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Indiana University Studies 



probable number entering. Three methods of calculating this 

 number from the age-grade data have been proposed. Thorn- 

 dike'^ proposed that the average of the enrollment in the first 

 three grades, less certain corrections, be taken as the number 

 of pupils entering the first grade. Ayres* proposed that the 

 average of the age groups from seven to twelve be taken. It 

 will be noted that these are the years during which attend- 

 ance is required by law in most states. Strayer^ took the 

 largest age group. In this study Ayres's method has been 

 used. 



Grade Distributions Reduced to Basis of 1,000 entering 

 the First Grade. Table X shows the number of pupils in 

 each grade for 1,000 entering for both groups of Indiana 

 school systems and for certain cities and other groups. This 

 shows that in the systems having annual promotion there are 

 1,161 children in the first grade. We have assumed that 

 1,000 entered. Hence, 161 are repeating the year's work. 

 If there were no eliminations and all children were promoted 

 regularly, there would be 1,000 in each grade. Up to the 

 eighth there are more than this number in each grade. In 

 the eighth there are 972, and in the twelfth there are 373. 

 Disregarding the factors mentioned on page 21, we may say 

 that in the systems having annual promotion out of 1,000 

 pupils who enter school, 972 reach the last year of the ele- 

 mentary school and 373 reach the last year of the high school. 

 The facts for the other systems are to be read in the same 

 way. 



Figure 4 represents graphically for the systems having 

 annual promotion the number of children belonging in each 

 grade (1) upon the basis of 1,000 in the first grade (Table 

 VIII), (2) upon the basis of 1,000 entering, and (3) con- 

 sidering only the populations factor. Figure 5 shows the 

 same facts for the other group of systems. It shows in an 

 effective way the rapid decrease in the number of pupils 

 from grade to grade. This is very much more rapid than in 

 Figure 4. 



3 Thorndike, E. L. "The Elimination of Children from School," U.S. Bureau cX 

 Education Bulletin No. 4, 1907. 



■* Ayres, L. P. Laggards in Our Schools: a St,udy of Retardation and Elimination in 

 City School Systems. New York Charities Publication Committee, 1909. 



= Strayer, G, D. "Age and Grade Census of Schools and Colleges." U.S. Bureau of 

 Education Bulletin No. 5, 1911. 



