61-3710
GRAY, Norman Hamblin, 1915— THE ADEQUACY OF THE PREPARATION OF SAINT STEPHEN'S BOYS FOR COLLEGE.
The American University, Ed.D., 1961 Education, general
University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan THE ADEQUACY OF THE PREPARATION OF SAINT STEPHEN’S BOYS FOR COLIEGE
by
Norman Hamblin Gray
Submitted to the
Faculty of the Graduate School
of The American University
in Partial Fulfillment of
the Requirements for the Degree
of
Doctor of Education
Signatures of Committees
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1961 "The AMEPTAN UNIVERSITY The American University t < 0 P / >74 r Washington, D. C. J U N 1 4 1961
washin&iun. o. a Acknowledgements
Since I began this study I have had considerable correspondence and have talked with many people regarding the problems involved. It would be impossible to thank by name all who have contributed of their time and knowledge to this study.
I am deeply obligated to the five members of my dissertation committee, Dr. Samuel Engle Burr, Chairman, Dr. John Devor, Dr. Robert
Walker, Dr. Stanley Smith, and Dr. Howard Didsbury. They have worked closely with me and have read critically this manuscript. Their riper
Judgments and wider knowledges, in the fields of both public and pri vate education, have encouraged me in this task.
I am also indebted to Dr. Richard Van Wagenen, Dean of the
Graduate School of The American University, who assisted me in the development of my proposal. Mr. Willis Wills, Academic Dean of the
St. Stephen’s School for Boys, suggested the nature of the study to me and has contributed much of his precious time in providing informa tion and advice as the study developed.
Many other friends have lent a hand in this enterprise, reading proof sheets and making last minute suggestions.
I am indebted also to St. Stephen's School for Boys, where it was my pleasure to have been an instructor for two years*
My gratitude to all who have aided is most sincere, particularly to my wife, Elaine, whose day-to-day help has made this project a reality. TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITION OF TERMS USED ...... 1
Introduction • • • o ...... 1
The Problem • ...... 3
Justification of the Study ...... U ~ ~ -
Definition and limitation of Terms ...... 6
Premises of the S t u d y ...... 7
Procedures • ...... 9
Outline of the Study ...... •• 11
II. THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE PRIVATE SECONDARY SCH O O L ...... 13
The Role of the Private School Within the American
Educational System • • • ...... 13
Riilosophy of Secondary Education in the Private School. 16
The Philosophy and Objectives of St. Stephen's School
for Boys ...... 20
III. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE...... 2k
The Sight Year Study ...... 2k
Other Similar Studies 25
IV. THE D A T A ...... 29
Sources of D a t a ...... 29
Analysis of the Data ...... 29
Criteria ...... 30
V. FIND I N G S...... 32 iv
CHAPTER PAGE
Relationship of High School Performance With College
Board Scores and With the A.C.P.E. Test Results • • 32
Relationship of Certain High School and College
Subjects (Mathematics, Science) ...... 3U
Performance in Mathematics ...... 37
Performance in English ...... 36
Performance in Science ...... 1*2
Performance in Foreign Language ...... 1*3
College Board Performance ...... It I;
Interrelationship of Certain High School Grades . . . 1*6
Academic Probations ...... iiQ
Ranking by Aptitude Test Performances ...... 51
College Board Scores Related to an Average of Freshman
G r a d e s ...... * ...... 53
Suimary of the Findings ...... 51*
Analysis of the Questionnaire ...... 56
VI. C O N C L U S I O N S ...... 67
VII. RECOMMENDATIONS...... 76
GLOSSARY OF TNRMS SPECIFIC TO THIS REPORT ...... 79
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 61
APPENDICES...... 86
I. Colleges and/or Universities Attended by Graduates of
St. Stephen13 School for Boys (Period 191*6-1958) . . . 87 V
CHAPTER PAGE
AFPSNDICKS (continued)
II. St. Stephen's School for Boys Yearly Enrollment and
Number in Graduating Class ...... 89
III. Total Population of St. Stephen's Graduates and Their
English and Mathematics Grades ...... 90
IV. Sixty-eight of the 95 St. Stephen's Graduates Showing
Their Scores on Certain High School, College, and
ii-chievement Tests (1'heir Sums of Squares and Cross
Products...... 93
V. last of Private Secondary Schools Initially
Questioned Regarding Study ...... 96
VI. list of Headmasters and/or Responsible Officials
Submitting Questions for Use in Questionnaire Used
in This S t u d y ...... 98
VII. Copy of 'Original Letter Sent to li* S c h ools...... 99
VIII. Letters Received in Connection with Study ...... 100 LIST OF TABIJSS
TABLE PAGE
1. Correlation of Certain High School Subjects With
College Board Results ...... 33
2* Correlations of Certain High School Subjects With
College Board h-esults and A.C.P.E. Test Results • . • 35
3* Correlations of Certain High School Subjects With
Certain College Subjects • . • ...... 36
1*. Correlations With the Predictor (**igh School English
Averages) of College English Averages and Certain
Tests ...... ' ...... 1*0
5. Correlation of Certain Variables Involving St.
Stephen's Graduates ...... 1*1
6 . College Board Means for Certain Years and the College
Board Mean for All St. Stephen's Graduates (Who Took
Exams) Over Same Period of Years « ...... 1*5
7. Correlation of Certain High School Averages •••••. 1*7
8. Correlation of Certain College Averages ...... 1*8
9. Comparative High School and College Performance of
Students Placed on Probation Freshman Y e a r ...... 50
10. Correlation of 57 tanked-Cases of Performance on the
Two Factors of the A.C.P.E. With College Board (Two
Factors) and College Grades ...... 52 vli
TABIfi PAGE
11. Correlations of College Board Scores With CoiJege
Freshman Grades at Eight Certain Colleges and With
Those of St. Stephen's Graduates ...... 55
12. Tabulation of Questionnaire Responses ...... 58
13* Recommendations of St. Stephen's Graduates to Help the
Program Better Prepsu e Its Boys for College • . • • • 6l CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITION OF TERMS USED
I. INTRODUCTION
The earliest American secondary school of which there is any 1 record — the Latin grammar school— limited itself to the training of an exclusive minority for the ministry and other learned professions.
Such schools were imported, not indigenous, and were designed to serve a tradition which was to become obsolete as the American colonist faced social, political, and economic conditions radically different from those of the mother country*
The New England academy, e stablished in the late eighteenth century, and its prototypes in other parts of the country were native
American schools. They gave the people a variety and freedom of choice that would better meet their real needs and interests* By 1850 over six thousand academies were in operation, with a s tudent population of a quarter of a million. These were mostly private schools, financed by the rich parents of those who attended them. At the same time, responsible people strove to make a secondary education possible for all, with the establishment of the first public secondary school in 2 America, the English High School, in Boston, in 1821* The people
'Vi111 am V. Bothke, The Private School in Modern Education (New York* National Home Study Council, 19l*6), pp. 61-65* 2 Harold Rugg, The Teacher in School and Society (New York* World Book Company, 19^0), pp. 121-123* turned more and more to the public high school as the general concep tion of an American public school system evolved. Education had been
"nationalized," "universalized," and "made free" by 1870, in the 3 northeastern and western states and, to a lesser extent, in the south.
The academy began to disappear, and by 1900 there remained only 1500 such institutions.
The present American private secondary school sprang up after the Civil War. Whereas the academy had represented terminal educa tion to a considerable number of its students and had provided prac tical as well as cultural instruction, the private school during the past one hundred years has become almost entirely a college preparatory school.
Private schools reached the end of another phase at about U 1950. Financial security is gone. Estate and income taxes have made inroads upon the wealth of the income groups that have largely supported the private school for the past century.
The value system of the world we live in has changed. Two great international conflicts and the threat of another have thrown
Paul idonroe, Founding of the American Public School System (New York: The MacMillan Company, 19U0), p. 210. h Allan V. Heely, Why the Private School? (New Yorks Harper and Brothers, 1951), passim. * The words "private school" in the remainder of this disserta tion will be used to mean "private secondary school." economic and social systems out of gear. Parents are often bitter and frustrated at the problems that confront them. Students in private schools today reflect the apprehensions and anxieties of their parents.
The task of adequately preparing students for the world they will live in as adults is one that should demand the utmost from every private school.
The private school regards its functions as consistent with, and supplementary to, the function of public education. It does not neces sarily think that the private school is better than the public school, or the public school better than the private school.
Although studies have been made on various aspects of private schools, no study could be found that analyzed the adequacy of a pri vate school in preparing its students for entry into college.
It was not possible to undertake this study on the basis of an examination of the curricula of a majority of the many private schools and to follow the scholastic achievements of the graduates of these schools in college. Instead, one private school, St. Stephen's School for Boys at Alexandria, Virginia, was selected for such a detailed study.
II. THE PROBLEM
How well has St. Stephen's School for Boys prepared its students for college? An examination of eonaiderable private school literature indicates that the schools concerned, as a whole, believe that they are successful in carrying out their aims. The fact that approximately 12 per cent of all students enrolled in secondary schools were in private k schools in the interim of 191:8-1958, as reported to the United StateB
Office of Education, shows that many parents concur in this belief, although it is recognized that there are many who send their boys to private schools for purely social and economic reasons.
