By LOUIS M. BRUTON " MASTER of SCIENCE 1950
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i n1 THE SCHOOLS OF inssouro. By LOUIS M. BRUTON " Bachelor of Science Southwest Missouri State Teachers Collage .Springfie lcl I Missouri 1942 Submitted to the Faculty oi the Graduate School of the Oklahoma Agricultural and 11.echanical College in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE 1950 ii lG~IC~U~R~il & ~@tmit LliBRARY JAI\I 17 Hl51 STATUS AND TRENDS OF THE COURSE n~ GENERAL BUSINESS Ii{ THE SCHOOLS OF ·w:ssomu t,OU!S M. BRUTON MASTER OF SCIENCE 1950 'l'ffESIS AND ABSTRACT APPROVED: iii The writer expresses his sincere appreciation: To Dr. J. Andrew Holley, under vthosa supervision this study was made, for his cowisel and assistance; 'l'o Mr" Oscar a. Schupp, Director of Research and Statistics, Missouri State Department ·Of Education, and his staff, whose cooperation made pos sible the collection of thG data for this study. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Table of Contents . ,., ... • • •. .. •· • • .. .. • . ,. • iv ./' . • • ... List of Tables. • • • • • • • ·• •· • • •· • • • • • ,. • • • • • V List of Charts •• . •. ·• . • • ..... ·• ... • • .vii CHAPTER I. · PURPOSE, SCOPE, aND METHODS OF THIS STUDY. • • • • • • • l II. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE COURSE IN G.a'NERAL BUSll'JESS 9 Ill. FIMDINGS. .. .. .. .. ~ . • • . .. •. ·• 17 IV. SUWARY OF Fnmn~GS AI'i!D CONCLUSIOIJS •• . .. •. .. • • 65 Bibliography••• .. •· . .. .. • • ........ ~ . • • • •· . .. 72 Appendix.. .. ·• . ~ . .. .. .. ·~ . • • • • . .. ... ·• . ... 74 UST OF TABLES Table Page l. Number and Per Cent of Senior High Schools Offering General Business in 1li.ssouri .. • • • .. • .. J. •••• _. • • • • ., ...... 19 II. Number and Per Cent of Schools Offering General. Businass in Missouri and Oklahoma, and Junior Business Training in f~as ... 20 III. Number and Per Cent of Students En:rolled in General Business in Senior High Sohools in Missouri .............. _..... 22 IV. Distribution of Senior High Schools ·ln Missouri Offe:r.ing General Business 1iccording to Size of School Ba~ed _on Total School .Enrollment " • • ~- • • • .. ~- • · • • • ·• ~ • • • , ·• .. .~ _.. .. • .• • 27 V. Distribution of Stu.dent -inrollment in General Buiness in Senior High Schools of ~issouri according :to Size of School .•••••• 28 VI. Number and Per Cent of W.ssou.ri Senie>rJiigh SehOQls Offering General Business, by Classes of AccH.diting. , ••• ~ ••••• 31 ' . ' ' VII~ Number and Par Cent oi students Im.rolled in General Business in Missouri Senior High Schools· by Claase~ o+ .Accrediting •• • • • _• 33 VIII. Number of SeniQr High Schools in Missouri Offering One-Sam.ester and One...;.Year Courses in <l-enerc}.1 Business • • • • • • ."' • • • • • 36 ' IX. ?Jumber and Per Cent of Missouri senior High Schools Offering General Business on Indicated 0.t'ade. 'Levels .•, • • • • • • • . • • . • '3 7 X. Number of Senior High Schools in Missouri Offering'General Business on Indicated Grade Levels -According to Size of School • 40 XI. Number of Senior High Schools in Missouri Offering General Business on Indicat.ed Grade Levels -- by Classes of Accrediting • • 44 XII. Number and Per Cent of Missouri Senior High Schools Re-porting Various Titles for the Course· in General Business ...... ., ••• 46 XIII. Number of Senior High Schools Reporting Various C.our$e Titles According to Size of School. _. _• · • , ;. •.. • • .. • • • • •. • • • • • 48 XIV. Number of Senior High Schools Reporting Various Course Titles According to Classes of Acer,editing. ... • _. .. -~ ~- • • .. • • • • • 49 XV.. Number and Per Cent of Senior High Schools Ofi'ering General Business and ot~er Business Subjects • • • • • • -~ • • • • • ... • 51 m. Number of General Business Teachers in Senior High Schools with Indicated Subject-Matter Field._ Preparation • .. • • _• .• • • • • • 55 XVII. Number of Senior High School General l3usiness teachers with Indicated Subject-Matter Field Prepara~ionAceording t:o Size of School.. .• • • • • • • .. • •. • .. _• --.- --.-. ... • •___ .... - • • .• • • • • 57 vi LIST OF TiUiLES (Continued) Table Page XVIII.. Numbar of Senior High School General Business Teachers with Indicated Subject-Matter Field Preparation Jiccording to Class of School Aecrediting • • • • • • • .. • • • • • .. .. • •. • • . • • 58 XIX. l~u.mber and Per Cent 0£ Students Enrolled in Other Business Subjects in Senior High Schools Offerine General Business ••• 60 lX. Number and Per Cent of students Enrolled in Other Business Subjeets in Senior High Schools Offering Genare.1 Business • • • 61 ,lll.. Mamber and Per Cent of Students Enrollod in Other Business Subjects in Senior High Schools Offering General Business • .. • 62 Xll.I. Number and Per Cent of Students Enrollad in Other Business Subjects in Senior High Schools Offering General Business ••• 63 XXIII. Number and Par Cent of Students Enrolled in othar Business Subjects in Senior High Schools 0.f'fering General Business .