taken as a group. An intelligence quotient is an
index of brightness and may be interpreted to mean either that an
TABLE 10.-Dearborn Intelligence Quotients for Twelve Cape Towns
Series I-A
Series II-C
I. Q.
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
တ
60- 69
70- 79
80- 90
90- 99
100-109
110-119
120-129
130-139
140-149
18
64
116
98
99
41
12
11
11
25
57
89
103
63
44
9
20
51
83
72
75
52
34
24
37
48
75
96
72
35
24
8
6
33
44
51
79
73
59
24
15
45
65
82
76
41
25
20
7
12
32
50
63
50
31
32
11
5
25
56
79
59
45
24
7
22
19
Cases
Median
467
1.03
433
1.03
420
1.07
401
.94
377
.97
376
.98
286
.98
300
.98
individual is more or less bright than a normal individual, or that an
individual's mental growth each year bears a certain ratio to that of
a normal individual. Intelligence quotients ranging from 90 to
110 are termed normal. From the distribution it is seen that the
median intelligence quotient of every grade is normal. A summary
of the results for all of the grades shows that 856 children or 28 per
cent of all are not as bright as are normal children; 1290 or 42 per
cent of all are of normal brightness; while 914 or 30 per cent of all
TABLE 11.—Numbers and Proportions in Each Grade of Less than Normal,
Normal, and Greater than Normal
Grades
Less Bright than
Normal
Brighter than
Normal
Normal
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
90
93
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
35
34
44
18
80
160
128
125
94
86
19
22
19
40
34
33
33
29
214
192
155
168
152
158
113
138
46
44
37
42
40
42
39
46
163
148
185
73
97
93
79
76
26
25
28
25
Total
856
28
1290
42
914
30
15
are brighter than normal children. These proportions vary some-
what from those found in various other studies. If anything, the
per cent of normal brightness is somewhat smaller than other studies
have shown, indicating that there are possibly slightly larger pro-
portions of dull and bright children on the Cape. These proportions
and those for each of the grades are given in Table 11.
The Significance of the Intelligence Quotient
An intelligence quotient is a very significant educational guide.
Through its use further adjustments may be made to handle ade-
quately individual differences. It aids in determining the proper rate
of progress for children in passing through the grades—some to do four
years of work in four years, while others should be allowed five or
more years for four years of work and should be commended for doing
it in that time. The use of the intelligence quotient further aids in
broadly determining the character of the subject matter to be taught
to the children and the broader aspects of the methods to be used in
the instruction. According as the intelligence quotients are low,
the subject matter and the method of instruction should be simple,
predominantly concrete, and should involve many, many cheerful
repetitions. According as the intelligence quotients are high, the
subject matter and the method of instruction may properly be com-
plex, abstract, and"rapid fire” going over the subject matter but once.
Normal intelligence quotients call for an intermingling of subject
matter and methods of instruction appropriate to the extremes.
An important use of the intelligence quotient is to make such ad-
justments of the standards of educational tests as will make them
more just when applied to the children of any specific grade. The
standard of the educational test multiplied by the median intelligence
quotient of any specific class gives the class standard. This gives
fairer treatment than does the unadjusted standard, because with a
class whose intelligence quotient is above the average the standard
is correspondingly raised. A teacher's work is thus more justly ap-
praised by administrative officials. This is a variant form of the
achievement quotient and its use in making comparisons between
grades, schools, and school systems assumes, as has been pointed
out, that the children started in school at the same age, studied the
same subjects, and were taught by teachers of equal ability who used
the same methods of instruction. Allowance must be made for any
outstanding variations from this assumed underlying uniformity of
educational opportunity.
A further use which may be made of intelligence quotients is in
identifying special-class children for removal from the regular grades.
These are the children at the extremes of an intelligence quotient
distribution, namely, the very dull and the very bright. Special
classes should be formed where such children are present in sufficient
numbers to justify the added expenditure of school money. The
work being carried on at the Teaticket Training School in Falmouth
16
is an excellent example of special classes for dull children. The re-
sults of the tests in this school show that every child is properly placed.
The teachers and school officials who are responsible for this school
are to be highly commended. Other towns should establish schools
of this kind. While the cost is considerably greater than the ordinary
type of school, the results are worth the difference to the child and
to the community. Such expenditure for education is an invest-
ment that yields high returns to the community both from an eco-
nomic standpoint and in terms of successful, happy citizens.
As yet no class has been started for very bright children. This
phase should not be neglected, however, for the results of the tests
show that in several communities there is a sufficient number of
pupils of very high intelligence quotients to warrant a special class
for bright children.
The distributions of the intelligence quotients in the Falmouth
Village, Bournedale, and Mashpee schools are given below. Schools
of varying sizes were selected in order to show the problem with
different numbers.
The Falmouth Village School is one of the largest graded schools on
the Cape. Table 12 shows the distribution of the I. Q.'s. The range
TABLE 12.-Intelligence Quotients by Grades for Falmouth Village
I. Q.
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
Total
1
1
2
1
1
2
55-59
60- 64
65- 69
70- 74
75-79
80- 84
85- 89
90- 94
95- 99
100-104
105-109
110-114
115-119
120-124
125-129
130-134
135-139
140-144
145-149
150-154
155-159
ORNO or CO Cror OLA
1
3
2
1
4
3
3
3
8
4
5
NNForNUTIA PEN
2
2
1
7
3
3
6
3
2
1
2
4
6
9
16
18
25
27
31
22
28
17
14
7
11
9
NNNFH or HA CONQUIA
NNIA W or NNWHA or
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1.
Total
51
40
37
39
38
53
258
is smallest in Grade One, being from 80 to 134. It is greatest in
Grade Five, from 60 to 159. Since the I. Q. designates the rate of
learning or the speed at which a child can go in his school work, the
17
problem for each grade teacher in instructing children differing by
as much as 75 to 100 points in I. Q. is serious. Some one must be
slighted; usually it is the bright child.
The other two tables, that for Bournedale and that for Mashpee,
show the same problem of the great difference in speed of learning
TABLE 13.—Intelligence Quotients by Grades for Bournedale
I. Q.
I
II
III
IV
V
Total
2
1
1
2
2
2
3
1
1
1
1 1
2
75- 79
80- 84
85- 89
90- 94
95- 99
100-104
105-109
110-114
115-119
120-124
125-129
130-134
135-139
140-144
145-149
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Total
4
1
7
2
14
of the children of each grade. In the case of the low I.Q.'s below 70
there is a serious question whether these should be taught in the
regular grades. In the larger schools like Falmouth Village where
there is a sufficient number, a special class may be the best solution.
TABLE 14.-Intelligence Quotients by Grades for the Town of Mashpee
I. Q.
I II III IV V VI VII VIII
Total
1
1
2
1 1
1
3
2
55- 59
60- 64
65- 69
70- 74
75– 79
80- 84
85– 89
90- 94
95- 99
100-104
105-109
110-114
115-119
120-124
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
2 1
2 1
1 2
1
1
1
1
1 1
1
1
1
fra NNHALA OT OTA ON OON
1
1
1
1
2
1
Total
7 4
8 4 8 7
8 7 6
3
43
18
Even in this school, however, the number of such children will hardly
warrant the full time of a special teacher. In the small schools it
should be recognized that it is not fair to expect such pupils to keep
up with regular class work. They should form a section or division
by themselves and be given work suited to their mental level.
ACHIEVEMENT IN ARITHMETIC
The Peet-Dearborn Arithmetic Test was given to practically all
Cape children in the elementary grades. Since this test has been
standardized with many children in other school systems, it serves
as a satisfactory means for the comparison of Cape achievement with
that of other communities or with the average."
To illustrate the general nature of this test, selections from the
problems of the test given to Grades One to Five are shown below.
Test I. Problems.
Draw little rings in the long box to show how many
pennies you can get for a nickel.
How much must be put with 2 quarters and 3 dimes to
make a dollar?
A boy works one afternoon from half-past two until
quarter to five. At the rate of 20 cents an hour how much
money should he receive?
The advanced form of the test given in Grades Six, Seven, and
Eight is similar in nature, but the problems are correspondingly
harder.
Scores are computed on two bases: first, on the basis of the number
of problems the child works correctly, and second, on the basis of his
average score in the fundamentals and problems. Thus we have in
the first a rough measure of the child's achievement in problems apart
from the average of his arithmetic attainment.
Results for the Cape
The combined results from all Cape elementary schools are shown
in Table 15. The first of the two columns under each grade refers
to the results on the problem test; the second column is the average
of the five sub-tests which comprise the complete test. The middle
(median) score in each grade, which is the best single measure for the
grade, is given at the foot of each column, along with the standard,
or average, found by giving the test to many children in other school
systems. The number in heavy type in each column is the group
that contains the middle case.
The results for the Cape as a whole when grouped together are
below standard in every grade except Grade Six. In no instance,
however, is the median for any grade as low as the standard for the
preceding grade. This is a good sign, for it shows that the work of
each grade is, in general, adapted to the grade.
19
TABLE 15.—Peet-Dearborn Arithmetic Scores
I
Pb. Av.
IT
Pb. Av.
III
IV
V
Pb. Ay. | Pb. Av. | Pb.
Ay.
VI
Pb. Av.
VII
Pb. Av.
VIII
Pb. Av.
Score
2
6
1
1
2
4
сл не
1
89
54
13
8 44
27 82
57 88
83 102
92
107 46
61 15
22 7
1
4
2 1
1 7
15 20
34 47
42
64 91
79 105
51 77
60 23
45
12
31 2
11 1
3
2
19
52
57
58
61
54
51
28
13
6
1
2
2
10
21
39
88
84
79
64
28
2
2
3
12
18
28
59
52
63
59
51
31
11
6
1
3
11
23
54
82
95
91
29
6
3
14
9
24
32
48
56
62
54
47
26
8
1
4
1
12
27
63
95
67
66
36
8
1
0-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70–74
75-79
80-84
85-89
90-94
95-99
100-104
105-109
110-114
36
47
5
36
44
11
36
21
2
29
10
2
9
2
21
3
23
33
32
35
44
28
23
18
14
19
10
16
32
3
28
27
11
15
17
4.
36
4
2
14
10
6
3
5
4
1
13
17
17
18
23
16
27
27
25
21
11
10
3
4
7
22
1
15
16
4
21
26
2
24
8
9
17
11
6
7
20
7
2
13
15
24
19
21
20
25
22
22
14
13
10
2
1
2
1
ONO
1
1
1
2
5
1
475 474
4.7 3.2
5.0 3.5
440 440
6.8 6.0
7.5 6.1
419 419
9.2 8.6
9.3
9.3
396 396
10.4 10.2
11.3 11.2
384 381
12.1 11.9
12.7 12.7
313 313 240 240
28.6 40.8 36.0 51.5
22.0 33.8 40.953.3
231 231
50.3 53.4
55.9 65.3
5.2
3.6
7.7
6.3
9.9
9.9
10.6 10.5
12.3 12.3
21.6 33.2 | 40.1 52.2
54.8 64.0
Score
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Cases
Median
Standard
Cape Cod
Standard
Intelligence
Quotients
1.03
1.03
1.07
.94
.97
.98
.98
.98
20
In order to take account of the difference in intelligence among
Cape children, the median Cape intelligence quotient in each grade
is multiplied by the standards in arithmetic for that grade. We may
term this the Cape Cod standard. This standard in fairness expects
grades whose median I. Q. is above 100, the normal, to do better in
arithmetic than is ordinarily done, and those grades whose I. Q. is
below 100 not to do quite as good work. This change of standard to
accord with the median intelligence of Cape children places Grades
One to Three even further below standard, but brings standards for
the other grades nearer the Cape performance. Nevertheless, every
grade is below the Cape Cod standard, except Grade Six, in both
problems and the average of the various arithmetical operations.
The results in each town by grades show considerable variation
from the combined figures of all towns. Table 16 gives the median
TABLE 16.-Average Median Score on the Peet-Dearborn Arithmetic Test
in Two Cape Cod Towns
Town
Grade
I
II
III
IV
y
VI
VII
VIII
A
B
Cape Cod Standard
4.0
3.0
3.6
7.6
5.3
6.3
10.3
8.5
9.9
11.3
9.3
10.5
14.2
11.3
12.3
37.5
38.3
33.8
58.8
47.3
53.3
61.3
37.5
65.3
results in two towns together with the Cape Cod standard. Town A
is somewhat above the Cape standard in every grade except Grade
Eight. Town B is below standard in every grade except Grade Six.
These scores are the scores on the middle paper when arranged from
high to low. This means as many persons received scores higher
than these as received scores that were lower.
The following general conclusions may be deduced from a study
of the median scores by towns:
1. Children did much better in arithmetic tests in some towns than
in others.
2. All towns except one show a consistent increase in score from
grade to grade.
3. More scores below standard were found in Grade Eight and
Grade Four than in any other grades. The median score
(average of all problems) in Grade Six was above standard in
nine towns.
4. The greatest variation in median scores was found in Grade One.
This probably denotes a variety of policies in the teaching of
arithmetic in this grade.
1 These are not published in this report, but are on file at the library of the
Graduate School of Education, Harvard University.
I
21
A study of the arithmetic test results by individual schools
and grades shows a wide range of achievement in every grade in
every school. It is not uncommon to find children in the same grade
ranging, in Grade Four, for instance, from Grade-Two performance
to high Grade-Five performance, and in Grade Eight between twenty
and ninety points. This seems to indicate a wide range of achieve-
ment in arithmetic within each class. It is possible that many of
those pupils achieving a high level in arithmetic for their grade
might be excused from much of the work or allowed to study arith-
metic with a higher grade. The great variation in arithmetic achieve-
ment points again to the need for better methods of grading pupils
and for more emphasis on individual needs.
It is to the credit of the Cape schools, however, to find that there
is but little variation between the medians for various grades or classes
and the standard. Even in classes of very small numbers, the middle
score is almost invariably close to the standard. Moreover, the rise
in scores from grade to grade is quite regular in almost every class.
Only in the case of a few schools is irregularity evident, and in these
cases it may well be due to the ability of the groups.
ACHIEVEMENT IN READING
Over 2100 children in Grades Three to Eight in Cape Cod schools
were given a test in silent reading comprehension, the Burgess Picture
Supplement, Scale 2. This scale consists of twenty paragraphs of
equal difficulty and twenty pictures. The paragraphs give instruc-
tions to be followed by the person taking the test in making rough
drawings on the picture. If instructions are followed, credit is given
for having read the paragraph and understood what it means. The
test is a speed test. A sample of one of the tests is given below.
"Here is a picture of a girl's head. Take your pencil and
quickly draw a circle around the picture, to make a frame for
it. Do not spend time trying to make a very good circle; but
draw it quickly the first time; and then go on and read what the
next paragraph tells you to do."
The combined results for all towns are given in Table 17. The
standard medians are adjusted in accordance with the median in-
telligence quotient, as was explained in the section on arithmetic
achievement. In comparing these scores it should be borne in mind
that the tests were given in May and the standards are for February
first. Cape children, then, should really do somewhat better on the
average than the standard.
The median score in Grades Three and Four is below both the stand-
ard and the Cape standard. In the other grades the median score
is above both standards. In terms of average achievement the
children of Grades Five to Eighť are up to standard.
22
TABLE 17.—Reading Burgess Picture Supplement-Scale 2
Grades
Paragraphs Read
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
1
0
1
2
3
21
32
61
59
56
40
33
36
28
23
7
17
25
42
53
40
48
40
33
28
19
17
10
8
6
1
1
2
4
12
19
26
36
39
41
36
37
25
37
26
11
9
10
3
2
3
1
3
7
12
20
32
38
43
43
33
22
34
vorcocs
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
2
2
3
6
18
23
29
34
50
25
33
23
11
14
13
9
7
2
1
6
6
26
21
27
37
28
31
42
17
13
20
6
6
1
4
24
1
1
13
13
8
6
1
5
2
1
2
Cases
Median
Standard
424
4.7
5
396
6.3
7
379
8.3
8
359
9.6
9
304
10.7
10
295
11.7
11
Cape Cod Standards
5.4
6.6
7.8
8.8
9.8
10.8
Intelligence Quotients
1.07
.94
.97
.98
.98
.98
The spread of reading achievement in each grade, however, is con-
siderable. In Grade Three, for example, there are 86 children whose
accomplishment equals or exceeds the standard for Grade Six. In
Grade Seven there are 54 children who are below the median for
Grade Five in attainment. Though this condition is general in most
school systems, it is not ideal and shows definitely that a sound
policy of grading has not been used. Results on this test from many
different school systems show that about 54 per cent of the pupils
test within two paragraphs of their grade room. About 23 per cent
test above this and an equal proportion below. The percentage of
Cape children of Grades Three, Four, Five and Six testing within two
paragraphs of the norm is lower than 54 per cent. In Grades Seven
and Eight the proportion is higher. In Grade Four, 36 per cent test
below this span as compared with the usual finding of 23 per cent.
Not only is reading achievement low in Grade Four, but the range
as indicated by these figures is greater than usual.
In seven towns the town medians are below the standard for Grades
Three, Four, and Five. Only one town median is below standard
23
in Grade Seven. In one town the Grade Six median is less than the
standard performance of Grade Three. In another town the Grade
Four median is nearly up to the standard for Grade Seven. These
facts tend to confirm the view that achievement in the lower grades
does not measure up to standard and that the range in reading ability
varies greatly in the same grade.
As in the case of arithmetic achievement the range of reading
achievement within a single class is great. Often a teacher will have
in the same grade certain children who differ by as much as seven
or eight paragraphs, or from below average third-grade ability to high
eighth-grade attainment.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The study of each bit of evidence presented in this section of the
report has pointed definitely to the need for better classification of
children. Children are placed into supposedly homogeneous groups,
called grades, in order to make their instruction more effective. Yet
by any test we have held them to, these groups are far from homo-
geneous. In every group we find children too old and too young for
their grade chronologically, too old and too young mentally, of vary-
ing degrees of brightness, and with attainment in arithmetic and
reading equal to that found in several grades. The chief need seems
to be to make adjustments that will care for individual differences
in mental ability, particularly with respect to the extreme cases of
those who are very dull or bright. This may be done in five ways:
1. Through changes in grade placement.
2. Through differential rates of progress for different ability groups.
3. Through the formation of special classes.
4. Through different methods of teaching.
5. Through summer instruction for certain groups of children.
Further Testing Necessary
Before very extensive changes in the grade placement of children
are made, further testing should be done in order to check up on the
results for individuals. Group tests of intelligence should be given
at least twice and preferably three times in order to be sure of the
results for individual pupils. Subject-matter tests in other subjects
than arithmetic should be given. With these objective measures at
hand a most thorough classification of children can be made.
The question as to whether a general and extensive re-classification
should follow a testing program or whether the re-classification should
be gradual or continuous is raised. Undoubtedly some of the Cape
towns need a most thorough re-classification. But it should be con-
tinuous. In the smaller schools especially the groups adopted should
be most flexible.
24
1
6
7
8
Changes in Grade Placement
The first step in readjusting schools adequately to care for in-
dividual differences in the children is to identify the children whose
mental ages are not appropriate to the grades in which they are placed.
Almost half of the children in the schools of the Cape are wrongly
graded in respect to mental ability. Examination by representatives
of the Cape school authorities of the mental test papers on file in the
Harvard Graduate School of Education will aid in identifying these
children. This information, supplemented by a knowledge of their
educational test results, of their ordinary school marks, and of the
teacher's judgment of the children, will usually be sufficient to make
a correct grade placement. For this purpose the grades are to be
objectively defined in terms of mental age and educational test
standards. For instance, the last three grades of elementary school
might be defined as follows:
Arithmetic
Grade 1
Mental Ages
Problems Processes
Reading
11-6 to 12-6
22.0
33.8
9
12-6 to 13-6
40.9
53.3
10
8
13–6 to 14-6
55.9
65.3
11
Any child would properly be a sixth-grade child whose mental age
is somewhere between 11-6 and 12-6 (allowing a one-year range of
mental age), whose arithmetical attainment is such that he correctly
solves text problems valued at 22.0 and problems in the fundamental
processes valued at 33.8, and whose reading attainment is such that
he reads correctly nine paragraphs. These figures, of course, pertain
to the tests which were used in the present survey.
The child who would test at these exact points is rare. Children
differ considerably and always will. But there is probably a best
group for him to be placed in. To get a picture of the individual child
for purposes of most effective classification, numerous charts have
been devised. The chart used in Providence, printed below, shows
how they are used. The record of a fifth-grade Cape boy is plotted
thereon. His story is as follows: He is slightly younger by a few
months than the norm for his grade; his mental age is nearly a year
above his grade. He has an I. Q. of 110. In reading he is backward
and in arithmetic nearly a year ahead of his class. In the other
subjects he is about normal. He is a rather large boy, is in good health
and is making no great effort in his grade. With help in reading there
is good reason to believe that this boy could do work a grade ahead
of his present location. Thus on a single chart we have a picture of
the boy in terms of grade norms. Such a record should be on hand
and used for each child.
Any teacher may get a fair picture of the problem of classification
that exists in her room by use of the Providence Class Personnel
Chart. A chart on which a sixth grade in one of the Cape schools
has been plotted is shown below. Mental ages are plotted vertically,
1 For February first.
25
PROVIDENCE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Personnel Card-Elementary and Grammar Grades
Teacher.
Pupil's Name.
School,
LO
8
3
Grade..
S
Room.
:
1
1. Home Eq.
2. Mental Eq. for Grade
3. Educational Equipment for Grade
4. Physical Eq. for Grade
Classilication
Occupational
Status
รุ ituorlunpa
Sוזורחה
Economic
Sintus
'V'45
M.A.
I. .
Class I. Q.
Reading
Arithmetic
Naturr Stu.
and Science
History--
Literature
Sungurl
Dicon
Spelling
Ed. A.
70113
1dnd
Height
Age
Weight
Age
Health
Outside
Activities
6+
9 V.S. Prof.
15
60
ๆ
+2
120
120
+2
+2
+2
+2
+
+2
+2
А
+2
+2
9 hrs.
os
16
logically. A slow-moving group should be formed for these children.
13, 9, 12, and 19 are somewhat under-age mentally but at age chrono-
probably be in a special class. Children numbered 21, 11, 23, 2, 15,
age of 8-4. Pupils Nos. 8 and 4 have I. Q.'s around 50 and should
should be in Grade One with a mental age of 7–4 and a chronological
+ Semi-
Prof.
to do work in a grade or two above. Pupil No. 4 (off the chart)
I. Q.’s. Pupils Nos. 6, 7, and 17 obviously have mental ages sufficient
chronological ages horizontally. The diagonal lines indicate the
12
50
-1
+1
110
110
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
7 Sup..Fore-
man
to
I+
B
+1
+1
В.
7 hrs.
6
+H.Sk.
10
5
SK
6
40
100
0
0
5 hrs.
to
S
3 Inf. 72 Sk.
7
39
90
90
1
राई
To
D
3 hrs.
..
9
11 V.I.
Lab.
20
+2
os W27
2
--2
E
0
Number working.
Number in family.
E.Q.
A.Q.
Note: Home Eq. and Physical Eq. (1 and 4) are to be charted only in special cases.
CHART I
26
The other children are fairly well placed for their grade. By studying
a chart of this nature the greatest faults in the present grading scheme
will be obvious and teachers will learn to recognize the individual
School B Grade_VI
INTERMEDIATE
THE PROVIDENCE CLASS PERSONNEL CHART
GRADES - 4-6
SHOWING CH.A., M.A., 1.Q., ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL AND GUIDANCE PROGRAM.
G
M.A.
(0)
HO
100
+5
16
ACHIEV. LYEL.
+4
OVER AGE MENTALLY
INTENSIVE OR ENRICHED
90
+3
+2
AT AGE
22
18
+1
NORMAL PROGRAM
3 अ
19
60-1
12
UNDER AOE MENTALLY Z
26
16
210
El
-2
15
ll
25
TRIAL
CLINIC
vol
-3
SPECIAL
CLASS
10
14
4
CH.A.
PLACE-
MENT
IR
-1 N +1
-3
-2
+2
+3
+4
+5
PLACEMENT -
GUIDANCE PROGRAM
- AT AGE
OVERAGE
SERIOUSLY OVERAGE
UNDER AGE
GUIDANCE
14. PROGRAM RETARD ENRICH
1
i
SCHOOL
NORMAL PROGRAM
RE-EDUC. OR DIFFERENTATE
TEACHER
GRADE
DATE
C.A, 8-4
M.A. 7-4
PURPOSE
The Class Personnel Charts attempt to translate the measurements of pupils
into programs of individual adjustment and guidance. They also constitute a
measurement of both grading and classification.
EXPLANATION
The horizontal lines indicate mental ages, the vertical lines represent chronolog-
ical ages, and the numbered oblique lines locate the intelligence quotients or
various rates of mental development. The educational implications of the M. A.
and Ch. A., of each pupil are indicated in code at the bottom and at the right of
the chart.
CHART II
differences in their children. In rural schools where the teacher has
a number of grades and children of various mental ages and I. Qo's,
the groups formed will have to be in many cases temporary and easily
changed. For adjustments must be made continuously to meet the
needs of the bright child and the dull child in the group.
27
Ability Groups Within Grades
More effective learning and the elimination of much of the unhappi-
ness caused by failure to be promoted are involved in the sectioning
of grades into slow-moving, average-moving, and fast-moving groups
in accordance with the intelligence quotients of the children. In
general, those whose intelligence quotients are from 80 to 90 are
placed in the slow-moving groups and are expected to do the eight
grades of work in ten years. They do four years of work in five
years, that is, eight months of regular grade work each ten-month
school year. Those whose intelligence quotients are from 90 to 110
are placed in the normal-moving section and progress at the usual
rate of one grade each school year. Those whose intelligence quo-
tients are from 110 to 130 are placed in the fast-moving section and
are expected to do eight years of school work in six years with no
skipping of grades. They do four years of work in three years, that
is, a month of regular school work each three weeks. Children are
transferred from one section to another section whenever the quality
of their work justifies the change and the grade level of the sections
is the same.
Thus adequate provision is made through differential
rates of progress for different ability groups.
In the largest schools where numbers are sufficient this three-track
scheme can be put into operation in a modified way. Schools with
single grades to the room may be divided into two, or even three,
groups. For instance, a room might contain a slow section of fifth-
grade pupils, a bright section of fourth-grade pupils, and a section of
normal fourth-grade pupils. This arrangement gives the brightest
pupils the chance to cover the work of two years in one year or three
years in two.
If the teacher of a rural school where these carefully graded sections
are impossible appreciates the problem of individual differences there
is a wonderful opportunity to break the grade lock-step system.
Many people are coming to regard the rural school, under an in-
dustrious and professional-minded teacher, as having decided ad-
vantages over the inflexibly graded school which we so often find in
large cities.
Special Classes
For children of more extreme intelligence quotients, namely, those
below 80 and those above 130, a further adjustment is needed. If
present in sufficient numbers, special classes should be formed for
them. Curriculum changes should be made appropriate to the
work of these special classes. For the children of low intelligence
quotients, the curriculum should abound in concrete subjects of vo-
cational worth, abstract subject matter should be dropped, and the
work should be arranged to allow two years to each grade. Specially
trained teachers are needed for this type of work. For the gifted
children of high intelligence quotients, an enriched curriculum is ap-
propriate. Abstract subject matter may safely be included, grade
28
lines may be largely obliterated, and the work should proceed at a
rapid rate. Here, too, specially trained teachers are necessary.
It is most appropriate to mention again in this connection the
splendid work being carried on at the Teaticket Training School in
Falmouth. Here the work is admirably adapted to the needs of the
children and to their mental levels. Other towns on the Cape should
organize such rooms or schools. In nearly every town, also, the
number of children whose intelligence quotients are very high is
sufficient to warrant establishing a special room for gifted children.
Such facilities are more easily provided in towns where schools are
consolidated, but are not impossible in other towns.
The insistence on special schools for Cape Cod is especially pertinent
in view of the findings of the testing program. Attention was called
to the relatively large proportion of bright and dull children on the
Cape and a somewhat smaller proportion of normal children than
have usually been found in surveys. This problem is not confined
to particular towns but is quite general. These facts are further
evidence of the need for special rooms or schools in Cape Cod towns.
Changes in Method
There are certain broad changes in method appropriate to adapting
teaching to individual differences in ability. With the extremely
dull the method must include a cheerful willingness to go over and
over the subject matter slowly and concretely, encouraging the
children whatever the quality of the work, provided they are sincerely
trying to master the task at hand. The length of period on in-
tellectual work must be short. With the gifted children, the method
of teaching should involve few repetitions, the rate of progress should
be rapid, and the quality of the work should be rigidly held up.
Summer School
As a device for assisting in the best grouping of pupils the summer
school has been used for a number of years. Very bright children,
by extra work, are often able to advance an extra grade. Dull
children are thus able to go on with their regular classes. Normal
children who have missed some of the work due to illness or are de-
ficient in particular subjects are permitted to make up the work or
remedy the deficiency. The summer school is a practical way of
meeting the problem of classification in most of the Cape towns. Its
cost is relatively low. In the end it often amounts to a saving by
preventing much repetition of grades.
To make the Cape schools more effective by more nearly meeting
the needs of the individual children is one of the most important
problems confronting the Cape schools. The effective education of
children demands a system of grouping that challenges the best in
the child, that keeps him interested in his work, and promotes the
development of right habits and attitudes toward his work and
toward others.
29
CHAPTER II—THE INSTRUCTION, ORGANIZATION, AND
SUPERVISION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
INSTRUCTION IN CAPE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
f
Four criteria were used in judging the effectiveness of the work of
the elementary schools. There were, first, the results on standard
tests in arithmetic and reading; second, teaching materials in evi-
dence in the schools and classrooms; third, subject matter empha-
sized as shown by these materials, by observation of teaching, and
by conference with teachers and superintendents; and fourth, sub-
jective judgments of classroom teaching. In the application of the
last three criteria Mr. George A. Mirick spent some time with each
superintendent of schools, visiting the schools under his direction and
conferring with the superintendent on the use of his time in connec-
tion with instructional problems. Others of the staff reported in
general terms their observation of the life of the schools. Every
school in the twelve towns was visited by some member of the staff.
No attempt was made to rank teachers or schools or to make exact
or detailed comparisons between supervisory districts. It was
evident, however, that in some schools the character of the instruc-
tion was much superior to that in others. To a large extent this
difference may be attributed to the attitude and attention of the
superintendent to instructional problems.