Whatever the reasons for attending private school, all of the
St. Stephen's graduates in the interim 19U8-58 entered college.
Has St. Stephen's School for Bpya provided its boys adequate academic preparation for college? It is a fallacy to believe, as do some, that "the fact that ideal conditions exist. . .and that all their graduates enter college, and that some become prominent, is £ proof that the aims of the school have been recognized." The aim of
St. Stephen's School for Boys, or of any private school has not been achieved if their boys fail in college. St. Stephen's School for Boys wants to know if it has provided its boys adequate academic preparation for college so that they not only will not fail, but also will do well there•
What are areas of inadequacy, if any? This study should deter mine, it is believed, the areas of inadequacy, if any, based upon the correlation of high school and college grades• As defined in the
"limitations of the Study" this correlation is done only within the
specific fields of English, mathematics, science, and foreign languages.
Robert Cole, Private Secondary Education for Boys (Philadelphia: Westbrook Publishing Company, 1921*), p. 91. 5
III. JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
A careful search of the literature and contact with the authori ties of many of the recognized private schools in the country revealed that there has been no definitive study showing how successful a pri vate school has been in preparing its students for college. All of the material this writer was able to obtain is based upon the premise that the conditions within the private schools are such as to make the achievement of their alms probable. 6 St. Stephen's School for Boys has stated that if there is evi dence that its graduates suffered from wasted effort and loss of momen tum, it would take steps to prevent its future students from the same malnutrition. Such weaknesses that are found* if any* would be studied* and stepe would be initiated to improve the areas ascertained to be weak. Thus* the weight of evidence developed in this study should encourage St. Stephen's School for Boys either to continue the cur ricula and philosophy now in effect in preparing its students for col lege* or to modify curricula and philosophy to better achieve the aims of the school.
"There is no excuse for low standards in college preparatory 7 programs anywhere." The author feels Justified in assuming that if
6 Willis Wills* Academic Dean* St. Stephen's School for Boys* Alexandria* Virginia* 1957* Personal interview. 7 General Education in School and College, A Coanittee Report (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1952), p. 125. the methods of this study enable the major and/or supporting problems to be answered, then other schools should be able to use this study as a basis for examining and evaluating their own situations. Inasmuch as this study is, in a sense a pilot study in a field that has not yet been explored, it may further provide a foundation upon which others may build to develop definitive analyses and recommendations to further strengthen the American school system.
St. Stephen's School for boys has not only evidenced a need for this study, but it has most recently had recommended to it that such a study be undertaken. The Virginia State Board of Education in February,
1^61, expressed this recommendation, as the school was engaged in an evaluative study, for accreditation, of the St. Stephen's School for
Boys. It is regrettable that the conclusions of this group representing the Virginia State Board of Education had not been released to the school at the time of the publication of this study.
Fourteen other private schools have expressed an interest in the study for use in evaluating their own programs.
IV. DEFINITION AND LIMITATION OF TERMS
This study is limited to the graduates of St. Stephen's School for Boys in the years 19U8-58 inclusive, or a total of ninety-five students. It is postulated that the number of students involved in the study constitute a total population."
It must be emphasized, however, that there does not appear to be available any documentation of another such study. This study is further limited to academic aspects of the curriculum; specifically, these aspects are English, mathematics, science, and foreign languages*
The study is further limited by the nature of the sources of the data as described in the section on "Procedures," page 9 of this study.
For the purpose of this study the following terms are used* (l)
"Adequacy" as related to academic success; (2) "Academic success" is defined as pertaining to passing or better-than-passing grades in college; (3) "Preparation" as related to the college preparatory courses offered by St. Stephen's School for Boys; (U) "Efficiency" or
"the adequacy of the school in preparing its students for college" is, for the purpose of this study, measured by the subsequent academic success of the students in collegeo
An effort has been made throughout this study to include clarifying information in connection with the use of all terms whose connotations may not be commonly understood.
V. PREMISES OF THE STUDY
The prediction of academic success in college on the basis of high school or independent school records is considered to be quite 8 satisfactory because of the similarity of the two situations* Prac tically all factors related to academic success in high school, such
as motivation, personal adjustment, study methods, and aptitude, are
8 Henry Chauncey and Norman Frederickson, Educational Measurement (Washington* American Council on Education, 1951), p. 110* 8 also operative in college.
In this study, in ah attempt to determine, "Has St. Stephen's
School for Boys provided Its boys adequate academic preparation for college?" it is believed that the above method can be used in reverse.
The validity of the procedure is unquestionable insofar as course 9 grades are valid and reliable.
The scores of the tests used are good measuring devices. These devices are used throughout the United States and have been well established in the literature of education and by authorities in the fields of education and educational research.
A generally high record in secondary school is likely to be 10 associated with successful performance in any sort of college program*
However, variations among schools occur in standards and in marking systems which are uncorrelated either with the ability level of the students or with subsequent measures of success in college. It is believed, therefore, that generally speaking, if high school records are valid predictive tools, then a comparison of the high school and college performance can be used to determine how well the secondary school prepared its boys for college.
It is also recognized, generally speaking, that academic per formance (grades) in the first year of college or when a similar
E. F. Lindquist, Educational Maasurement (Washingtons American Council on Education, 1959), p. 86«
10Ibid., p. 112-120. course has been taken indicates adequate preparation in the secondary school. Correlation studies show a high relationship between first- 11 term grades and measures of later academic success in college*
Marks are recognized as measures set up arbitrarily by educa tional agencies} they are, nevertheless, to the present time, the only available means of determining a student's success in academic work*
VI. PROCEDURES
The initial choice of the topic for this study grew out of
conferences between Mr. Willis Wills, Academic Dean of St. Stephen's
School for Boys, and the author. Ever concerned with the progress of former students and with a critical eye towards the curriculum of the
school, the Academic Dean sought a means of measuring how well St*
Stephen's graduates had been prepared for college. As discussions proceeded, it became increasingly apparent that there were few standards by which the school could Judge the wisdom of any change*
Following determination of the broad subject to be examined, it became necessary to formulate procedures to obtain the detailed voluminous information from which an objective and sufficiently
authoritative study could be developed* The six procedural steps which were finally evolved ares
1 * The literature was searched to ascertain if a comparable
study had been recorded* 1 0 2* After a search of the literature, conversations were held with the Chairman of the Department of Education at The American
University, who expressed his approval of the general nature of the study. An initial proposal was submitted on October lU, 1957, and on
February 10, I960, the proposal was approved by The American University.
The author had incorporated into the final proposal changes recom mended by the Dean of the Graduate School of The American University.
3. Through the cooperation of the St. Stephen's School for
Boys, tabulation was then made of their graduates for the years
19U8-1958 inclusive. Each individual's grade scores were recorded, as well as their College Board and American Council on Education's
Psychological Examination results.
It. Transcripts were then requested from the forty-seven col leges to ifoich the ninety-five graduates had matriculated.
5. A preliminary study was made of the programs offered by sixteen private schools which were judged to compare in size and cur ricula to St. Stephen's School for Boys. A determination was then made of other ways to secure information which later developed into
a questionnaire. "The questionnaire" was developed utilizing guide- 12 lines provided by Koos in his report on the use of questionnaires in studying Education. Letters were mailed to the Headmasters and/or
other responsible officials of the fourteen private schools who had
expressed interest in the study. In response to these letters, the
Leonard Koos, The Questionnaire in Education (New York* The MacMillan Company, 1928). passim. 11 various Headmasters contributed the majority of the questions that later appeared on the questionnaire* In this way the study should reflect information which, in the experience of the Headmasters of these recognized private schools, msuld be most meaningful in evalua ting whether private schools adequately prepared their students for college*
The questionnaire in tentative form was submitted to several professors at The American University and also to the Dean of the
Graduate School. The instrument was revised in light of their sug gestions*
6 * The questionnaire was sent with a covering letter to eighty-four of the ninety-five graduates* This number proved to be all for which valid addresses could be found, despite exhaustive search in this area. Of the eighty-four to whom questionnaires were sent, a total of fifty-six responded to the questionnaire and/or a subsequent follow-up letter*
VII. OUTUNE OF THE STUDY
The nature of this problem can be best projected if it is put in the context of a discussion of the Philosophy of the American
Private Secondary School. Chapter II, therefore, is devoted to*
(1) the Role of the Private School within the American Educa tional System;
(2) the Philosophy of the Private Secondary School per sej and
(3) the Ihilosophy of the St. Stephen's School for Boys in par ticular 12
Chapter III deals with a review of the literature pertinent to this study*
The first presentation of data will be found in Chapter IV in which the evidence answering the major question raised in the study is developed*
The "Findings” as they relate to the "Data" are presented in
Chapter V. Here also is discussed the question "What are the areas of discernible inadequacy, if any?"
Chapter VI contains the summary and conclusions of this study.
The recommendations resulting from this study will be found in
Chapter VII, CHAPTER II
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOL
I. THE ROUS OF THE PRIVATE SCHOOL WITHIN THE AMERICAN
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
The word "private" denoting a type of secondary school is a term of distinction, single and accurate* It identifies institu tions whose expenses are met from private sources, as distinguished from other institutions which are financed through public funds obtained through taxation. Support for the private school comes voluntarily both from donations and from tuition payments by individuals who are willing to pay for their children's education by exercising their right to provide the sort of education they prefer for their children. Support for the public school is levied on every taxpayer as a national responsibility. Both types of schools are equally a part of our democratic traditiona.
