Monroe: Progress and Promotion 



21 



ship in the school, (2) increase in population, (3) retarda- 

 tion, and (4) acceleration. The termination of membership 

 in the school occurs in several ways: (a) by death, which 

 is a relatively small factor; (b) by temporary absence of 

 more than ''six consecutive half-days' absence"; (c) by sus- 

 pension or expulsion; and (d) permanent withdrawals. This 

 last cause becomes the most dominating one after the age of 

 thirteen is reached. Theoretically, it should not occur until 

 after fourteen is reached, but as Tables I to VI show some 

 children anticipate the age of fourteen by leaving school when 

 only thirteen. 



An additional factor should be included when data from, 

 public schools only are considered. Some children attend 

 parochial schools during a portion or all of their school career 

 below college. If they attend during all of the period, the 

 grade distribution will not be affected, but when at certain 

 grades a transfer is made to or from parochial schools, the 

 grade distribution is affected. 



TABLE IX 



Grade Distribution as Influenced by Death and Increase of Population 



GRADE PUPILS 



First Grade 1,000 



Second Grade 985 



Third Grade 964 



Fourth Grade 938 



Fifth Grade 920 



Sixth Grade 904 



Seventh Grade 889 



Eight Grade 871 



The effect of the termination of membership on account 

 of death and the increase of population has been calculated 

 by Ayres for the first eight grades. Table IX shows the 

 number of pupils which we would find in each grade if only 

 these two factors affected the grade distribution. This would 

 be the case if all pupils were promoted, none accelerated, and 

 none left school. 



Number of Pupils Entering School. Before it will be pos- 

 sible to interpret the facts of grade distributions it will be 

 necessary to know the number of pupils who enter school 

 each year. This information was not collected. Incidentally, 

 it may be remarked that it is seldom available in superin- 

 tendents' reports. Therefore, it is necessary to compute the 