STANDARD TEST RESULTS
The group results of achievement tests in arithmetic and in reading
are presented in the previous section, The Classification, Ability, and
Achievement of Cape Children. It will be recalled that the median
achievement of Cape children in arithmetic was somewhat below
the standard for the test in every grade except Grade Six. It was
encouraging to observe, however, that the median for no grade was
as low as the standard for the preceding grade, a fact which shows
that the work is properly graded. A great overlapping in scores
occurred between various grades. When analyzed by towns the
results were found to vary considerably. Some towns were much
superior to others.
The results in reading for the Cape as a whole are more encouraging
than those in arithmetic. In Grades Five, Six, Seven, and Eight
the median achievement of Cape children was definitely above the
standard, while in Grades Three and Four it was only slightly below.
To the extent that average scores in this reading test may be ac-
30
cepted as evidence of good instruction, Cape schools may be said
to compare favorably with other communities.
Achievement in reading varied greatly between towns. Especially
was this noticeable in the lower grades. The results showed clearly
that children were better readers on the average in some school
systems than in other school systems. Undoubtedly, many factors
enter into this condition, of which the factors of good teaching,
professional interest in the work, and effective supervision, though
not the only factors, are probably very important.
It should be stressed that the results of these two achievement
tests by no means furnish an adequate measure of the quality of edu-
cational experiences afforded children in the elementary schools of
the Cape. These tests deal with only two subjects and with only
particular aspects of these subjects. To give undue weight to such
results is certainly unwarranted.
TEACHING MATERIALS
The presence and use of teaching materials in the classrooms
visited were taken as an additional evidence of the quality of in-
struction. Especially were courses of study, time allotments, and
programs used by teachers examined for light they would throw on the
spirit of the school and the general quality of the instruction. The
discussion of our findings with respect to each of these is presented
below.
Courses of Study
A course of study, as it is the teacher's guide, may be taken as one
of the fairly reliable indexes of what is going on in the schools. There
is a difference in the various supervisory organizations in the degree
to which teachers have been supplied with courses of study and
supplementary suggestions. In most cases teachers were given some
guidance in the selection of materials of instruction by printed courses
or mimeographed outlines and suggestions. The course in most
common use in Cape schools is that developed for the schools of
Baltimore County, Maryland. In some instances use of State courses
developed some years ago was reported. As the supply of these
has been exhausted, they were found largely in the hands of teachers
who had been in the schools for some time. The recent courses on
penmanship, history, and physical training were in use in the upper
grades to some extent.
The superintendents in the different unions and towns have done
well in adopting a standard course, like the Baltimore County Course,
as the basic guide. It is no longer desirable for each school system to
make an entirely individualistic course for its schools. The Baltimore
Course has been widely approved and used. But a "standard”
course should be modified and supplemented in three ways:
31
1. By adaptations to local needs and interests.
2. By other courses issued from time to time by the State Depart-
ment, by the United States Bureau of Education, and by the
departments of education in universities and important cities
where educational experiments are carried on.
3. By teachers' meetings at which the principles and methods of
education are discussed with special reference to the courses of
study, and by bulletins such as have been issued from time to
time by the different superintendents. It should be noted that
these guides, supplementary to the course of study, have been
given by superintendents in the different districts, although
some have made them more effective than have others.
DISTRIBUTION OF TIME
In Minutes per Week
GRADE
K'N I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII VIII
LENGTH OF RECITATION
20
20
25
25
25
25
30
30
Opening Exercises
30
25
30
25
50
25
100
90
Phonics
50
75
110
130
128
132
210
235
175
214
225
210
200
200
130
105
SO
100
125
100
110
120
English Expression
English Literature
Geography
History, Civics, Citi-
zenship
Hygiene
20
60
85
50
100
120
150
15
20
25
20
25
30
Manual Arts
57
140
140
90
90
150
165
Mathematics, Oral
50
75
100
100
125
150
40
120
Mathematics—Written
50
75
100
125
100
140
30
Music
95
75
105
100
100
75
90
60
75
30
20
20
42
30
Nature Study
Penmanship
Physical Education
100
75
75
75
75
55
45
30
64
150
100
90
90
60
60
Recess
95
75
115
115
95
95
175
175
Spelling
50
50
80
80
75
75
75
100
Study and Unas-
signed Time
Seat
Work
300
30
20
57
46
25
Afternoon Exercises
Outdoors
480
480
Total in Minutes
925
1425
1425 1425 1425 1425 1400
1425 1400 1470 1500
Total in Hours
15 231 233
232
23
23,
23
241
25
32
Time Allotments
Each school should develop an individuality of its own, and this it
cannot do if there is not a spirit of liberty. But there are generally
accepted standards that should not be ignored. The course of
study is one standard. The schedule of time allotted to the different
subjects of study and to the different school interests and activities
is another standard. It is not an easy matter for a superintendent
to control the amount of emphasis that is placed on the different
subjects of study and on the different activities in the schools for
which he is responsible. In fact it is undesirable to enforce a uniform
emphasis. Each teacher should be free, within reasonable limits,
to work out with her pupils a school life, both mental and physical,
that is peculiar to them. Every teacher should, however, use the
officially approved time allotments as a guide in making her daily
and weekly program. In some Cape schools this was not possible,
for not all of the superintendents appear to have given the teachers
under their direction a schedule of time allotments with proper sug-
gestions for its use in different schools. This omission should be
made good where it exists.
It is admitted, however, that there is at present no generally agreed
upon standard of time distribution. Practice varies widely. Two
types of standards are available: (a) the schedules made by taking
the average or median of allotments of selected school systems;
(b) the individual schedules adopted by leading school systems.
Moreover, difficulty in comparing the different schedules of time
distribution arises because the items are neither uniform in wording
nor uniformly inclusive. For example, in some instances “Lan-
guage” includes “Grammar,” in some it does not; in some
in-
stances "Reading" and "Literature" are combined, in others they are
not. In framing a table of time allotments for the guidance of Cape
teachers it would seem to be desirable for the superintendents and
the Normal School to work out standards that would be the recog-
nized guides for the entire section.
With some hesitation a schedule of time allotments is submitted.
It was made comparatively recently and is in force in a city in which
constructive educational work is being done under highly competent
leadership. For other data reference is made to Chapter IX of
The Principal and His School by Ellwood P. Cubberley, Houghton
Mifflin Company.
DISTRIBUTION OF TIME
PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL TIME
Opening Exercises
English Expression (Composition, Oral and Written).
English Literature..
Geography
Per Cent
4
10
14
6
33
History, Civics, Citizenship
Hygiene.....
Manual Arts....
Mathematics—Oral
Mathematics—Written..
Music......
Nature Study
Penmanship.
Physical Education
Recess and Dismissal
Spelling ...
Study and Unassigned Time.
Per Cent
5
1
8
8
6
7
2
5
6
9
5
4.
100
Programs
In the matter of class programs also a good deal of latitude should
be given the individual teacher, provided she has a clear and accept-
able idea of educational objectives. An over-emphasis has been laid
on the program and upon its strict observance in many quarters.
Inasmuch as a school's only purpose is to promote the education of
its members, too rigid requirements in the making and carrying not
of programs may hinder rather than help the realization of this pur-
pose. And yet no objective is economically reached by haphazard
practices. Here is an important department of administration in
which coöperative studies by superintendents and the Normal School
directors should result in most useful guides for all teachers in this
section of the State.
Supplementary Readers
While many of the schools of the Cape, a large proportion of them,
were well supplied with the books essential for the work of the
schools, yet in some schools the supply was inadequate. Books are
tools of thought. As thinking in school becomes engaged with a
larger and larger variety of subjects, it follows that more books will
be needed. To meet this need the policy of supplying supplementary
readers was adopted some years ago. This was a great advance over
the policy of one book for each subject. But study is now becoming
individualized, and the uniform set of supplementary books is giving
way to the practice of supplying an equal number of different books.
It is recommended that this policy be adopted generally, at least in
part. Thus a class of ten pupils will have ten different books at
their disposal instead of but one book. For the same money a class
of twenty pupils could have twenty books, or a fewer number of more
expensive books could be purchased.
In this connection it is recommended that the practice in a few
schools be adopted by all, by which a reading table is provided. The
34
books for this table should be in part reference books and in part
books that are frequently changed. If the children are led to plan
for this table, to take responsibility for it, books, magazines, and
papers will find their way from the homes, as loans; the public
library will send some; the pupils themselves will buy a book or sub-
scribe to a paper now and then. Such books pupils may be allowed
to take home. They are often the best kind of “home lessons."
SUBJECT MATTER EMPHASIS
In the matter of curriculum it may be said that Cape schools
follow the generally accepted program of elementary education in
most respects, at least in their offering of traditional subjects. Even
the newer subjects of the curriculum are found in many schools of
the Cape, though, as is pointed out elsewhere, they are often handled
so ineffectively as to point to a need for additional training and addi-
tional supervision for teachers. The activities referred to are play,
drawing, music, and nature study, where offered.
While the curriculum as such can in general be approved, the em-
phasis given certain elements in the curriculum is criticized. One of
the most conspicuous defects observed in the teaching processes, for
example, was the undue emphasis placed on grammar. In all the.
towns visited, analysis and parsing—the definition type of grammar-
appears early in the grades and continues upward. This kind of
language study, now quite generally given less emphasis than form-
erly, seems to predominate in the Cape schools, instead of holding,
as it should, a secondary place. The art of leading children to
develop habits of a clear, simple, orderly, effective use of language in
speaking and writing is perhaps the most difficult and subtle art
with which teachers in modern schools have to do. But they are
making no progress in this art by a mechanical study of grammar
which children can learn parrot-wise, but which requires maturity
and training to understand.
In some schools it was evident that too much time was given to
arithmetic, notably written arithmetic. Important as this subject
is, too large a proportion of the school time should not be given it.
Investigations have shown that the best results in arithmetic are
not always found in those schools where the largest amount of time
is spent on it. And, moreover, there are other phases of education,
no less important than arithmetic, that cannot receive the attention
due them if excessive attention is given this subject. Possibly teach-
ers are tempted to over-emphasize arithmetic because too often they
are judged by the accomplishment of their pupils in it.
Play was another activity in which there was a great difference in
emphasis between various Cape schools. In some schools the formal
gymnastic exercises were the only organized activities to develop
children physically. Schools were visited where the children, not
knowing how to play together, stood idly about during free periods.
35
Without question some free time is desirable. It is a false goal to
look to the complete organization of a child's time. But the playing
of group games and the organization of intra-school teams between
which wholesome rivalry exists is a phase of physical education that
many Cape schools might well develop further.
The failure of some teachers to evaluate correctly the relative stress
to be placed on various phases of the curriculum again points to the
need of skilled help capable of showing the individual teacher just
how to develop these neglected phases of the curriculum. Granting
that the superintendent can do much to help teachers to see different
relative values and inspire them with a zeal to study and practice
the best in elementary education, there is, nevertheless, a need for
skillful demonstration, specific advice, and detailed, constructive
criticism in those fields where complicated techniques have developed.
These can be given best by one who has had special training and suc-
cessful experience.
THE QUALITY OF TEACHING
In general, the evidences of good or poor teaching that are re-
vealed by tests and by other criteria confirm the evidences that ap-
pear as the regular work of the school is studied. Testing and ob-
serving, in fact, are supplementary one to the other. The following
general judgment of teaching in Cape elementary schools is based on
observation.
The observer had in mind four questions:
I. What is the educational quality of the schoolroom?
Or to put it in another way—in how far are the physical conditions
favorable for physically comfortable work, and in how far does the
equipment (blackboards, maps, books, bulletins, pictures, etc.)
indicate that mentally satisfying activities can go on and are going
on?
II. What is the educational quality of what may be called "the life
of the school”?
Or—how far does the "life" that the children are leading in school,
its control, the relation among the pupils and between pupils and
teachers appear to allow for, to stimulate, and to direct self-control and
self-activity?
III. What is the educational quality of the methods of study and
recitation?
Or-in how far do these methods promote "constructive" think-
ing, as contrasted with mechanical, routine thinking?
IV. What is the educational quality of the schoolroom organization?
Or-in how far are the pupil grouping, the curriculum requirements,
the promotion policies interpreted in terms of individual and group
differences and in terms of pupil interests?
36
If an all-inclusive general judgment is to be made of the quality of
teaching observed in the schools of these towns from the foregoing
standpoints, it must be a favorable one. With some exceptions the
schools are good schools in the mental freedom, the conduct, and at-
titude of the pupils, in what may be called the educational "at-
mosphere” of the schoolroom situation, and in the educational point
of view and the methods that the teachers are using.
The school that most fully exemplifies the desirable qualities of a
present-day school is the Training School (for mentally retarded
children) at Teaticket. Here the old conventions and restraints
have been cast aside and the newer type of methods are operating
to bring the children into useful and constructive activity in tasks
that are in themselves worth doing and that are adjusted to the in-
terests and abilities of the pupils.
Apart from this special school, it may be said that, from the
general average of good, a considerable number vary in the direction
of excellent, and that a few are poor. In other words, the schools in
this section are properly rated on a general level of schools elsewhere
in cities and districts where intelligent educational direction has been
given.
Those are the best schools where the following conditions prevail:
1. Teachers of understanding and sympathy.
2. A community with educational vision.
3. A school board consisting of community leaders in education,
enlightened regarding modern educational needs, and restrained
in their attitude towards the practical administration of the
schools.
4. A superintendent who knows what sound education is, who can
lead the teachers in the study of their tasks, coöperate with
them, and recognize good teaching in its infinitely varied
manifestations,
The educational direction in which the schools of this section are
moving is that of the better type of school. That some have gone
farther than others is to be expected in view of the differences in the
factors just referred to. For, after all, a good school does not become
such by reason of the wealth of the community in which it happens
to be. The factors mentioned above are much more important and
fundamental.
Several particulars in which the poorer schools may improve with-
out additional money expenditure were noted.
1. The schoolroom, the school building, the school grounds.
Today the school children should share with the school committee
and the community at large the responsibility for the care and
beautifying of their school home. It is today inexcusable negligence
on the part of the teachers and the pupils if the school grounds look
untidy, if there are broken boards in the steps without or the stairs
37
within the building, if the wall paper is torn, the plaster broken,
the schoolroom unattractive with old, dusty pictures (or none), with
torn and faded curtains.
These matters—the discussion of them, the planning for their
betterment, and the execution of their well-considered plans are
all a part of a modern program in civics. One of the most important
educational opportunities is wasted if these matters are not made the
concern of the pupils in every school, whatever its situation or how-
ever limited the financial resources of the community. In fact, the
more adverse these are, the louder the call for civic training.
2. In matters of teaching emphasis.
The curricula in the different towns prescribe "composition and
grammar.” In practice there appears to be in these schools an over-
emphasis on grammar. The parsing and analysis of sentences is
largely a mechanical process. It very little promotes the thought-
ful, finer use of words in the expression of what one wants to say or
write. It is given a place in these schools more in harmony with the
educational ideas of the past, when school education was mechanical
and routine, than with the educational ideas that are in general so
much in evidence in these same schools.
As the emphasis on grammar is diminished, the development of
composition emphasis should be undertaken. It is a very difficult
task, that of leading children to build up their understanding in the
different fields of interest into which their life is divided, to acquire
desirable mental attitudes and appreciations, and to lead them to do
these things in a way to arouse interest in expressing their own ideas
and feelings together with an ambition to put the quality of artistry,
i. e. of literature, into their expression, both oral and written. But
the best schools are working to this end.
Allied to composition and grammar is reading. Here, too, there
appears to be an emphasis on the mechanical phases, and on reading
for its own sake, that should be diminished, while a larger emphasis
should be put on specific reading for specific knowledge or ideas that
are to be used for specific purposes. The trend of practice in this
direction is evident. Many excellent schools have advanced no
farther in this reform than have the schools of this section. That so
much progress has been made is commendable. But the reform,
while difficult to bring about, is pressing here as elsewhere.
3. In matters of adaptation to individual differences.
The general administrative policies recognize the fact that all
pupils in the same grade cannot do the same amount and quality of
work. These policies clearly recognize these differences and en-
courage adaptation. That the teachers approve is clear from their
conversation and spirit.
But here as, it must be confessed, elsewhere, little progress has
been made in assisting the teacher to as complete an adaptation as

38
she knows there is need of. The curriculum gives no help. No new
organization with provision for small groups to be helped and superior
pupils to be let alone while they carry out self-educating study have
been proposed. There is still too generally the feeling that the
teacher must“pull the children up to grade.” Here is a matter that
Children of the North Harwich Primary School-Such children need special
opportunity and skilled instruction if they are to become most effective citizens.
A consolidated school can offer these opportunities in a way that no small two-
room, two-teacher school can.
requires of the superintendent, supervisor, and teacher under-
standing of the problem in its many phases and educational versatility
and skill.
4. In the type of classroom discipline required by teachers.
It is surely an unfortunate outlook for the future of a democracy
if the schools are in charge of such weak personalities that the only
hope of "keeping order” is in keeping the "upper hand.” If, even
in the favorable environment of the school, which is supposed to be
educative, some one always has the "upper hand” over children, how
are they to develop the qualities of responsibility and self-reliance
so essential to good citizenship?
The idea of hand in hand, a guiding, leading relationship, must
increasingly pervade our schoolhouses. With such an idea prevail-
ing, the teacher will be among the children and with them, but
not always at their elbows or maintaining the center of the stage.
Misconceptions of the proper atmosphere of monastic quiet too
frequently prevent the school from being the place where children
can best educate themselves under proper stimulation and guidance.
There is a great difference between the noise of confusion and dis-
39
order which are results of an unruly, undisciplined school, and the
sounds which come from members of groups busy at tasks where
encouragement, helpfulness, and individual and group criticism are
the natural order. Both types of discipline suggested above were in
evidence in Cape Cod schools. Fortunately, the first type, which
denotes a conception of education that we have long since outgrown
for a better one more in keeping with our ideas of democracy, was
found only in a few instances. Invariably these were the poor
schools in other respects, even if the children were the quiet and
subdued kind. To get away from the repressive type of discipline
requires teachers of attractive personality, with a love for and under-
standing of children, and an interest in the work far beyond that
of merely keeping school and teaching subjects.
Attention is called to the fact that the new educational program,
merely hinted at in the foregoing, has created a new school problem.
A careful and understanding study of each child is required. The
adaptation of work to his interests and abilities must be made, a
different and much more subtle methodology of teaching must be
used. The teacher needs-must have, in fact-the help of one trained,
experienced, skilled in dealing with this problem. Something more
than the encouragement and policy guidance a superintendent can
give is required.
In other places, in cities and increasingly in rural districts, the
"general supervisor” is employed to give this constructive help.
The teachers in the schools of this section are not doing the work of
which they are capable, very largely because they lack such assist-
Without it the schools will increasingly fail to meet the edu-
cational needs of these communities, for those needs are growing
yearly.
ance.
TEACHING CONDITIONS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Grading
Following the example of cities and the ideal sought by many small
communities, the Cape schools have worked toward a graded system
with one teacher to a grade. For example, where in earlier days a
one-teacher rural school existed, gradually the number of grades per
teacher has been reduced from eight to four or three with the ideal
always in mind of a single grade to a teacher. With little or no super-
vision, barriers have so grown up between grades that many of the
inflexibilities of city school conditions have resulted even in small
schools where they were unnecessary. The graded system of cities
was the natural outcome of crowded city conditions where large
numbers of pupils had to be taught. A single teacher might have
thirty, forty, or fifty pupils of the same grade, whatever the number
determined upon as a normal teaching load might be. Although the
graded system has many advantages over the old ungraded system,
with a large number of grades to a teacher, as in the one-teacher rural
school, the graded system has also its disadvantages. The chief of
40
these is a tendency to lose sight of the individual and his particular
needs. This results from the idea that individual attention is un-
necessary since in a single grade everyone is supposed to be alike and
to need the same treatment. Any careful consideration of a group
of thirty or forty children in a single grade will show wide ranges of
difference in chronological, physiological, psychological, and social
ages. This was conclusively demonstrated in the case of Cape
children in a previous section. Children will also differ in health, in
home surroundings, and in the attitudes which they bring to school.
The problem of the modern school teacher is to recognize the great
importance of these individual variations. While the
graded system
does not make this impossible, in actual practice it has tended too
frequently to make teachers and administrators forget the individual
because of the impression growing up with the graded system that
it brought together forty children who were alike.
Regardless, therefore, of whether the graded system is working
satisfactorily in the city, or whether conditions in the small school
are similar to those in the larger community, those in charge of small
schools have felt that the best work could not be expected because
proper grading' according to city standards was impossible. As a
matter of fact, one of the most insistent demands of thoughtful ad-
ministrators, while retaining its advantages, is to get away from the
disadvantages of the graded system. Devices are constantly being
multiplied to make possible the best use of school time both from an
individual point of view and from that of the class.
Two of the outstanding illustrations of this are the Dalton Labora-
tory Plan of Miss Helen Parkhurst 1 of the Children's University
School of New York City and the Winnetka Plan 2 of Superintendent
Washburne of Winnetka, Illinois. Although the complete adoption
of either of these ways of conducting a school is not recommended
for the Cape schools, the general point of view and some of the material
are most suggestive, especially for the small schools with several
grades to the teacher
The small communities with their two- and three-teacher schools
with comparatively small classes have an opportunity not enjoyed
by the cities. Flexibility, individual treatment, and specialization
in teaching can be much more easily secured in the relatively simple
administrative situations in small communities than in the big cities.
The one-teacher school particularly should make use of the best in
these devices which make for economy of time both for teachers and
the class. Drill work and the learning of lessons," which are
largely individual processes, consume large amounts of the teacher's
time which could be used more effectively with the devices designed
to carry on such work on an individual basis instead of on the old
1 Parkhurst, Helen. Education on the Dalton Plan. New York, E. P. Dut-
ton and Company, 1922.
2;Washburne, Carleton, et al. A Survey of the Winnetka Public Schools.
Bloomington, Illinois, Public School Publishing Company, 1926.

41
group basis. The time when work is done as a class, the class period,
should be used for activities which are most economically done to-
gether.
Such so-called“ plans” as the Dalton Plan and the Winnetka Plan
are devices for realizing more effectively the underlying aims of sound
educational theory. “Putting in the plan” does not necessarily
bring the results which many who look for a royal road to learning
through a cure-all frequently expect. The theory behind the devices
must be living in the school in order that the devices may be truly
effective. This condition implies not mechanical teachers, with
NUDE
East Falmouth Elementary School—This attractive little building should
be enlarged. It is unfortunate that the small hall at one end had to be con-
verted into two classrooms. An addition should contain a combination hall
and playroom, shops, and domestic arts rooms. At present the educational
efficiency in this school is impaired because the traditional grade work, which
is the only type that can be offered under the existing crowded conditions, is
most unsuited to a large proportion of the children.
well-learned tricks of the trade, but alert, thinking personalities eager
to help every child become a thoughtful, self-directing person.
The small community school is in a favorable position to put into
practice the principles of "progressive” education. These are now
most frequently found in small private schools. The small rural or
village school, however, is unusually well situated to work out in
actual practice the theory of a school adapted to American democracy.
Small numbers make possible greater individualization. The great-
est difficulty lies in the lack of sufficiently large groups of children of
the same age and ability to get social situations. Because of the
close association of individuals of varying ages and ability there is,
however, an opportunity for coöperative work, the stronger helping
42
the weaker, and thereby learning as one does only when he tries to
help another. Because of the small numbers in each grade, competi-
tion among those of approximately the same abilities is lacking, but
an increased use of the possibilities for coöperation may offset a lack
of competition, which will be found sufficiently overemphasized in
all our living to make up for any overemphasis of coöperation in
school life.
Size of Classes
A class of between twenty-five and thirty pupils is the size most
commonly found in the Cape elementary schools. The next common
size is between twenty and twenty-five and the next between thirty
and thirty-five pupils; 65% of the elementary classes had between
twenty and thirty pupils. Stated somewhat differently, out of one
hundred and thirteen teachers only fifteen had classes above forty.
It may be fairly said that as a rule the classes in the Cape schools are
of a size favorable for good instruction.
A study of the individual towns shows some variation in the average
size of the classes. In six of the towns the average (median) number
of pupils to a teacher is between twenty-five and thirty. In six
others the average (median) is between thirty and thirty-five. Con-
trary to what one would at first think, it is not always the large
towns which have the large classes. The type of organization rather
than the size of the town is more influential. Orleans, for example,
with centralized schools has classes as large as Barnstable. Where
there is a grade to a room, as in the Sandwich schools, the number is
smaller than in Barnstable, where there are several grades to a room
in the outlying schools. Except perhaps for a few of the largest
classes in certain of the towns, the number of pupils per teacher is not
so great as to make it impossible or even difficult to study carefully
each child and to adapt instruction largely to his individual needs.
Number of Grades per Teacher
The number of grades per teacher is another index of organization
by which we may judge the extent to which good instruction is
possible. Of the one hundred and seven teachers about which we
have available information thirty-three had but one grade; twenty-
seven, two grades; twenty-one, three grades; seventeen, four grades;
and nine, five grades. It is doubtless true that a large number of
grades increases the difficulty of a teacher's work because she must
prepare many more lessons of a more varied nature than does the
teacher who has but one grade to a room, even though she makes her
instruction practically individual. With four grades to a room, for
instance, a teacher must prepare for at least four groups in arithmetic,
in reading, and in certain of the other subjects. With one grade
in the room, however, the general nature of the work is pretty much
the same because all of the different groups are within the same grade.
It does not seem unreasonable, however, to ask a teacher to teach
43
two or in some cases possibly three grades. Only twenty-six teachers
of the one hundred and seven studied had more than three grades
under their instruction. Compared with other communities
throughout the country situated similarly to the Cape and similarly
populated, it is likely that Cape teachers find themselves in an ex-
ceptionally good situation.
Improvement in the organization of schools with respect to the
number of grades per teacher is possible, however, in some of the
towns. In Dennis all teachers teach three or more classes. In
Yarmouth all elementary schoolteachers have four classes each.
While it will always be necessary to work under conditions that are
not ideal, the consolidation of schools in certain towns on the Cape
will improve this situation.
DEPARTMENTALIZED INSTRUCTION
The possibilities afforded through departmentalizing the instruction
in the Cape schools, and especially the smaller schools, do not seem
to have been thoroughly considered for the Cape. The Massachu-
setts normal schools are teaching drawing, music, handicrafts, sewing
processes, and physical education to all students planning to teach
in the first six grades. Normal school graduates differ in capacity
and interest in the different subjects of the enriched elementary
curriculum. Where two teachers are employed in a rural school,
attention should be paid to securing teachers whose interests and
aptitudes supplement, rather than duplicate, each other. If any
defense is needed for having little children under the direction of two
teachers it may be found in the home. Father and mother are two
different individuals; both have the same end, the development of
the children, but their methods differ. If there are other children in
the home, the number of teachers is increased. Life at home may,
therefore, be considered adequate justification for a school regime
where two direct a child, each in the aspects of education where she
is most competent.
We believe, furthermore, that this scheme offers a practical solu-
tion in part for some of the difficulties encountered in problems of
grading, size of class, and number of grades per teacher.
In the two-teacher school, for instance, where the work is divided
on the basis of subjects, let us think of one teacher as having drawing,
geography, and history. While the size of the classes and the number
of grades that she teaches will be practically the same as if she taught
the entire curriculum, specialization in these three subjects should
make her preparation much less difficult because she will need to
keep up in the teaching of fewer subjects. With the development of
a rather complex methodology and body of subject matter in the
different elementary subjects it is certainly a step toward greater
efficiency if a teacher, instead of trying to keep up in all, can con-
centrate her time and energy on a few. And being expert in a few
44
subjects she will be much more able in handling special cases that do
not seem to fit into the general grade scheme.
This scheme for departmentalizing the instruction in elementary
schools has also an advantage from the point of view of supervision.
The supervisor's time with individual teachers can be devoted
largely to one or two subjects, thus making her visit more effective.
In the case of drawing and music supervisors, they will be dealing
with a fewer number of teachers in each town and, therefore, their
work should be much more effective. It is recommended that as a
partial solution to problems of grading, of class size, and of the number
of grades per teacher peculiar to Cape Cod schools, as a means for
the most efficient use of each teacher's special talents and interests,
and as a means for the most effective use of the supervisor's time,
the plan for departmentalizing instruction even in the smaller schools
of the Cape be seriously considered.
SUPERVISION OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
In 1924–25 the teachers in eleven of the towns had the assistance
of specially trained teachers of music. In four of the towns the
teachers received special help in drawing. Falmouth employs a
supervisor of penmanship and a primary supervisor. Neither gives
full time to supervisory work. The supervisor of penmanship also
teaches history in the junior high school, and the primary supervisor
acts as principal of the Falmouth Village elementary school. One
of the wise uses of the primary supervisor in developing courses of
study or adaptations of standard courses to local needs is well illus-
trated in Falmouth. In Falmouth also there is a director of physical
education for boys and one for girls. An interesting arrangement
is made whereby the director for boys is director of athletics for
Falmouth boys who do not attend school. He organizes boys' clubs,
Boy Scout troops, and general recreational activities of the boys.
It is understood that this same policy is to be carried out for the
girls of the town by the school director of the girls' physical educa-
tion. This extension of the school influence is highly significant and
commendable and the idea might well be adopted in other schools
generally.
The supervisory organization is confined to the elementary schools.
So-called supervisors of music and drawing teach their subjects in the
high schools as members of the high schools' teaching staff and are
not directors of others' work. In the grades these same supervisors
are to a large degree teachers rather than supervisors. The class-
room teacher is in theory under the direction of the supervisor.
The problem of securing and retaining adequately trained experts
in subjects is a real one. It is a help for all of the towns forming a
supervisory union for the employment of a superintendent of schools
to unite in employing a so-called supervisor of music or drawing.
For example, Dennis, Brewster, and Yarmouth unite in employing a
45
supervisor of music as do Chatham, Harwich, Orleans, and Eastham,
and Bourne and Sandwich. Bourne and Sandwich combine both
in the employment of a music supervisor and a drawing supervisor.
It is recommended that the practice of coöperation of towns in the
employment of supervisors be extended, for in this way salaries
adequate to secure the best supervisors are thereby possible.
Supervision of Music and Drawing
The so-called supervisors of music and drawing of the towns of the
Cape face the same problem as do similar workers in other communi-
ties as to the best use of their time. Because of the distances be-
tween schools on the Cape more of their time is spent on the road than
would be the case in a city school system or a consolidated village
system. Teachers' meetings for general consideration of problems
of teaching the subjects under their direction are not held, and are
practically impossible because of the distances between schools and
the consequent problem of transportation to bring teachers together.