The value of the private school cannot be established by lifting it out of its context. In this instance the context is the whole program of American education, whose function is sub servient to a national objective. The philosophy of the private school, in its broadest sense, therefore, is the function, policy,
and objective of education as a whole in a democracy.
The Declaration of Independence is concerned with ideals, and these ideals in turn express certain values. Our schools, therefore, must find a way to make these values permeate the consciences and inspire the actions of their graduatesj and they must decide precisely in advance what values they wish to implant as well as the means used to attain these objectives.
"The education of the American people is aimed not merely at 13 individual embellishment. It is aimed at individual enlightment
And enlightment is not knowledge or skill or accomplishmentj it is
spiritual, emotional, and intellectual, temper and perception.
"Education, broadly interpreted, comprises all the efforts, conscious and direct, or incidental and indirect, made by society to 11* accomplish certain objectives that are considered desirable."
It is generally agreed that the role of American education in general is to provide an education for "all the children of all the people." This means, of course, that not only the normal shall be
educated but also, all those within the "exceptional" child bracket including the slow learners as well as the academically talented.
There is also considerable support of the conviction that
the education of the particularly gifted is the proper province of the public school, that it should be provided at public expense, as
a necessary service to the American democracy. The American estab lishment, as a matter of dogma, is committed to the proposition that
— Allan V. Heely, Headmaster, The Lawrenceville School, Jhjr the Private School (New York* Harper and Brothers, 1950), p. 8
11* Alonao Myers, Education in a Democracy (Naw York; Prentice Hall, 1938), p. 63. individual capacities must be nurtured and ripened) as the only means of providing real equality of opportunity. Howevert despite the number of people engrossed in the improvement of American public schools, the public school largely caters to the "average" student and that the needs of the exceptional student are usually ignored*
Even today the American public schools receive financial support that is wholly inadequate to provide the sort of instructional conditions they would like to have for the education of all students*
The "Private School^1 ideally) seeks to implement and assist public education in carrying out the democratic process of educa tion. It seems probable that "the best of the private schools are ■ V destined to play an even greater part in the future of our country.""
For as an instrument for the education of the "selected)” presumably superior student) the private school is already committed to ends and has at its disposal means which may be adapted to that purpose above all others* Obviously it enjoys and may utilize certain advantages which stem from the very fact that it is independent; that it is free from some of the circumscriptions within which the public schools must operate*
"it seems probable that the generally superior environment which it (private school) should afford for its pupils is the
An opinion expressed by Dr. F. H. Hlair, New York State Bureau of Secondary Education) 1951* 16 16 greatest single strength of the private school." 17 Our whole Public School system is an outgrowth of private enterprise. There were in this country private schools for 200 years before there was formed the first public high school in
Boston in 1820. Someone once said "there are no fences around the private school." In a large measure that is true. The private school has not been circumscribed by national or state legislation, political confusion, tax levies, precedents, or arbitrary control.
It has likewise been free from arbitrary standardization of curricula.
It has been free to adapt itself to the age, capacity, and needs of its students.
II. PHIIDSOPHY OF SECONDARY EDUCATION
IN THE PRIVATE SCHOOL
The age at which an adolescent begins his education is one of the most significant periods of his life; for, according to psychologists, he is, at this age, first able to comprehend the abstract. It is, then, vitally necessary that secondary education be required of all adolescents, other than mental deficients, so that this newly found power may be properly developed and pointed toward its ultimate goal. likewise, it follows with equal immediacy
Arthur E. Traxlor, "The independent School and Education, Aesterday, Today and Tomorrow," School and Society (November, 19U2).
ViHiam V. Bothke, The Private School in Modern Education (National Home Study Council* May, 191*6), passim. 17 that the primary duty of secondary education is teaching the student to think. 18 It is believed by many educators that it is in this area that the private school may make its most conspicuous contribution to the American educational system.
A primary purpose of the private school is to give prepara tion on the highest academic level to young men who aspire to col leges and technical schools. Its principal objective is scholar ship* It aims to teach each student how to study and to provide him with a thorough mastery of the basic subjects prerequisite to success at any Institution of higher learning that he plans to attend. By precept and example, the school strives to Inculcate in its students a standard of morals and a code of ethics on a plane with the best of American tradition. This, together with the development of their physical abilities, will insure continued success in the colleges, or universities which its students enter and in their chosen professions throughout their lives.
To this end the private school for boys attempts*
(1) to give each boy sufficient individual attention to help solve his particular problems, but at the same time avoid treatment which gives the individual an impression of having unusual privilege;
(2) to help each boy develop into a cultured, self-supporting,
self-reliant, decent, socially conscious, and cooperative citizen,
Alan V. Heely, ££. cit., passim. 18 able and willing to be, as circumstances warrant either a discrimina ting follower or an intelligent leader;
(3 ) to guide each boy so that his future schooling is planned to fit him into work suiting his particular needs, abilities, and interests;
(U) to provide each boy an opportunity to develop a sound body, an alert mind, and a proper sense of moral behavior*
It is recognized, of course, that the philosophy of the private school as presented in this study represents the ideal aims
and goals of the best private schools in this country. There are, unfortunately, many private schools, about which may be said without irony, that their most impressive attribute is their catalogue. To
a reader these catalogues convey the Impression that the student is
entering a roseate world of peaceful utopias, and that every campus is an academic Aden, before the fall. The pretensions of these
schools are sometimes incredible.
At a time when American education is crying for quality and for the repudiation of mediocrity, it is most important that the private schools have a clear perception of what is needed* This would not only be most fortunate and heartening, but these schools would contribute to the hope and the promise for the future*
The sort of education that the private school has tradition
ally offered is one based upon a belief that the problems of man,
his real needs, are permanent, timeless, the same yesterday as today*
Through the csnturies it has been called a liberal education; an education that liberates people, freeing them from ignorance, bigotry, and prejudice. It permits one to evaluate the intrinsic value of things and to choose those of the highest value by providing the recipient of such an education by a scale of values to live by.
It sharpens people's mental powers. It refines and makes sensitive their emotions and their imaginations. It aims to develop their faculties to the fullest extent and to move them to place the developed faculties at the service of their fellow men. The liberal education does not provide training in any particular way of making a living. It tries to train the student in a way of living. And if the school is, further, a Christian school, it believes that truth does make men free— free to serve the will of God, however such will may be interpreted, with devotion and consecration.
It is generally recognized that the unique responsibilities of the private secondary school are to concentrate upon facts and fundamentals, and upon the knowledge and skills necessary for further learning. This type of school should be the "stage of discipline in the fundamentals of language, mathematics, science 19 and history."
A liberal education with a broad foundation is the nucleus of the curriculum of the private school. This is perhaps so because a very large number of its graduates enter college. In the case of
St. Stephen's School for Boys, all its graduates enter college.
__
A. N. Whitehead, The Aims of Education (New York* The MacMillan Company, 192ii)> p. Ul. 2 0
III. THE PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES OF
ST. STEPHEN'S SCHOOL FOR BOYS
St. Stephen's School for Boys, encompassing grades three through twelve, was founded in 19iUi as a part of the Church-School system of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. As is true in most such institutions, its secondary school consists of grades nine through twelve, and for the purposes of this study, any reference to St. Stephen's School for Boys is applicable to its secondary or high school. There were enrolled approximately twenty-six boys in
19U6, and during the interim between 19U8 and 1958, the enrollment fluctuated between twenty-six and 151. This is typical of many beginning schools. A more illustrative example of the enrollment of St. Stephen's School and the number of those who graduated from year to year appears in the appendix of this study. The size of the faculty also varied in the early years of the school until 1958 when there was a total of fifteen full time personnel involved in specific teaching duties and/or the coaching of major and minor
sports* St. Stephen's School thereby became, both explicitly and implicitly, another witness to the inspiration motivating people like Bishop Brown, who early saw the importance of the Church's role in education. In this sense, the philosophy and objectives of St. Stephen's are derivative, drawing in large measure upon the ideals and purposes which guided the early founders of the diocese
in their educational ventures. For them, no education was adequate 2 1 which left out the moral and spiritual concepts of living; and in particular, they felt it to be a part of the Church's responsibility to undergird and educational philosophy with the Christian purpose of redemption. Once the Christian presuppositions were established, it naturally followed that the best possible education would be one which served God's purposes, not only in imparting the accumulated knowledge of mankind, but also in finding through that knowledge the relatedness of man to man and man to God; and above all, in discovering the true interpretation of values which the Christian revelation makes possible.
In the minds of those who have guided St. Stephen's, this fundamental philosophy not only is most adequate, but it is also essential if the educational development of the School is to be under the auspices of the Church. If it is also true that "the tradition of American education derives from faith in God and 20 faith in man," then the School is trying to objectify the best which has come to us from the impressive stream of American tradition and culture, and trying to avoid the more obvious illusions which are evident in the secularist march of progress.
