Results of Eighth Grade Examinations in 1915

Our records show that we examined four hundred applicants for high school entrance last year. Approximately one-third of this number failed to qualify. However, we made commendable progress over the previous year. In 1914 forty per cent of all examined failed and in 1915 33 per cent. This report does not include all the borough pupils examined. Some principals did not report the results of their borough pupils.

While we are making commendable progress in the matter of preparing pupils for high school, we must confess that the failures are still too great. Our teaching has not yet reached the thorough and efficient state that is necessary for better results. Some teachers still teach in an inefficient, hap-hazard non-practical way and the results of such teaching are discouraging. If we would only select the essentials in each subject and teach them well rather than spread our efforts over large masses of material, much of which is not essential, we would get better results.

All subject matter should fit the intelligence of the pupils. So much of our teaching goes for nought because the children do not understand it or are not interested in it. It is as cold and lifeless as an icicle and does not foster intellectual growth. Good teaching is a thought-provoking process. New ideas should be born in every recitation. Intellectual alertness should abound and intellectual growth should result.

Eighth Grade Examinations in 1916

Examinations for high school entrance and for public school diploma will be held in all the high school rooms on the second Saturday of April. Teachers should not fail to inform their pupils of the time of this test. Every year we have pupils come to us and ask for an examination after the test has been held, and on investigation find that the teachers of these pupils did not have interest enough in their welfare to notify them when the examination was to be held. Every pupil should know about this examination. The teacher should encourage all pupils to prepare for this first graduation exercise and as soon as they are ready to leave the common branches, should point them to the high school with its opportunities.