THE LABORATORY METHOD 243 



THE LABORATORY METHOD AND HIGH SCHOOL 



EFFICIENCY 



By Professor OTIS W. CALDWELL 



THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO 



IT is a striking fact that for twenty years there has been no increase 

 in the percentage of pupils who complete a high school course. 

 In the period between 1900 and 1910, the number of pupils in public 

 high schools in the United States has increased over 76 per cent, (from 

 519,251 to 915,061). * During this same period the number of high 

 school teachers who teach these pupils has increased over 100 per cent, 

 (from 20,372 to 41,667). The number and value of high school prop- 

 erties has increased proportionately during this period, including im- 

 provement in the quality and quantity of facilities for work in libraries, 

 laboratories, gymnasia, etc. But for twenty years, approximately twelve 

 per ceut. of the enrollment of the high schools has been graduated. Re- 

 gardless of the increase in facilities, and of an increase in teaching 

 force, which is one third greater than the increase in the number of 

 pupils, and of an assumed increase in the relative efficiency of this 

 teaching force, and regardless of the increased public belief in second- 

 ary education, there has been no increase in twenty years in the per- 

 centage of high school pupils that take a full high school course. The 

 fact that they begin the work indicates clearly that some one in con- 

 trol regards it as worth while for some reason for these pupils to engage 

 upon the work of the secondary schools, though they may at the outset 

 expect to do but one or a few years of the work. But the fact that ap- 

 proximately 88 per cent, do not complete a course indicates that most 

 of those who thought it worth while to enter the high school, for some 

 or many reasons do not find it possible or perhaps not worth while to 

 follow out the course, even if at the outset they intend doing so. 



Failure to carry school work is one prominent factor in the elimina- 

 tion of pupils from school, though doubtless the content of the curric- 

 ulum, and social and economic conditions may often be determining or 

 contributing factors. In one large high school 432 pupils entered the 

 freshmen class in the autumn of 1909. Of these 432, 338 left school 

 before completing the third semester, thus leaving 94 of the original 

 432 in school. Of those who left, 124 made no passing credit in the 

 school and 121 others failed to receive passing credits in 43 per cent, of 

 the subjects which they took. The remaining 93 pupils who left school 

 made average grades above 80 per cent. (75 being the passing grade in 

 1 Ann. Rep. U. S. Com. of Ed., 1911, p. 9. 