More specifically, the objectives of St. Stephen's may be stated as follows, in terms of the above pre-suppositions*
Ahe purpose of the School is to provide a community of
20 Philosophy of St. Stephen's School for Boys. An unpublished paper made available by the Rev. Emmet Hoy, Jr., Headmaster, St. Stephen's School for Boys, 1959* individuals (faculty, staff, and students) in which there is opportunity, first of all, to exercise fellowship; and from this fellowship, creative and interacting, to release those powers of interest, knowledge, and free imagination which not only will pro mote the individual's welfare as he matures, but also provide that sense of values which makes meaningful his welfare, as well as that of his fellowmen* The school thus aims to help students perform the intellectual tasks of daily life; to meet the emotional problems of school, comunity, and home; and to prepare them to fulfill the duties to self, family, and country. It further recognizes their privilege under God to find His purpose for them in the world, to know the basic spiritual concepts of living, and to appreciate the
Christian demands for personal integrity and social responsibility.
These emphases include the followings
(1) The development of intellectual interests and abilities,
aiming at preparation for college, but emphasizing on the secondary
level growth in the processes of self-discipline, creative thinking,
logical reasoning, and human understanding* (2) Growth in the understanding of moral principles and values, based on the Christian ethic. This growth, in turn, enabling an appreciation of such values which contribute to our cultural and religious heritage, to our concept of government and citizenship and to the claims which social responsibility imposes* (3) Experience obtained from the creative, generative, and spiritual forces of education such as are implied in appreciation of 23
the arts, in the freedom of critical analysis, in the processes of evaluation, in the use of free imagination, and in the art of worship*
(U) Participation in wholesome sports and activities which are contributory to the fullness of personality, as well as effective in the promotion of mental and physical health*
For "Catalog" purposes, the statement concerning the School might be summarized as follows s
"The purpose of St. Stephen's School is to provide a thorough education based on fundamentals, with opportunity to prepare for col lege, for boys of good character and ability. It seeks to do this by undergirding basic intellectual achievement and daily school life with those Christian qualities known to be essential to personal integrity and social well-being. It aims to acquaint students with the means of expressing not only their powers of intellect, emotion, and spirit, but of appreciating their cultural heritage, of finding suitable activities for health of mind and body, and of responding 21 meaningfully to the demands of conscience and society."
21 Philosophy of St. Stephen1a School for Boys, op. cit., p. 3* CHAPTER III
A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
I. THE EIGHT YEAR STUDY
Although other studies have dealt with various types of schools, the area of the privately supported secondary school has received little attention in the literature#
Probably the most comprehensive study of this nature was done by the Commission on the Relation of School and College of The 22 Progressive Education Association#
This study, financed in part by the Carnegie Corporation of
New Y0rk and the General Education Board, in seeking to ascertain whether one type of secondary preparation was better than another, used as its criteria for success, "performance in college." These findings were presented to the public as publications, in five
Volumes, under the general heading of the "Adventure in American
Education" series. Only the fourth volume is pertinent to this study# 23 Did They Succeed in College is the fourth volume of this eight year study and is an inclusive follow-up study of the graduates of thirty selected private and public secondary schools. In this
22 The Eight Year Study, Did They Succeed in College (New York* Harper and Brothers, 19i*2), passim.
23Ibid. report there appears a detailed study that has utilized all the proven methods of educational research to find definite answers to selected questions. The findings cover the period from 1936 to 19U0. Students from a newer type of secondary school were paired with s tudents from a more traditional secondary school. These students were compared in as many as sixty areas of collegiate activity. Grade scores on standard tests, as well as grades in courses, were compared. A list of the eighteen major comparisons appears on pages 207-6 of the study.
The study illustrates the methods which can be used to answer this question and also suggests extensive improvements which can be made in our system of secondary and higher education.
II. OTHER SIMILAR STUDIES
A review of the literature revealed no study wherein a private secondary school has sought to evaluate itself on the basis of the performance of its students in college, or one conducted by students outside the school which evaluate such a school.
There have been numerous studies in the general area of the value of tests and records in the prediction of college achievement.
Joseph T. Fisher, A doctoral candidate, submitted one as his disser tation at the University of Nebraska Teachers College in 1955* The population used in this study consisted of 159 first semester fresh men at Hastings College. The criterion for college success was grade point average, with "predictor" variables being scored from such tests as the American Council on Education's Psychological tasts. Dr. Fisher then correlated the scores produced by each variable and the grade point averages*
David Kerr, Ed. D., as his dissertation at New York University,
1953, confirmed the consensus of predictive studies that high school records are the best indicator of probable success in college*
deorge B. linger in a doctoral presentation entitled •Fresh man Problems and Academic Achievement" at the University of Florida,
1955, sought to determine the relationship between freshman problems and academic achievement. Chief among his findings was the observa tion that many students apparently still enter a university with inadequate preparation for college work.
Such factors as high school performance and scores on various tests have been combined through multiple correlation to yield a multiple regression equation upon which a prediction has been based*
These studies usually based prediction upon the grades earned at
the end of the first marking period, although a few studies have been used a period of one year or more*
The literature reveals a number of studies wherein the
college academic achievement of public and private secondary school
graduates have been compared. Harvard University and the University
of Chicago have made several inquiries. The latest such study appears
to have been made by Audri Shirey in a study at Randolph Macon
Woman's College, in March, 1956. There are a number of Instances where individuals or schools have oonducted folloie-up studies of graduates by the use of 27 questionnaires. No attempt was made in these studies to statistically evaluate preparation by subsequent performance in college.
The Illinois Secondary School curriculum program has published a bulletin in which it describes the methods the Illinois high schools could use in such a follow-up study.
Correspondence by the author with leading private secondary schools in the country has revealed no study identical or similar to that presented in this paper. Certain private schools belong to what is known as the National Registration Office for Independent
Schools. They, in turn, receive a report each year in which a student's freshman performance, by grade or percentage, is compared with his senior year in preparatory school. Users of this service believe that this method is an effective means of keeping their grading system in line with reality.
The Kent School, Kent, Connecticut, recently carefully tabulated the grades made by its graduates in college, as compared with the grades made at Kent School. This alone proved to be a very complicated kind of study, which, by itself, did not appear to 2k prove anything.
Ralph Bordie of the University of Minnesota contributed an 25 article entitled "The Prediction of College Achievement" in which
Opinion expressed to the author in a letter of November, 1958, from the Kent School. 25 Raljih Bordie, "Prediction of College Achievement and Satis faction," Journal of Applied Psychology (No. 28, June, 19U1*), pp* 2U>2 Ukc 2 6 he concludes that:
as would be expected, previous school achievement most accurately predicts college grades— college grades are definitely related to high school grades and scholastic aptitude* CHAPTER IV
THE DATA
I. SOURCES OF DATA
The chief sources of data in this study were*
(1) Scholastic grades extracted from the records of the
St. Stephen's School for Boys;
(2 ) The American Council 0n Education's Psychological
Aptitude Test Scores for the graduates involved in the study}
(3) A computation of the College Board scores for the students involved in the study;
(li) Transcripts secured from each of the forty-seven col leges where graduates of St. Stephen's School for Boys had been enrolled; and
(5) The questionnaire.
II. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA
For analytic purposes five categories of St. Stephen's students were sampled.
(1) The first was a sample of ninety-four graduates for shorn there was available corresponding high school and college grades in English «nd Mathematics.
(2) Sixty-eight graduates drawn from the original ninety-five make up the second group. These comprise the largest number for whom 30 there wee available corresponding grades in high school and college in English, Mathematics, Science, and also College Board test results.
(3) A third category consists of forty-five graduates, also drawn from the population of ninety-five, for whom there were avail able high school and college marks in English, Mathematics, Science,
College Board test scores, and results of the American Council on
Education's Psychological Aptitude test (A.C.P.E.).
(I4) Fifty-seven of the original ninety-five graduates who had available high school and college grades in English, Mathematics, the A.C.P.E. quantitative and qualitative tests scores, and also the
College Board Verbal (SAT-V), and College Board Mathematical (SAT-M) test results make up the fourth grouping. These were placed in rank order based upon their A.C.P.E. performance* (5) The fifth category consisted of forty-four of the original ninety-five graduates who had taken a language or languages in high school and also in college*
Criteria Academic performance in the subjects studied (English, mathematics, Science, and foreign languages) was measured by averaging the marks the individual student had received in one of these sub jects. For example, a science average may consist of Physics and Chemistry, or Biology and Chemistry, and a Mathematics average may consist of two years of Algebra and one year of Plane Geometry, or 31 the average may consist of these three scores plus a score In
Trigonometry*
Recognizing that many colleges and/or universities have different marking systems, it was arbitrarily decided, for the purposes of this study, that where letter grades appeared on the college transcripts they would be converted to percentage grades.
It was further decided that this transposition would be made based upon the following scales
A— 95
B——85
C— 75
D— 65 F— 60
Some studies make use of Intelligence {Quotient (I.Q.) scores as a criterion in predicting success. This could not be done in this study inasmuch as such tests have not been Included in the testing program of St. Stephen's School for Boys* CHAPTER V
FINDINGS
I. RELATIONSHIP OF HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMANCE WITH COLLEGE
BOARD SCORES AND WITH THE A.C.P.E. TEST RESULTS
It has generally been accepted as fact in the field of education that College Board Scores, particularly the verbal scores, are a reliable predictor of college success. The same credence has been given to the A.C.P.E. test scores.
