The pupils who lack native ability sufficient for the work are not a
large number.
The high school graduates represent about a 1 in 9 selection of the
elementary school entrants, but in this group is included as high a
percentage of the failing pupils as of the non-failing ones.
The success of the failing pupils in the Regents' examinations, and
also in their repeating with extra schedules, bears witness to their
possession of ability and industry.
In the semester first preceding and that immediately subsequent to the
failure, 72 per cent of all the grades are passing, 20 per cent are A's
or B's. Many of them "can if they will."
The early elimination of pupils, the number that fail, and the notable
cases of non-success in school are evidence of something wrong with the
kind of education.
The characteristic culmination of failures for Latin and mathematics
can hardly be considered a part of the pupils' responsibility.
Of all the failures 68.5 per cent are incurred by instances of two or
more failures in the same subject.
Much maladjustment of the subject assignments is almost inevitable by a
prescribed uniformity of the same content and the same treatment for
all.
The traditional methods and emphasis probably account for more
disappointment and disgust than for valuable discipline.
REFERENCES:
47. Maxwell, W.H. _A Quarter Century of Public School Development_, p.
88.
48.
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