The supervisor's work, therefore, becomes individual work with each
teacher. Here the attitude of the superintendent, the supervisor,
and the teacher toward the function of the so-called supervisor is the
real problem. Too frequently the day of the supervisor is spent in
teaching, or in hurried directions to the teacher rather than in careful
consideration of the difficulties of a particular teacher. In at least
one instance a supervisor stated that on her visits she was expected
by the superintendent to teach and not to observe the work of the
teacher.
Supervision of the Common Branches
It has been pointed out that all teachers require supervision, not
only in the subjects like music, drawing, and penmanship, but in the
traditional subjects of the curriculum as well. Supervision is needed,
not only by the inexperienced teachers, who must be helped to de-
velop right habits and attitudes during their first years of teaching,
but by the older teachers, who must be kept alive to the developments
in the teaching of the various subjects. Where schools are scattered
with only one or two teachers in a building, and with towns acting
independently, it is obviously impossible for teachers to receive the
help of specially trained supervision. Here is a very strong argument
for consolidation within each town and for coöperation between the
towns to secure for each teacher the expert assistance of supervisors.
Where the schools are so consolidated that a larger number of teachers
than is found in a one- or two-room school is brought together, the
use of a subject supervisor's time can be made most effective. More-
over, there is opportunity so to departmentalize the work of the schools
that teachers with a particular interest and training in a subject may
teach that subject instead of requiring every teacher to teach every
subject regardless of her interest or ability. Even with consolidation
and departmentalization of teaching, however, the problem of
coördinating the teaching remains.
46
It has been assumed that the superintendent of schools can com-
bine specific classroom supervision of general subjects and general
administration of the schools. While in rare instances this is done,
the instances are indeed rare. It is not being done in most schools
of the Cape that were visited by the staff. Without exception the
superintendents of these towns confessed that they recognized the
need for skilled supervision in the common branches but did not
have the time to meet it personally. They would welcome a State
policy similar to that in New Jersey and a growing number of other
states of employing helping or supervisory teachers who would assist
them in developing the most effective methods in each school.
As is pointed out in the chapter on Administration of the School
Systems the complexity of the superintendent's task, by reason of his
relations with several school committees, with several corps of teach-
ers, and with the different town organizations, makes it practically
impossible that he become a specialist in various fields of subject
matter, such as the trained general supervisor is expected to be. He
is capable of stimulating teachers to better work, of judging their
activities in the classroom, but by reason of the specialized knowledge
required he can hardly be expected to give detailed help in the teach-
ing of subjects like reading in which an increasingly complex technique
is developing: Some method by which the elementary school
teachers may be afforded expert help in their teaching of general sub-
jects needs to be devised for the Cape. The need for this is even more
strongly shown when the facts of training, experience, and stability
of the teaching staff presented in Chapter I are considered. For
Cape towns, therefore, to coöperate in the employment of such general
supervisors or helping teachers, or for the State to inaugurate a policy
of coöperating with towns in furnishing this supervision are those plans
which should be considered as possible solutions to this problem.
Summary
To sum up, it may be said that instruction in most Cape schools
shows a great need for trained supervision. To some extent this is
furnished in such subjects as music and drawing. It is recognized,
however, that with the consolidation of schools and the depart-
mentalization of instruction these supervisors could be more than
merely teachers of their particular subjects, which they tend to be-
come under the present organization. The need for expert assistance
in other subjects of the curriculum, such as arithmetic, reading,
geography, etc., is none the less acute. It may be met also by co-
operative employment of general supervisors for groups of towns.
There is also the possibility of the State coöperating in furnishing to
towns a type of supervision that would stimulate and guide teachers,
but which would not demand conformity with State standards. The
general policy of the State in the past toward the towns in matters of
education would seem to be sufficient precedent for this step toward
statewide supervision.
47
SUMMARY
The instruction in the elementary schools of the Cape towns varies
as in a big city system. In some instances work of a very high char-
acter, which would do credit to any school system, was observed. In
some instances the instruction must be characterized as old-fashioned,
dogmatic, mechanical. These instances were not confined to one
supervisory organization nor to any one town. In the same town
varying degrees of excellence were found. The truth of the old
saying as the teacher so is the school” was frequently attested. So,
too, the saying “as the superintendent so are the teachers” was il-
lustrated.
On the whole, it can fairly be said that the instruction in the ele-
mentary schools of the Cape towns is typical of instruction in the
majority of communities. Even the best shows evidences of the
control of the uniform curriculum and rigid standards. Competent
supervision would doubtless go far in bringing about in each school
the effective adaptation of educational means to the realizing of
educational ends.
Problems of organization faced by Cape towns--namely, those
occasioned by the grading difficulties, class size, and number of grades
per teacher-are not without some means of solution. The further
consolidation of Cape schools would go far in reducing the pressure
of these problems. In all schools, and especially in small schools of
from two to four teachers, the departmentalization of instruction is
recommended as still another way of meeting these problems.
The chief defects of instruction in Cape elementary schools, how-
ever, arise from the lack of expert supervision. This the superintend-
ents have little time for. Detailed and expert supervision of ele-
mentary schools is a phase of their work which they have not been
able to meet effectively. Problems of administration which consume
most of their time have interfered seriously with the supervisory
aspects of their jobs. It is recommended, therefore, that the various
towns of the Cape coöperate either in the superintendency unions as
units or in even larger units in supplying to the elementary teaching
staff of the Cape the needed help in their work.
SECTION II. THE HIGH SCHOOLS
FOREWORD
The purpose of this study of Cape Cod high schools is threefold:
(1) to secure data that will indicate the present character of high
school education on the Cape; (2) to interpret these data in the
light of modern educational theory and practice; and (3) to suggest
ways by which secondary education may be modified so as to serve
better the educational needs of the Cape.
With the funds available, anything like a complete picture of each
of the Cape Cod high schools was impossible. The survey staff has
concerned itself with a consideration of the schools as a whole rather
than with a detailed analysis of any one high school. In some cases,
the specific comments and recommendations are not applicable in
every community. The report will serve its purpose if it leads each
community to consider intelligently the problem of its own high
school in the light of the educational needs of its boys and girls.
The spirit of this study is admittedly critical, but, it is hoped,
constructively critical. It is only natural that those aspects of high
school education on the Cape which are at variance with desirable
trends in secondary education should come in for the largest amount
of comment. There is no intention nor desire to discredit the work
of any individual. Adverse comment is made only when the con-
ditions indicated are characteristic of several schools or of the group
of high schools as a whole.
In all fairness, it should be stated that many of the undesirable
characteristics of secondary education on the Cape are not confined
to Cape high schools. The secondary schools of the State and the
Nation have lagged far behind the needs of the times. The more
progressive communities, however, are analyzing these needs and
are attempting to develop forms of high school education which shall
be better adapted to the nature of adolescent youth. The procedures
here suggested for improving secondary education on Cape Cod are
not based solely on the opinions of a single investigator (though the
writer accepts full responsibility for the recommendations made),
but rather on the accumulation of experience that has been gained
in recent years by scientific students of education.
51
CHAPTER III– THE PRESENT STATUS OF CAPE COD
HIGH SCHOOLS
A. THE NATURE OF THE CAPE HIGH SCHOOL POPULATION
Growth of High School Enrollments
The population of that portion of Barnstable County included in
this study has changed very little in the last twenty years. It in-
creased from 20,768 in 1905 to 22,924 in 1915, but in 1920 it had
dropped to 21,044. High school enrollments, however, have in-
creased about sixty per cent, from 521 in 1905 to 827 in 1925. The
enrollments during the period have shown minor fluctuations, but
the general trend has been a steady increase.
During the period from 1905 to 1923, high school enrollments
throughout the country increased from nine to nineteen per thousand
of the total population. In 1905, the Cape high schools enrolled
twenty-five pupils for every thousand of the population, while today
the ratio is probably in the vicinity of forty pupils per thousand.
The larger proportion of children enrolled in Cape high schools may
be explained partially, perhaps, by a higher birth rate and by the
absence of private schools.
That conditions are far from ideal on Cape Cod is indicated by the
fact that only about one child in every two persists through the ele-
mentary gradés to enter high school, and only one child in every five
graduates from the high school. The high schools, therefore, are
serving less than half of the children of high school age. If this
condition is due to an unwillingness on the part of parents to make the
necessary sacrifice to keep their children in school, it is to be re-
gretted. If, however, it is due to a failure on the part of the school to
provide types of education suitable for all normally constituted chil-
dren of high school age, it behooves the school to fulfil its obligations
to the large group of pupils not now enrolled. Evidence will be sub-
mitted in this report to show that the type of secondary education
provided in Cape Cod high schools is too narrow to meet the needs of
any large proportion of the population.
Elimination of Pupils
It has been suggested that a large number of pupils fail to enter the
Cape high schools and, of those who enter, a proportionately larger
group fail to persist to graduation. At what point or points in the
school system does elimination take place most rapidly? An ex-
amination of the enrollment figures for the year 1924–25 may be
taken as suggesting the answer to that question. The point at which
52
there is the greatest proportional loss of pupils is between the first
and second years of high school (ninth and tenth grades). Stated
conservatively, one pupil out of every three who enter high school
either drops out during the first year or does not reënter school the
following year. This fact suggests that the high schools are not
attractive enough to hold the pupils after the compulsory attendance
law ceases to require their attendance.
Another point at which elimination takes place with considerable
rapidity is the interval between the sixth and seventh grades. Over-
age pupils, who have become retarded, reach the age at which com-
pulsory attendance is relaxed and leave school without gaining any
contact with secondary education.
Studies of elimination in other school systems have brought to light
findings similar to those presented here. It has been demonstrated
again and again that the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades are
critical grades in the American educational system. The junior
high school, recommended later in this report, has developed in
response to the demand for a type of education better suited to the
needs of children in these grades.
Further light on the holding power of the schools is gained through
a study of the relative proportions of boys and girls in each grade.
Throughout the elementary grades the number of boys exceeds the
number of girls by a small amount in almost every grade. In the
ninth grade the division between boys and girls is approximately
fifty-fifty. From the tenth grade on, the proportion of boys to girls
is roughly forty-sixty. High school education, therefore, is serving
a larger proportion of girls than of boys. This is due partly to the
greater economic pressure affecting boys and partly to a better
adaptation of the program of studies to the interests of girls as evi-
denced in the commercial and domestic science work of certain high
schools.
Retardation and Acceleration
How effective are methods of grading and promotion? Do children
proceed normally with children of their own ages, or is there a large
amount of retardation? A study of the age-grade distribution from
the seventh to the twelfth grades indicates that:
1. The proportion of accelerated (under-age) children increases
from about one in six in the seventh grade to one in four in
Grade Twelve.
2. The proportion of children of normal age for their grade (con-
sidering one and one-half years as a normal span) is approxi-
mately one in two in every grade from the seventh to the
twelfth.
3. The proportion of retarded children decreases from about one
in three in the seventh grade to one in five in the twelfth grade.
4. There is an age span of six years or more in every high school
grade (considering the Cape high schools as a whole).
53
In other words, children who are of normal age and children who
are accelerated have a better chance of completing high school than
children who are retarded. The amount of retardation, though
probably not greater than that generally found in the high schools of
the nation, is none the less excessive. The graded system has not
served to bring together children of even approximately the same
ages.
These findings suggest the desirability of considering each child in
terms of his own abilities, the setting up of definite goals that repre-
sent reasonable attainment for practically all children, the advancing
of children normally through the elementary grades so that every
pupil may gain a contact with secondary education before he is
forced to leave school, and the need for providing at all levels materials
of education suitable to widely differing types of children.
Promotion and Failure
That failure to meet the standards of the high school and lack of
interest (which is closely allied to failure) are the greatest causes
of withdrawal from the high school is evidenced by an analysis of
the reasons for withdrawal reported by the principals of the high
schools. Of one hundred sixteen pupils who withdrew from the
Cape Cod high schools during the year 1924-25, failure and lack of
interest were given as the causes in sixty cases. In fewer than
twenty cases, the economic factor appears to be the underlying
Cause.
These failures are greatest in the ninth grade. Only about sixty
per cent of the ninth-graders passed all of their work and were pro-
moted unconditionally at the close of the year 1923-24; about
twenty per cent failed in one major subject, and about twenty per
cent more failed in two or more units. More exactly, thirty-seven
high school freshmen out of two hundred failed in half of their work
or more, while thirty-eight more were handicapped toward gradua-
tion by failure in one unit. In the later high school grades, the
amounts of failure are less, owing doubtless to the elimination of the
"less fit."
Looking further to determine the subjects in which the largest
amounts of failure are found, it appears that one child in every five
fails in ninth-grade English and that one in four fails in ninth-grade
mathematics. Social studies, natural science, and domestic science
are passed by over ninety per cent of all ninth-graders. In other
words, in those subjects which have been brought closer to the child's
experience,-civics, general science, biology, and practical arts,-
children are reasonably successful. In formal English and in algebra,
which have not been related to normal adolescent interests, the tolí
of failure is high. Failure in the study of algebra, which is taken by
over eighty per cent of all ninth-grade pupils, is probably the greatest
single cause for withdrawal from high school.
54
Graduates Entering Higher Institutions
One of the important functions of the high school is to prepare
certain pupils for work in colleges, technical schools, normal schools,
and other higher schools. Indeed, this has been considered the most
important function of the high school in many communities. That
it should be considered so no longer is apparent from an analysis
of the present student body in the Cape high schools. For every
hundred pupils entering the ninth grade only forty remain to gradu-
ate, and twenty of these continue their education in higher schools.
Of these twenty, perhaps five will enter college. A study of the
graduates of the Cape high schools from 1921-25 indicates that over
the five-year period
1. There has been practically no change in the number of graduates.
2. About fifty per cent of the graduates have gone on to higher
schools of one sort or another.
3. About thirteen pupils (less than ten per cent of the graduates)
have gone to college each year.
In view of this small proportion of college-goers, it is hard to under-
stand how the Cape high schools are justified in framing their pro-
grams of study largely in terms of these pupils. That such is the case
is demonstrated by the general character of the programs of study and
by such statements as, “The college requirements are constantly
kept in view in most subjects." It may be agreed that if the high
school did a better piece of work in training pupils for college, larger
numbers would enter college. This is undoubtedly sound, although
it is inconceivable that the number of college-goers would ever be-
come a large group in the Cape high schools. College preparatory
education is not the best type of education for the majority of high
school pupils, and while the rights of minorities must be protected,
the needs of the majority must not be subverted. It is a serious
question whether any of the Cape high schools except Barnstable,
Bourne, and Falmouth is large enough to be attempting to prepare
pupils for the examinations set by the College Entrance Examination
Board. The other high schools may well continue to prepare for
those colleges the requirements of which do not limit the high school
to a particular type of academic education.
--
Enrollments by Subjects
The programs of study of the high schools indicate possible courses
in which pupils may enroll, but an analysis of the subjects actually
taken by pupils gives a better picture of what high school education
on Cape Cod means. Considering all the high schools except Yar-
mouth (from which no data were received owing to the sudden illness
of the principal) the distribution of emphasis in the various subjects
lvas:
55
.
Subject
English.
Foreign language
Social studies..
Sciences.
Mathematics.
Commercial subjects. .
Domestic science.
Agriculture
Drawing
Mechanics arts.
Per Cent
23.9
18.1
14.8
14.2
12.9
12.4
1.9
0.7
0.6
0.5
.
+
.
.
This table reads: the typical high school pupil devotes 23.9 per
cent of his time to English, 18.1 per cent to foreign language study,
etc. Of course no one student takes all of these subjects, but the
numbers indicate roughly a cross-section of the subject matter actually
taught to the pupils as a group.
The large amounts of time devoted to the study of foreign language
and mathematics and the slight emphasis on vocational subjects
other than commerce indicate the force that tradition plays in de-
termining the educational offering. Similar figures for ninth-grade
pupils indicate that algebra and Latin are considered relatively more
important than general science, community civics, and practical
arts. That algebra and Latin are not apparently suited to the needs
of ninth-grade pupils is suggested by the enrollments in mathematics
and Latin in the later high school grades.
Grade
IX
X
XI XII
Mathematics...
242
84
64
Latin..
142
49
28
14
19
Here it is seen that only about one pupil in every three continues
the study of mathematics or Latin beyond the ninth grade. The
problem of providing a better balanced offering will be considered
later in connection with specific recommendations.
Summary
The important facts gained from a study of the Cape high school
population may be summarized as follows:
1. High school enrollments have increased approximately sixty
per cent in the past twenty years. During the same period, the
total population of the area studied changed very little.
2. Only one-half of the children persist through the elementary
school to enter high school. One-fifth of those entering the
first grade of the elementary school graduate from the high
school.
3. Studies of the points at which elimination takes place most
rapidly indicate that grades seven to nine are the critical grades.
4. High school education as at present constituted holds girls in
school longer than boys.
56
5. Large numbers of retarded children are found in the late ele-
mentary and early high school grades.
6. Failure is the greatest cause of elimination in the high school.
Ninth-grade English and mathematics are the subjects in which
the largest amounts of failure are found.
7. Approximately one-half of high school graduates enter higher
schools, but only one-tenth enter college.
8. Enrollments by subjects indicate a disproportionately large
number of pupils engaged in the study of foreign language and
mathematics.
B. THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES
The educational offering of the Cape high schools as a whole is
distinctly conservative. This fact is indicated by an analysis of the
emphasis given to the various studies offered. The following table
indicates the average number of units offered in the Cape high
schools in each of the major fields:
Average Number
of Units
Per Cent
of Total
23
16
Foreign languag
English..
Natural science.
Commercial subjects.
Mathematics.
Social studies.
Other vocational subjects.
Aesthetic arts.
5.9
4.0
3.8
3.5
3.1
2.9
1.7
0.4
15
14
12
11
7
2
.
Total.
25.3
100
The prominent place of foreign language study, the subordinate
position of the social studies, and the almost complete absence of vo-
cational work other than commerce justifies the assertion that the
program is conservative. The courses that are common to the pro-
grams of three-fourths or more of the high schools are English (4),
Latin (4), French (3), Mathematics (3), Science (4), and History (2).
Every high school offers four years of English, two years of French,
algebra, geometry, physics, chemistry, and American history.
While the average high school offers twenty-five units of work and
requires fifteen units for graduation, there is a wide variation in the
breadth of offering in the schools. In general,
the larger schools pro-
vide a wide offering; Falmouth, 38 units, Bourne, 29 units, and
Hyannis, 27 units. The smaller schools, Cotuit, Dennis, and Brews-
ter, offer 20 units or fewer. In the remaining high schools, the num-
ber of units is 24 to 26. Commercial courses are found in the programs
of Bourne, Chatham, Falmouth, Hyannis, and Yarmouth. Home
57
economics and agriculture are offered on a vocational basis at Fal-
mouth. The work in the other high schools is entirely academic with
the exception of domestic arts at Dennis and Orleans.
The inequalities in breadth of offering that exist between com-
munities is strikingly shown by a comparison of the high school
programs at Cotuit and Falmouth. Children in the Cotuit High
School are limited to academic study-English, Latin, French, his-
tory, mathematics, and science. If those same children lived a few
miles to the westward, they would have in the Falmouth High School
opportunity for the study of agriculture, home economics, shop work,
drawing, business, and secretarial work in addition to the academic
subjects. Furthermore, if these children came within the territory
served by the Falmouth schools, they could gain contacts with some
of these newer studies as early as the seventh grade in the Junior
High School. A similar comparison, though not so striking, might be
drawn within the town of Barnstable, where children living in the
area served by the high school at Hyannis have opportunities in
domestic science, commerce, and drawing that are not paralleled in
the school at Cotuit.
Objectives
The Commission on the Reorganization of Secondary Education
of the National Education Association formulated a list of objec-
tives 1 which have guided the reorganization of programs of study
in the more progressive high schools. Preparation for home mem-
bership, for citizenship, for occupational life, and for leisure time
were the more important objectives listed. There is slight evidence
that the recommendations of the Commission have affected programs
of study in the Cape high schools, except in the Falmouth Junior
and Senior High Schools. The programs of these schools show strik-
ingly the influence of modern developments in secondary education.
It behooves all the Cape high schools to examine their programs in
the light of legitimate objectives and to revise their courses so as
to meet these objectives. In succeeding paragraphs, suggestions will
be made which, it is hoped, will prove helpful in this revision. (In
this connection see the reports of the various sub-committees of the
Commission on the
Reorganization of Secondary Education. United
States Bureau of Education Bulletins are available in the fields of
English, mathematics, social studies, natural sciences, business educa-
tion, agriculture, home economics, part-time education, music, and
physical education.)
English
English is a required subject in every grade of all the high schools
included in this study. Under this head are included English lan-
guage, both oral and written, and English literature. The desira-
1 Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education, U. S. Bureau of Education
Bulletin 1918, No. 35.
1
58
bility of requiring English of every high-school pupil is not questioned,
except perhaps in the twelfth grade, where a requirement in the
social studies serves a similar purpose. The character of the ma-
terials commonly employed in the required courses in English is,
however, seriously open to question. The content of the English
courses on the Cape, as far as it was possible to determine, are built
around the needs of the small minority of college-goers. Large num-
bers of children are trying to read literature that is far above their
heads, and doubtless learning to hate the masterpieces. The entire
offering in English needs to be revised in the interest of all the pupils.
This means the encouragement of wide reading rather than the de-
tailed analysis of a few classics, the consideration of modern drama as
well as Shakespeare, the introduction of current literature from the
fields of biography, travel, science, art, history, and politics. It
means a shift of emphasis from formal grammar to emphasis on cor-
rect usage in written and spoken English. Pupils who have learned
to employ correctly the more important conventions of writing and
speaking, should be exempted from further required study in this
field. Instruction in English language should be placed largely on
an individual basis in the high school grades. It must be borne in
mind that English literature, science, history, civics, and other sub-
jects are constantly making demands on the pupil's language abilities.
Children will grow in their mastery of language through using it in
all phases of high school work. The instruction in language in the
English course becomes, then, the correction of individual errors in
the language conventions. So long as English is organized primarily
from the point of view of the interests of the specialist in English, its
value will be limited to the small minority of pupils possessing keen
intellectual interests. The English courses need revision with
emphasis on preparation for citizenship and the worthy use of leisure
time.
Foreign Language
Nearly all the Cape high schools offer four units of Latin and three
units of French. In view of the small classes in the advanced years
of the subjects, however, and in view of the doubtful values of foreign
language study for the great majority of American pupils who will
never use a foreign language in any direct way, this emphasis, es-
pecially in the smaller high schools, is excessive. Foreign language is
related to pupils' interests only with great difficulty. The large
number of children dropping Latin after the first year has already
been a subject for comment in this report. In the smaller high
schools, foreign language must give way in order that there may be
opportunity to introduce into the program other subjects, particu-
larly social science and practical arts, which at present fail to gain
proper recognition in the high schools of the Cape. It is recommended
that not more than one foreign language be taught in any except the
larger high schools (Bourne, Falmouth, and Hyannis). Whether
59
that single foreign language be a modern or an ancient language is a
relatively unimportant question as the utilitarian value of either is
distinctly limited
Mathematics
The course of study in mathematics follows traditional lines-
algebra in the ninth grade, geometry in Grade Ten, review mathe-
matics and advanced mathematics in Grades Eleven and Twelve.
Although algebra is not a required subject in Grade Nine, nearly all
first-year high school pupils enroll in that study. That algebra is ill
suited to their interests and abilities is evidenced by the high pro-
portion of failures already noted. It is recommended that a course
in general mathematics be given in the junior high school (recom-
mended later in this report), or in the ninth grade of the four-year
high school wherever that form of organization is retained. Such a
course would include the more useful and easily understood elements
of algebra, geometry, and trigonometry, and would serve as a try-out
for pupils who plan to carry mathematics further in the senior high
school. The mathematics in the latter school should be elective
and may consist of unit courses in algebra, geometry, and advanced
mathematics, or as many of them as are justified in a well-balanced
program of studies.
Natural Sciences
The offering in the field of the natural sciences in the Cape high
schools is to be commended. The sequence of general science,
biology, chemistry, and physics is in harmony with the recommen-
dations of the Commission on the Reorganization of Secondary
Education. All but two high schools offer general science in the
ninth grade, although in two other schools only half a unit is devoted
to that subject. It is generally conceded by students of secondary
education that all pupils need some contact with elementary scientific
phenomena to make them more intelligent in interpreting life in a
scientific age.
It is recommended, therefore, that every high school
devote the equivalent of a full unit to general science and that this
study be a required subject in the junior high school or in the ninth
grade of all high schools that retain the four-year organization.
In the organization of courses in physics and chemistry, most of
the high schools would do well to abandon the attempt to meet
college entrance standards and give less theoretical courses in these
fields While individual laboratory work must be considered de-
sirable, it is not an essential in the teaching of these sciences. If
facilities for laboratory work are meagre, as is the case in the smaller
high schools, funds may be spent more wisely in the purchase of a
variety of apparatus for use by the group as a whole. It is exceed-
ingly difficult for the teacher of science to conduct individual labora-
tory work in an effective way even with adequate equipment. With
meagre equipment and makeshift apparatus, it is doubtful if any
60
except the very superior teacher will gain results commensurate
with the effort required. The student's time may be used much more
profitably through class experiments and demonstrations. This is
particularly true in the smaller high schools where the classes in
physics and chemistry are usually small.
Social Studies
The emphasis given to the social studies-civics, history, and
social problems in the Cape high schools is inadequate. Changing
social and political conditions demand that the average American
citizen be well informed and habituated to think about social issues.
While it is true that the Cape high schools are almost universally
offering courses in modern European history and American history
and civics, large numbers of children are leaving high school without
any study of social science whatever. Community civics is offered
as a full unit in only four high schools and as a half unit in two others.
In only two high schools are ninth-grade pupils required to take it.
Fewer than half of the first-year high school pupils take any social
science, while practically all take algebra. Is there really any doubt
as to the relative value of these two subjects to the average citizen?
In only three high schools is it possible for a pupil to enroll for a unit
of social science in each grade. No such limitation exists in the field
of foreign language. In the revision of the program of studies in
the Cape high schools, it is recommended that the social sciences be
given a prominent position. No fewer than four units of work should
be offered in this field from the ninth to the twelfth grades. Com-
munity civics, modern European history, American history and gov-
ernment, and problems of democracy are the suggested minimum
Community civics should be a requirement in the programs of all
pupils. American history is already required by law in the eleventh
or twelfth grades. It should emphasize developments since the Civil
War rather than the earlier history. Ancient and mediaeval history
may be dealt with briefly as background in the course in modern
European history. These courses should all be organized so as to
shed light on modern social problems. They should stimulate re-
flective thought and appreciation rather than the memorization of
fact and historical opinion, if they are to be effective elements in
training for citizenship.
Commercial Subjects
Five high schools--Bourne, Chatham, Falmouth, Hyannis, and
Yarmouth-offer vocational training in the commercial field. The
courses consist largely of the traditional bookkeeping, stenography,
and typewriting. There is no evidence that these courses were
introduced into the program of studies as the result of a survey of
the vocational needs of high school pupils. It is doubtful if many of
the pupils trained in this work use it in any strict vocational sense
even in their first jobs. Commercial education in Cape high schools
61
has gone the way of commercial education in American high schools
generally. It has not studied the changing needs of the commercial
field, nor the extent to which the training functioned in the vocational
life of the pupils. A proposal for reorganizing the work in this field
will be made in connection with the discussion of vocational educa-
tion in the reorganized secondary school.
Home Economics and Agriculture
Falmouth High School is the only Cape high school that is at-
tempting home economics and agriculture on a vocational basis.
One-half of the student's time in the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth
grades is devoted to class work or home projects. Curricula in these
fields are reaching small groups of pupils—in 1924-25, sixteen were
enrolled in home economics and nine in agriculture. A much more
detailed study than was possible in this survey would be needed to
evaluate this work. Falmouth is to be congratulated for its pro-
gressive spirit in making a beginning in these fields.
Practical Arts
There is a woeful lack of attention to the necessity for practical
arts in the programs of the Cape high schools. Shop work for boys
is available only at Falmouth, although Orleans is attempting to do
something in this field in the junior high grades. Yarmouth has
some equipment for manual arts, but it was not used during the past
year. Domestic science is offered for girls at Dennis, Falmouth,
Hyannis, Orleans, and Yarmouth. The other high schools offer
nothing but academic work. If the Cape high schools are going to
retain pupils and provide a well-rounded program, they must not
neglect to provide practical arts to some extent for all pupils, but
particularly for those pupils whose interests and abilities do not lie
in academic lines.
Music and Art
Only about one-half of the high schools provide work in music
or drawing. The general attitude toward these subjects appears to
be that they are extras. Little credit and no adequate place in the
time schedule is given for this work. Only nineteen pupils were re-
ported as studying drawing during the year 1924-25, yet seven schools
reported offering the subject, and four of them insisted that the
subject was required in the ninth grade. (This is one of many evi-
dences of the lack of harmony between the printed or mimeographed
programs of study and the subjects actually taught.) In the pro-
gram of the reorganized secondary school, the arts should be ac-
corded a more prominent position, particularly on the side of ap-
preciation. It is recommended, further, that credit be given for
out-of-school study of music provided a reasonable standard of ac-
complishment is met. The methods of accrediting outside work in
music have been perfected and are being used by high schools to en-
62
courage pupils to carry on their study of vocal and instrumental
music, unhampered.
Physical Activities
Insufficient attention is being given to the physical needs of high
school pupils. This is due for the most part to lack of facilities.
Only Falmouth and Hyannis have gymnasiums. Short physical
drills conducted by student leaders at stated intervals throughout the
day are possible in all schools. Few of the high schools are making
any attempt to use drills of this sort. No program of secondary
education can be considered adequate that does not provide for
physical activities for all pupils in every grade for at least two periods
per week. A gymnasium or exercise room must, therefore, be in-
cluded in any new buildings to be erected.
Summary
The programs of study of the Cape high schools, with the ex-
ception of Falmouth, have not been planned well in terms of pupil
needs. They have over-emphasized college preparation. They
have assumed that college-preparatory education and general edu-
cation were more or less synonymous. Even in the commercial
curricula pupils have been forced to take a large number of courses
in which college-preparatory subject matter dominated. The
courses of study in the academic subjects should be revised so as to
include materials of more general interest. The emphasis should be
shifted from foreign language and formal mathematics to the social
studies, practical arts, and aesthetic arts. Vocational education has
meant commercial education in a narrow sense. Vocational edu-
cation has not been based on an analysis of the need nor on a survey
of the extent of its functioning. Physical education has been grossly
neglected.