One phase of this study attempted to ascertain the relation ship between the four high school subjects, considered as reliable predictors of college success, and the College Board scores, and also with A.C.P.E. test scores.
The small number of cases where language scores, College
Board Test results, and A.C.P.E. test results were available made it necessary to exclude the high school language factor from being correlated with either the College Board Verbal or the A.C.P.E. test results.
The relationships shown in Table I are highly significant in three areas and moderately significant in three others. Of particular Interest is the r of .87 between SAT-V scores and the high school English scores.
The fact that St. Stephen's School assumes itself to be highly selective in its acceptance of students and the additional 33
Table 1* Correlation of Certain High School Subjects With College Board Results
N a 68 Sat-M Satr-V
H. S. Mathematics .66 .53 H. S. Science .52 .53 H. S. English •65 .67
It is recognised that an interpretation of the size of r is dependent upon ehat is proposed to be done with it, or the reasons for computing it. For the purpose of this study the size of r will be interpreted as follows* Greater than .60 - highly significant •U5- .59 - moderately significant •25- .itU - slightly significant Less than .21* - not significant factor that all of its graduates included in this study entered college, lends evidence to these statistics as reliable measures of the relationships involved.
Table 2 indicates the relationship between the high school subjects and the College Boards, and between the high school subjects and the total A.C.P.E. results. An N of US was the largest obtain able which satisfied requirement (3) in Anaiysis of the Data* Here again significant correlation exists between all of the variables.
The fact that the group in Table 2 involves US of the 68 cases exhibited in Table 1 tends to substantiate the evidence that there exists a significant relationship between the high school subjects studied and the College Board and the A.C.P.E. test results. This finding is believed to be particularly important in light of the relationship between the high school Mathematics scores and College
Board performance, as indicated in Table 2 .
II. RELATIONSHIP OF CERTAIN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE SUBJECTS
(MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE)
Table 3 illustrates the correlations of the two variables. One should note the N differences in the groups of mathematics, English, and science scores. This difference exists because of criteria set up in the section, Analysis of the Data, page 29.
Most noteworthy is the relationship of the mathematics variables. With an U of 9U, there is only slightly significant correlation (.35). 35
Table 2 Correlation* of Certain High School Subject* With College Board Results and A.C.P.E. Test Results
N * U5 H. S. Mathematics A.C.P.E. .57 H. S. Mathematics Sat-M .62 H. S. English A.C.P.E. .58 H. S. English Sat-V .63 H. S. Science A.C.P.E. .57 36
Table 3
Correlations of Certain High School Subjects With Certain College Subjects
N College Subjects Foreign High School Mathematics English Science Languages
Mathematics 9U .35 Mathematics 68 .11
Mathematics U5 .20
English 9k •UU English 65 .56 English U5 .37 Science 68 .57 Science US .53 Foreign Language uu .53 With samples of 68 and h$> however, it can be said that with the mathematics variables there exists no significant correlation*
III. PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS
The findings in the area of mathematics, determined by
Pearson Product mement correlation, are further amplified by Chart 1.
With an N li5, this correlation diagram makes more evident the scat tering of scores as being considerably dispersed from the straight line that is drawn*
'This scatter diagram shows the amount of variation that is in the variables, the line of regression shows a plus relationship, but the dispersion is so large that this correlation is practically zero. This agrees with the simple linear correlation of *20. The nature of the dispersion on either side of the line is indicative of the dissimilarity of high school and college performance in mathematics*
Further analysis of the mathematical relationship was deemed advisable, inasmuch as there existed a highly significant correlation of the high school mathematics grades with the College Board Tests results (SAT-V). For the N 68 sample, a three variable correlation was run with high school mathematics being the independent; SAT-M and college mathematics the dependent variables* This procedure is sub stantiated by the College Entrance Examination Board, in which is stated: Probably the most important value of the College Board as a predictor is how much it improves the accuracy of prediction over that which is possible when one knows only the student's high school record.*®
Computations arrived at indicate the relationship among these
variables as:
R Slightly significant
The correlation of high school mathematics with the College Board mathematics in Table 1, indicated an r ■ *66, highly significant
and that of the high school mathematics with college mathematics.
Table 3> an r r *11, not significant. In light of these relation
ships, it is believed that the College Board mathematics scores
contributed little to the high school mathematics score as an
effective predictor in this study.
IV. PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH
The pattern of performance evidenced in mathematics apparently
also exists in the area of English. Table 1: illustrates the inter
relationship of high school English, college English, and certain
aptitude/achi evement te sts•
Here there is a highly significant correlation of high school
English grade averages and the SAT-V scores .63, and moderately
significant correlation of high school I&xglish with the A.C.P.E.
test scores .56. It can be said that a substantial relationship
exists between these two variables.
26 College Entrance Examination Board, College Board Scores. Their Use and Interpretation (Princeton: 1955), p. 107. ~o 39\...J ].00 ---~ I ~ 90 • ~ 80 • Mathematic• 70 ~·------1 45 DIAGRAM College N : Chart. and SCATTER 6o School High 50 Mathematics 90 10 80 50 6o 100 College Table U
Correlations with the Predictor (high school English averages) of college English averages and certain tests
N High School English
US SAT-V .63 UN CO US A.C.P.E. •
US College English .37
68 College English .56
A next step was to run a multiple correlation of three 27 variables as follows*
N = 66
X^ High School English
X^ College Board Verbal
X^ College English (Dependent Variable)
r .65 highly significant
The purpose here was to find the interrelationship of the
three variables. Despite the high correlation of high school
English with the SAT-V scores (r = .63), the use of the three
variables to predict college performance again illustrated that
the third offered little predictive value.
27 Q«it« Statistical Methods (New Y0rk* 1955), pp. U13-U16. Table 5, however, again illustrates the dissimilarity of relationship between high school English grades and certain tests and between these tests and college grades. The certain tests
(SAT-V and the A.C.P.E.) have been considered reliable predictors of college success.
Table 5
Correlation of Certain Variables Involving St. Stephen's Graduates
Variable 1 2 3 U
1. A.C.P.E. .65 .58 .11
2. SAT-V .63 .1*2
3« High School Angiiah .37
U. College English
A closer look at Table 5 indicates highly significant corre lation of the A.C.P.E. test results with the College Board Verbal test results .65. Similar correlations have been established in the field of research. In each study made by the College Entrance
Examination Board through 19f>7» the SAT-V has had a higher corre lation with college freshman marks than has the A.C.P.E. This is also true with the St. Stephen's graduates, as shown in Table 5.
In this study, there is indicated no significant correlation of the
A.C.P.E. with college grades (.11) and only slightly significant correlation of SAT-V with college grades (.1*2). This is in contrast to the results found in a study in
1952,^ of the correlations in thirteen other colleges where the average r was .li2 , which in this study would be interpreted as almost moderately significant. The A.C.P.E. relationship with college English, of the sample in this study, has but an r of .11, which is not significant*
V. PERFORMANCE IN SCIENCE
This phase of the study evidences a more favorable relation ship between the high school grade, as a predictor, and the college grade. The (N - hS) relationship of the high school science grade with the A.C.P.E. test score was substantial, with a moderately significant correlation (r) of .57 (Table 2 ). There is but small relationship, however, between the A.C.P.E. test scores and the col lege science grades. Between these two variables there is computed a single linear correlation of .26 which can only be considered slightly significant.
A larger group (N - 6 8 ) was correlated and this substantiated the relationship of the smaller group (N - U5). In this instance the correlation of the high school grades with the college grades was .57* (See Table 3»)
A Summary of Statistics on Selective College Qualification Test (Princeton* Educational Testing Service,' 1952), p . 6 8 . VI. PERFORMANCE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE
The methods available to show relationship of high school language grades with college language grades were most limited.
An malysis of the students who have taken a language in high school and also in college, revealed a sample of iiL> However, because in many cases these students had not taken the SAT-V and/or the A.C.P.E. tests, it was found that only the high school and col lege grades could be satisfactorily correlated. This was done by simple linear correlation and was found to bet
High School Language - College Language
r = .52
This can be considered a moderately significant correlation showing substantial relationship between the two variables.
However, it is recognized that the evidence in this instance might be contaminated, in that the particular group involved repre sents less than U6 per c«nt of the students who took language in high school. Possible contamination of the sample could be caused by the fact that in many instances freshman college language courses consist largely of a review of advanced high school language courses.
There is an additional fact that in many colleges languages are not required subjects, thus the possibility that in this study those who elected to take a college foreign language nay represent a certain ability with the group. hh
VII. COLLEGE BOARD PERFORMANCE
Row well do St. Stephen's students actually do on the College
Boards? This question was an outcome of the high correlation of
their high school grades and College Boards*
Computations were then made of the College Board scores, and
the mean and standard deviation (S.D.) was than found*
The purpose of computation was to obtain a picture of this mean which represented the St. Stephen's graduates during the interval
19U8-1958. Table 6 illustrates the relativeness of this mean to 29 the national mean of public and independent schools as published*
A further look at the sample involved shows that there are thirty-six
students below the mean on the SAT-V and twenty-six below the mean
on the SAT-M.
It is safe to say that the mean for the St. Stephen's graduates
illustrates that, on the shole, they compare favorably with the
average independent school performance and also with the average
public school performance for the years considered in this study.
