SUCCESS OF THE FAILING PUPILS IN THE REGENTS’ EXAMINATIONS

Pass the         Pass a      Fail First,
Same Semester  Later Semester   then Pass   Only Fail

1333 Boys 809 143 38 343
1752 Girls 946 193 117 496
------------------------------------------
Per Cent of Total 72.8 27.2

The divisions of the above distribution are distinct, with no overlapping or double counting.  Of the pupils who pass these examinations in a later semester than that in which the failure occurs, a major part belong to the two schools which restrict their pupils mainly to a repetition of the subject after failing before they attempt the Regents’ tests.  Otherwise many of them would pass the Regents’ examinations at once, as in the other schools, and would not need to repeat the subject.  It was pointed out in the initial part of this chapter that 3.2 per cent of the instances of failure were followed by both repetition and examination.  In one of the two schools referred to 90.8 per cent of the pupils failing and later taking Regents’ examinations repeat the subject first.  That most of such repetition is almost entirely needless is suggested by the fact that only 2.1 per cent more of their pupils pass, of the ones attempting, than of the total number reported above, and that too in spite of the loss of pupils’ time and public money by such repetition.  It may be, and doubtless is, true that an occasional omission occurs in recording the results after such tests have been taken, but, since it is the avowed policy of each school to have complete records for their own constant reference (excepting that the practice of the smallest of the five units was not to record the Regents’ failures, and for this school they had to be estimated), the failing results would not be expected to be omitted more often than the successes, so that only the totals would be perceptibly affected by such errors.

One may rightly be permitted to speculate a bit here as to the most probable reaction of the pupil in regard to his respect for the school standards and for the judgment and opinion of his teacher, when he so readily and repeatedly passes the official state tests almost immediately after his school has classed his work as of failing quality.  Perhaps it becomes easier for him to feel that failure is not a serious matter but an almost necessary incident that accompanies the expectations of the usual school course, just as gout is sometimes regarded as a mere contingency of ease and plenty.  If such be true, and the evidence establishes a strong probability that it is, then it is not a helpful attitude to develop in the pupil nor one of benefit to the school and to society.

5.  CONTINUATION OF SUBJECT WITHOUT REPETITION