The High School Failures A Study of the School Records of Pupils Failing in Academic or Commercial High School Subjects   By: Francis P. Obrien

A STUDY OF THE SCHOOL RECORDS OF PUPILS FAILING IN ACADEMIC OR COMMERCIAL HIGH SCHOOL SUBJECTS

By

FRANCIS P. OBRIEN

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Philosophy, Columbia University

PUBLISHED BY Teachers College, Columbia University NEW YORK CITY 1919

Copyright, 1919, by FRANCIS P. OBRIEN

PREFACE

Grateful acknowledgment is due the principals of each of the high schools whose records are included in this study, for the courteous and helpful attitude which they and their assistants manifested in the work of securing the data. Thanks are due Dr. John S. Tildsley for his generous permission to consult the records in each or any of the New York City high schools. But the fullest appreciation is felt and acknowledged for the ready criticism and encouragement received from Professor Thomas H. Briggs and Professor George D. Strayer at each stage from the inception to the completion of this study.

F.P.O.

CONTENTS

PAGE I. THE GENERAL INTRODUCTION OF THE SUBJECT

1. The Relevance of This Study 1

2. The Meaning of Failure in This Study 3

3. Scope and Content of the Field Covered 4

4. Sources of the Data Employed 6

5. Selection and Reliability of These Sources 8

6. Summary of Chapter, and References 11

II. HOW EXTENSIVE ARE THE FAILURES OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS?

1. A Distribution of All Entrants in Reference to Failure 12

2. The Later Distribution of the Pupils by Semesters 14

3. The Distribution of the Failures by Ages and by Semesters 14

4. Distribution of the Failures by Subjects 19

5. The Pupils Dropping Out Time and Age 24

6. Summary of Chapter, and References 27

III. WHAT BASIS IS DISCOVERABLE FOR A PROGNOSIS OF THE OCCURRENCE OR THE NUMBER OF FAILURES?

1. Some Possible Factors Attendance, Mental and Physical Defects, Size of Classes 29

2. Employment of the School Entering Age for the Purpose of Prognosis 31

3. The Percentage of Failure at Each Age on the Possibility of Failures for That Age 36

4. The Initial Record in High School 37

5. Prognosis of Failure by Subject Selection 39

6. The Time Period and the Number of Failures 40

7. Similarity of Facts for Boys and Girls 45

8. Summary of Chapter, and References 45

IV. HOW MUCH IS GRADUATION OR THE PERSISTENCE IN SCHOOL CONDITIONED BY THE OCCURRENCE OR BY THE NUMBER OF FAILURES?

1. Comparison of the Failing and the Non failing Groups in Reference to Graduation and Persistence 48

2. The Number of Failures and the Years Required to Graduate 49

3. The Number of Failures and the Semesters of Dropping Out, for Non graduates 51

4. The Percentages That the Non graduate Groups Form of the Pupils Who Have Each Successively Higher Number of Failures 55

5. Time Extension for the Failing Graduates 56

6. Summary of Chapter, and References 57

V. ARE THE SCHOOL AGENCIES EMPLOYED IN REMEDYING THE FAILURES ADEQUATE FOR THE PURPOSE?