This would appear to refute an earlier statement that the Private
School prepares a more select superior student*
The chief value of College Board scores, to the secondary
school, is that it provides another tool for the school to use in
29 College Entrance Examination Board, College Board Scores* Their Use and Interpretation (Princetoni Educational Testing Service, 1 9 5 5 7 .------1*5
Table 6
College Board Means for Certain Years and the College Board Mean for All St. Stephen's Graduates (who took exams) Over Same Period of Years.
YEAR VERBAL MATHEMATICAL
Independent Sohs. *ublic Scha. independent Scha. *ublic Scha.
191*8 1*85 1*69 508 503 191*9 1*79 1*69 1*95 1*99 1950 1*99 500 526 539 1951 1*68 1*85 510 $60 1952 1*51 1*55 1*91* 591* 1953 1*83 1*68 522 51*6 1951* 1*76 1*81 513 538 1955 1*85 510 501* 521 1956 1*91 505 507 51*3 1957 1*1*1* 1*57 1*91 515
St. Stephen's Graduates
N « 57 Verbal Mathematical S. D. S. D. 516 99 553 91 U6 3 0 the guidance of its prospective college students*
School officials often infer, however, that they are doing an effective task of college preparation if their school mean is above the norm. The legitimacy of such an inference has long been questioned. In fact, current College Board tests have been con structed to identify those who have the mental equipment to succeed in college. Whether any test designed for inclusion in a national selection program can also be entirely suitable for evaluating the work of an individual school, is doubtful*
Thus, despite the data presented in this study, indicating average College Board performances by St* Stephen's graduates, these data are not necessarily indicative of college success by these graduates*
VII. INTERRELATIONSHIP OF CERTAIN HIGH SCHOOL GRADES
H was believed that it might be advisable to ascertain the interplay of the high school grades involved in this study. Again languages were omitted. Table 7 illustrates the relationships of certain variables.
In each instance there appears to be a marked relationship and a highly significant correlation between the variables. Those findings could possibly raise several questions in the minds of the readers, such as:
30 College Entrance Examination Board, College Board Scores. Their Use and Interpretation (Princeton: Educational testing Service, 195PL950). U7
Table 7
Correlation of Certain High School Averages n U5 Variable 1 2 3
High School English .73 .81
High School Mathematics .80
High School Science
(1) Is there possibly too close relationship or "talking"
among the faculty at St. Stephen’s School about the students?
(2) Is it possible that certain students get "the breaks"
or the benefit of doubt by the teachers while others receive the
reverse?
(3 ) Is there a chance that a large number of students have
had access to examinations or that review is too examination ori
ented?
It is recognized that these are moot questions, but it is
apparent that it is possible for any and/or all of these conditions
to exist*
In Table 8 the reader is able to compare the relationship of
this same sample's college grades*
It is highly possible that the relationships exhibited in
Table 8 could be explained in the light that the correlations of
the college grades would certainly be more significant if they were
from one particular college, rather than a variety of colleges where Table 6
Correlation of Certain College Averages
N - hS Variable 1 2 3
College English •1*3 .55
College Mathematics .56
grades, as such have different meanings antV'or values.
VIII. ACADEMIC PROBATIONS
No distinction has been made, in this study, between those
students who received only one academic probation and those who
received more than one such action in college. The real purpose of discussion as presented herein is to throw light, if possible, on
the causes of such action in terms of the high school and test per
formance of the students involved. A total of twenty-three students were placed on academic probation one or more times during their
first year in college, or approximately 2li per cent of the ninety-five
students, included in this study. This study has not concerned it
self with the isolated cases of those who were dismissed for dis
ciplinary reasons.
uf the twenty-three students subjected to academic probation
during their freshman year, there were seventeen for whom there were
available, not only their high school and college grades in English
and Mathematics, but also College Board scores. Table 9 shows the U9 comparative performance of these cases in high school and college.
One of the prime concerns of any school would be why certain students failed in college. Seldom is there a clear pattern of causes of failure. Perhaps the most common explanation is that in high school students had found it so easy to make high marks that they underestimated the degree of study needed in college. Another explanation is that in a restricted boys' school there are those who feel they have missed the fun and social life of the public high
school, and on entering college devote too much time to extra curricular or social activities.
There are those who attribute failures in the freshman year to a combination of factors* lack of inherent ability, inadequate preparation, emotional blocks, or ineffective study habits.
It certainly would be less than candid to ooait mention of
the motivation of a few who take as their only goal "getting into"
college. This does not furnish the drive to do good work after they
are there. And, unfortunately, there are those boys with over emphasized "parental ambitions." Because of pressure, it is seldom
that these boys have a chance to do well.
In light of this discussion, however, it is believed that Table
9 does provide some reason why some of the St. Stephen's graduates had serious academic problems their freshman year. College Board
tests are designed to measure both environmental factors and inherent
ability. Now, if this is a valid assumption, it would appear that
these students either did not have the necessary inherent ability or 5o
Table 9
Comparative High School and College Performance of Students Placed on Probation Freshman Tear
ise No. H.S.S. C.B. H.S.M. C.M. SAT-VSAT-M
1 78 70 80 70 1455 5214
2 82 65 75 75 U79 Uio
12 81 75 80 60 370 601
19 77 65 81 75 UU2 597
38 76 60 80 60 14714 597
39 83 60 75 60 U8l 521
1*2 75 60 76 60 I4I4O UUi4
he 85 95 85 95 U52 552
52 83 75 90 60 1477 703
56 81 75 89 95 315 523
6h 72 75 80 60 1467 U12
67 83 65 90 65 5U5 657
70 76 65 77 60 362 I462
714 80 65 81 65 299 U78
20 87 83 81 78 U68 1493
93 7ii 75 82 85 U69 572
65 76 85 76 65 Uli9 527
Mean Mean Mean Mean Mean* Mean*
Total 17 79 71 81 614 516 553
S.D. S.D. S.D. S.D. S.D. S.D.
#4.1 #4.7 £.3.2 99 91
♦Mean of all cases in this study with College Board scores. they had a poor environmental stimulation, because thair College
Board performance was well below the mean of St. Stephen's School graduates, as evidenced in Table 6. Certainly it would appear, from the evidence produced in this study, that, based upon their College
Board scores, these students were from the start certain to have serious academic problems. Their poor college record may be at tributed, in some instances, in part to lack of proper guidance in the selection of the college they chose, or of a major field, or in part to the fact that certain colleges are not as selective as is generally thought to be the case*
IX. RANKING BY APTITUDE TEST PERFORMANCES
In an effort to explain more fully what appears to be the unique relationships in this study, it was decided to make a more refined analysis of certain performances. Consultation with recog nized authorities in the field of education led to the ranking of all within the original sample (95) who had scores on the College
Board SAT-V and SAT-M, the A.C.P.E., as well as college grade results in English and Mathematics, an analysis of the population revealed that there was an N of 57 which could then be correlated.
The rank orders were first correlated with the respective college boards and then with the college performance as judged by grade averages. Table 10 indicates the relationship.
The findings here are particularly interesting in that pre vious correlations tended to indicate significant relationship between high school performance and College Boards and also between high school performance and A.C.P.E. test results* However, there had appeared to be little significant relationship, if any, between high school performance and college performance. Therefore the data as described in Table 10 adds significance to the earlier find ings.
Table 10
Correlation of 57 Banked Cases of Performance on the Two Factors of the A.C.P.E. with College Board (two factors) and College Grades
N s 57 A.C.P.£•
SAT (V) .628
SAT (M) .627
College English .201
College Mathematics .26U
A hypothesis in this treatment of the data has been that
these s tudents placed in rank order by their aptitude test results,
could perhaps be evaluated as to their high school preparation,
by correlating the group, first with the College Boards (accepted
as a predictor) and then with actual College performance. The
purpose of this correlation is to determine whether graduates of
St. Stephen's had been better prepared for examinations than for
college performance. In light of the specific findings in the areas of English and mathematics, and with the evidence as displayed in Table 10, it would appear that, to the extent that the A.C.P.E. is a valid test, the students involved have been better prepared for College
Boards than for college. It could be that the particular colleges involved may be making demands that the College Boards do not pre dict. Another factor may be that success in the colleges may involve much more than can be measured by the available data*
X. COLLEGE BOARD SCORES REIATBD TO AN AVERAGE OF FRESHMAN GRADES
The validity of the Scholastic Aptitude Test as a predictor of college grades has been most frequently investigated. In light of this frequency, a smaple of fifty-seven students was selected, and for each student selected, the freshman college grades were added and averaged. Correlations then were run with this average, for the sample, with the predictors being, in turn, the SAT-V and the SAT-M test results, with the results being as presented in
Chart 2.