Furthermore, pupils have not been well guided in their choice of
studies. No opportunity has been given for pupils to make contacts
that will result in well-considered choices of high school study except
in the Junior High School in Falmouth.
Children who leave school from the ninth grade, as many do, take
with them a study of English (organized from the college-preparatory
point of view), algebra, probably Latin, perhaps general science or
biology, and perhaps civics. With the exception of the civics and
the science, there is little in this program that will contribute directly
to the pupil's life after he leaves school. In reorganizing the pro-
gram of studies, subjects possessing immediate value should be em-
phasized in the early years. The high school is responsible for pro-
viding a well-rounded program which is of value to the student in
proportion as he completes the various grades.
This section of the report has been frankly critical. Many striking
weaknesses in the present high school offering have been the subject
of unfavorable comment. It is not intended, however, that the case
63
should rest there. Proposals for framing programs that will be more
consonant with modern educational needs on the Cape will be at-
tempted in a later section of this report.
C. INSTRUCTION
Effectiveness
To evaluate the instruction in high schools is a difficult matter at
best. Standardized measures of accomplishment give some indica-
tion of the effectiveness of the teaching, but they do not measure
adequately the ideals, attitudes, habits, and methods of thought that
the pupils are gaining. Observation and study over a long period
would be necessary to appraise these outcomes accurately. In a
later topic dealing with measurements in secondary education, ob-
jective evidence of a limited character which bears on the efficiency
of instruction is presented. The present discussion is concerned
with the general spirit of instruction as determined by visits to class-
rooms.
In the spring of 1925, Dr. Douglass observed the teaching in the
high schools of Bourne, Cotuit, Falmouth, Sandwich, and Yarmouth;
the writer made a similar study of Brewster, Chatham, Dennis,
Harwich, Hyannis, and Orleans. Each teacher was rated roughly
on a scale of 100 points distributed as follows:
20
Personal Characteristics
Appearance, dress, neatness
Energy, voice control, enthusiasm
Manner, friendliness, dignity
Use of English
or or or or
10
ar or
30
Knowledge of Subject Matter
Background, breadth of view
Preparation, detailed knowledge
Technique of Teaching
Motivation
Organization of procedures
Presentation
Devices, illustrative materials, use of blackboard
Conclusiveness, definiteness
Socialization, group work
Classroom Management
Group control
Individual control
Room conditions (within control of teacher)
Economy of time
crororororor
20
5
5
5
5
64
сл сл сл сл
Pupil Reactions
20
Interest and attitude toward work
5
Habits of work
5
Reflective thinking
General grasp of work
No particular merit is claimed for this scale. It is merely a useful
device for focusing the observer's attention on some of the more im-
portant aspects of instruction.
The ratings obtained by use of this scale were distributed as follows:
81-90
2
71-80
8
61-70
12
51-60
10
41-50
3
31-40
2
The average (median) rating was 63; the highest, 88; and the
lowest, 38. Good teaching and poor teaching were found in almost
all schools irrespective of their size. In general, the instruction could
be characterized as mediocre. The instruction at Falmouth was dis-
tinctly good; there were evidences of professional spirit and effective
supervision.
If the results are analyzed as a whole, the relative strengths and
weaknesses of high school teachers on the Cape become apparent.
From highest to lowest the major items of the scale ranked in the
order:
Knowledge of subject matter 67
Personal characteristics
63
Classroom management
58
Pupil reactions
54
Technique of teaching
51
The minor items which ranked relatively high were those under
the headings of “Knowledge of subject matter” and “Personal char-
acteristics.” The items which ranked relatively low were "Sociali-
zation," "Economy of time," "Devices," "Organization," "
166 Motiva-
tion," and "Reflective thinking.” It appears, therefore, that the
Cape high school teachers as a group are potentially strong, but
because of inexperience, lack of professional training, or lack of
supervision their potentialities are not sufficiently realized.
Perhaps the most noticeable lack in the instruction of many teachers
was the absence of a definite objective. Teachers need to ask them-
selves what it is that they are trying to accomplish. It frequently
helps to discuss these points with pupils, as it clarifies not only their
ideas but also the teachers'. At the close of a given unit of work,
teachers and pupils need to ask themselves what it is that they have
accomplished. The formulation of definite aims and the evaluation
of outcomes in terms of aims would do much to improve instruction.
65
Teaching in the Cape high schools, furthermore, is emphasizing
the mental processes of memorization and recall at the expense of
reflective thinking and appreciation. Most of the recitations ob-
served were of the question-and-answer type with the teacher doing
most of the talking. A few good examples of development lesson
were noted. There was practically no' evidence of those types of
teaching in which individual initiative is stimulated-socialized
group work, project work, and directed study. One teacher was
teaching business arithmetic on a completely individualized basis,
but this was the only example of the kind. Instruction in the Cape
high schools needs vitalizing through the introduction of procedures
which will enlist the student's interest in behalf of his own education
--procedures which will stimulate group discussion on the one hand
and provide for individual progress on the other.
Supervision
It has been suggested that lack of supervision is partly responsible
for the failure of teachers to realize their possibilities in the Cape high
schools. Evidences of this lack are to be found in the statements
of the teachers, in the small amount of time which the high school
principals devote to the supervision of instruction, and in the char-
acter of the teachers' meetings. All of the high school principals
teach at least three periods a day except the principal at Falmouth,
who teaches only in an emergency. A large part of the remainder
of the principal's time is devoted to administrative routine and to
the supervision of pupil activities. The principals have not the time
and, in the cases of the smaller schools, not the training for super-
visory work. Since the superintendent of schools devotes the larger
part of his time to the elementary schools, the important work of
supervision tends to go undone. A proposal for providing adequate
supervision for high school instruction will be considered later in con-
nection with the proposed reorganization of secondary education on
the Cape.
D. ADMINISTRATION
Size of Schools
Perhaps the most important limiting factor in the development
of secondary education on Cape Cod is the size of the high schools.
Three of the schools, Brewster, Cotuit, and Dennis, have fewer than
fifty pupils each; Chatham, Harwich, Orleans, í Sandwich, and
Yarmouth enroll between fifty and seventy-five pupils each; Bourne
and Falmouth 1 enroll about 125, and Hyannis over 200. Because
of the excessive cost, the provision of a program of studies to meet the
needs of different groups of pupils is almost prohibitive in a high
school enrolling fewer than from seventy-five to one hundred pupils.
Eight of the eleven high schools in the area studied enroll fewer than
seventy-five pupils. The result of operating such small units shows
1 Including the ninth grade for purposes of comparison.
66
itself in one or more of the following ways: (1) a rigid program of
studies, usually academic in character; (2) a teaching load that is
light from the point of view of number of pupil-periods per week,
but heavy in the number of different subjects taught and the number
of classes per week; (3) the existence of large numbers of classes of
uneconomical size, --enrolling from one to ten pupils; (4) an ex-
cessive per-pupil cost in view of the type of education offered. The
rigid academic character of the program of studies in many of the
Cape high schools has already been pointed out. In the following
paragraphs, evidence concerning the teaching load and the size of
classes will be considered in relation to the size of the school. The
problem of costs is dealt with in the section on finance. Proposals
for creating larger units which may be administered more economically
and provide a more varied educational offering will be considered in
the section of this report dealing with the reorganization of secondary
education.
Teaching Load
The instructional load which each teacher carries is estimated in
three ways: (1) by the number of pupil-periods per week; (2) by the
number of classes per week; and (3) by the number of different
fields-English, Latin, French, mathematics, science, social studies,
commercial subjects, etc., represented in his program. The generally
accepted standard teaching load is 625 pupil-periods for a maximum
of twenty-five periods per week. This standard is based upon an
average of five classes of twenty-five pupils each five days per week.
No teacher in the Cape high schools was teaching more than 625
pupil-periods per week during the year 1924-25. The average teach-
ing load of forty-four teachers was 370 pupil-periods per week.
Considering only those teachers who devoted their entire time to
the high school, the median number of periods taught per week was
twenty-five. Forty per cent of the teachers teach more than twenty-
five periods per week. These teachers are overloaded if the standard
maximum of twenty-five periods is accepted.
Certain Cape teachers carry an excessive instructional load in that
they are conducting classes in three or more fields of subject matter.
About one teacher in every three is teaching under such conditions.
If the eight high schools, each having less than seventy-five pupils, are
considered separately, it is found that one-half of the teachers teach
more than two different subjects as defined above. Specialization in
a single field is found in general only at Falmouth and Hyannis.
Summarizing the teaching conditions, it may be stated that from
the point of view of pupil-periods per week, Cape high school teachers
carry far less than what may be considered a reasonable load. From
the point of view of the number of classes taught and the distribu-
tion of these in the various subject fields, however, one-third to one-
half of the teachers are overloaded. It is a rare teacher who would
not prefer to teach a smaller number of large classes per week in a

A new modern school is to replace these two buildings in Sandwich. The
upper picture is the High School, the lower one the Elementary School. Both
of these schools were most inadequate and in some respects unsafe.
68
special field or related fields than a larger number of small classes
spread over several fields.
Size of Classes
The excessive number of small classes resulting from attempts to
offer a varied program of studies in the small high schools is an im-
portant element in making administration uneconomical in these
schools. The average (median) size of the 216 classes reported by
the Cape high schools in 1924–25 was thirteen pupils. Classes ranged
in size from one pupil to thirty-eight pupils. One-fifth of the classes
contained from one to five pupils; another fifth had six to ten pupils;
two-thirds of the classes enrolled fifteen pupils or fewer. The only
high school in which the average class contained as many as twenty
pupils was the school at Hyannis.
The greater efficiency in the use of staff likely to be found in the
larger high schools is seen in a study of teaching load and size of
classes in relation to the size of the schools.
Rank in
Total Enrollment
Rank in Average
Teaching Load
Rank in Average
Size of Class
1
2
3
1
3
2
6.5
ܢܙ ܠܛ
coor NW
Hyannis.
Bourne.
Falmouth
Chatham
Orleans 1
Harwich.
Sandwich.
Cotuit..
Dennis..
Brewster
Yarmouth.
HANH
.
6
7
8
9
10
4
6.5
10
9
No data
6.5
4
9
6.5
9
9
This table reads as follows: the high school at Hyannis ranks first
in the number of pupils enrolled since it is the largest high school in
the group studied. It also ranks first in economical use of teaching
staff and first in economical size of classes. Rank in teaching load
was determined by combining rank in number of pupil-periods per
week with rank in number of classes taught per week and rank in
number of subjects taught by each teacher.
An examination of the table shows that Hyannis, Bourne, and
Falmouth tend to rank high in all factors, while Dennis and Brewster
rank low. Size of school is thus apparently a factor in determining
the conditions under which teachers work. There is no necessary
relation between size of school and teaching conditions, but, on the
whole, it works out that the communities supporting the smaller
high schools are not willing to increase their costs by the addition of
another teacher merely to reduce the number of periods taught per
week and the range of subjects taught by each teacher.
Including Grade Nine.
69
Length of School Day
The average high school day in the Cape schools is five hours, not
including recesses. The length of day varies from four and three-
quarters to five and three-quarters hours, though only one school
has a school day longer than five and one-quarter hours. In the re-
organized high school, a minimum length of five and one-half hours is
recommended. The longer day is necessary if provision for directed
study is to be made.
Number and Length of Periods
Seven of the ten high schools providing data for this part of the
study reported a school day of seven periods; two schools have a
six-period day and one school an eight-period day. The length of
each period varies from forty to forty-five minutes. If the normal
load for a pupil is four units of work per year, a six-period day is
preferable to a seven-period day. This is especially true in view of
the larger number of study pupils to be provided for in the seven-
period day. In most of the Cape high schools these study pupils
must study in the back of the regular classrooms. An undesirable
effect on both study and teaching results. A longer school day with
fewer and longer periods will improve both teaching and study con-
ditions. Such a school day can be worked out administratively if
the time-schedule of recitations is made scientifically. The proposals
for reorganizing secondary education on the Cape will facilitate the
introduction of a five 60-minute-period day or a six 50-minute-period
day.
Number of Units for Graduation
The requirement for graduation is fifteen units in six high schools,
and sixteen units in three high schools. Falmouth requires the
equivalent of twelve units in its senior high school. It is recom-
mended that high school graduation be based on the completion of
twelve units in Grades Ten to Twelve in the reorganized high school
or on fifteen units if the present organization is retained.
Examinations and Marking Systems
Five of the high schools have a system of examinations either at
midyears and finals or at the close of terms. The remaining five
high schools have no such system. There is no evidence that the
schools employing an examination system are superior to the schools
not holding examinations. Examinations properly conceived and
administered are valuable educative instruments. Their benefits
can be gained best, however, through their use informally at the com-
pletion of major units of work.
The marking system most commonly employed on record cards
and on reports to parents is the letter system (A, B, C, X, F) recom-
mended by the State Department of Education. A few schools use
1 No data were received from Yarmouth.
70
percentage marks on record cards and letters on reports to parents.
The practice of using percentage marks has been almost universally
condemned by students of education because of the pretense of ac-
curacy which such marks give. It is recommended that marks be
recorded in letters only and that the qualifying pluses and minuses
be used only in recording final marks.
Library and Laboratory Facilities
The number of books in the school libraries is less than 200 in every
high school except Orleans, which reports over 1300 books, "the ma-
jority of which are not suitable for a school library.” No school has
a separate library room, but five of the ten high schools have access
to a village library. While the use of a local library is to be com-
mended, it should not be regarded as substitute for an adequate
supply of reference books in the high school itself. It is recommended
that provision for building up the libraries be made in the annual
appropriation for high schools. A small sum, wisely spent each year,
would yield over a period of years a library of distinct value for
reference work and for recreational reading. Suggestions for suitable
books may be gained from literature published by the State De-
partment of Education.
Adequate laboratory facilities in the Cape high schools are woefully
lacking in the smaller high schools. The larger high schools have a
fair equipment for carrying on individual experimentation. Little
interest is taken in keeping what apparatus is available in order.
Much of the apparatus is little more than junk. It is recommended
that the smaller high schools make no attempt to give individual
laboratory work, but bend their energies to the building up of a
supply of apparatus for demonstration and group experimentation.
Such apparatus should be kept under lock when not in use. Principals
should see that teachers of science conserve the laboratory equipment
of the school and leave it in good order (with an inventory) at the
close of the school year. Such a precaution is necessary in view of
the rapid turnover of teachers in the Cape high schools.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Cape high schools, with the exception of Brewster and Dennis, have
athletic teams of one sort or another, usually basket ball and base-
ball. Bourne, Chatham, Falmouth, and Orleans support a school
magazine. Dramatic activities are found in the high schools of
Bourne, Harwich, Orleans, and Sandwich. Falmouth and Orleans
report school orchestras. Falmouth has also a student council and
a traffic squad. Miscellaneous activities are reported by individual
schools, but in general extra-curricular activities in the Cape high
schools mean athletics, a school paper, a school play, and rarely
anything else. Student activities have not, on the whole, received
the attention that they deserve. It is hoped that these activities
will be extended to include home-room organizations, assemblies, and
clubs representing a variety of recreational interests.
71
Teachers' Meetings
Staff meetings are held at varying intervals in the several high
schools. Three schools report weekly meetings, three others hold
meetings once a month, and the remaining schools at miscellaneous
times as occasion arises. These meetings are used largely for the
discussion of local problems. Falmouth reports using these meetings
for professional improvement. The staff of this school is studying
Edmonson and Whipple, Problems of the High School Teaching
Staff. Cotuit uses part of the time for the discussion of progressive
educational methods. These practices are commendable and should
be extended to the other high schools. The use of Stark's Every
Teacher's Problems, or Edmonson and Whipple, is suggested as a
desirable approach to the effective use of staff meetings.
The High School Principal as a Leader
How does the high school principal employ his time? The answers
to this question when summarized distribute themselves approxi-
mately as follows:
Teaching
65 per cent
Administrative routine 20 per cent
Supervision
10 per cent
Pupil activities
5 per cent
No claim is made that these figures indicate accurately the actual
situation. They are probably reliable enough to demonstrate that
the typical high school principal in the Cape high schools devotes the
major part of his time to teaching and to administrative routine.
Very little time is left for supervision and for the study of instruc-
tional and administrative problems. Many of the principals do
their own clerical work; a few employ teachers and pupils. Hyannis
is the only school to employ a secretary. Principals will never be
emancipated from clerical work so long as they indicate a willingness
to do it. Only one high school principal mentions devoting time
to activities that indicate his position as a constructive leader of
secondary education in his community. Other principals give
evidence that they are thinking about the big problems of their
schools, but the majority appear to take it for granted that the major
lines of action are determined for them and that they are necessarily
only routine workers. Even in the smaller high schools, however
the principals should be studying the problems of their schools and
assist the superintendents of schools in the progressive development
of secondary education in their communities.
It is hoped that the foregoing analysis of the defects in the Cape
high schools has not left the impression that high school education
on the Cape is practically ineffective. Such an impression would be
far from correct. The defects are both numerous and serious. The
72
same can be said of any high school or group of high schools that has
not studied its educational problems scientifically. (Falmouth has
approached its problems scientifically, as its schools indicate.) No
one who has examined the facts, however, believes that the secondary
schools of state and nation are retrograding. Secondary education is
advancing more rapidly today than ever before. The fine atmos-
phere that pervades the Cape high schools indicates the progress that
has been made over the formalism of the teacher-pupil relationship
of a generation ago. The correction of the major defects pointed out
in this report and the redirection of secondary education along the
lines suggested will carry the Cape far toward securing more effective
secondary schools.
73
CHAPTER IV. MEASUREMENTS IN CAPE COD HIGH
SCHOOLS
PURPOSES
The major concern of the survey staff, in its testing program in the
Cape Cod high schools, was to acquaint principals and teachers
with the possibilities of standardized tests rather than to gather
facts by which to judge the effectiveness of instruction in these high
schools. The purposes in the order of importance were:
(1) To stimulate interest in the use of standard tests in the study
of instructional problems;
(2) To acquaint teachers with representative testing materials in
the high school field;
(3) To demonstrate the extent of individual variations in ability
and accomplishment within a given grade and the amount of
overlapping between grades;
(4) To gain some idea of the abilities and achievements of Cape
high school pupils in comparison with those of high school
pupils generally.
It is evident that the more important purposes of the testing pro-
gram were accomplished by the giving of the tests even though the
results were not immediately available. It is hoped that the findings
here presented will serve to increase the initial interest already de-
veloped and call attention to the importance of a careful study of the
individual pupil.
The survey staff had no thought of using the test results to com-
pare the effectiveness of the various high schools on the Cape. Com-
parisons of one high school with another serve no important educa-
tional purpose. Of what value is it to know that School A is better
than School B if School A is still far from realizing its possibilities?
Even if comparisons between schools were desirable, they would not
be valid in this study, because (1) the results in the individual schools
are not sufficiently reliable in view of the method of giving the tests,
(2) the small number of pupils in most of the high schools makes
generalization dangerous, and (3) the program of testing was too
limited in scope to justify even tentative comparisons between
schools.
74
METHODS
The tests used in the survey were:
Dearborn General Intelligence Examination C
Monroe Reading Test ITI
Inglis Test of English Vocabulary B
Hotz Algebra Scales, Equation and Formula A
Inglis Latin Vocabulary Test A
In view of the funds available for testing purposes, not all the tests
were given in every high school. A representative selection of schools
was made so that each test was given in at least seven high schools
and each high school received at least three different tests.
The tests were administered by principals and teachers in their
respective schools. The intelligence test was given by teachers who
were specially trained for the purpose. The scoring of the tests was
done by trained workers at the Harvard Graduate School of Edu-
cation, thus ensuring objectivity and uniformity. There is every
evidence that the tests were well administered and that the results
are as reliable as could be expected in view of the large number of
teachers participating.
In view of the primary motive of the survey staff to stimulate
interest in testing, the methods employed were justified. In inter-
preting the results of the tests, it must be borne in mind constantly
that the findings are less reliable than would be the case if the testing
had been done by a person of extended training and experience in
this work. The expense of employing a trained investigator for
high school testing would hardly have been justified in view of the
values most likely to be realized from the testing program.
RESULTS
Intelligence Levels
The results of intelligence testing in the Cape high schools may be
summarized as follows:
1. The average (median) intelligence quotients by grades from the
ninth to the twelfth are 103, 112, 115, 113. (Standard=100.)
Thus, the typical ninth-grade pupil is about average in intelli-
gence, while in the later high school years the typical pupil is
distinctly above average in intelligence.
2. The range of intelligence in each high school grade is from
"borderline defective to "very superior," though fewer "dull”
children are found in each succeeding grade of the high school.
3. The range of mental age in the ninth grades of Cape Cod high
schools is from ten to nineteen years. Individual schools ex-
hibit this extreme variation in mental age within the ninth
grade: Bourne, 11–18; Chatham, 10-19; Harwich, 10–18; etc.
In the Bourne High School, one-fifth of the first-year pupils
75
have a mental age of seventeen or above, while the lowest
fourth have a mental age of thirteen or below. This is typical
of the other high schools.
4. There is much
overlapping in mental age from grade to grade.
In the Dennis High School, for example, children with mental
ages as low as twelve and as high as seventeen are found in
every grade from the ninth to the twelfth. In other words,
some freshmen have higher mental ages than the average senior
and some seniors have lower mental ages than the average
freshman in spite of the three years of difference in the length
of school attendance.
5. The findings for the Cape as a who!e are not essentially different
from those gained in similar studies elsewhere. There is no
evidence that the children in the Cape high schools are any
more or any less intelligent than children in the same school
grades in other parts of the country. The data suggest that
children of low mentality persist somewhat longer in the Cape
high schools than is the case in city high schools, though more
extended study would be necessary to establish the point.
The intelligence test scores show clearly that children in a given
high school grade are quite unequal in their native abilities. This
wide range of intelligence within a given group presents a serious
difficulty to the teacher of that group. It is folly to expect or to
desire equal accomplishments of children who are inherently un-
equal in their rates of learning. Intelligence test scores call at-
tention to the need for studying pupils as individuals, for adjusting
instruction to individual variations, and for interpreting accomplish-
ment in terms of the individual's ability. They suggest the futility
of the time-honored recitation as the typical classroom procedure and
emphasize the importance of individualized instruction, supervised
study, variable assignments, and projects. They further suggest
the need for different types of education for children of different
abilities and wise guidance of the individual pupil in the choice of
elective courses.
The possibilities of adapting instruction to the needs of the in-
dividual members of a group are unusually good in the Cape high
schools where the average class is thirteen pupils and over forty per
cent of the groups enroll fewer than ten pupils. It is imperative that
everyone in the school organization superintendents, principals,
teachers, pupils—get the idea of a modern program of education
which demands thinking and acting in terms of individual responsi-
bility instead of class performance.
Ability in Reading
The Monroe Reading Test was given to Cape high school children
to determine their speed in reading material that requires careful
reading, and their understanding of what they have read. The find-
ings may be stated as follows:
76
1. The rate at which children read changes very little in the four
years of high school. The median rate scores for the ninth,
tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades were respectively 104, 99,
110, and 101.
2. The rate of reading ranges from approximately 50 words per
minute to 150 words per minute in every grade. There are
proportionately fewer of the very slow readers in the later high
school grades.
3. Comprehension of what is read increases somewhat from grade
to grade during the high school period. The median compre-
hension scores for the four years were 22, 26, 29, and 29. The
amount of increase is almost insignificant, however, in view of
the wide variability in comprehension within a grade.
4. Comprehension scores range from practically no comprehension
to superior comprehension in every high school grade. There
are proportionately fewer readers with low comprehension
scores in the later high school grades.
5. Overlapping in reading abilities is very striking. Nearly thirty
per cent of ninth-graders read with better understanding than
the average twelfth-grader, and conversely thirty per cent of
high school seniors read with less understanding than the
average high school freshman.
6. The reading abilities of children in the Cape Cod high schools
compare favorably with the standard for the test except in the
ninth grade. In that grade, rate is markedly above standard
and comprehension is definitely below standard. Children are
perhaps reading too rapidly and not giving enough attention to
thought.
The results of testing in reading indicate strikingly the unequal
equipments with which children approach their high school studies.
Reading is a tool which is needed in every phase of high school work,
particularly in English literature, the social studies, and natural
science. The use of reading tests by teachers is to be encouraged
because of the increased understanding that teachers gain of the
individual pupil and his needs.
Vocabulary
The Inglis test of English vocabulary tests a pupil's knowledge
of a body of non-technical English words which, while not uncommon,
are not necessarily a part of his everyday vocabulary. (Such words
as accorded, menace, reticence, unison.) The significant points ex-
hibited by the tabulated results follow:
1. There is objective evidence of progress in knowledge of the
meaning of relatively uncommon English words from the ninth
through the twelfth grades. The median percentage scores for
the four years are 35, 40, 50, and 54.
77
2. There is the usual large range of variation in ability within a
given grade. In the ninth grade, the upper sixth of the children
know over fifty per cent of the words of the test while the
lowest sixth know fewer than twenty per cent of these words.
3. While the median advances from grade to grade there is much
overlapping. Some ninth-graders (about ten per cent) have
more extensive vocabularies than the average twelfth-grader
and correspondingly some twelfth-graders (about fifteen per
cent) have less extensive vocabularies than the average ninth-
grader.
4. Cape Cod high school pupils on the whole compare favorably
with high school pupils in other parts of the country. The
ninth-grade pupils in Cape high schools are markedly above
standard, but the twelfth-grade pupils are somewhat below
standard.
Like ability in reading, knowledge of the meanings of words,
whether spoken or written, is an essential tool in secondary educa-
tion. Tests of the type of the Inglis test are useful in studying
vocabulary differences in high school pupils. They also serve to
demonstrate objectively progress in building passive vocabulary.
Furthermore, vocabulary tests may be used as an adjunct to in-
telligence tests in inferring a pupil's capacity for the academic aspects
of the high school program.
Achievement in Algebra
Algebra is one of the oldest subjects in the high school curriculum.
It is more frequently a required high school subject than any other
study except English. Tradition has built up a more or less standard-
ized content and method in algebra. For this reason, comparison
with standards is to some extent possible in this field. The Hotz
Equation and Formula Scale was used in the Cape Cod Survey as
typifying the kind of measurement that is possible in determining a
pupil's mastery of the fundamental algebraic skills. A more com-
plete testing program would include tests of algebraic addition, sub-
traction, multiplication, division, problems, and graphs. What re-
sults were obtained through the use of this test in seven Cape Cod
high schools?
1. The median accomplishment in the ninth grade of the Cape
high schools was 6.4 out of 12 problems solved correctly. Since
the standard accomplishment for the same length of time spent
in studying the subject is 7.6, it is evident that in this important
phase of algebra, accomplishment in the Cape high schools is
below standard. Only thirty per cent of ninth-graders in the
classes tested equalled or exceeded the standard median.
2. The unequal attainments of pupils receiving approximately
equal amounts of time in instruction is no more clearly shown
78
than in the results of the algebra test. At the extremes of the
distribution, one pupil solved 11 out of 12 problems correctly,
while three pupils failed to solve more than one equation cor-
rectly. The remaining 200 or more scores were scattered in
between 1 and 11.
3. Approximately one-fourth of the pupils tested failed to solve
five simple equations in the twenty minutes allowed for the test.
The natural inference from the poor showing of Cape high school
children is that the instruction is inferior to that generally found in
high school algebra classes. Such an inference would need to be
checked by further tests in other phases of the subject and by refer-
ence to the intelligence levels of the pupils enrolled in the subject
before it could be accepted as a valid conclusion. It may be that a
larger proportion of dull children are enrolled in algebra classes on
Cape Cod than is the case elsewhere. It is certainly justifiable from
present evidence to question the value of the study of algebra for the
lowest fourth of the distribution.
Tests of the type of the Hotz test are useful in demonstrating ob-
jectively the progress of the individual pupil. They also serve as
motivating devices and as aids in diagnosing individual difficulties
in learning
Latin Vocabulary
Like algebra, Latin lends itself readily to standardized testing.
Tests of vocabulary, syntax, morphology, and reading ability are
available in the field of Latin. The Inglis Test of Latin Vocabulary
was given to all pupils studying Latin in seven Cape Cod high schools
to demonstrate objectively progress in the mastery of Latin vocabu-
lary. The findings follow:
1. There is objective evidence of growth in the understanding of
Latin words from grade to grade. The medians for the four
high school grades are 53, 66, 72, 81.1 (In this test the score
indicates the per cent of total word occurrences that the in-
dividual knows. A score of 75 means that the individual knows
the meaning of 75 out of every 100 running words.)
2. Cape Cod high school children compare favorably with the
standards of the test. There is no indication that instruction
in Latin is inferior to that in larger high schools. In fact, the
ninth-graders tested are significantly above standard.
3. As in the results of other tests, variability within a given grade
and overlapping from grade to grade are the most striking
features. The overlapping, however, is not so extensive as in
reading and in English vocabulary.
1 The twelfth-grade median has little significance because of the small number
of cases (10).
1
79
Summary
The testing program as a whole has demonstrated that Cape Cod
high school pupils are no less intelligent than high school pupils
generally; that their reading abilities and knowledge of English words
compare favorably with those of other high school pupils; that their
accomplishment in the solution of algebraic equations is definitely
below standard; and that their knowledge of Latin words is up to
standard. The tests have further shown that the system of classify-
ing high school pupils by grades, while justified from certain points
of view, does not operate to bring together pupils of even approxi-
mately the same previous accomplishment of the same rates of learn-
ing. Extreme variability within a grade and extensive overlapping
between grades have been demonstrated so frequently in studies
of this character that they could have been predicted with almost
absolute certainty without giving a single test. To be convincing,
however, data had to be gained from Cape high schools. The testing
program in the high schools will have served its purpose if it has
helped to dispel the prevalent notion that the quality of high school
students on the Cape is, in general, poorer than that found in the high
schools of the nation, 'if it has directed the attention of adminis-
trators and teachers to the need for considering each pupil as an in-
dividual problem requiring detailed study, and if it has shown that
standardized tests may aid materially in giving objective informa-
tion concerning the abilities and accomplishments of pupils. It
is hoped that the testing program initiated in this survey will be but
the forerunner of more extended studies undertaken by the high
school teachers of the Cape.
.
80
CHAPTER V. THE REORGANIZATION OF SECONDARY
EDUCATION ON CAPE COD
Facts have already been presented which point to a much needed
reorganization of secondary education on Cape Cod. The large
amount of retardation in the late elementary and high school grades,
the fact that only one-half of the Cape children receive any secondary
education at all, the large proportion of children eliminated during
the first year of high school, and the failure of many of the high
schools to offer a program suitable for large numbers of children, all
indicate the need for a new conception of education, particularly in
the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades. It is recommended that the
junior high school idea be introduced and that the necessary adjust-
ments be made in elementary education and senior high school
education to create a unified organization, at every stage of which
education suitable to the needs of developing youth is provided.
