7.  SIMILARITY OF FACTS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS

Nowhere is there any definite indication that any of these factors of prognosis operates more distinctly or more pronouncedly on either boys or girls.  Some variations do occur, but differences between the sexes in personal attitudes, social interests, or conventional standards may account for slight differences such as have been already noted.  To simplify the statement of facts, no comparison of facts for boys and girls has, in general, been attempted where there was only similarity to be shown.

A SUMMARY OF CHAPTER III

The influence of non-attendance as a factor in school failure is partly provided for here, but no statistical data were secured.

The percentage of physical and mental defects are doubtless comparatively small for high school pupils except in the case of vision.

The facts regarding size of classes were unobtainable.

The pupils are distributed by their ages of entrance from 12 to 20, with the mode of the distribution at 15.  The younger entering pupils are distinctly more successful in escaping failure.  They are also strikingly more successful in their ability to graduate.

The older pupils who fail have a higher percentage of failure on the subjects taken.

The first year’s record has real prognostic value for pupils persisting more than three semesters.  But 57 per cent of those leaving earlier have no failures.  This includes nearly 60 per cent of all the non-failing pupils, but less than 32 per cent of the failing ones have gone that early.

Prediction of failure by subjects is relatively easy and sure, and the later years seem more productive of this result.

The percentage of failure on the total possibility of failure increases with the time period up to the seventh semester.  The same facts are true for the graduates when considered alone.  Fifty-six per cent of the failures for the graduates occur after the second year.  The longer stay in school actually begets an increase of failures.  The boys and girls are similarly affected by these factors of prognosis.

REFERENCES: 

14.  Keyes, C.H. Progress Through the Grades, pp. 23, 62.

15.  Terman, L.M. The Measurement of Intelligence, p. 68.

16.  Bronner, A.E. Psychology of Special Abilities and Disabilities.

17.  Ayres, L.P.  “The Effect of Physical Defects on School Progress,” Psychological Clinic, 3:71.

18.  Gulick, L.H., Ayres, L.P. Medical Inspection in the Schools, p. 194.

19. Standards of The North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

20.  Hall-Quest, A.L., in Johnson’s Modern High School, p. 270.

21.  King, I. The High School Age, p. 195.