The results of this tabulation compare favorably with the data presented in Table 11. This latter table illustrates similar 31 correlations at eight colleges. It is perhaps in this "whole" area that the College Board is a predictor of overall college
College Entrance Examination Board, op. cit., p. U8* performance* Yet the evidence presented in this study shows little if any relationship between College Boards and independent courses, such as English and mathematics. The eight colleges presented in
Table 11 represent a considerable variety, according to Educational 32 Testing Services* Some are large, others are small. There are men's colleges, women's colleges and co-educational colleges, and there are eastern and western colleges*
SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS
In brief, the statistical evidence presented in this study tends to indicate that the group involved attained average achievement on College Board and A.C.P.E. examinations in relation to other schools for which data are available*
All of the graduates (ninety-five) entered college,and of these there were twenty-three students who were the subject of one or more academic probationary actions during their freshman year*
Of these twenty-three cases, seventeen, for whom College Board scores were available, had means below the means of eleven samples of College Board scores at a number of colleges, as evidenced on page 53*
It can be concluded that there is a moderately significant relationship between the scores the St. Stephens graduates obtained in their College Board tests and the average they obtained as college 55
Table 11
Correlations of College Board Scores With College Freshnan Grades at Sight Certain Colleges and With Those of St* Stephen's Graduates
SAT-V SAT-M
College Mean S.D. r Mean S.D. r
A 1*68 10? .63 1*81 Ill •1*0
B 511 8? .1*9 525 90 •29
C 591 87 .1*8 601 91* •39
D 531 96 •1*7 521 97 .26
£ 1*51* 101 .1*1 1*62 95 •25
F 618 79 •1*0 51*0 92 .28
G 1*66 93 .1*0 535 87 .28
H 585 73 .39 523 87 .25
Median •1*1* .28
St. Stephen's Graduates
Mean S.D. r Mean S.D. r
516 99 •51* 533 91 .55 freshman. However, there appears to be little relationship between
the College Board scores and the grades made in the separate courses
of English, mathematics, and science, and it is in these areas where
the St. Stephen's graduates performed most poorly. It is, coinci
dentally, also in these areas where private secondary schools pur
port to provide their best preparation.
Correlations of high school grades with college grades, and
of College Board results with College English and mathematics scores were not considered as significant as might be expected on the basis
of the correlation of high school grades with College Board test
results.
The relationship of College Board (SAT-V) scores with total
freshman college averages for the population can be favorably com
pared with other such studies conducted as evidence on page 55 of
this study.
Definite conclusions based upon the findings presented in
this study are discussed in Chapter VI.
XI. ANALYSIS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE
The interpretation of the questionnaire to eighty-five of
the ninety-five graduates appears to have unique significance in
light of the findings discussed in this study. There were fifty-six
questionnaires returned, or about a 66 per cent return, which was
deemed sufficient for this study.
The fact that the questions themselves are composite thoughts of the headmasters of fourteen private schools, should also lend value to the responses elicited.
Treatment of the responses appears in four formss (l) Table 12, a tabulation of the answers on the questionnaire* (2) Table 13, a listing of recommendations adjudged important by the number of responses, derived from question 10j (3) an analysis of the responses in l£ght of the statistical findings in this chapterj and (i*) a dis cussion of the narrative responses of the questionnaire. Table 12
Tabulation of Questionnaire Responses
1. ifere you prepared for the work of your college course?
Fully prepared 20 Moderately prepared 31 Poorly prepared h Unprepared 1
Total Responses 56
2* In what subject was your preparation most adequate?
English 2l» Chemistry 1 Mathematics 13 French 2 History 12 Physics 1
Total Responses 53
3* In what subject was your preparation adequate?
English 10 Spanish 9 Mathematics 11* French 10 History 3 Latin 5 Reading li Chemistry 9
Total Responses 61|
L* Describe in what respect, if any, the academic demand of your college differed most strikingly from St. Stephen's* v© CM Increased Not* Taking 12 No Difference Demand for More Themes, Assays 6 Poorly Prepared O
Evidence of Reading Course Need 5 Heavier Workload n Knowledge of Research Needed 2 Teachers Better Prepared and Less Favoritism Shown 9
Total Responses 59
Table 12 (continued)
5. How was the transition to college studies from preparatory studies?
Very Difficult U Somewhat Difficult 10 Moderately Difficult 10 Not Difficult At All 20
Total Responses I4I4
6 . Did you find it harder to study at college than at St. Stephen's?
Much Harder 7 Somewhat Easier 6 Moderately Harder 7 Moderately Easier 7 Somewhat Harder 15 Much Easier 1 No Difference 6 Total Responses U*
7* Were you properly prepared in note-taking, preparation of special reports, planning, and proper use of free time?
Fully Prepared 12 Slightly Prepared 7 Moderately Prepared 16 Not Prepared 9
Total Responses UU 60
(1) It would appear from Table 12 that questions 1, 2, 3> and 7 were easier to respond to. These are questions which probably concern all within the field of education. They are the type to which the college student, or graduate, can usually give an unqualified answer. This probably accounts for the large response received in these three areas. Questions It, 5, 6, and 8 require more subjective thought on the part of the one being questioned. It is believed that the degree of sophistication evidenced in the answers to these questions would in all probability be dependent upon the degree of success the student attained in college.
It had been initially decided that, in this study, there would be greater validity to the elicited responses of the questions if there were no identification of those who responded. This pre cludes biased opinions being formed as the researcher seeks to analyte the responses. It is felt, therefore, that the questionnaire, as designed for this study, lends importance to the statistical inter pretations of the study.
Table 13 was devised by converting the responses to question
10 of the questionnaire into subject headings, and arbitrarily deciding that five or more similar responses to any one topic merited consideration. In some instances the students listed more than one recommendation.
* Question 10 of Questionnaire sent to eighty-four St. Stephen's graduates: "In the light of your experience at college and at St. Stephen's School, what recommendations would you make concerning the St. Stephen18 program to help the program better prepare boys for college?" 61
Table 13
Recommendations of St. Stephen's Graduates to Help the Program Better Prepare its Boys for College
item Number of Responses
Note Taking Instruction XU
More Term Papers 9
Reading Courses 5
Improved Science Courses 8
3etter Class Preparation by Teachers 13
Making Mathematics Courses More Meaningful 11
More Real Guidance 15
Improved Language 18
Instruction 9
Improvement in the Sacred Studies Courses (2) An analysis of this table shows a close relationship between the responses evidenced and the answers to question 3 of the questionnaire. This was the first area of "least preparation."
A natural outgrowth of this would and should be recommendations by the graduates, because the graduates are the products of the institution. The institution can be judged qualitatively not only by the "success," as defined in this study, of its graduates, but also by their expressed recommendations. They are in the position to measure how well the school has prepared them. The very fact that a large percentage of the graduates had academic troubles during their freshman year plus the additional fact that a number of these students had College Board scores well below the mean of
college students evidences a need for more active guidance on the part of the school. Table 13 shows that fifteen graduates in one
or more ways expressed a need for this guidance*
It is equally enlightening that thirteen graduates expressed
a need for better class preparation by teachers. There has been no identification of the teaching areas, but the answers to question
3 indicate the subjects in which the students feel they were least
prepared. Certainly specific recommendations by thirteen to fifteen
graduates is not a large number, however, viewed in terms of a
ratio with the total response, this amounts to 23 per cent— a
fairly representative sample*
Improvement in language instruction ranks high on the list, with eighteen students indicating a strong need in this area. In 63 fact, approximately 33 per cent of the responses indicated this a need, kore pertinent, perhaps, is the nature of some of the com ments in this area.
(3) It appears evident that there is a high positive relation
ship between the answers evidenced in this questionnaire and the lack
of meaningful relationship between high school grades and college
grades, or between College Board (SAT-V) scores and college per
formance in specific subjects*
Thirty-one graduates, or about 55 per cent of those who responded
to the questionnaire, felt they were moderately prepared. Should
St. Stephen's consider this "adequate" preparation? The findings
of this study do not tend to indicate that preparation is "adequate."
Twelve graduates, about 21 per cent, indicated there was a
need for "increased note taking" in college. Sixteen of those
responding, or approximately 30 per cent, also expressed the thought
that they were either slightly or not prepared for college so far
as note taking and the preparation of special reports are concerned*
Again, this appraisal by the students tends to support the statistical
findings of this chapter*
The fact that approximately the same number of students
indicated English and mathematics as the areas in which they were
best prepared for college, as did those who indicated English and
mathematics as the areas in which their preparation was least ade
quate, tends to substantiate the data presented in Chart 1, page 39
of this study* (U) Questions 7 and 8 of the questionnaire were entirely narrative in form and therefore subject to opinionated interpretation.
The type of responses to these questions is presented below in "brief statement" form.
Question 7
"Very little difference"
"As many different values and attitudes as individuals"
"A difficult question to evaluate"
"hgd somewhat of a superiority complex-other students as well prepared as 1 was and valued their education more"
"A lack of real concern with the arts, current politics, etc."
"I dislike continual noise, drinking, and complete lack of control over students (somewhat as at St. Stephen's)"
"I took my work more seriously"
"I was determined to make the grade academically"
"I was more at ease"
"Felt college would be easier for me than for others because of my preparation"
"Sorry, but Ii*m typical"
"Greater respect for honesty"
"Preparation gave me a more mature attitude"
Again the responses here appear pertinent to the findings
expressed thus far in the study. "Very little difference" was the
response indicated in the greatest number of answers. The other
comments appeared with about the same frequency, but with each response being expressed, in a like manner, with a frequency of more than three times.
Question 8
A school in preparing its students for college directly and/or indirectly prepares these graduates to more adequately encounter new and strange problems, lhat were some of these that the St* Stephen's graduates encountered? listed below are those problems which were adjudged to be related, and which also appear in the responses three or more times.