In this section of the report, the purposes of the reorganized secondary
school will be indicated in some detail, the offering of the junior high
schools already established will be evaluated and a suggested pro-
gram outlined. Proposals will also be made for realizing the program
in communities of various sizes.
Purposes of the Reorganized Secondary School
Within the past fifteen years, increasing numbers of progressive
communities have introduced junior high schools (or six-year high
schools involving the junior high school idea) to provide a better
type of secondary education and to extend secondary education to
larger numbers of children. The aims of the reorganized secondary
school are:
1. To develop a unified educational system in which there shall be a
gradual transition from the more or less common training of the
earlier elementary grades to the diversified training of the later
secondary schools.
2. To broaden the scope of the general education received by all
children.
3. To ensure some secondary education to all children by intro-
ducing in the seventh and eighth (and perhaps in earlier grades)
certain subject matter now taught exclusively in the high school
and also certain other subject matter not commonly taught in
either elementary or high schools at present.
4. To emphasize early that subject matter which is of immediate
value in the life of the child and to postpone to later high school
grades subject matter the value of which is deferred.
81
5. To make earlier provision for individual differences in capacity,
interest, and vocational and educational outlook.
6. To provide opportunities for pupils to explore the major fields
of intellectual, practical, and aesthetic activities.
7. To aid pupils in discovering cultural, occupational, and recrea-
tional interests.
8. To guide pupils in their choices of fields of specialization in the
later high school grades by supplying in the earlier high school
grades contacts that will make intelligent choices possible.
9. To provide a gradual transition from the practices of the ele-
mentary school to those of the secondary school-elective
studies, promotion by subject, departmental instruction, home
study, and extra-curricular activities.
If these fundamental aims and purposes are recognized and pro-
visions made for realizing them, the pupils will take greater interest
of their work, their outlook will be broadened, and the general morale
in the student body will be greatly strengthened. The reorganiza-
tion usually has a striking effect upon the retention of pupils. The
almost universal result of introducing the junior high school idea is to
increase the demand for senior high school education.
There is a danger, however, that the reorganization of secondary
education will be restricted to changes in the grades included in the
- Various educational units and that the major purposes will not be
realized. Many so-called junior high schools are such in name only.
It is of the utmost importance that everyone connected with the
school organization principals, teachers, parents, and pupils—get the
point of view of the new education. One step in the procedure of
reorganization, then, must be teacher training, particularly the
training of those teachers who devote part or all of their time to the
junior high school grades.
Ox
Cape Junior High Schools
The reorganization of secondary education has already been
undertaken in Orleans and Falmouth. Orleans has introduced a
junior high school including Grades Seven, Eight, and Nine, but the
reorganization has expressed itself largely as a regrouping of grades
and in the introduction of departmentalized instruction, although
some progress has been made in the direction of student activities.
The revision of the educational offering, the introduction of newer
types of teaching, and the development of morale are the next steps
indicated. Orleans is to be commended for its initiative in experi-
menting with the junior high school.
In the Falmouth junior high school, the spirit of the reorganization
has been realized to a greater extent than at Orleans. Falmouth has
introduced general science, business practice, and practical arts in
the seventh and eighth grades to open up fields of high school study
and to provide opportunities for the discovery of interests and
82
abilities. The program of studies is probably too crowded for satis-
factory accomplishment, though it is eminently superior to the pro-
gram which it supplanted. The requirement of four periods each of
general science and business practice in the seventh and eighth
grades (followed by opportunity for election of these subjects in
Grade Nine) has made necessary serious reduction of time-allotments
in other subjects, especially English, social studies, and practical
arts. Practical arts try-out for boys is limited to more or less con-
ventional woodwork, though the school possesses equipment for at
least a beginning in general shopwork. Work in agriculture appears
as an elective in Grade Nine, but is not previously offered for all pupils.
Practical arts for girls is limited to prescribed sewing in Grades Seven
and Eight (one period in each grade), with cooking elective in Grade
Nine, but not before. Latin is offered in Grade Nine, though no
previous opportunity for try-out is given. The course in mathe-
matics has not been reorganized. No survey of occupations is offered.
Subject-matter in the newer courses (general science, business
practice, etc.) seems to be fairly well adapted to the needs of junior
high school pupils. The older courses (English, arithmetic, history,
etc.) are, however, very closely modeled on traditional elementary
or senior high school work.
An expansion of the offering in practical arts is needed. The use
of a local garage is making possible a certain extension of ninth-
grade work, but the school can and should provide its own teachers
and equipment for a general shop. Closer study and more positive
supervision of offerings in all fields will be necessary if they are to be
adapted to junior high school needs. Penmanship should be merged
with the work in English in Grades Seven and Eight, and the time-
allotment for English should be expanded, particularly in Grade
Eight. Try-outs and electives should be introduced gradually, to
relieve the load on the earlier grades. A survey of occupations
should be offered either as a separate course or in connection with
social studies.
Falmouth has made a good beginning in the introduetion of di-
rected study. The effectiveness of this supervised study will be in-
creased if the program of studies is revised in the light of the sug-
gestions offered. The teaching is for the most part good, though
the point of view tends to be either that of the elementary school
or senior high school, rather than that of the junior high school.
The present system of departmentalization means that every
seventh- and eighth-grade pupil works under ten different teachers,
while every ninth-grade pupil works under four or five. A radical
reduction in the amount of departmentalization in the seventh and
eighth grades is necessary if a gradual transition is to be maintained.
The extra-curricular activities in the Falmouth junior high school
are too closely dependent upon the senior high school. The separa-
tion of the two schools should be accompanied by introduction of club
work (now entirely lacking) and of separate junior high school ath-
83
letics, orchestra, etc. The junior high school should have a separate
plan of student participation in school government which should
interest itself positively in the school as a whole, rather than solely
in traffic and the care of grounds.
The Falmouth junior high school has been considered in some
detail to indicate that experimentation along progressive lines is
being conducted on the Cape, and to point out by practical example
some of the important considerations that must enter into the pro-
gram of the reorganized secondary school.
Program of Studies
The educational offering of the reorganized secondary school
should be framed so as to meet the following criteria:
1. It should provide a thorough grounding in English and the
fundamental social studies.
2. It should open up the field of so-called academic subjects
through introductory courses in foreign language, mathematics,
and science in the earlier grades and opportunity for specializa-
tion in these subjects in the later grades.
3. It should provide training for all pupils in unspecialized busi-
ness activities in the earlier grades.
4. It should provide training for all pupils in unspecialized
practical activities in the earlier grades.
5. It should offer in the earlier grades try-out courses which shall
give a pupil insight into the major fields of human endeavor,
agriculture, commerce, home-making, industry, and the pro-
fessions.
6. It should offer in the later grades so far as possible vocational
training in agriculture, commerce, home-making, and me-
chanical trades, and preparation for higher education.
7. It should provide an opportunity for the study of the occu-
pations themselves, working conditions, financial return, op-
portunity for advancement, etc.
8. It should provide for all pupils an elementary training in the
appreciation of good music and art in the earlier grades and
opportunity for specialization in these fields in the later grades.
9. It should provide physical activities for all pupils in each grade.
10. It should provide opportunities in the earlier grades for back-
ward pupils to spend added amounts of time in the study of
English language and arithmetic.
11. It should provide for chorus music, assembly exercises, home-
room, and club activities.
12. It should provide a gradual change from the more or less com-
mon training of the elementary grades to the specialized train-
ing of the later secondary grades.
13. It should require of all pupils only those subjects which can be
justified by their common social needs. All other subjects
must be considered as elective.
84
14. It should provide at every stage a well-balanced offering which
shall be as worth while for the pupils eliminated as it is for the
pupils retained.
These "fourteen points" are appropriate guides for secondary
education not only on Cape Cod, but throughout the nation. School
systems enrolling larger numbers of pupils are better situated than
the Cape schools in providing diversified types of vocational edu-
cation. The great majority of these criteria, however, can be met
in the reorganized secondary schools of the Cape. The program of
studies presented on the opposite page is suggestive of what is both
desirable and practicable.
Notes:
English. Under this heading are grouped literature and language
(oral and written) including functional grammar, spelling, and
penmanship in all grades. Special English in Grades Seven and
Eight for those deficient in English language abilities.
Social Studies. American history and geography in Grade Seven;
world history and geography in Grade Eight; community civics
and current problems in Grade Nine, the latter to include occu-
pational problems and to coordinate the American history and
world history of Grades Seven and Eight.
Mathematics. Arithmetic with occupational application followed
by intuitive geometry in Grade Seven; intuitive geometry and
the algebra of the simple equation in Grade Eight; further general
mathematics including some trigonometry, logarithms, and the
slide rule in Grade Nine.
Science. General science organized from the functional point of
view in Grades Eight and Nine. Science in the senior period
should avoid excessive emphasis on theoretical aspects at the
expense of practical applications.
Foreign Language. Introductory foreign language in Grade Eight
for try-out and guidance. Experimentation with a general
language course stressing relationships between English and
other languages is encouraged. In lieu of that, French or Latin,
preferably the former, may be offered.
General Shop. Simple construction and repair work for school and
home. Work with wood, metal, leather, cement, electrical ma-
terials, and such other activities as can be provided.
Domestic Science. Simple construction and repair of clothing,
cooking, laundering, care of home, etc.
General Agriculture. Home gardening; flowers, vegetables for the
home table, etc.
Introductory Business. The business activities engaged in by all
individuals irrespective of their occupations.
Arts. Appreciation of art and music in Grade Seven. The ex-
pressive side of art and music are elective in Grade Eight and
85
2
2
2
2
PROGRAM OF STUDIES
(Based on six 50-minute periods and one 30-minute "activities” period per day.)
JUNIOR PERIOD
SENIOR PERIOD
GRADE 7
GRADE 8
GRADE 9
GRADE 10
GRADE 11
GRADE 12
Prescribed
Prescribed
Prescribed
Prescribed
Prescribed
Prescribed
English
English
English
English
English
Social Problems
Social Studies Social Studies Social Studies Physical Training Physical Training Physical Training
Occupations Occupations General Science Activities
Activities
Activities
Hygiene
General Science Activities
Mathematics General Math. Physical Training
General Shop
Intro. Business
Elective
Elective
Elective
Domestic Science Activities
Arts (Appr.) Physical Training
Elective
Modern History American History
English 5
Activities
Biological Science
Chemistry
Physics
Physical Training
General Math. Algebra
Geometry
Advanced Math.
Elective Foreign Language Foreign Language Foreign Language Foreign Language
General Agri.
Agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture
Special
English 1 General Business Commerce 3
Commerce
Commerce 3
Special English 1 Intro. For. Lang. General Shop
Manual Arts 4
Manual Arts 4
Manual Arts 4
Special Math.
General Agri. Domestic Science Home Economics Home Economics Home Economics
General Shop
Arts (Expression) Arts (Expression) Arts (Expression) Arts (Expression)
Domestic Science
(2, 3, or 4 electives) (2, 3, or 4 electives) (2, 3, or 4 electives)
Arts (Expression) (2 or 3 electives)
(1 or 2 electives)
1 Prescribed in the case of children deficient in language or arithmetic.
2 Two foreign languages should be offered only in the larger schools.
3 Commerce to be offered at Falmouth and Hyannis.
4 Manual arts to be offered at Bourne, Falmouth, and Hyannis.
English may be prescribed for certain pupils in Grade 12.
6 Advanced mathematics should be offered only in the larger schools.
Special preparation for examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board should be offered only at Falmouth and
Hyannis.
3
5
86
beyond. Where the school does not provide courses in design
and instrumental music, credit for out-of-school study should
be given to pupils meeting standards.
Physical Training. Setting-up drills, games, corrective exercises,
and health habits.
Agriculture, Commerce, Home Economics, and Manual Arts. The
content of these vocational courses in the senior period will be
suggested in a discussion of the possibilities of vocational edu-
cation on the Cape.
Activities. One thirty-minute period per week should be reserved
for each of the following: (1) club activities, musical, art, nature
study, radio, literary, scout, etc.; (2) assembly exercises; (3)
chorus music (at least in the junior period); (4) home-room or
class activities organized by the pupils, including discussions of
happenings of special interest in and out of school, thrift, cour-
tesy, etc.
The detailed courses in the various subjects cannot be presented
here. Each subject must be organized from the point of view both
of the pupil as he is now and of the adult he will become. Suggestions
for developing these courses may be gained from the U. S. Bureau of
Education Bulletins of the Commission on the Reorganization of
Secondary Education.
No attempt has been made to allot time to the various subjects
in the program of studies. In the junior period, English and the
social studies should be taught five periods per week. The other
subjects should be allotted two, three, or four periods per week.
Since the junior period is a period of try-out and guidance, it is more
important that the pupil gain contact with a good many fields and
postpone the intensive study of a few subjects until the senior period.
The organization of subjects in terms of the traditional unit in the
senior period is desirable. In the smaller schools, certain of the units
will be offered in alternate years, as algebra and geometry, eleventh-
and twelfth-grade agriculture, etc.
Guidance
One of the major purposes of the junior high school is to provide
effective means for the educational and vocational guidance of youth.
The program of studies which has been suggested for the junior
period of the reorganized secondary school offers opportunity for
pupils to see what is ahead in the senior period. The courses in
English, social studies, general mathematics, general science, and
introductory foreign language give pupils à preview of academic
study. Try-out courses in practical arts allow pupils to discover
abilities and interests in the fields of mechanical trades, agriculture,
and home economics. The course in general business training gives
the pupil some knowledge of the content of later commercial studies.
All these courses have value for guidance purposes in that they give
87
the pupil information on the basis of which he can make more in-
telligent educational and vocational choices. In addition, the study
of occupations gives him some insight into the nature of various
types of occupations and the preparation required for participation
in these activities.
It is not enough, however, to furnish occupational try-outs (or
their scholastic equivalents) and a knowledge of the occupations them-
selves. The individual pupil needs wise counsel that is based upon
an understanding of his capacities and interests. Each home-room
teacher should be made to feel his responsibility for guiding the in-
dividuals in his room. To this end, the teacher must have for each
pupil psychological data, school accomplishment data, and such
additional information as will enable him to study the individuals in
his home-room. Pupils should select their studies in consultation
with their home-room teachers. In this way, ill-considered choices of
studies may be avoided and the number of misfits reduced to a mini-
mum. The program of studies must be flexible enough so that
pupils who complete the ninth grade may elect any curriculum in the
senior high school.
Administrative Organization
A study of small junior high schools throughout the State has
shown that practically every attempt at reorganization, however
limited, has produced results distinctly superior to those of the old
8-4 organization. Every community that maintains a high school
can benefit by the organization of seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade
work on a junior high school basis, using senior high school teachers
and equipment to make possible partial departmentalization in the
junior high school and a wider range of offering in both schools. It is
recommended, therefore, that the Cape towns adopt the 6-3-3 plan
in accordance with the suggestions of this report. This plan will
work itself out somewhat differently in the different villages and
towns. No one of the towns included in this study is large enough
to justify the maintenance of an independent junior high school unit.
This is an advantage rather than a disadvantage, as the danger of
lack of coördination is not so serious.
In those communities maintaining senior high school education,
the junior high school should be associated with the senior high
school. In the smaller communities the junior and senior groups
should be housed in the same building. In the larger towns, the
junior and senior groups may be housed in different buildings but
they should employ the same staff.
In communities not maintaining senior high schools, the junior
high school should be associated with a six-year elementary school.
These communities should send their senior high school pupils to
neighboring towns offering adequate senior high school education.
The manner in which this organization would adapt itself to vary-
ing conditions may be illustrated in the town of Barnstable. At
88
Hyannis, the junior high school would appropriately be associated
with the senior high school. At Cotuit, it would be advisable to
abandon senior high school education and provide a junior high
school associated with an elementary school. Senior high school
pupils in the Cotuit district would need to be transported to Hyannis.
A much more detailed study would need to be made of the con-
ditions in each town if specific recommendations were to be at-
tempted for each community. Present knowledge, however, justifies
the recommendation that senior high school education be not at-
tempted at Brewster, Cotuit, and Dennis. The number of pupils
of senior high school age in each of those communities is too small to
justify the expense of maintaining adequate senior high schools.
The administrative organization suggested provides for the bringing
together of larger groups of pupils. The creation of these larger
groups does not automatically mean a better type of education. In
fact, care must be taken to preserve the intimacy that is character-
istic of the small unit. On the other hand, such consolidation as is
here suggested will create groups that are large enough to make the
offering of a somewhat varied program of studies practicable from the
financial point of view.
College Preparation
In an earlier section of this report, adverse comment was made on
the tendency of the high schools to organize most subject-matter in
terms of college-goers. It was further pointed out that pupils
planning to enter college in any one year form a very small group in
the Cape schools as a whole. It is recommended, therefore, that
pupils planning to enter colleges requiring examinations for ad-
mission be sent either to Falmouth or to Hyannis for their eleventh-
and twelfth-grade work, and that the senior high schools in the
smaller communities be freed from the responsibility of providing
college preparatory education in so far as that type of education is not
synonymous with general education.
Vocational Education
Changing conditions in modern society and the increase in the
number of pupils attending high school both emphasize the need for
vocational education, for, on the one hand, training for skilled and
semi-professional occupations is less commonly provided in the occu-
pation itself than was true formerly, and on the other, there are
now large numbers of children attending high schools who have
neither aptitude for nor interest in academic study. American
secondary education has had to accept the responsibility for vocational
training.
The problem of providing vocational education in the small high
school is an exceedingly difficult one. The small number of pupils,
the wide diversity in the occupations for which training might con-
ceivably be given and the difficulty of securing properly trained teach-
89
t
ers for vocational subjects present almost unsurmountable difficulties.
Nevertheless, the small high school must make some attempt to
develop what might be called occupational intelligence even if train-
ing in skill appears to be out of the question.
In this connection, it should be stated that the general shopwork,
the introductory commerce, the general agriculture, and the domestic
science of the junior high school are not vocational in their intent.
These courses are designed to give pupils practical skills that will be
valuable in their home life, in recreations, and in the conduct of their
private business affairs. These courses are prevocational in that
they provide opportunities for the discovery of interests and abilities
which, intelligently interpreted, will aid the pupil in finding a field
of specialization. Even if the senior high school can offer no special-
ized training in commerce or in the mechanical trades, it is none the
Jess worth while that contact with these fields be provided for the
junior high school pupil.
In an earlier section, it was pointed out that five high schools were
offering commercial courses and that it was questionable whether
these courses were functioning in a vocational way. Stenography
and typewriting are the commercial skills commonly taught. Retail
selling, on the other hand, which has been completely neglected in
the Cape high schools, engages a far larger number of workers than
stenography and typewriting. It is recommended that vocational
training in commerce be centered at Falmouth and Hyannis and
that properly qualified pupils who desire commercial education be
sent from other towns to these centers. The senior high school com-
mercial course in these schools should be differentiated if possible
into courses in retail selling, accounting, and stenography. (For a
further discussion of this field, see U. S. Bureau of Education Bulletin,
1919, No. 55, Business Education in Secondary Schools.)
It is further recommended that every senior high school offer vo-
cational agriculture and vocational home economics. Agricultural
training has distinct possibilities, not only because farming is an im-
portant occupation on the Cape, but because the farm worker is not
a highly specialized worker. The successful farmer must be the
master of a wide variety of skills, he must have technical knowledge
of the various plants and animals which he is raising, he must be
something of a mechanic, and something of a business man.
Because
of its integrated character, the occupation lends itself readily to
training in the small high schools. If the vocational training in-
cludes the mechanical and business aspects of agriculture, it will
prove valuable in no small degree for boys who enter occupations
outside of the field of agriculture. (For materials of instruction in
this field, see U. S. Bureau of Education Bulletin, 1914, No. 8, The
Massachusetts Home Project Plan of Vocational Agricultural Edu-
cation.)
Home-making is like agriculture in that the housewife must be
master of a variety of processes. Since such large numbers of girls
90
are destined to find their occupation in home-making, this form of
vocational training has a greater certainty of being useful than any
other form. The training given should include, besides the usual
cooking and sewing, choice of food and clothing, care of children,
home nursing, home planning, and the business aspects of manage-
ment. (For outline of possible courses in the field of home-making,
see U. S. Bureau of Education Bulletin, 1922, No. 5, The Reorganiza-
tion of Home Economics in Secondary Education.)
It will doubtless be argued that agriculture and home-making
make little appeal to senior high school pupils. Agriculture has
been tried in one high school and been abandoned; there was no
demand for that form of training. The question of the need can be
answered satisfactorily only if pupils have had adequate guidance.
In the proposed program for the junior period of secondary education
prevocational agriculture and domestic science are offered partly for
the purpose of giving pupils guidance. It is confidently expected
that the revision of the program in the junior period will lead pupils
to select senior high school studies more wisely and that the demand
for agriculture and home economics will justify offering these vo-
cational studies in the senior period.
In the field of the mechanical trades, the provision of vocational
work is limited to the larger schools, Bourne, Falmouth, and Hyannis.
Automotive mechanics, cabinet making, toy making, and electrical
work are possibilities. Falmouth has already instituted automotive
repair work in coöperation with a local garage. This is a good be-
ginning. Further experimentation in the field of manual arts on the
part-time coöperative plan is to be encouraged. Where part-time
coöperative arrangements are made, the school must supervise the
work in the shop and coördinate the instruction in shop and school.
It was not possible within the limits of this study to gather the data
that would be necessary for an adequate treatment of the problem of
vocational education. It is felt, however, that the recommendation
that agriculture and home economics be included in all senior high
school programs and that commerce and manual arts be confined to
the larger schools is thoroughly justified. In concluding this topic,
the following points may serve as a summary:
1. The Cape high schools must recognize that the vocational ob-
jective of secondary education is a necessary one.
2. Vocational training cannot be given profitably much before the
age of sixteen.
3. Vocational training without guidance is wasteful.
4. Vocational training must survey its results to determine the
extent to which the training is actually used after the pupil
leaves school.
5. Vocational training is to some extent justified if it merely en-
courages pupils to remain in school longer and thus increases
the scope of their general education.
91
Supervision
The reorganization program proposed for the Cape high schools
brings into prominence the problem of supervision. New points of
view must be gained, new courses organized, and new procedures
tested and revised. Čape high school teachers are potentially strong.
Those teaching in state-aided high schools must have had at least
an introduction to the study of education in order to obtain their
certificates. An effective plan of supervision must be worked out if
the potentialities of these teachers are to be realized and if the re-
organization movement is to be a success.
In the larger units, Barnstable and Bourne (it is already an ac-
complished fact at Falmouth), it is recommended that the principal's
time be largely freed from teaching and administrative routine that
he may study the problems of his school and lead his teachers to pro-
gressively higher levels of accomplishment. These principals must
prepare themselves for supervisory work, if they have not already
done so. They must be steeped in the point of view of the junior
high school, for an important part of their work will be the super-
vision of the junior high school grades. They must have an under-
standing of the fundamental problems of vocational education if
work in that field is to be developed on a sound basis. They must be
conversant with progressive procedures in teaching. They must be
intelligent users and interpreters of educational measurements. It is
of the utmost importance that the principal shall be trained for his
new responsibilities in order that he may guide wisely the teachers
who are associated with him.
In the smaller schools, the principal is necessarily a teaching
principal. He has little time for supervision. The superintendent
of schools is necessarily devoting the greater part of his time to the
elementary schools. The result is that supervision in the high school
is neglected. The solution of the problem of supervision in these
smaller secondary schools may perhaps be reached coöperatively.
It is proposed that a trained specialist in secondary education be
employed to supervise the junior and senior high schools in Brewster,
Chatham, Dennis, Harwich, Orleans, Sandwich, and Yarmouth.
Such a specialist could apportion his time to the secondary schools of
these towns roughly in proportion to the number of teachers employed.
Some of the functions of such a specialist might be:
1. To coöperate with the superintendents of schools in the super-
vision of secondary education.
2. To help the high school principals in studying the administrative
problems of their schools.
3. To stimulate teachers to professional improvement.
4. To guide teachers in the choice of materials and methods of
instruction.
5. To organize teachers for the building of courses of study.
92
6. To conduct regional meetings of secondary-school teachers for
the discussion of mutual problems.
7. To advise superintendents and principals concerning the pur-
chase of textbooks and equipment.
8. To keep the public informed concerning the progress and needs
of secondary education on the Cape.
The employment of a special supervisor of secondary education
by joint action of the smaller towns would mark a great step forward
in the provision of adequate secondary education for the children
of these towns. Surely the suggestion of such a procedure is not im-
practical in view of the coöperation which these towns have already
demonstrated in this study.
SECTION III. ADMINISTRATION OF CAPE COD SCHOOLS
95
CHAPTER VI–THE TEACHING STAFF
Education in the schools is directed by teachers. School com-
mittees, finance committees, superintendents, attendance officers,
janitors, nurses, buildings, playgrounds, and good equipment are all
essential in maintaining schools, but the actual stimulation and
direction of children's lives by personal contact rests with teachers.
In the last analysis any scheme of education will depend upon the
type of people with whom children associate in the classrooms and
playgrounds day in and day out. It is fitting, therefore, to consider
the teachers of the boys and girls of these Cape towns.
Are they trained, experienced teachers who stay long enough to
become so adjusted to local conditions as to make them effective
in teaching children and as to give continuity to the work of the
schools?
TABLE 18.-Number of Cape Teachers having Various Amounts of Education
and Training, 1924–25
Teachers
Education and Training
Number
Per Cent
.
+
College (4+ years)
Normal (2+ years)
High School+.
Only High School.
Less than High School..
46
104
34
2
0
25
56
18
1
0
Training
Of the one hundred and eighty-six Cape teachers whose training
was reported to the State Department in 1924-25, one hundred and
four or 56% had had two or more years of normal training and forty-
six of 25% had had four or more years of college training. Approxi-
mately 80% of the teachers had had at least two years training beyond
the high school. This situation compares very favorably with that
in the towns of the State of 5000 population or less. In these towns
the percentage of teachers who had had at least two years training
beyond the high school was 70.9%.
Looking at the situation from another angle, however, we find that
for the Cape as a whole, one teacher out of every five does not have
the equivalent of a satisfactory normal school training. And the
proportion of untrained teachers is considerably larger in certain
of the towns than that for the Cape as a whole. For instance, in
96
Sandwich seven out of twelve teachers employed have less than the
desirable amount of training; in Chatham and Eastham, one out of
three; in Barnstable, Bourne, and Dennis,'approximately one out of
four do not fulfill the minimum requirements. The average for the
Cape as a whole is improved because all teachers in three towns,
Falmouth, Mashpee, and Orleans, have at least the equivalent of a
two-year normal school training.
Particularly in the communities having large proportions of rela-
tively untrained teachers do these facts point to the need for very
definite attention to the improvement of standards in instruction.
Experience
Of the one hundred and seventy-seven teachers whose experience
was reported to the State for 1924-25, forty-six are reported as having
had either no previous experience or only one year. If we consider
a teacher as attaining her maximum efficiency after two years of
experience, somewhat less than one out of every four teachers may
be regarded as lacking an essential minimum experience and being,
therefore, below a desirable standard for Cape schools.
TABLE 19.—The Number of Cape Teachers having Specified Amounts of
Experience Prior to September, 1924
Teachers
Years of Experience
Number
Per Cent
0
None.
One year.
Two years.
Three to five years.
Six to ten years.
Over ten.
29
17
11
29
40
51
16
10
6
16
23
29
.
Individually, the towns differ considerably in the number of inex-
perienced teachers employed. Barnstable reported none without
experience and only two with less than two years. Bourne, Brewster,
Chatham, and Sandwich report only one teacher with no previous
experience. On the other hand, Dennis and Orleans report nearly
one out of two, Yarmouth one out of three, and Falmouth and
Harwich report one out of five, who had less than one year of ex-
perience. While these proportions vary considerably for the various
towns from year to year, as a study of these data over a period of
years would doubtless show, it is evident that the Cape towns get a
relatively large number of inexperienced teachers. The character of
the teaching staff, as shown by the extent of their experience, points
quite as strongly as their training to the need for definite standards for
the selection of teachers or for a constructive program of super-
vision.
97
Stability
The nature of the teaching staff on the Cape is seriously affected
also by the relative stability of teachers. Table 20 shows that in the
elementary schools the average (median) teacher for 1924–25 had had
only one and one-half years of previous service on the Cape; the
average high school teacher had had but one year of such service.
In fact, thirty-three per cent of the elementary teachers and forty-
three per cent of the high school teachers began their service on the
Cape in September, 1924; and fifty per cent of the elementary school
teachers and sixty-nine per cent of the high school teachers had had
but one year or less of previous experience on the Cape. Only one-
·quarter of the elementary school teachers have served on the Cape
for five years or more and one-quarter of the high school teachers for
three years or more. The Cape is obviously faced with the ne-
cessity each year of recruiting a large proportion of its teachers from
other communities or from an inexperienced group.
In this particular the larger towns are better off than the smaller
towns. The advantage is more evident in the case of high school
teachers, but the elementary schools of the larger towns are more
frequently staffed by teachers with previous experience in the town
than are the elementary schools of the smaller towns.
TABLE 20.—Members of the Teaching Staff for 1924–25 having Specified
Number of Years in Service on the Cape Prior to September, 1924
Teachers
Years of Service
Number
Per Cent
Cumulative
Per Cent
Elem. High
Elem. High Elem. High
.
None.
One year.
Two years.
Three to five years.
Six to ten years.
Over ten years.
37
20
13
20
13
11
25
15
2
5
6
5
32.5 43.1
17.5 25.8
11.4 3.5
17.6 8.6
11.4 10.4
8.6
32.5 43.1
50.0 68.9
61.4 72.4
79.0 81.0
90.4 91.4
100.0 100.0
.
.
9.6
Total.
Median..
114
58
1.5 years 1 year
With this turnover confined to the beginning of each school year
the situation would be far less serious, but reports to the State De-
partment for 1924–25 show a very extensive changing of teachers
within the year. For one hundred and seventy-six teaching positions
there were needed for 1924-25 two hundred and sixteen teachers.
This means that the average number of teachers required to fill each
position was 1.22—as compared with 1.19-(approximately) for all
the towns in the State of less than 5000 population. There were forty
98
vacancies during the year, a number equivalent to twenty-two per
cent of the entire teaching staff.