• .. • 64 XXIV. l'iissouri Senior High Schools Offering General Business During the School !ears 1946-1947 and 1947-1948 ..... " ........ 77 LIST OF CHARTS Chart Page· I.. The Number· of Students Enrolled in General. .Business in Senior High Schools o:f :Missouri .. • • ., , , ~ ~ .. • • • • • • ... ... • • • 24 IJ:.. The Number of Senior High Schools of Missouri Offering General Business • .. • • .. ·• .,.. • ~ • .. •. .• ·•, • •. .. • .. • .. • ... ... •· ... • 25 III. Distribution by Counties of Senior High Schools Offering General Business During 1946-1947 and 1947-1948 ........ · •• 34 l CHAPTER I PURPOSE, SCOPE , AND MFTHODS OF THIS STUDY Introduction The course, 11 General Business Practice, " was .first mentioned in 1927 v among the offerings of accredited high schools in Missouri.l It has only been within the last de cade that the course has been generally recommended to all high schools. The Course .£! Study in Business Education, published by the Department of Education of the State of Missouri in 1941, outlines such a course under the title of "General Business." Definite recommendations are made in the Course .2.f Study with regard to extent of offering, title of the course and grade placement, as well as to aims and objectives, methods, and content. Investigation of recent research revealed that no studies have been made in l5issouri concerning the status of the course in basic business education or the actual practice of Missouri schools in relation to these recommendations . Information concerning the status of the course in basic business education is needed to present facts about the course as offered in Missouri schools and to analyze trends. The information should also be helpful to business teachers, school administrators and teacher- training institutions, and officials in the State Department of Education in the revision of busi- ness education curricula. This study is intended to present facts showing the status of the course "General Business. " When the information concerning the status of the course in basic business education i n Missouri is known, the course may 1 OrglQization !!:!!! Administration of Junior~ Senior High Schools, Missouri De\pa.rtment of Education, 1927, p. 41. 2 be improved and teachers may be better trained t o teach the course in basic business education. Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine from official records of the State Department of Education, the present status of the course in general business in Missouri secondary schools, and to present facts for selected years during the past twelve years to reveal current practices and trends. Specifically, the study seeks to answer the following questions~ 1. How extensively is general business offered? a. Number of senior high schools offering general business, according to size of school? b. Number of senior high schools offering general business, according to class of accrediting? c • . Number of senior high schools offering general business, according to type of organization? d. Total number of senior high schools offering general busi ness during the two year period 1946-1947 and 1947-1948, and distribution of school s offering general business by counties? 2. Is the course one year or one semester in length? J . fuat is the grade placement of the course general business in the senior high schools according to a, Size of schools? b. Class of accrediting? c. Type of organization? 4. What other comrr~rce courses are taught in schools offering general business according to: a. Total enrollment? b. Per cent of total? 5. Under what title is the course in general business offered in senior high schools according to: a. Size o! school? / j 3 b. Class of accrediting? c. Type of organization? 6. What is the subject-matter field preparation of the general busi ness teacher in senior high schools according to: a. Size of school? b. Class of accrediting? c. Type of organization? 7. What is the total enrollment of other business courses offered in schools offering general business? Scope 11 senior high schools accredited by the State Department of Education for the school years 1936-1937, 1940-1941, 1945-1946, 1946-1947, and 1947- 1948 ere included in this study. These school s included colored school s. The total number of senior high schools was 964 in 1936-1937, 930 in 1940-1941, 787 in 1945-1946, 765 in 1946-1947, and 748 in 1947-1948. Parochial schools and schools located in the cities of St. Louis and Kansas City were not included in this report. Junior high schools were not included in this report. According to Mr . Oscar G. Schupp, Director of Research and Statistical Information, State