MAu] CHILDREN'S INTERESTS 287 



Test A. 



The results obtained show that there is a rriarked in- 

 crease in preference for the cat for both boys and girls from 

 the kindergarten to grade 3 in all schools ; that there is a decline 

 in preference for the engine for both boys and girls, especially 

 marked between grades 2 and 3 ; that the decline for girls is 

 very rapid ; that there is very little variation from the kindergarten 

 to grade 3 in plant interest, with a rise in grade 1 for girls. The 

 greatest difference is that between the boys and girls. 



The total results in choice show that more girls than boys 

 choose the cat in all grades ; the figures are as follows : Kindergar- 

 ten, 4.2% or 1.2 times as many*; grade 1, 3.4% or 1-f- times as 

 many; grade 2, 19.9% or 1.5 times as many; grade 3, 7% or 1.3 

 times as many. More boys than girls choose the engine in all 

 grades. The differences are as follows : Kindergarten. 9.5% or 

 1.5 times as many; grade 1, 29.9% or 2.1 times as many; grade 2. 

 40% or 4.8 times as many; grade 3, 26.7% or 4.5 times as many. 

 More girls than boys choose the plant in all grades. The differ- 

 ences are as follows: Kindergarten. 15.8% or 2.8 times as many; 

 grade 1. 21.4% or 3 times as many; grade 2. 19.9% or 2.6 times 

 as many ; grade 3, 19.7% or 2.4 times as many girls as boys. 



According to the results obtained from the total number of 

 questions asked and the number of children that ask the ques- 

 tions, the striking difference is that between boys and girls rather 

 than between materials. Both from the standpoint of questions 

 and number of children that asked questions about the engine, 

 boys far exceed girls in all grades, with a marked decline from 

 the kindergarten to grade 1 and from grade 2 to grade 3. On the 

 other hand, the differences between boys and girls with regard to 

 the number of questions asked about the plant are quite as great; 

 girls, both in numbers and in the number of questions asked far 

 exceed boys in all grades, with a striking rise in grade 1. The 

 number of questions and the number of children that asked ques- 

 tions about the cat increases from the kindergarten to grade 3 for 

 both boys and girls. So far we can say that there is a rising 

 interest in the cat ; a waning interest in the engine, and very little 

 variation in the plant from kindergarten to grade 3. 



It is interesting to note that the prevailing opinion of the 

 adult was that the children preferred the cat in all grades, espe- 



*The number times as many is based on numerals and not 

 percentages. 