Some of the towns, because they have a somewhat large proportion
of teachers who are local residents, have a smaller turnover than other
towns. The larger towns are not always at an advantage over the
smaller towns in this question of turnover because of the larger
number of teaching positions. Barnstable, for example, with forty
teaching positions, required fifty-five teachers. Falmouth, with
forty teaching positions, required only forty-two teachers. The
superintendent of Barnstable reported that quite consistently he
could count on a turnover of 33%.
This situation is not greatly different from that in other sections
of the State with towns the size of the Cape towns. The towns face
the problem of the teachers of experience and superior capacity being
attracted to the cities. It is not likely that this drift to the cities of
the better-equipped teachers should be entirely stopped. It is es-
sential, however, that a reasonable degree of stability should be
sought in the teaching staff of every town.
Summary
It is obvious from the facts set forth above that the character of
the Cape teaching staff in general leaves much to be desired. It is
needless to say that many of the teachers are much above average.
If, however, the children are considered who are not fortunate enough
to be taught by one of the good teachers, we see what injustice is done
children by making a general statement or by dealing with averages.
Many teachers, for example, do not have the equivalent of a normal
school training. More than half of the teachers have taught on the
Cape less than two years. Over one-third of the teachers are new
in the Cape schools yearly, and one class in every five has a change
of teachers during the year.
That these conditions seriously interfere with the continuity and
effectiveness of the education of Cape children is obvious. Teachers
in a position but one year seldom are of maximum worth to a school.
And a change of teachers within the school year means that the work
of that particular class is to an extent disorganized and without
unity. Add to this change the probability of the class having a
young, relatively untrained, and inexperienced teacher and we have
a very bad educational situation. What is the reason for this large
group of relatively untrained, inexperienced teachers who stay but a
short time? Can the condition be remedied? To find causes we
shall examine the salary schedules and the living conditions of Cape
towns.
Salaries
The distribution of salaries paid Cape teachers in 1924–25 is shown
in Table 21. This table also contains the median salaries of cities
and towns of between 2,500 and 5,000 population throughout the
99
TABLE 21.-Salaries of Cape Teachers—1924–25
Number of Teachers
Salary
High
Elementary
Total
of all
Teach-
ers
Men
Women Total
Men Womer
Women Total
10
26
1
1
25
7
15
35
3
1
10
10
7
5
10
25
7
18
36
7
7
2
2
1
5
$ 900-$ 999..
1000– 1099.
1100- 1199...
1200- 1299..
1300– 1399.
1400- 1499..
1500- 1599..
1600- 1699...
1700- 1799.
1800- 1899..
1900, 1999.
2000- 2099.
2100- 2199.
2200- 2299...
2300- 2399..
2400- 2499.
2500– 2599.
10
10
5
3
2
5
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
28
46
14
12
3
6
4
4
2
1
3
1
1
2
1
5
3
2
2
1
3
1
1
2
2
1
3
1
1
2
.
O
3000- 3099.
2
2
2
18
40
58
11
103
114
172
.
$2100
$1300
$1500
$1500
$1200
$1237
$1300
Totals..
Medians
Cape..
U. S.-Cities and
towns of 2500-
5000.
Mass.—Cities and
towns of 2500-
5000..
1491
1129
1412
1123
United States and in Massachusetts. A study of this table shows
that for both high school teachers and elementary school teachers
the Cape medians are somewhat larger than the corresponding median
for similar United States and Massachusetts communities. The
most common salary paid high school teachers was between $1200
and $1400. The most common salary paid elementary school
teachers was between $1300 and $1400. On the other hand, ten
elementary teachers received less than $1000 and twenty-five be-
tween $1000 and $1100. A total of forty-three, or about 25%, of
the teachers on the Cape received less than $1200. Considering the
towns individually, we find a considerable difference in salary sched-
ules. It is significant to note that the towns paying the lowest
salaries are those towns in which the teacher turnover is greatest.
Compared with other Massachusetts towns and those of the
country as a whole of similar size, the Cape as a whole seems to pay
somewhat larger salaries. This at first thought would appear to
100
give it an advantage. When it is considered, however, that Cape
towns are in competition with much larger communities for good
teachers, the facts appear differently. For instance, within fifty or
one hundred miles of the Cape are a number of large towns and
cities that are paying better salaries for teachers. With these com-
munities the Cape towns must compete if they are to have a staff
of teachers with as good training and experience. The median
salaries of towns and cities of Massachusetts of various sizes for
1924–25 are shown in Table 22. Cape towns are included in the
TABLE 22.—Median Salaries in Groups of Massachusetts Cities and Towns of
Various Sizes—1924-25
Size of Cities
High
Elementary
.
Cape..
2,500-5,000.
5,000–10,000.
10,000-30,000.
30,000–100,000
Over 100,000.
$1500
1412
1633
1745
1905
2445
$1237
1123
1288
1443
1554
1769
2,500 to 5,000 group of communities. With these they compare
very favorably. In comparison with the larger communities, how-
ever, Cape towns are at a disadvantage. Every other group pays
larger salaries than the Cape. This fact is brought out because of its
bearing upon the problem of teacher turnover on Cape Cod. If the
Cape towns are to retain their better teachers for a reasonable length
of time they must frame salary schedules that will attract and retain
teachers. They must recognize that they are competing for these
teachers with towns and cities of larger size which pay higher salaries.
Because these cities and towns are larger does not mean that they
are, therefore, more able to pay higher salaries to teachers. From
a financial point of view the Cape towns, as is brought out in the
section on finance, are quite able to compete in the matter of salaries
with nearly any community in Massachusetts for teachers.
LIVING CONDITIONS OF TEACHERS
One of the essentials for securing and keeping excellent teachers
is adequate living conditions. In some instances in the Cape towns
teachers reported the situation that all teachers dream of but rather
infrequently realize, namely, a homelike atmosphere in a substantial
modern farmhouse with a table which city folk always think of in
connection with a farmhouse. This condition was not, however, ,
generally true. The difficulty of securing adequate accommodations
within reasonable prices was so serious in one community that the
superintendent called the matter to the attention of the school com-
mittee. Apparently it is difficult in some sections for a married man
101
to secure accommodations to which he feels justified in bringing his
wife, probably used to modern conveniences.
In communities where the tourist trade is such a factor that city
prices prevail, the whole problem of teachers' salaries is closely linked
with that of living conditions. Low salaries, on the basis of the size
of the community, cannot be explained as in the past because of the
low cost of living in outlying communities. Salaries must keep pace
with the conditions of living and if city people are setting the prices,
salaries must be equal to, if not better than, city salaries. There must
be something to attract and hold in small communities, remote from
the cultural advantages of study, recreation, and modern con-
veniences found in cities, a fair number of the more capable teachers.
In at least one instance on the Cape the problem of housing teach-
ers, and at the same time securing a grade of service far superior to
what the salaries paid the teachers would ordinarily indicate, is
solved by using local residents at very low salaries. We see no
justice in such a practice and much harm to the self-respect both of
the town and the teachers. As it happens, the particular teachers
now employed are giving a service out of proportion to their financial
remuneration. There is danger, however, that inferior teachers may
be tolerated because of their residence, which permits them to under-
bid an outsider.
It has been impossible to study each community in detail. Every
community should consider what it has to offer to a young man or
woman teacher for living accommodations. One way of getting
such help for the schools and of calling attention to their needs is to
get organizations to take over different aspects of the schools for
intensive study. There are enough organizations in most towns to
give every organization some problem. There is value in having
people take an active and intelligent interest in the schools in a con-
crete way by attacking some one problem.
Conclusion
To improve the quality of the teaching staff of the Cape schools and
to reduce the great amount of teacher turnover, it is proposed that
the salaries of Cape teachers be considerably increased and that
everything possible be done to provide teachers with pleasant and
comfortable living accommodations at reasonable rates. Still, it is
unlikely that these two measures will gain for the Cape a wholly satis-
factory teaching staff, because the Cape is practically isolated from
the larger communities of Massachusetts and all that goes with com-
munities of larger size to make them attractive to teachers, such as
opportunity for professional advancement, for amusements, and for
social life. Even though the Cape were to pay as good or better
salaries than the nearby cities and to offer excellent living conditions,
there would undoubtedly be a tendency for teachers to move toward
the big cities. And as undesirable and unfortunate as this tendency
may be, it shows itself in all rural communities. To ignore it as a
1
102
factor in teacher tenure is not to face the facts squarely. This move-
ment of teachers toward larger communities will probably take place
for a long time. The turnover of teachers in Cape schools will, when
compared with the turnover in city school systems, be quite heavy.
The solution for the Cape, therefore, does not lie solely in maintain-
ing a stable teaching body by increasing salaries which should retain
better teachers. It also lies in using to best advantage the abilities
of young trained teachers for such time as the Cape may reasonably
expect to hold them. Such a plan requires supervision of the most
expert type. This supervision would make effective almost im-
mediately the work of the new teachers, would bring about the co-
ordination of the offering of the various schools, now largely lacking
because of the heavy turnover of teachers and inadequate super-
vision.
Proposed Salary Schedule
In order to attract the teachers of the best quality and to hold them
on the Cape for a reasonable period of time, the following principles
should guide the construction of the salary schedules. First, the
initial salary for trained teachers without experience should be
relatively higher, comparing very favorably with that of the large
New England cities. Second, yearly increases for this group of
teachers should be large and should be extended over a few years
rather than small and extending over many years. Third, the initial
salary for teachers without a minimum of professional training should
be relatively lower. This is advocated in order to discourage the
entrance to the teaching profession of teachers without satisfactory
training. Since it is desirable to have at least a number of teachers
in the community of mature years and broad experience, possibly as
principals of schools, it is recommended that for these teachers
salaries considerably in advance of the regular schedule be paid.
These teachers of superior quality should form a stable nucleus for the
teaching staff.
103
CHAPTER VII-BUILDINGS
Every school building in the twelve towns was studied in detail
and rated on a list of elements requiring subjective judgments by at
least one trained member of the Survey Staff. All of the buildings
of the twelve towns, with one exception, were visited by more than
one person connected with the Survey. In every case judgments
were made in accordance with standards set forth in Professors
Strayer's and Engelhardt's Standards for Rural School Buildings
and in the case of the schools of more than four rooms, in accordance
with Professors Strayer's and Engelhardt's Standards for Elementary
School Buildings or Standards for High School Buildings. These
standards are valuable because they analyze minutely the elements
that go to make up a good school building. Further, by using them
as a guide in studying a building one may be certain that all the
elements that enter into a building have been observed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE STANDARDS USED
These three sets of standards, while differing considerably in
detail according to the size and purpose of the building, emphasize,
nevertheless, the same major elements in a building-the site, the
building itself, the service systems of the building, the classrooms
and special rooms. Under the heading of site, for instance, are con-
sidered in each set of standards such factors as accessibility, environ-
ment, elevation, soil, size, form, and use. Under the heading of
building an analysis is made of such elements as placement, gross
structure (including type, material, walls, entrances, condition, etc.)
and internal structure. Heating and ventilation, fire protection,
the cleaning system, artificial lighting, the water supply, and toilet
systems are included under service system. Under classrooms and
special rooms are considered their arrangement, construction, illumi-
nation, and equipment in the light of their purpose, rooms for general
use, and special service rooms, such as those for industrial arts and
household arts, play rooms, lunch rooms, teachers' room, library,
offices, auditorium, and others.
The standards proposed under these different elements are generally
accepted by experts in school buildings as being not too rigid, nor im-
possible and impracticable of attainment. Moreover, these standards
are based, as far as possible, on scientific knowledge of what school
buildings should be. In those elements, however, where this is not
possible or where a scientific basis has not been worked out, standards
necessarily rest upon reason and the concensus of opinion of those
best qualified to pass judgment on school buildings.

104
Because the buildings of Barnstable County vary so greatly in use
and size, it has seemed wise not to use the score cards for rating
school buildings that accompany the standards referred to above.
Chatham High School, for instance, could not properly be scored on
any of the three score cards—the rural, city elementary, or high
school score cards—because it houses all twelve grades. Moreover,
the difficulty arises of comparing the numerical scores of a com-
paratively large high school, such as the Lawrence High School, with
North Harwich School—This building represents a general type found fre-
quently in certain Cape towns. Built many years ago, it fails to meet modern
standards in every respect.
that of a one-room rural school. For these reasons, no composite
numerical scores of individual buildings have been given. The
numerical scores of most of the elements are on file in the Library
of the Graduate School of Education and are open to the inspection
of
may be interested.
persons who
METHOD OF JUDGING
As is stated above, subjective judgments on certain elements of
the buildings were made on the basis of the standards described
above. The method of rating adopted was that used by Inglis
in the Virginia Survey. The letters A, B, C, D, and E are to be
interpreted as follows:
1 Virginia Public Schools Education Commission's Report to the Assembly of
Virginia Survey Staff's Report to the Education Commission, Dr. Alexander
J. Inglis, Harvard University, Director.
105
Credit
A-Thoroughly acceptable, meets well-recognized
standard
Full
B-Intermediate A-C
3/4
C-Average-fair
2/4
D-Intermediate C-E-unsatisfactory
1/4
E-Lacking or thoroughly unsatisfactory
0
Subjective judgments on the basis of this scale were given to twenty-
four elements in the rural and elementary schools. Examples of
these elements are environment of the site and building, expansive-
ness of building, safety, entrances, heating, ventilation, water supply
system, toilet facilities, illumination of classrooms, etc. In judging
the high school buildings a number of other elements were added
such as adequacy of recitation rooms, science laboratories, music
rooms, auditorium, lunch room, and health service rooms.
CHARACTERIZATION OF BUILDINGS
When the field work was done in the spring of 1925, there were
fifty-one school buildings in use in the twelve towns. Since that time
seven buildings have been closed and three opened. This study is
concerned primarily with the forty-four schools which were visited
by the Staff and which are now in use in these towns.
Twelve of these forty-four schools are high school buildings, one
now being used as an overflow building for elementary grades.
Seven of the buildings house elementary and high school grades;
four, high school grades only.
Of the thirty-three elementary school buildings on the Cape three
are eight-room buildings, two six-room buildings, four four-room
buildings, three three-room buildings, fourteen two-room buildings
and seven one-room buildings. The distribution of elementary
school buildings according to the number of classrooms is given in
Table 23.
TABLE 23.-Number of Elementary School Buildings having Specified
Number of Classrooms and the Number of Pupils Enrolled Therein
Pupils Enrolled
Number of Class-
rooms in Building
Number of Buildings
having that Number
Number
Per Cent
8
865
379
357
232
729
1:59
31.7
13.9
13.1
:
ENCHA O
3
2
4
3
14
7
8.5.
26.8
5.8
106
Only nine of the thirty-three buildings housing elementary grades
have four or more classrooms. Fourteen of the thirty-three buildings
are two-room buildings, seven are one-room buildings. On the
other hand, nearly 60% of all the children of these schools are housed
in buildings of four or more rooms. Only about one-quarter of them
are in two-room buildings, and about 6% in one-room buildings.
If we include the children housed in schools accommodating both the
elementary and high school grades, the proportion of all elementary
school children housed in one- and two-room buildings is only about
25%
The significance of these facts is evident when the elements of
healthfulness, safety to life and property, and adaptability to the
needs of children and the community are compared in the large and
small schools. The small schools of one and two rooms are almost
invariably poorer than the larger schools in these respects.
Safety to Life
Under safety to life are considered those elements of a building that
directly affect the safety of the children from fire or panic. Accord-
ing to the standards, wooden buildings should have only one story,
and a sufficient number of adequate exits. The doors, opening out-
ward, should be equipped with checks and panic bolts. The furnace
is to be separated from the first floor by fire-resistive ceiling and
smoke doors. In buildings having a second story provision should
be made for exit by more than one stairway, which should be fire-
resistive and separated from the rest of the building by smoke doors.
Judged by these standards, the forty-four buildings of Barnstable
County rank as in Table 24 and Figure 1. Ten scored E, ten D,
and only one scored A. As to the numbers, nearly 1400 children are
housed in buildings scoring A or B while 833 are in buildings scoring E.
With five exceptions all of these buildings are constructed of wood.
Of the thirty-nine wooden buildings, two are three-story buildings,
twenty-four two-story buildings, and thirteen are one-story buildings.
All of the three-story buildings are occupied on the third floor, and
all except three or four of the two-story buildings were occupied on
the second floor. Five buildings are constructed of brick, three of
these being occupied on the third floor. One is a two-story and one a
one-story building. Standards condemn the practice, and experts
seriously question the wisdom of using the third floor, or even the
second floor, of a building of the type found in these towns.
Wooden buildings occupied on the second story, with but one
stairway, do not come up to the standards in any sense and cannot
be scored higher than D or E. Typical examples of such buildings
are the Dennis High School, the Sandwich High School, the old
Brewster school, and some of the Harwich buildings. The presence
1 Bourne Elementary and Falmouth Junior High Schools not included in the
buildings studied, as they were under construction when the survey was being
made.
107
of outside fire escapes serves but little to lessen the danger. An ex-
treme example of the absence of these standards is found in the
Sandwich High School. The only stairway to the second floor is in
the center of this wooden building and is narrow and steep. The
stairway to the basement is directly beneath this. As little protec-
tion is afforded by smoke doors, a small smoke fire in the basement
might be the cause of a disaster through panic on the second floor.
Moreover, the chemical laboratory on the second floor is in im-
mediate proximity to the stairway and the fire escape. The door to
the latter is securely fastened by means of two hooks. Lastly, the
doors of the two outside exits from the first floor open inward.
Entrances
The composite score of these forty-four Cape schools on the ele-
ment of entrances is shown in Table 24 and Figure 2. In most
cases the doors open outward as they should. Few entrances, how-
ever, are equipped with panic bolts, and many are faulty in that they
are too small.
on
TABLE 24.—Combined Judgments Certain Elements of the School
Buildings
Number of
Item
Number
Without
Scores
A's
B's
C's
D's
E's
6
1
2
1
6
Site (General Character)..
Safety to Life..
Entrances.
Stairways, Corridors, Etc.
Heating
Ventilation.
Cleanliness of Building
Water Supply System.
Toilet Facilities.
Illumination of Classrooms.
Blackboards.
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
11
14
6
7
10
7
12
13
9
16
14
5
8
12
9
10
9
12
6
10
9
11
6
4
12
14
8
13
5
BowBorn
4
10
11
11
17
17
2
12
15
16
2
#
3
1
3
12
.
Stairways; Corridors, and Vestibules
The stairways, corridors, and vestibules were judged from the
point of view of safety, use, and adequacy. The judgments appear
in Table 24 and Figure 3. In only one building could these elements
be given “A.” Fourteen buildings scored “C,” and eleven scored
"D" and eleven "E." Since one-room buildings have no stairways,
except basement stairs in some few cases, one-room buildings are
shown in Figure 4 by crosshatching.
A stairway in a school building should be fire-resistive. It should
be not more than five feet nor less than four feet in width; there
should be two runs of stairs between floors, and the tread should be
ten to twelve inches in width, the riser six to seven inches in height.
108
Examples of schools in which the stairways do not conform to
standards are Harwich Center, Orleans, Dennis High, West Harwich,
Sandwich High, and Woods Hole Schools. The stairway in one of
these schools will serve to illustrate bad defects more or less common
to all. In this school the stairway does not lead directly to an out-
side exit, it has no landings between the first and second floors, the
stairs are steep, and the treads narrow. There is a hand rail on only
one side. The space beneath the stairs is used as a storage for coal,
wood, and rubbish. This condition is a source of danger in case of
fire since the stairway is the only one from the second floor. While
this is an extreme example, many stairways in Cape schools have
some of these defects. In one case the two landings are far too small,
and in another instance the stairways were worn to such an extent
as to be dangerous.
Standards call for cloakrooms separate from vestibules and cor-
ridors. Almost invariably, however, hallways and vestibules are
used for this purpose. The hooks provided are frequently too high
for the smaller children, few of the corridors in the smaller schools are
heated in winter, and no provision is made for leaving lunches except
on the floor. It is not an uncommon occurrence for dogs to get into
lunches left in the vestibules. Cleanliness, attractiveness, and com-
fort should be found in vestibules and corridors as well as in class-
rooms. Many Cape schools are lacking in these requirements.
Basements
Twenty-eight of the forty-four schools have basements. Many
of these are in excellent condition and are well kept, such as those
in the Osterville and Woods Hole Schools. At the other extreme
are those that are dark and damp and cluttered with rubbish and
inflammable matter. Some basements are without an outside exit.
In several cases the stairs to the basements are unsafe. Only eleven
of the basements of these twenty-eight buildings have fire-resistive
ceilings over the heating plants. Many of these basements are in-
adequately lighted, and in some the only artificial light is an oil
lantern. The condition of the basements in the schools of Cape
Cod certainly increases the fire hazards if it does not endanger the
safety of the children.
Heating and Ventilation
In the matter of heating and ventilation there is more variation
among the schools of Barnstable County than in almost any other
factor judged. This is shown in Table 24 and Figures 4 and 5.
Aside from the seventeen “E's” in each, there are more “A's” and
"B's" than in most other factors.
An example of excellent heating and ventilation is seen in the
Lawrence High School, among the larger schools, and in the Marston
Mills School, among the smaller schools. · In the former, the system
is direct steam in the halls and classrooms with ventilation in class-
!
>
109
rooms by means of heated air from outside. Mechanical blowers in
the toilets insure an adequate change of air. The system in the
Marston Mills Schools is direct steam in the toilets and corridors and
indirect steam in the classrooms. In the classrooms the fresh heated
air comes in at the top of one end of the room and is drawn out
through a vent on the same end and below the fresh air register by
means of aspirating coils. This system insures adequate heat and
fresh air. Moreover, in each of these systems it is possible to regulate
the temperature of the rooms.
The low ratings in heating and ventilation for so many Cape schools
are, in many schools, due to the use of the unjacketed stove, or the
jacketed stove without satisfactory means of ventilation. More-
over, methods of heating and ventilating considered adequate for
one-room schools, such as the jacketed stove with proper ventilation,
are not adequate for three- or four-room schools or high schools. Un-
jacketed stoves cook pupils close to them, and freeze those in the
corners. They cannot be regulated, and are entirely unsatisfactory
from the standpoint of safety and cleanliness. A number of schools
were found in which no means of ventilation existed except doors and
windows.
From the point of view of numbers of children affected, over 900
children were housed in buildings in which the heating and ventilation
were judged "E." On the other hand, over 2100 children were housed
in buildings in which the heating was judged "A." or "B,” and over
2400 children in which the ventilation rated "A." or "B." Of the
17 “E” scores in heating, twelve were in one- or two-room schools.
And of the seventeen “E's” in ventilation thirteen were in one- and
two-room schools. This shows that, in general, poor heating and
ventilation systems go with smaller schools.
Our textbooks in health education stress the need of fresh air for
the growing children. Yet the schools which we compel them to
attend often mock our instruction and label it as theoretical and
impracticable. Certainly a community should live up to the same
rules that it teaches the children to obey.
Water Supply System
Into the rating of the water supply system entered the source of
the water, facilities for drinking, and location of fountains. A city
water supply system is, of course, standard, but for schools where
this is not possible a deep-driven well, properly covered and pro-
tected, meets the requirements. The water should be tested fre-
quently to insure its purity. Some Cape schools which have their
own wells are equipped with electrical pumps and pressure tanks for
the storage of water. This equipment gives running water at the
fountains and eliminates the necessity for a storage jar or pail, which
invariably is a dirt and germ carrier. While many schools have
their own wells, not all of them can be classed as satisfactory. Some
are not deep; some are in close proximity to sources of polution

110
such as toilets without cement vaults, and barns; few, if any, have
been tested for harmful bacteria.
The facilities for drinking are, in most cases, less satisfactory than
the water supply. Water is stored in earthen crocks and pails, some
of which are not as clean as they should be. In one school the open
bucket and common drinking cup were in use. In many schools,
however, the children have their own cups. The objection to this
scheme is that these cups catch the dust and are seldom washed.
In a number of schools bubblers have been installed. This method
is good if the bubblers are so constructed that the child's lips cannot
touch the source of the stream of water. Few bubblers meet this
East Dennis Primary School Water Supply-Gradually on the Cape these
conditions are being replaced by more modern and hygienic facilities. Consoli-
dation makes possible modern equipment of schools without unreasonable cost.
requirement. In the larger schools drinking fountains should be
placed on every floor within easy access of the children. Toilets and
basements are not proper places for drinking.
The distribution of the ratings on the water supply system are
given in Table 24 and Figure 6.
Toilet Facilities
Under the designation toilet facilities were included the following
points: location, condition, sanitation, kind of fixtures, sewage dis-
posal, adequacy, seclusion, and provision for washing. The com-
bined judgments are shown in Table 24 and Figure 7. Fifteen
schools were rated "E,” eight "D,” and only one “A.”
The standards call for the location of the toilets within the build-
ing, with separate toilets for teachers. There should be porcelain
seats with individual flush, height adapted to the children. Sewage


111
disposal with septic tank and filtration field or chemical toilet or
sewer connection is standard. One seat for each twenty-five boys,
one urinal for each fifteen boys, and one seat for each fifteen girls
are adequate. Proper seclusion should be provided for the sexes
as well as privacy for individuals. Light, well-ventilated rooms are
standard. Washbowls, soap, towels, and warm water are proper
adjuncts to any toilet system.
Judged on these standards it is not surprising that the ordinary
privy which is typical of many Cape school plants does not rate
higher than “D” or “E.” In eighteen schools the toilets were out-
side the building; in twelve schools in the basement. In eleven
Toilets at one of the small Cape elementary schools. In several towns the
toilets of some of the schools were found to be most insanitary. The schools'
influence for good morals, for cleanliness, and civic pride will not be most
effective under conditions such as these.
schools no provision is made for washing. In some schools basins
only are provided. Three schools provide hot water, nineteen pro-
vide towels, and in only ten was soap in evidence. Certainly there
should be opportunity for children to practice the health habits that
they learn in school.
Cleanliness of Buildings
The rating of the buildings in the matter of cleanliness is given in
Table 24 and Figure 8. Into this rating entered the condition of
basements, toilets, classrooms, halls, and closets. In the basements
of some schools were found piles of ashes, waste paper, and litter that
not only counted against the cleanliness of the building but also in-
creased the fire risk. Classrooms and halls were inspected for dirt
and dust.
112
Classrooms
Since it is in the classrooms that children spend most of their time
under our present school organization, particular attention was given
to these from the point of view of healthfulness. According to
standards a classroom seating thirty pupils should be 22' x 28' x 12',
and one seating forty pupils 24' x 32 x 12'. These sizes give due
weight to the matter of lighting and the factor of distance as related
to sight and hearing of pupils. The windows should be on the left
of the pupils on the long side of the room. They should be banked
closely from the rear of the room to within seven feet of the front wall.
The sill of the windows should be three or four feet from the floor and
the tops of the windows as near the ceiling as possible. Mullions
between windows should not exceed ten inches in width. The glass
area should equal one-fifth to one-fourth of the floor area. The
windows should be equipped with movable shades that can be ad-
justed to cover any portion or the whole of the window. Light tan
or straw color is recommended.
The illumination of classrooms was rated on the basis of the above
standards. These are shown in Table 24 and Figure 9. Twenty-
nine schools rated “D” or “E.” The chief defects found were in-
adequate glass area, placement of windows at the rear and right of
the pupils, wide mullions between windows causing shadows, and
windows not extending to the ceiling thus shutting out considerable
light. In the newer schools these defects have been largely cor-
rected and in some of the older schools remedied to some extent by
reconstruction. Thus the lighting of the Harwich Center Primary
and Intermediate and the South Yarmouth School has been much
improved by cutting additional windows at the left side of the
children. Three-sided lighting, such as one finds in the Mashpee,
North Harwich, and West Barnstable Schools, for example, is trying
both to the teacher, who must continually face the light, and to the
pupil because of injurious cross lights and shadows.
In Figure 10 are shown the combined judgments on the black-
boards. Many schools are equipped with slate blackboards or with
good composition boards. Often, however, these are placed too high
for the best use by the children and are not provided with adequate
chalk rails. Blackboards should not be placed between windows.
Sites and Grounds
In order to carry out an educational program such as is outlined in
other parts of this study, a playground of adequate size is most im-
portant. This will be clear if we consider the activities to be carried
on outside of the building. There must be provided, first of all, a
place separate from that of the older pupils, where the younger
children may play. Here should be a sand pile, swings, slides, other
playground apparatus, shade trees, and a space of sufficient size for
group games. With the older children the question must be faced
as to whether boys and girls in small rural schools are to have separate
113
playgrounds, for separate grounds mean duplicating playground area
at small schools. Baseball diamonds of modified size, and tennis
courts should be included. If baseball is good for every boy, pro-
vision must be made at most schools that permit more than a limited
few of the children to play at any one time. There must also be a
suitable area for school gardens. Such activities need room, and no
lot of one-half acre is ample. For one-teacher schools the standards
call for a minimum of four acres in rectangular form. For larger
schools or those that house all grades, probably ten or more acres
are not too great an area for the school site.
Since one of the functions of the school is to give the child, and the
community as well, an appreciation of the beautiful, the grounds
should be improved by shade trees, shrubs, and flowers, and in the
front of the building, a well-kept grass plot. Few school plants on
the Cape meet all these standards, but some approach them. For
instance, teachers have large opportunities on such grounds as are
provided at the Falmouth High School, the Osterville School, and the
East Falmouth Elementary School. All of these playgrounds are
fairly level and in good condition. The surroundings of such schools
as the Falmouth High School are artistic and well kept. But in no
case has full advantage been taken of the opportunities afforded by
these fine grounds for the education of children through activities
carried on outside the classroom.
In most schools the grounds are entirely too small. Those at the
Centerville and Woods Hole Schools, and at several schools in Dennis,
Yarmouth, and Harwich are examples. Some of these, such as the
West Yarmouth, cannot be used to best advantage because of the
growth of brush in the yard and the nature of the soil. The ratings
of the Cape schools' sites are shown in Table 24 and Figure 11.
Wherever school lots are on inadequate or poorly situated sites which
cannot be enlarged or improved at reasonable cost, permanent, edu-
cational centers should not be developed thereon. Expense for re-
pairs or remodelling of the building should be kept as low as possible,
pending abandonment and erection of a new unit on a suitable lot.
THE EFFECT OF THE BUILDINGS ON THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
The purpose of a building is to house an educational program.
Thirty years ago most of the Cape buildings probably served this
purpose. But since then the conception of what an educational pro-
gram should be has changed radically. Today a modern program
needs more than a building with one room, fixed seats, a blackboard,
and a teacher's desk. One of the faults of Cape schools built within
the past fifteen years is that in their construction little or no account
was taken of the needs of the expanding curriculum. Thus, while
improvements have been made in lighting, in heating, in ventilation,
and in sanitation in these newer buildings, a broader view of educa-
tion has not changed their general plan to any great extent. This

料
​G
New School, Bourne Village, and the two-room school which it replaced.
115
hampers the present development of the curriculum. In fact, even
under progressive, resourceful leadership, small conventional build-
ings containing only traditional classrooms tend to restrict and warp
programs of study
An example of a building which restricts an educational program
may be illustrated in the case of the East Falmouth School. In this
school the character of the pupil population should be a stimulus
for teachers to work out a program best fitted to this type of child.
But any variation from the usual classroom method of dealing with
children finds its difficulties in the crowded conditions and the lack
of any facilities except the formal classrooms. Formerly there was
at one end of this building an auditorium, but this was made into
two classrooms. Due to the nature of the building adequate offer-
ings in certain types of work needed by these pupils are made only
with difficulty or not at all. For instance, there are no playrooms,
no auditorium, no facilities for manual or household arts, no library,
no lunch room, and no community room. The large number of pupils
to be accommodated and the lack of any but regular classrooms make
difficult, if not impossible, any but the traditional program.
All of the one-room and most of the two-room buildings are subject
to the same limitations as the school described above. Buildings of
single classrooms with immovable seats, bare walls, and the teacher's
desk at the front of the room (and in some cases on a platform) savor
altogether too much of a type of instruction and a curriculum that is
passing.
CHECKING OF PLANS FOR NEW BUILDINGS
As in other fields, specialization is taking place to such an extent
in the field of architecture that schoolhouse construction is gradually
separating itself from general architecture-the building of resi-
dences, office buildings, and factories. In the planning of new
buildings it is recommended that the towns employ architects who
are specializing in schoolhouse construction and who are recognized
as thinking in terms of educational requirements as well as construc-
tion and maintenance features. While it is recognized that all con-
struction must conform to regulations of the District Police, which
are enforced by the State Building Inspection Department, there
should be a check on such plans from the educational point of view by
educational authorities. Since the planning of a new building occurs
very infrequently in small communities and in the experience of the
superintendent of schools, the broader experience of the State Depart-
ment officials, who are continually in touch with building through-
out the State and familiar with developments in schoolhouse con-
struction, should regularly be sought. The experience of the various
specialists in the State Department would thereby be made available
to committees and errors avoided. To enable committees to avail
themselves of the expert advice of officials of the State Education
Department, no legislation is necessary or in our opinion desirable.

116
The report by the State Department on building plans submitted by
town committees, if made public, would be sufficient check on
committees.
WIDER USE OF THE SCHOOL PLANT
The small buildings afford but meagre opportunity for the wider
use of the school plant. Without artificial lights or furniture suited
to adults, they are little suited for adult or evening schools. Im-
movable desks in every room interfere with the use of these smaller
schools as centers of community gatherings.
THE SMALL VERSUS THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL
The evidence presented above favors the large schools. They are
stronger than the small, rural school in nearly every point considered
I
T 11
11
South Chatham School. The new school in Chatham has made possible the
closing of this building
under safety and healthfulness. In the matter of adequacy for
housing a program of education, the small buildings of the Cape fall
down almost completely.
It is safe to assume that there will be buildings housing a small
number of pupils for many years to come in certain sections of the
Cape. If these buildings are to lend themselves to the new view-
point in education rather than to instruction in traditional subjects
only, some of them will have to be abandoned, some will need to be
overhauled and added to, and nearly all will need improvements in
those points affecting the health of the children and teachers. Facili-

The new central school at Chatham which has made possible the closing of three two-room two-teacher schools.
busses in the foreground provide transportation for the children to and from the central school.
The modern
118
ties and space for other types of child activity both within the school
and outside will need to be afforded.
While the closing of small schools and the transportation of pupils
to larger schools has taken place in several of the Cape towns, there
is still plenty of opportunity in other towns for consolidation. For
some areas this is the solution of the building problem that will pro-
vide a modern school plant most economically and adequately. This
is particularly true of Harwich, Dennis, and to a certain degree of
several other towns.
+
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
even
In the matter of school buildings the Cape towns present a variety
of conditions, ranging from those found in the modern elementary
school at Bourne and the junior high school of Falmouth to badly
equipped, poorly lighted and ventilated, insanitary, one-room schools.
The newer schools are reflecting the interest of the communities in
education. Of these buildings the Cape may well be proud.
The mistake should not be made, however, of erecting new buildings
on sites that are too small. Progressive education of the future is
bound to emphasize out-of-door work more than in the past. Cape
towns must not find themselves with substantial buildings erected
on restricted areas. For consolidated schools a site of ten acres,
though not used to its fullest extent at present, is moderate.
The building itself should be planned so that additional units may
be built. No elementary school should be built on the Cape that does
not provide modern toilet facilities, lunch facilities, a library, and an
auditorium or large general-purpose room.
In the one-teacher buildings where consolidation cannot be im-
mediately effected, the outlook is by no means dull. Good educa-
tion in one-teacher schools, modern toilet facilities and conveniences,
and special equipment such as is possible in larger schools is ex-
pensive, but every town of the Cape can afford to provide the best.
There is no excuse for conditions described in the previous pages re-
maining in any Cape school. If Cape boys and girls are to grow up
to be clean citizens, in habits, mind, and body, they must be taught
under conditions and in schools that foster these virtues.

I
Two small schools in Chatham.
These buildings are now closed.
120
Combined Judgments on the Selected Elements of
Forty School Buildings of Cape Cod
huda
D
E
A
B
D
E
Figuro 1
Safety to Lif.
Figuro 2 - Entrancos
A
B
A
B
с
DE
Figuro 3
Stairways, Corridors, Etc.
Figuro 4
Hoating
m!
A
B
C
D
E
A
B
C
D
E
Figure 5 - . Vontilation
Figuro 6
Water Supply System
121
Combined Judgments on the Selected Elements of
Forty School Buildings of Cape Cod
mu
.
B
C
DE
A
B
с
D
E
Figuro 7 - Toilot Faoilltlos
Figur. 8 - Cloanlinoss of Building
Wh
A
Ć
DI E
А ТВ
с
Figuro 9 -
Illumination or classrooms
Figur. 10 - Bleokboardo
lin
AB
с
D
Figure 11 - Sito (Goneral charaoter)
122
CHAPTER VIII-SCHOOL FINANCE
During the school year ending June 30, 1924, the twelve Cape towns
that are the subject of this study spent over $412,000 on public edu-
cation. This figure alone has but little meaning. It is only as this
cost is analyzed in terms of what the money bought and how the cost
compared with what the communities might have spent that the true
significance is brought out.
Individually the towns spent during the fiscal year 1923 the amounts
stated in Table 25. It will be observed that in terms of gross amounts
the total expenditures of Barnstable, Falmouth, and Bourne con-
stitute about $245,000, or over one-half of the total of all twelve
towns.
TABLE 25.-Expenditures for Support_of Public Schools Classified as to
Source, Year Ending December 31, 1923 1
Towns
Local Tax
State Miscellaneous
Per
Per
Per
Amount Cent Amount Cent Amount Cent
Total
Barnstable.
Bourne.
Brewster.
Chatham
Dennis..
Eastham.
$ 80,615 | 90.5 | $ 6,300 7.0
52,308 88.2
4,588
7.7
7,864 | 75.5 1,182 11.3
18,046 | 88.1 2,226 10.8
14,988 | 75.0 4,941 | 24.9
5,475 | 58.5 3,451 | 36.9
$ 2,226 2.5 || $ 89,141
2,408 4.1 59,304
1,362 13.2 10,408
227 1.1 20,499
22 . 19,951
425 4.6 9,351
1,943
2.0
3.1
784
.
Falmouth.:
Harwich.
Mashpee.
Orleans,
Sandwich.
Yarmouth..
89,647 | 92.0
22,181 | 86.0
4,474 87.0
16,235 | 78.1
17,523 70.1
19,829 | 84.0
5,990 6.0
2,818 10.9
676 | 13.0
1,988 9.5
6,930 27.6
3,763 16.0
2,585 | 12.4
581 2.3
7
97,580
25,783
5,150
20,808
25,034
23,599
Total...
$349,185 85.9 | $44,853 11.0 || $12,570
3.1 | $406,608
1 Annual Report of the Massachusetts Department of Education for the Year
Ending November 30, 1924.
SOURCES OF REVENUE
The public schools of the twelve 1 Cape towns are maintained on
funds made available from several different sources. These sources
1 Of the twelve Cape towns participating in this survey, ten belong to the
group of 117 Massachusetts towns with less than 5000 population, maintaining
high schools. This group is referred to in this report and in the State Reports
123
1
and the percentages obtained by each town from the several sources
during 1923 are given in Table 25. The column headed "Mis-
cellaneous" includes the receipts for tuition and transportation of
State wards.
Barnstable and Falmouth derive a larger percentage of their
revenue locally than do any other towns. Also, they receive the
smallest percentage of State aid. Sandwich, Eastham, and Dennis,
on the other hand, receive a larger percentage of State aid than do the
other towns. In Sandwich only 70.1% of the revenue is raised
locally and in Eastham only 58.5%.
All of the Cape towns receive generous aid from the State com-
pared with other Massachusetts towns when the relatively large
amounts of wealth behind each child are considered. This is por-
trayed in Chart III. This chart shows the relation that existed
between the assessed valuation behind each pupil and the State
reimbursement per pupil in the school year 1923–24 in the Group III
towns. The two dotted lines are group averages. The average
assessed valuation per pupil in net average membership in Group III
towns was $7,156, the median about $6,400, and the average State
reimbursement per pupil for Group III towns was $13.86.
The following facts are brought out by the chart. The assessed
valuation per pupil in the Cape towns is above the average and
median for Group III towns in every instance. Sandwich, with the
smallest assessed valuation per pupil of the Cape towns, has over $100
valuation per pupil more than the group average and over $860 per
pupil more than the median for Group III towns.
As far as reimbursement from the State is concerned, the Cape
towns are exceedingly fortunate. No town included in this study
received in 1923–24 less than $6.30 per pupil and Sandwich received
over $26 per pupil. Three towns, Yarmouth, Dennis, and Sandwich,
received more than the average for Group III towns. Most of the
Cape towns received from the State as much or more reimbursement
as many other towns having less than one-third the taxable wealth
behind each child, that is, having less than one-third the ability to
support public schools that the Cape towns have.
Falmouth and Chatham have a greater assessed valuation per
pupil than all but six of the 38 towns receiving between $5 and $10
per pupil of State aid. Moreover, these two towns receive as much
State aid as 16 towns whose valuations per pupil are less than one-
half as large. Bourne and Barnstable also rank high in this group of
towns receiving between $5 and $10. Yarmouth, for instance, has
the largest valuation per pupil of any Group III town except Dover,
receiving between $15 and $20 per pupil in State aid, and in the
as Group III. Cape towns in Group III are Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster,
Chatham, Dennis, Falmouth, Harwich, Orleans, Sandwich, and Yarmouth.
Mashpee and Eastham belong to Group IV, towns less than 5000 and not
maintaining high schools. There are 125 such towns in Massachusetts. It has
seemed wise to keep the division of Group III and IV Cape towns in many in-
stances.
124
next range ($20 to $25 per pupil of State aid) Dennis has the greatest
valuation of any town of the group.
The conclusion is that in the distribution of State aid the Cape
towns receive as much and more than many towns that are far less
able to pay. In many cases towns receiving the same amount or
Groep
Avenage
Group za Towns
20
.
151
Stathatod
Famits
BON
Assessed Valuation Per Pupil - Unit 1000
Yarmouth
Barnstable
10
Harlich
Opbonis
Group
Average
Sandwich
5
$20
*30
$40
10
$50
$60
syo
State Reimbursement Per Pupil
CHART III–Relation Between the Assessed Valuation Per Pupil and the State
Reimbursement Per Pupil in Group III Towns of Massachusetts, School
Year 1923-24.
less per pupil from the State have only one-third or one-quarter the
amount of taxable wealth behind each pupil.
The situation with respect to the valuation and State aid per pupil
in Mashpee and Eastham are shown in Table 26.
It will be seen that the rank of each in valuation per pupil is high
among the 125 Group IV towns. Moreover, the rank of Eastham is
also high in the per capita State aid received. Mashpee, however,
is low. It should be noted in this connection that there are only 32
communities in Massachusetts out of the 355 that are more able to
support public schools than Mashpee, that is, where the valuation
back of each pupil is greater.
125
TABLE 26.—Valuation and State Aid per Pupil in Mashpee and Eastham
for Five Years 1
Year
Valuation
per Pupil
Rank in
Group IV
State Aid
per Pupil
Rank in
Group IV
$16,596
11,939
12,127
12,225
13,363
9
15
15
13
14
Mashpee
1919-20...
1920-21.
1921-22..
1922-23..
1923-24.
Eastham
1919-20...
1920–21.
1921-22
1922-23
1923-24..
$42.34
11.15
8.03
12.90
14.69
24
101
118
110
111
12
7
6,552
7,211
7,769
10,166
9,109
51
43
33
21
28
53.94
59.36
52.07
58.88
43.69
23
24
41
1 Annual Reports of the Massachusetts Department of Education.
INCREASE IN SCHOOL COSTS
The increases in costs from 1913–14 to 1923–24 are shown in
Table 27. At first glance, it would appear that the increases, all
but two of which are over 100%, are unusual, and signify a great ex-
pansion of the educational offerings of the communities. These are
not the facts. Examination of the figures for other communities,
especially larger communities, shows increases ranging from 200% to
500% over the same period.
TABLE 27.—Total Expenditure for Public Schools, Years Ending June 30,
1914, and June 30, 1924 1
·Towns
1914
1924
Per Cent
Increase
Barnstable.
Bourne.
Brewster
Chatham
Dennis.
Eastham.
$35,674
23,391
6,007
8,217
9,892
4,444
$95,587
59,981
10,283
21,046
21,593
9,558
168
157
71
157
118
115
.
0
1
o
.
Falmouth...
Harwich.
Mashpee
Orleans.
Sandwich.
Yarmouth.
38,273
10,407
2,233
9,200
10,362
12,496
94,512
26,267
4,858
20,942
24,821
23,486
147
152
117
127
140
88
.
1 Annual Reports of the Massachusetts Department of Education.
It should be noted here also that today a dollar purchases only
about what sixty cents purchased in 1914. When this fact is con-
126
sidered, the margin of increase that can be considered real increase
in the cost of education in Cape towns is greatly reduced.
This fact is brought out in Table 28, which shows what the 1914
education would cost if purchased in 1924 and the per cent increase
that the cost in 1924 was over this amount. It should be noted that
the largest real increases in the cost of education have occurred in
three towns, namely: Barnstable (61%), Bourne (54%), and Chatham
TABLE 28.—What 1914 Education Would Cost if Purchased in 1924 and
Actual Increase of 1924 Expenditures Over that Cost
Towns
What Was Actually If the 1914 Education This Means a
Spent for Education Were Purchased in Real Increase
in 1924 Was: 1924 it Would Cost:
of:
61%
54%
3%
Barnstable ..
Bourne.
Brewster
Chatham
Dennis
Eastham.
$95,586
59,981
10,283
21,046
21,593
9,558
$59,460
38,990
10,010
13,700
16,490
7,410
54%
31%
29%
.
.
Falmouth.
Harwich.
Mashpee.
Orleans.
Sandwich
Yarmouth.
94,512
26,267
4,858
20,942
24,821
23,486
63,790
17,350
3,720
15,330
17,270
20,830
48%
51%
31%
36%
43%
1
13%
(54%). The smallest increases are in Yarmouth and Brewster, 12%
and 3% respectively. Certainly in the last two towns, as in several
others also, the increase in cost of education is not caused by an in-
crease in the scope of the offering. These figures plainly show that
the increases are due largely to the decreases in the value of the dollar
over 1914 and to a less extent to the expansion of the educational
offering.
ANALYSIS OF SCHOOL EXPENDITURES
Proportions spent for different functions:
An analysis of the proportions spent for (1) general control,
(2) salaries of teachers, supervisors, and principals, (3) transporta-
tion of pupils, and (4) repairs, replacement, and upkeep was made for
all towns of Group III for the school year ending June 30, 1924. In
order to determine whether the proportions for the one year were
1 General control includes expenses of the school committee, the salary of the
superintendent, attendance officer, traveling expenses of the superintendent,
printing reports, supplies used in the general administration of schools, and other
expenses of administration. Miscellaneous expenses in Chart VI include ex-
penses such as water, light, power, and janitors' supplies. Costs of transporta-
tion are both for pupils to schools within the town and pupils to schools of other
towns and cities.
1
127
representative for the Cape towns, the percentages of the three
preceding years were used as a check. The findings given below are
not influenced by the expenditure of a particular year, but represent
the relative place of the Cape towns over a period of four years.
During the school year ending June 30, 1924, the Cape towns of this
study spent as a group'a larger percentage of their total on general
control than other towns of Group III. Brewster spent for general
control about 9% of its total, the highest percentage of any town in
Group III. Dennis, Chatham, Sandwich, Yarmouth, Harwich, and
Falmouth also spent a larger percentage than the Group III average,
but Orleans, Bourne, and Barnstable spent below the average.
During this same year towns in Group IV spent on the average
about 60% of their total budget for the salaries of supervisors,
principals, and teachers. In the ten Cape towns the percentage
averages somewhat lower than this figure. Brewster, Dennis, and
Harwich spent in the neighborhood of 50% to 53%, Orleans 60%,
Chatham 58%, Yarmouth, Sandwich, and Bourne 60% to 62%, and
Barnstable and Falmouth about 56%. Many towns of the group,
however, spent 65% and over on salaries of teachers, supervisors, and
principals.
These differences are due to a number of causes. Transportation
costs in these ten towns amount to a larger proportion of the total
budget than in many towns of the group. In the case of Brewster,
for instance, nearly 20% of the total for support was spent on the
transportation of pupils. All towns, except Bourne and Chatham,
spent over 10% of their total on transportation.
Moreover, in the case of Harwich, Dennis, and Brewster the pro-
portion available for salaries is lessened by the large percentage of
the total expended on repairs. In 1923–24 Harwich spent on repairs,
replacement, and upkeep nearly 12%, Barnstable 73%, and Dennis
5%. That this was a somewhat unusual year for Harwich is shown
by the fact that the average for the three preceding years was ap-
proximately 51%.
Comparison of Elementary and Secondary Education Costs
Chart IX shows the relation of the cost of elementary and high
school education per pupil. Each town in Group III is plotted on
the chart. Positions vertically in relation to other towns indicate
the relative rank with respect to the cost of elementary education
per pupil in average membership. Cost of high school education is
plotted horizontally. The dotted lines represent the averages for
The interpretation of this chart is most interesting. Falmouth
ranks high in the group in both the cost of elementary and secondary
school education per pupil. Chatham is the only town below the
averages of Group III towns in both pupil elementary and secondary
1 The tables are not included in this report but are on file in the Library of
the Graduate School of Education, Harvard University.
the group
128
school costs. Brewster has the lowest cost per pupil of elementary
education of any Cape town and Orleans the highest. While it is
impossible to say why these facts are so, it is at least a point of de-
parture for study on the part of these local communities. Why
should elementary education cost 50% more per pupil in Orleans
than in Brewster? What causes the cost of secondary education per
capita to be nearly twice as great in Falmouth as in Orleans? These
are questions not of finance but of educational policy-the kind and
quality of the offering. Some light can be shed on these costs by an
analysis of the per pupil costs by functions.
Per Pupil Costs by Functions
An analysis of the expenditures for 1923–24 of the Cape towns of
Group III is contained in Charts IV to VIII inclusive. These charts
tell the total amounts spent and the per pupil cost for each town for
the school year 1923–24 for (1) general control, (2) salaries of teachers,
supervisors, and principals, (3) janitor service, fuel, and miscellaneous
expenses, (4) repairs, replacement, and upkeep, and (5) transporta-
tion of pupils.
In the charts the dots with circles around them indicate the Cape
towns. The diagonal lines give the cost per pupil in average daily
attendance. The cost per pupil in any particular town may, there-
fore, be readily estimated by reference to these lines.
General Control: The per capita cost of general control was some-
what greater for the ten Cape towns than in most towns of Group
III. Dennis, Yarmouth, and Brewster spent over $8 per pupil on
this function. Falmouth ranked next with a per capita cost of about
$7. Barnstable and Bourne are lowest with costs between $3.50 and
$4. In the first three towns named size is a large factor in increasing
the per capita cost. Of the towns in Group III having approximately
the same number of pupils in average daily attendance, the Cape
towns, except Orleans and Bourne, spent relatively large amounts
on general control. However, of the twenty-nine towns having be-
tween 150 and 250 pupils in A.D.A.', only six spent less per pupil
than does Orleans.
In order to find out if the figures of the Cape towns for the year
1923–24 were typical, the cost per pupil of general control was com-
puted for each Cape town for the three preceding years. It can
therefore be definitely stated that the findings for 1923-24 are
typical, and that the costs of the several towns are approximately
the same for the three preceding years.
Salaries of Teachers, Supervisors, and Principals: The cost in
1923-24 of the salaries of teachers, supervisors, and principals ranged
in Group III towns between $30 per pupil to $110 per pupil. The
range in cost among the twelve Cape towns was from about $50 per
pupil in Yarmouth to $75 per pupil in Orleans. It cannot be said
1 Average Daily Attendance.
$101 Sq S8
$6
$5
Group II Towns
Falmouth
4
4
Barbistable
Expenditure for General Control - Unit $1000
3
Bolirne
82-
2
Dent
Yalrmouth o
Horwich
Chatham
Sandal
Brewster
Co-orleans
100
500
600
800
.900.
g
g
Number of Pupils in Average Daily Attendance
1000
ខ្ញុំ
CHART IV—Cost Per Pupil of General Control, Group III Massachusetts Towns,
1923-24
Oby
Who
Barnstable
Group in Towns
Falmouth
so
fino
Bourne
$30
Expenditure for Salarice of Teachers, Supervisors, and Principale-Unst
10
Sandwich
auce
Bacho
sborouth
10
Suster
100
200
900
1000
8 8 ន្ត 8 8 ខ្ញុំ
Number one Pupils in Average Daily Attendance
CHART V—Cost Per Pupil For Salaries of Teachers, Supervisors, and Principals,
Group III Massachusetts Towns, 1923–24
130
that these towns stand out as spending more per pupil than other
towns of Group III. This seems somewhat peculiar, on first thought,
because we have found that the total expenditure per pupil in the
Cape towns to be generally above the average and median for the
group. A comparison of the Falmouth figure with the same figure
for the three previous years shows it to be about $12 above the
average. This chart shows that this greater per capita cost does not
go for purposes of instruction, expect in the cases of Orleans and
Falmouth.
Janitors' Salaries, Fuel, and Miscellaneous Expenses: The ten Cape
towns of Group III average about $10 per capita in their expenditure
of almouth
$15
arritable
Group II Towns
$20
12
10
$10
Expenditure for Janitor Serving Fuel, and Miscellaneous Expenees
6
$5
2
Oorlewiche
10 Otros
planning
C Brewster
200
300
400
600
Too
1000
ខ្ញុំ
8 8 3
Number of Pupils in Average Daily Attendance
CHART VI—Cost Per Pupil For Janitor Service, Fuel, and Miscellaneous Ex-
penses, Group III Massachusetts Towns, 1923–24
for janitor service, fuel, and miscellaneous expenses in the school
year 1923-24. However, there are a number of striking exceptions
to this statement. It is significant to note in Chart VI that Fal-
mouth ranks fifth among the 117 towns of Group III with a cost per
pupil of $17.50 for operation. On the other hand, Brewster spends
but little over $5 per pupil, but the average for the past four years
for Brewster has been around $6 per pupil. The other figures repre-
sent fairly well the expenditure per pupil of the towns over several
years.
131
A significant comparison was made between the average cost per
pupil of operation of school plant over a period of four school years
with the janitorial efficiency as judged by the persons scoring the
school buildings. As is explained in another section of this report,
all school buildings were rated by field workers on one of the Strayer-
Engelhardt school building score cards. On the Score Card for City
School Buildings janitorial efficiency is given 15, out of a total of
1000 points. According to the Strayer-Engelhardt Standards, ef-
ficiency was measured on the basis of cleanliness of floors, walls,
furniture, plenum chambers, toilet rooms, storage rooms, etc." A
very clean school in these respects would, therefore, score 15 points.
A very dirty school might score 0 points. Or a school might score
anything between 0 and 15 points. The average of the individual
school scores makes up the score in Table 29.
Reference to this table shows that in general the towns having
high average cost of operation per pupil over a period of four years also
scored high in efficiency. For instance, Falmouth with a per capita
cost of over $18 ranks first in efficiency with a score of 11, a very good
score in this item. No town whcse per capita cost was below $10
scored over 4 points in efficiency.
TABLE 29.--A Comparison Between the Per Pupil Cost of Operation and
Scores on Janitors' Efficiency
Towns
Cost per Pupil of
Operation
Scores on Janitorial
Efficiency
11
6
Falmouth...
Bourne.
Barnstable.
Orleans.
Yarmouth..
Sandwich.
$18.40
13.90
13.85
13.39
12.30
11.21
oar o
.
.
Mashpee..
Eastham.
Chatham.
Dennis.
Harwich..
Brewster.
10.80
10.05
9.90
9.80
8.30
6.70
HA HA HA er or
0
This is an argument for the contention that even a school board
cannot get something for nothing. If towns are to have clean
schools, they must pay for keeping them clean. On the other hand,
these figures do not prove that it is necessary to pay as much as
Falmouth pays in all the Cape towns in order to have as clean schools.
There may be some relation between the size of school and janitorial
efficiency, as the towns whose schools are small seemed to score less
than those with large schools. The logic of the situation would say
that many part-time low-salaried janitors of small schools do not
132
give the same efficiency as fewer full-time higher-paid janitors of
larger schools.
Repairs, Replacement, and Upkeep: As a group it cannot be said
that the Cape towns spend more per pupil than other towns of Group
III on maintenance of plant. The largest per capita costs occur in
Yarmouth, Sandwich, Harwich, and Barnstable; the lowest in
Brewster, Chatham, and Orleans. One is immediately struck by
the fact that the unit cost in Harwich is the highest in the group.
8
$0
$9
so
Group It Towns
By notables .
Expenditure for Repairs, Replacements and Upkeep - Unit * 1000
He wich
Falmouth
2
Son
ndwich
B
Joc
8
900
1000
8
R
8
Number of Pupilo in Average Daily Attendance
CHART VII—Cost Per Pupil For Repairs, Replacement, and Upkeep of Plant.
Group III Massachusetts Towns, 1923-24
This is an exceptional year, however, the average for four years begin
about $6 per pupil. The figures for Bourne, Chatham, Orleans,
Sandwich, and Yarmouth are , about $1 less than the four-year
average; that of Dennis about $1 more than the four-year
average.
Cost of Transportation: From Chart VIII the conclusion can be
drawn that Cape towns in general rank above the average of Group
III towns in the unit cost of transportation. The average cost per
pupil of transportation over a four-year interval is about $1 more in
Dennis and Sandwich and about $2 less in Yarmouth than Chart VIII
shows.
133
$20
$18
$16
O.
1000
mos
Group The Towns
$0
10
$8
8
for Transportation - Unit ose
* $4
Orleans
Dermis
Yapay
Expenditure
2
Bram
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
006
1000
Number of Pupilo in Average Daily Attendance
CHART VIII-Cost Per Pupil For Transportation, Group III Massachusetts Towns, 1923–24
134
Summary of Analysis by Unit Costs: The analysis of cost per
pupil of Cape towns over a period of four years reveals no marked
tendency from the average of Group III towns except in the case of
the greater unit cost of general control. The unit costs of operation,
chap
Arhipogle
Group In Tamme
bioquan abarony w
$90
1
Ofelmonth
品
​Omnithe
Boom.
Oguntable
Education Por
O sandwich
Chatham
i brawster
Elementary
Group
Avenaya
Cost of
$100
3
$220
20
240
280
Cost of High School Education Per Pupil in Average Membership
CHART IX-A comparison of the Cost of Elementary and Secondary Education
in Group III Massachusetts Towns, 1923–24
maintenance, and teachers' salaries are about on the average of the
group. The unit cost of transportation is somewhat above the group
average.
THE ABILITY OF CAPE TOWNS TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS
The test of a community's ability to support good schools is (1) the
amount of taxable wealth behind each pupil attending public school,
(2) the amount of money taken by other municipal undertakings,
and (3) the extent to which the community is in debt.
The General Property Tax
As a group the towns of Cape Cod are especially fortunate in having
an unusually large amount of taxable property behind each pupil
According to the State tabulation of the school returns for the school
year ending June 30, 1924, the average local valuation of 1923 per
pupil in net average membership for the State was $9,250. For
135
Group III towns the average was $7,156, and for Group IV towns
$6,603. It is significant to note in Table 30 that all of the towns are
above the average of their respective groups.
TABLE 30.-A Comparison of the Local and State Valuations per Pupil, the
Expenditure per $1000 Valuation for Education, and the Local Taxation
Cost per Pupil on Twelve Barnstable County Towns
tion per
Cost per
Cost per
Valua-
Local As-
sessed Valua- | Pupil on
State
Assess-
ment?
Expenditure
for School
Support per
$1000 Valua-
tion 3
tion per
Pupil from
Local Taxa-
Pupil from
all Sources 3
Towns
Pupil 1
tion 3
State
State
State
State
Amount Amount Amount Amount
Rank
Rank
Rank
Amount Rank
Chatham ||$14,948
Falmouth 14,938
Mashpee 13,363
Orleans 12,613
Bourne 12,278
Yarmouth || 12,045
22 ||$18,326
23 16,992
33 15,929
36 17,794
39
14,470
43 15,270
$4.97
7.42
7.28
7.90
7.35
8.36
343 $ 74.26
282 110.81
288 97.25
255 99.60
286 90.18
235 100.66
94
9
35
30
44
26
$84.36 170
120.62 48
111.94 68
127.66 32
102.25 90
119.79 51
66
Barnstablell 11,988 45
Brewster
10,732 57
Harwich 10,414 64
Eastham 9,109
83
Dennis 8,293 | 100
Sandwich 7,268 | 133
14,000
14,730
12,148
11,828
10,371
9,874
6.72
6.66
7.61
7.61
8.57
9.31
312
314
270
269
223
179
80.62
71.49 | 108
79.22 70
69.30 124
71.03 113
67.66 138
89.14 140
94.62 112
91.95 125
118.36 53
94.55 113
96.65 105
1 Valuation of 1923 in net average membership for year ending June 30, 1924.
2 Valuation of 1925 on net average membership for year ending June 30, 1924.
3 Fiscal year 1923.
The second column of Table 30 shows how these twelve towns rank
with the 355 cities and towns of the State. Chatham in valuation
behind each pupil ranks 22d; only one town, Sandwich, ranks lower
than 100. If we accept these figures as portraying the ability of
these communities to support public schools, we must admit that
they are among the wealthiest in the State.
On the other hand, when we compare the different towns of the
Cape with one another, we find a decided difference in ability to sup-
port education. Chatham has over twice the assessed valuation
behind each pupil that Sandwich has. Chatham has nearly $15,000
behind each pupil; Sandwich has less than $7,500. The other ten
towns are distributed quite evenly between these two extremes in
their valuations per pupil.
Are these valuation figures fair? In Table 30 are given the valua-
tions of real and personal property next preceding January 1, 1925,
and also the State's valuation of this date. Since the State's valua-
136
tion is made by impartial assessors and with a view to equalizing the
tax burden among the several cities and towns, we accept this as
giving a just estimate of what the real valuation (100%) is in these
twelve Cape towns. In every case the State's valuation is higher
than that of the towns. The valuation of Barnstable alone approaches
that of the State to any reasonable degree.
If we now examine what the taxable property behind each pupil
is on the basis of this adjusted valuation, it is not surprising to find
enormous increases over the previous figure. Column 3 of Table 30
shows what this valuation per pupil in net average membership for
the year ending June 30, 1924, is when based on the State's valuation
of real and personal property. No town, except Sandwich, has less
than $10,000, and Sandwich has $9,874 valuation behind each pupil.
TABLE 31.-Comparison Between State and Local Assessed Valuations of
Twelve Cape Towns
Towns
A
State
B
Local
C
Difference
Per Cent
C is of A
Barnstable.
Bourne.
Brewster
Chatham.
Dennis.
Eastham.
$14,000,000 $13,199,450
8,392,782 7,402,397
1,620,330 1,308,100
4,453,334 3,824,140
2,188,261 1,964,530
934,405 795,341
$ 800,550
990,385
312,230
629,194
223,731
139,064
5.7
11.9
19.2
14.1
10.2
14.9
.
0
本
​.
.
Falmouth..
Harwich.
Mashpee
Orleans.
Sandwich.
Yarmouth.
13,746,480
3,401,560
732,776
2,900,383
2,557,425
3,008, 105
12,516,072
3,028,560
623,219
2,181,080
1,942,400
2,570,875
1,230,408
373,000
109,557
719,303
615,025
437,230
9.0
10.9
14.8
24.8
24.0
14.6
.
Translated in terms of the money available locally for the educa-
tion of each child if this property were assessed at the State average
tax for education, we have the following interesting figures There
would be available for the education of every pupil in Chatham
schools $146 as against $74 per pupil available during 1923, the last
figure we have. Orleans children would each have $142 instead of
$99. In Brewster there would be available locally $117 as against the
$71 in 1923. These towns are not exceptions. They are cited as
examples of what the State average tax rate for 1923 would yield on
valuations that are more nearly 100% than the local valuations that
the towns are operating under.
Such large wealth behind each pupil is not usual in a group of towns.
It is significant to discover that unlike most small towns of New
England the property of non-residents makes up a very large part of
the
total assessed property. The following table, compiled from the
1924 town reports of certain Cape towns, gives a fair picture of the
137
situation. It will be seen that about half the real and personal
property of these towns is owned by non-residents.
TABLE 32.—Comparison of Resident and Non-Resident Property Assessments
in Certain Towns 1
Amount of Property Assessed
Percentage
Towns
Residents
Non-Residents
Residents
Non-Residents
Falmouth.
Orleans.
Chatham
Mashpee.
$5,173,259
1,316,715
2,106,470
80,884
$7,342,814
864,365
1,717,670
542,335
41%
60%
55%
13%
59%
40%
45%
87%
1
Figures from Town Reports, year ending December 31, 1924.
This condition arises in great part because of the large number of
summer residents who own homes in these communities. It is be-
cause of this property, as we shall see later, that these Cape towns
have such large amounts of taxable property behind each pupil, and
are able to raise such large amounts per pupil on so small a tax rate.
Other Sources of Revenue
In this discussion of the ability of the Cape towns to support
public schools we have so far used the value of tangible property as
the measure of wealth behind each child in the several towns. While
this single criterion is most often used, it does not measure accurately
TABLE 33.—The Total Revenue of the Cape Towns for 1924 and the Amounts
and Proportion of it Derived from Various Sources 1
Income, Corporation
and Bank Tax—1924
Real and Personal
Property Tax-1924
Towns
Total Revenue
1924?
Amount
Per Cent
of Total
Amount
Per Cent
of Total
Barnstable
Bourne
Brewster.
Chatham
Dennis
Eastham..
$451,698.31
217,005.87
41,040.61
98,187.99
$41,592.62
38,359.25
3,002.46
9,322.67
9.2
17.6
7.3
9.5
$370,046.18
144,634.81
29,021.25
77,705.54
82
67
71
79
.
26,276.75
1,843.78
7.0
17,504.19
67
Falmouth.
Harwich
Mashpee.
Orleans
Sandwich
Yarmouth.
409,159.24
108,316.51
37,981.95
53,634.01
121,184.73
95,435.19
74,923.57
7,073.32
1,483.81
17,360.14
8,172.70
12,127.67
18.3
6.5
3.9
32.4
6.7
12.6
313,125.51
70,742.77
12,267.67
23,107.21
54,321.07
71,836.52
77
65
32
43
45
75
1
Data from Town Reports for year ending December 31, 1924.
2 Exclusive of balances, proceeds from notes and bonds.
138
what we want—the ability of the community to support public edu-
cation. Property in other forms than personal and real estate is
not included, and in the case of the twelve Cape towns this intangible
property is an important factor.
In order to arrive at some idea of the intangible wealth of the Cape
towns, a study was made of the income, corporation, and national
bank taxes paid by residents of the towns during the year 1924.
The proportion that these amounts are of the total revenue of the
towns is given in Table 33. Four of the twelve towns derived over
10% of their total revenues for 1924 from these sources. Orleans
received nearly one-third, Falmouth 18.3%, Bourne 17.6%, and
Yarmouth 12.6%. Barnstable and Chatham received between 9%
and 10%.
The amounts of the income tax returned to the towns by the State
in November, 1924, after the General School Fund had been deducted
are shown in Table 34.
TABLE 34.-Income Tax Received by Towns in 1924 1
Towns
Amount
Barnstable.
Bourne.
Brewster,
Chatham.
Dennis.
Eastham.
$30,493.56
22,547.52
2,710.50
6,535.04
.
.
+
.
1,734.80
Falmouth.
Harwich.
Mashpee.
Orleans.
Sandwich.
Yarmouth.
70,503.34
5,755.24
1,058.15
9,860.37
6,363.62
9,888.67
1 Data from Town Reports, year ending December 31, 1924.
source.
Eight of the twelve towns received more than $5000 from this
Falmouth received over $70,000, Barnstable over $30,000,
Bourne over $22,000, and Orleans and Yarmouth nearly $10,000
each. While no attempt will be made to arrive at the amounts of
intangible wealth that these figures represent or how these com-
munities compare with others in the State, these figures are suf-
ficient to show that a very large part of the wealth that can help
educate the children of the Cape does not lie in real estate and
personal property.
Nevertheless, it is significant to note that only four of the 242
towns of Massachusetts having less than 5000 population received a
larger amount from corporation and bank taxes during 1921 than
These were Lee, Hopecale, Manchester, and Dover, all
considerably larger than Orleans.
中
​139
In Table 33 are also given the amounts of tax on real and personal
property paid to the treasurers by the tax collectors during 1924.
Less than half of the revenues of Mashpee, Orleans, and Sandwich
were obtained from this tax. Barnstable, Chatham, and Falmouth
received over 75% of their revenue from the real and personal
property tax.
The conclusion to be drawn from these facts is that, because of the
large amounts received from other sources, particularly the income,
corporation, and bank taxes, and the State, the proportion of total
revenue raised by the property tax is considerably reduced. There-
fore, in any comparison of school taxes and total municipal taxes on
property, it must be remembered that large sums are available for
municipal undertakings in addition to the money raised by the
property tax. Not only, then, are the Cape towns wealthy in
tangible property, but the necessity for taxing this property is re-
duced by their large intangible wealth taxed by the State and re-
turned to the communities.
Relation Between the School Tax and the Total Municipal Tax
On Charts X and XI are plotted, for Groups III and IV towns re-
spectively, the school tax on the vertical axis and the total municipal
1
$16
60%
set
$14
Group T Toure
$ 12
1000 Valuation
30%
10
Cheap
8
Drawis
Clearly
2017
Ormont
c)
School Tax Rer
4
2
Total Tax Per x 1000 Valuation
CHART X-Relation Between School Tax Rates and Total Tax Rates in
Group III Massachusetts Towns, 1923-24
1 General Property Tax.
140
tax on the horizontal axis. Each little dot on these charts represents
a town. The Cape towns under consideration are circled dots and
the names are given. The data used in compiling these charts are
from the School Returns of year ending June 30, 1924. The diagonal
lines assist greatly in the interpretation of the chart. The line marked
"30% line”, for instance, means that any city falling on this line spends
30% of its total tax on its schools. For those cities that do not lie
$16
503
400
$14
Group It Towne
$12
301
守 ​$10
School Tax Per 1000 Assessed Valuation
Group
Avery
$8
$6
事 ​$4
*2
She ha
#12
sen
96k
.
Total Municipal Tex Par 2000 Acrewed Valuation
CHART XI–Relation Between School Tax Rates and Total Tax Rates in Group
IV Massachusetts Towns, 1923–24
on lines it is possible to interpolate roughly the percentage spent on
schools.
If we compare the location of the Cape towns with respect to their
position vertically, we find them low in school tax per $1000 assessed
valuation. Only two towns of Group III have a lower school tax
rate than Chatham.
The horizontal dotted line in each chart represents the State
average school tax for that group of towns. Nine of the ten Cape
towns of Group III are below the average tax of Group III. Sand-
wich is the only town above with a tax of $9.31 for the year ending
December 31, 1923, as against a group average of $9.23. The tax at
Chatham this same year was $4.97 or 343d of the 355 cities and
towns of the State. The Cape towns have never been required to
141
weigh the value of education against a tax levy that was really
burdensome.
When their positions horizontally are compared with those of the
group, the Cape towns are clearly toward the left, indicating a low
total municipal tax. Eastham, Mashpee, Sandwich, and Dennis
are nearest the middle of the two groups. Bourne, Brewster, and
Chatham have enviably low tax rates, but Orleans is the lowest of
the whole group of 117 towns.
Of the ten Cape towns in Group III one spends over 60% of its
total municipal taxes on schools, three spend between 30% and 40%,
and four spend less than 30%. While these towns tend to cluster
as a group about the 30% line, the average per cent for the entire
group is probably nearer 35% or 38%. This means that these nine
Cape towns give a smaller proportion of their taxes for school purposes
than do other towns of Massachusetts in the same group.
Orleans spent over 60% of its total tax on schools in 1923. This
figure also represents a fair average over a period of four years. At
first this appears odd. An examination of the town treasurer's re-
port for this and other years shows that Orleans is very fortunate in
receiving comparatively large amounts from the State from the
income tax, corporations, and the national bank taxes. When these
receipts are added to the numerous other receipts, the amount to be
raised for general town expenditures by the property tax is very
small.
Both Eastham and Mashpee spend less than 30% of their entire
local tax revenues on their schools. The average for Group IV
towns, however, is probably over 35%.
The conclusions that these charts bring out are:
(1) School tax rates in the Cape towns are low compared with
those of other Group III and Group IV towns. In every town except
Sandwich the school tax rates for 1923–24 were below the average of
the group. The Sandwich rate was only a few cents above the
average of Group III.
(2) The total municipal tax rates are not excessive, clustering about
and below the group averages for both Group III and Group IV
towns. Certainly the tax rates of Cape towns can in no sense be
considered high.
(3) In every case, except Orleans, the percentage of total mu-
nicipal tax spent on schools is below the average of the respective
group. Indeed, Cape towns of Group III rank almost the lowest of
the group of 117 towns in the percentage of local tax spent on schools.
This is significant because it has been shown that in most of the Cape
towns a large proportion of the revenue used for general government
purposes, schools not included, comes from sources other than the
general property tax such as income, corporation, and bank taxes,
State aid, and miscellaneous receipts. This reduces still further
the proportion of total municipal revenue that is available for schools.
142
Probably no other group of towns of Massachusetts spends so small
a proportion of its total revenue on its schools. Still it is not safe
to conclude that these towns are neglecting schools or that other
municipal functions are peculiarly expensive on Cape Cod. Rather,
this expansion of other governmental activities is attributable to a
strong civic pride, a deep interest and faith in the local government,
and a willingness and ability to pay for whatever the towns vote to
take up
Indebtedness
A statement of the debt of the twelve towns that are the subject
of this study is given in Table 35.
TABLE 35.-Amount of Debt and its Relation to the Valuation and the Amount
of School Debt of Twelve Cape Towns on January 1, 1925
Towns
Amount of Debt
Ratio of Net Debt to
Assessed Valuation
School
Indebtedness
1
►
.
.
Chatham
Brewster.
Bourne.
Barnstable.
Yarmouth.
Falmouth.
1
$114,500
24,000
127,250
182,000
33,000
140,000 1
2.99
1.83
1.71
1.38
1.28
1.12
$100,000
24,000
78,000
156,000
140,000
.
17,000
800
425
.88
.13
.05
.
Sandwich..
Mashpee.
Eastham.
Dennis.
Harwich.
Orleans.
1 Exclusive of water debt.
These figures are as of January 1, 1925. Dennis, Harwich, and
Chatham have no debt. Mashpee and Eastham have a debt less
than $1000 each. Chatham has the largest debt in relation to the
assessed valuation of any town of the group, due to the issuing of
$100,000 in school bonds, but this is only $114,500, or 2.99% of the
average of the three preceding valuations. The debts of all the other
towns are less than 2% of the assessed valuation average of three
years. The third column of Table 35 shows that the larger amount
of this indebtedness is for school purposes. As a group the Cape
towns have a very small debt, a fact that points to a policy of thrift
that is characteristic of the towns of Barnstable County.
FINANCIAL EFFORT OF CAPE TOWNS
Cape towns spend relatively large amounts per pupil compared
with other communities of Groups III and IV. This is shown in
143
Charts XII and XIII. Every Cape Town is above the group median
in cost per pupil from local taxation and also in the assessed valuation
per pupil. This is a creditable showing as far as it goes, but the fact
that in each row there are many towns to the right of the circled
Cape towns indicates that some other towns of the group with equal
valuations per pupil are spending more money from local taxation.
It is significant to note from these charts that the wealthier com-
munities have a larger amount to spend on each pupil than do the
poorer towns at equal tax rates. When we consider that Charts
18
16
Groum Towns
[Two towns amitted
out
Unit f 1000
Cortent
Brand
Other
10
Awessed Valuation Per Pupil
Oport
Defamilie
[Crowa
2
$60
180
100
110
170
190
Cost Par Pupil From Local Taxation
CHART XII—The Relation Between the Cost Per Pupil of Education and the
Assessed Valuation Per Pupil in Group III Massachusetts Towns, 1923-24
XIV and XV bring out the fact that wealthier communities have
lower school tax rates, the conclusion seems justified that wealthier
towns at lower tax rates are able to raise more money per pupil than
poor towns at high tax rates. In the light of these facts the Cape
towns can hardly be given credit for putting forth any considerable
financial effort to have good schools. As was stated above, they
have not had to feel the pinch of high tax rates, as many towns have,
in order to educate their children.
On Charts XIV and XV are plotted the assessed valuations per
pupil in net average membership for 1923 and the school tax rate
per $1,000 valuation for the year ending December 31, 1923, for
16
Gr
Mali
Group It Towns
fandtuck with
14
Ope
12 也
​2
Assessed Valuation Par Pupil – Unit *1000
Group
| Media
4
2
$10
*
* 20
$30
$40
me
to
we
Foo
490
$100
Cost Per Pupil From Local Taxation
CHART XIII–The Relation Between the Cost Per Pupil of Education and the
Assessed Valuation Per Pupil in Group III Massachusetts Towns, 1923–24
18
Jq
$15
Gott
18
Group in Tours
16
Onn
14
Oprtante
ornstable
of
五
​Obraustor
harhrich
Asiereed Valuation Per Pupil - Unit 2ooo
Bagamit
"O sandwich
World
School Tax Rate Par $1000 Valuation
CHART XIV–The Relation Between the School Tax Rates and the Assessed
Valuations Per Pupil in Group III Massachusetts Towns, 1923-24
145
Groups III and IV towns of Massachusetts. The medians divide
the chart into four parts roughly characterized as follows: The
lower right section may be called the area of low assessed valuation
and high school tax rate, the upper right the area of high assessed
valuation and high school tax rate, the upper left section the area of
high assessed valuation and low school tax rate, and the lower left
section the area of low assessed valuation and low school tax rate.
All of the Barnstable County towns within this study lie in the area
of high assessed valuation per pupil and low school tax rates.
4
wa
Šia
Bus
20
18
Group It Towns
[Three tone omkred
ON alper
12
Assessed Valuation Per Pupil - Unit 81000
(Ocelthan
Group
School Tax Rate Per 1000 Valuation
CHART VX—The Relation Between the School Tax Rate and the Assessed
Valuation Per Pupil in Group IV Massachusetts Towns, 1923-24
What does this mean? Barnstable County towns because of their
high assessed valuation need to levy only a comparatively small
school tax to furnish the kind of education they are now furnishing,
It shows that these towns are not putting forth any great financial
effort to support public education. Indeed, if they taxed themselves
as heavily as the median tax rate for the towns of the group ($9.90
per $1,000 valuation), all except two, Sandwich and Dennis, would
have $90 or more per pupil as against less than $60 per pupil for half
the towns of Group III. As it is, only four Group III towns now spend
$90 or more per pupil on education from local taxation.
146
CONCLUSIONS
The significance of the facts set forth in the above paragraphs
depends very largely on the policies and conditions under which the
schools are operated in the several Cape towns covered by this report.
Particularly is this true of the findings under the heading Analysis
of School Expenditures. For the function of General Control, for
instance, it was shown that the group of Barnstable County towns
spend both a larger amount per pupil and a larger proportion of their
total expenditures than do most Group III towns. On the basis of
these figures and facts, it is impossible to get at the cause of this.
Doubtless, those most intimately connected with the situation
have explanations that might well be considered. Perhaps these
findings may act as an incentive for communities to study deeply
into the causes for these rather marked deviations from the ordinary
run. It must not be inferred, however, that a variation from what
other towns spend is a fault that needs correction. In many in-
stances, on the contrary, it means better working conditions and
better teaching for boys and girls, or it may mean that a particular
community is confronted with problems that do not exist in other
towns.
As one other instance of this deviation from the general tendency,
we cite the facts regarding the expenditures for instructional purposes.
They show that as a group these towns are not spending either the
proportion or the amount per pupil that most towns of Group III
are spending for instruction. The question immediately arises as
to why this condition exists. We believe, and it has been continually
shown in other surveys, that the items of expenditure that determine
to a large degree the effectiveness of a school system are those directly
connected with instruction, those classed as expenses of instruction
which include salaries of teachers and supervisors, expenditures for
textbooks and supplies used in instruction. These facts suggest
the need for further analysis to find out the reason for these differ-
ences. They may lie in the differences in salaries paid, in the extent
to which the schools of the town are consolidated, or in several other
directions.
The most important conclusions of this study concern the ability
and effort of the Cape towns to support public schools. Every town
studied can afford to make greater investments in education. Most of
the towns can spend much more without putting forth the same ef-
fort now put forth by a large number of Group III and Group IV towns.
Few groups of communities in our country are as favorably situated
financially as these twelve Cape towns. Few areas the size of these
Barnstable County towns offer as large an opportunity for a pro-
gressive program of education. And lastly, few sections of our
country are enjoying the prosperity and the enormous increase in
wealth that have lately been the lot of these Cape Cod towns.
147
CHAPTER IX-PROBLEMS OF ADMINISTRATION AND
ORGANIZATION
School Committee Functions—Sub-Committees
During the field work of the survey instances were constantly
brought to the attention of the staff which showed that many school
committee members on the Cape had not always carefully thought
out how they could best serve the schools in their charge. Cases
where school committee members were keeping records, were inter-
viewing prospective teachers, were receiving complaints from teach-
ers, and were dabbling in the business details of the school such as
the repair of buildings and the purchase of supplies were constantly
brought to the attention of the staff. Indeed, the conception that the
school committee will take care of the business aspects of the schools
and the superintendent the instructional aspects is a not uncommon
point of view in the minds of some Cape school committee members.
This attitude toward their jobs, which is undoubtedly a relic of the
days when school committees assumed the functions both of lay
board of control and of superintendent, is most unsound and in-
evitably results in an almost complete nullification of the very
objects for which the superintendent of schools is employed by the
school committee.
It would be difficult to get agreement among a group of people on
just what matters should rightfully occupy the committee in meet-
ings and what should be referred to the superintendent with rather
broad powers. The point of view in this report is that of having
the committee act upon matters of general policy not confining its
attention to business aspects but grappling also with the educational
policies for which they are willing to ask the support of the com-
munity. Many acts of the committee are only to give legal sanction
to the action of its agents. These matters should be handled by a
regular routine. For example, after a general policy as to the type of
teachers to be employed and the salary schedule, including a general
plan of advancement for the teaching staff, is adopted, the committee
must elect teachers. This it should do upon the recommendation of
its superintendent as a matter of routine. In deciding upon the
general policies with respect to the employment and promotion of
teachers, there is need for the clearest and broadest kind of thinking.
The same is true with respect to all the general policies of the system.
Committees need not feel, therefore, that in delegating details to the
superintendents they are giving up any of their prerogatives. The
more detail which is placed on the superintendent, the more the posi-
148
tion of the school committee is exalted, for instead of busying them-
selves with minor matters they are concerned with broad social
policies; with diplomacy in putting before the people in the right way
and at the right time the matters which require community approval
and financial support; with statesmanship in dealing with the situa-
tions which will always arise in a system of government where every
citizen has a right to speak his mind in open debate. With this con-
ception of the job of the school committee it is difficult to see how
standing sub-committees can be of great service to the schools or
to the public whom they represent, for these sub-committees work
largely on details which should be left to the superintendent and his
staff.
It is a mistake to say, as is sometimes done, that the people of the
Cape have little to do and therefore have time to spend on petty de-
tails which busy people would leave to the superintendent of schools.
The members of school committees on the Cape as elsewhere have
one of the most important and at the same time most difficult tasks
of any public servants. They must educate the community to the
need of continually bettering schools and to a willingness to pay the
cost. To do this they must themselves understand the nature of the
educational policies proposed by the superintendent of schools.
Such an understanding is secured through the discussions of com-
mittee meetings. The committee members are in close touch with
the superintendent of schools. It is his duty to supply them with
the technical information on educational policies. If committee
members fail to understand modern educational programs, what can
be expected of the public at large which does not have the same
opportunity for careful consideration with the constant help of a
professional worker as the school committee has?
Policies may be proposed by the superintendent of schools, but they
are adopted by the school committee. Theirs is the final responsibil-
ity for the people of the community and they should adopt policies
only after careful consideration and preparedness to defend such
policies to the public at large. Questions of the public as to details
may well be referred to the superintendent, but committee members
should not shirk the responsibility of presenting and supporting the
general policies of the school system.
With the increasing responsibilities placed upon schools, with the
ever present problems of public taxation, the school committees have
enough to do to challenge the best intellects in the community.
There is not time for pettiness; nor for dabbling in technical matters.
Laymen must learn to rely upon the superintendent for the proper
handling of technical and executive functions.
The Pay of School Committees
In some of the Cape towns the school committee annually vote
themselves small salaries for their services. This is a custom that
holds over from the times when there was no superintendent and the
149
members of the school committee spent a great deal of time in execu-
tive work-interviewing teachers, selecting books, paying bills, etc.
The custom is not justified under present conditions. It tends to
retard the full differentiation of the committee's and the superintend-
ent's duties. Its discontinuance is strongly urged on the ground
that this small salary is sometimes just enough to attract to the posi-
tion of the school committeeman persons ill-suited for the office and
often makes members feel that they must "do something" in order
to earn their salaries. The people of the Cape who are willing to
serve on school committees are sufficiently broadminded and pros-
perous not to be attracted by the small financial return which the
office yields.
· Work of the Cape Superintendents
An analysis of the work that Cape superintendents now do shows
the complexity of their jobs. Consider as an example the three-town
union of Yarmouth, Dennis, and Brewster. The superintendent
must meet three committees and consider separately the problems
of three school systems. Not only must he deal with three towns,
three town governments, three sets of town officials, but practically
speaking he must deal with at least nine villages. To make the
round of his schools is to travel at least thirty miles and to visit nine
buildings. Because of the distances it is practically impossible to
deal with teachers as a group. Under his supervision are twenty-
eight teachers. To help him in the supervisory aspects of his work is
a supervisor of music. He has no clerk, and whatever records are
kept he must compile himself. Moreover, he must find and inter-
view candidates for positions not only between school years but also
in term time. Add to these the many duties of a minor character
which he is forced to attend to personally because of the lack of
organization, and one wonders how the superintendent can find time
for the consideration of the larger problems of educational policy
and supervision which is his most important function.
If Cape towns are to make most effective use of their superintend-
ents they must provide relief for them from details of administration.
Many of these could as well be taken care of by a high-grade clerk.
This would leave the superintendent free for the study of general
policies, for the leadership of teachers, for a type of community
leadership in educational affairs now lacking in some Cape towns,
and for the coördination and general supervision of the entire offering
of the schools.
Clerical Assistance Needed
In some instances the superintendent is glad to have a school com-
mittee member do the bookkeeping on the ground that the super-
intendent is thereby relieved from just so much more clerical work.
If a superintendent has no clerical help this attitude is easily ex-
plained. It is not expected, however, that the superintendent would
150
do the actual bookkeeping. Every school organization in the towns
studied is large enough to warrant the employment of a full-time
clerk. In the superintendency unions the clerks should serve the
ame area served by the superintendent. It is poor economy to have
men with salaries ranging from $2,500 to $1,500 obliged to do work
that could be done by a good clerk at $20 per week. Falmouth has
had a full-time clerk for some time. Barnstable has recently pro-
vided clerical help for the superintendent. The other communities
should do the same.
The Superintendent's Office
Three of the superintendents have their school office in their homes.
The superintendent should have an office provided by the school
committee-located for his and the teachers' convenience
ample in
size--properly equipped for the making and care of records—and
with sufficient and competent clerical assistance. No town official
holds a more important office.
Adequate Records Needed
It is not surprising to find, in view of the size of the job of Cape
superintendents, that adequate records of an educational or financial
nature do not exist in many of the towns. Indeed, without clerical
assistance it is difficult to see how the superintendents are able to
compile such records as exist and give time also to matters requiring
thought and study or to the improvement of instruction in the schools.
Records are necessary if school officials and the public are to know the
truth about the educational system. The time of the superintendent
is too valuable to be consumed in keeping records. The solution is
to employ clerical assistance in connection with the superintendent's
office to gather and keep up to date records which the superintendent
needs. The interpretation and use of these records are parts of the
professional work of the superintendent.
Transportation of Children
At the time of our study five hundred and eighteen pupils, or 12.2%
of the children in the public day schools, were transported in the
Cape towns. Every town furnished some transportation, some much
more than others. In some of the towns the amount expended for
transportation has become a large percentage of the total cost of
maintaining schools. The recommendations in the preceding sec-
tions of the report are made on the assumption that increasingly the
Cape towns will provide for the transportation of pupils to central
schools. While there will be, undoubtedly, a number of small schools
on the Cape which, because of the great distance from central schools,
cannot be closed, many of the towns can go much further in the con-
solidation of their schools and the transportation of children. Not
only on the Cape but throughout the country is the device of trans-
porting pupils to central schools, offering the advantages that go with

Mon
These six modern school barges bring many Falmouth children to the central schools where they may receive the advantages
of city schools.
152
The sur-
larger numbers of children, meeting with great success.
vey staff approves the consolidation and transportation of pupils
to central schools such as is found in Falmouth, Chatham, Brewster,
and Orleans. We strongly recommend in the case of the other towns
that the transportation of children should be considered in connection
with the solution to problems suggested in the preceding sections
of this report.
Use of Schools by Summer Residents-Summer Sessions
One of the factors in securing interest in this study among some
citizens was their feeling that the schools might be a decided attrac-
tion to summer residents. It was felt that summer residents would
come earlier and stay later if their children could be assured of edu-
cational advantages equal to those in their home communities.
Some critics of the schools based their criticism on vague compari-
sons of the standing of children of summer residents in the Cape
schools and that of local children.
The general impression gained from questioning teachers and
superintendents was that relatively few children of summer residents,
that is, not over four or five at the most, had been in the schools.
Some reported that none had ever been in the schools to their knowl-
edge. In some instances it was reported that these children adjusted
themselves very well, occasionally being able to secure advancement
in their home schools.
It is extremely doubtful whether any considerable number of
children would make use of the Cape schools in this way. It must
be realized that schools are not such mechanized affairs that a child
can be taken one day from familiar surroundings and entered a few
days later in another school and take up his studies with little or no
interruption.
It is far more likely that a regular summer session could be made a
source of attraction as well as a decided educational asset. The
summer offers opportunities for activities frequently not given suffi-
cient attention in the regular term, such as gardening, nature study,
art, music, dramatization. A summer session which made large
use of the natural interests of children would be welcomed by many
parents who question the wisdom of an entire summer with no sys-
tematic educational contacts. A limited amount of academic school
work would enable children who need to make up deficiences or who
need to advance more rapidly to make effective use of part of the
long summer vacation. Such a school would be largely an out-of-
door affair, conducted for part of the day at a minimum cost of
operation. There is also the possibility that a summer session of the
schools could be closely tied up with the boys' and girls' club work
now so effectively organized on the Cape.
11111
34 هان
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Photomount
Pamphlet
Binder
Gaylord Bros., Inc.
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Syracuse, N. Y.
PAT. JAH 21, 1908
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
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