"more distractions"
"organizing my work and time"
"learning to mix with other students"
"selection of courses of study"
"getting used to real competition"
"learning to take good notes"
"covering all required reading"
"growing up"
Certainly these statements, on their owi, could not lead one
to make many inferences. In fact, they could be fairly typical
of any college student. This study sought to obtain from these
responses certain specifics that might throw light oh statistical
findings. Certainly there are some responses here for needs for which no school could furnish preparation, and it is equally as
positive that no school would be expected to prepare all of its 66 graduates for all of the problems listed. However, the "selection of courses" involves the need for guidance at college— and probably more positively at the preparatory level.
There appears to be a high amount of sophistication in the recognized problems. The difficulty in covering required reading material response coincides with question 10, where there were several graduates who indicated a need for a "reading course" as such, as part of the curriculum of St. Stephen's*
A survey of private schools, as well as of public schools, indicates "developmental reading" as becoming more and more an integral part of the curriculum of the better preparatory schools.
It is realized that making a positive inference from these statements is precarious. However, it appears to have developed from the evi dence presented in this study that in a number of cases the graduate had felt himself better prepared for college than he actually found himself to be. Certainly the problems evidenced by these graduates are valid ones and are in one way or another definitely connected with their preparation and subsequent success or failure in college* CHAPTER VI
CONCIUSIONS
The problems of the transition from preparatory school to college have their roots far back in the school and extend their branches far into the college course. They are the responsibility of a coalition of three partners— preparatory school, student, and college— in the setting of our society. The preparatory school attempts to provide the best possible education for each of its students; the college selects according to ability and prognosis of success, then guides and stimulates; the student carves his academic destiny. Certainly with given perfection at each stage, the college would reach its highest possible standard; unfortunately, the imperfections by the way are many and cumulative, and costly to both student and society.
It has been the purpose of this study to examine the records from high school and the freshman year in college, as well as test results, of the graduates of the St. Stephen's School for Boys.
This was done in an attempt to answer two questions, the major one being: How well has S t . Stephen's School for Boys prepared its students for college?
It has not been possible to fully and unequivocally answer this question. Nature, an element elusive and volatile, is, in behavior, unpredictable, ability, both general and special, can often be measured, but the emotions which control the use of 68
ability are in no way so stable or easily measurable. It is with an understanding that "none of the criteria can predict, with the cer- 33 tainty that the term Implies, an individual's success in college," that certain conclusions reached in this study are discussed.
1. There appear to be moderately significant correlations between high school grades and certain aptitude/achievement tests, indicating that many St. Stephen's students have been adequately prepared in their ability to cope satisfactorily with test taking problems, often a major obstacle in the educational process.
2. There is moderately significant correlation between
College Board test results and the average of the freshman college
grades} this is consistent with other studies.
3. There is evidenced what appears to be an unusually sig nificant relationship among the high school English, mathematics,
and science grades, in light of subsequent relationships of these
subject areas with college performance.
k . *t is concluded that little, if any, significant correla
tion in respect to grades and academic success exists between the
high school subject areas and the related college subject areas.
This would appear on the surface to be contrary to what would be
expected from the graduates of this school, in light of the expressed
purpose of the school, as described on pages 22-23 of this study.
I. L. Kandel, Examinations and Their Substitutes in the United States (New Yorks Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 1956). 5. There wa3 exhibited negligible, if any, significant correlation between the College Board test results and college performance in specific subject areas, nor between A.C.P.E. test results and college performance. This conclusion merits further and more exhaustive study.
6. It would seem, from the evidence developed in this study and from the nature of the responses to the questionnaires that certain deficiencies in the quality of instruction in the areas of
English, mathematics, and science may possibly exist.
7. There is indicated a need, as evidenced by college per formance and by a substantial percentage of returns from the ques
tionnaire, for curriculum improvement in the areas discussed in
Item 6, and also in certain teaching methods anchor preparation.
6. There is evidence that in a number of cases inadequate
guidance may have been provided graduates of St. Stephen's School
for boys.
9. Despite inconclusive findings in this study regarding
the adequacy of foreign language instruction, the questionnaire returns indicate further investigation is needed before a con
clusion should be drawn.
10. There is some evidence to believe that a number of
graduates of St. Stephen's School have been better prepared for
examinations than they have for subsequent college performance.
Certainly there are many valid questions that may right
fully be raised at this point of this study. 70
The author has presented these conclusions and relative discussions in the light of the whole study, particularly within the framework of the purpose of and philosophy of the private secondary school, as discussed at some length in Chapter II*
One question that might be raised refers to the many differences in the colleges involved in this study and equally many differences within any one college from year to year* It is recognized that the multiplicity of the colleges involved might preclude less signifi cant statistical relationship than if only the one secondary school was being compared with one specific college. Certainly the probable difference between methods of instruction in secondary school and in college could well be responsible in part for a number of unex pected student failures* On the other hand, the apparently sig nificant correlations between the high school grades of the St.
Stephen's graduates and their College Board test performance, and also with their aptitude test results, would tend to indicate that there should also be a significant relationship between high school grades and college performance. This is not the case in this study*
The fact that the mean score on College Board tests of the
St. Stephen's school graduates is comparable to the average mean score of other private secondary schools and public high schools would indicate that perhaps the St. Stephen's students have not been, as a whole, any more select or able than those of any other school, public or private. This despite the fact that admission is based primarily on performance on a combination of standard achievement 71 tests and certain St* Stephen's tests of admissions*
The fact that highly significant relationships exist between high school performance and College Board tests, as well as the aptitude tests, and the subsequent lack of relationship between these tests and college performance in specific subject areas merits further discussion*
It was mentioned earlier that there is grave doubt that
College Board performance can be used to evaluate a school's pro gram, and yet in some instances there exists a tendency on the part of secondary schools to so Judge themselves*
"Too often pride in examination results leads a mediocre teacher to use so called 'spoon-feeding' methods which so condition a student that he is ill adapted to the individual study methods of the college." 3k Teachers may "teach the test" and neglect to develop good vrork habits and study skills*
Certain results of the responses to the questionnaire used in this study merit discussion here*
The fact that a large number of graduates expressed a need for more adequate preparation in note-taking appears to substantiate much research in this area* The techniques of note-taking and of
study methods should be taught in the preparatory school* Not that
all students should be coached in these techniques, but where
“jR* R. Dale, From School to University (Londont Routledge and Kegan, 195U), p* 112* failure is clearly due to bad study habits, it is to the interest of the school, after having selected this student based upon its own criteria for admission, that he should receive this remedial training* 35 Recent studies indicate a gain of almost kb per cent in proportion of work above the average by students who receive such help*
Another recognized factor that influences the ability of students to study well and therefore to satisfactorily perform in college is in the area of library techniques.
Too often meagre resources of a school library restrict the intellectual growth of the students of that particular school. St.
Stephen's School for Boys has unfortunately not been able to provide its students with library facilities as recommended by the Virginia
State Board of Education* It is only of a very recent date that positive steps have been taken to augment the number of volumes that are available to its students*
School officials are inclined to take too much for granted the skills of their students in library techniques. The importance of the secondary school student in a knowledge of the right use of the library as he enters college is well illustrated by the research
35 A. B. Crawford, "Some Results of Teaching Students How to Study," School and Society. 1956, pp. 1*71-2. 73 36 of *urich at the University of Minnesota and Votow at the South 37 West Texas State College* The latter used a "Use of the library
and Study Materials Test" (Kilpatrick). This would naturally vary with the student's subject of study, but the value of the skilled use of a library is acknowledged, and the evidence is substantial that the present standard of this work is low*
The number of St. Stephen's graduates who experienced academic
troubles during their freshman year, and although not discussed in this study, the twenty-three of the population of ninety-five, who subsequently "dropped out" of college merits extensive consid
eration by St. Stephen's authorities*
Student failures may well be caused by inappropriate selec
tion of college, social-economic handicaps, personal or emotional
■troubles, as well as non-application by the student to academic
requirements*
Certainly, as the student passes from preparatory school
to college, and even much earlier, he needs guidance. **uch money
is spent on educating the student in the private school, and the
schools are "penny wise and pound foolish" to stint in this important
area of guidance. An adequate guidance program, directed by those
36 Alvia C. Eurich, "The Significance of library Heading Among College Students," School and Society (July, 1932), pp. 92-6. 37 David F. Votow, "A Comparison of Test Scores of Sintering College Freshmen as an Instrument for Predicting Future Scholarship," Journal of Educational Research (November, 19U6), pp. 215-218* 7li experienced and trained in the field should be an integral part of the educational program of any school.
What is more often needed by the less capable student is a kind of bridge by which he may cross the area that separates the secondary school from the college. Many students have not been prepared for the change from the sheltered, ordered existence at school to the freedom that exists at college. Too often the school staff has neither the time nor the training to provide the nature and quality of guidance necessary for the success of many secondary school students.
How Well Has St. Stephen1s School for Boys Prepared Its Students for College?
Finally, the author of this study concludes that in answer to this question, there appears to be no evidence that St. Stephen's
School for Boys has prepared its students for any college any better or any worse than they would have been prepared by any other school.
There is evidence, however, for a further need of research in this area and some appropriate recommendations are defined on pages 77—78. It is true that a large number of St. Stephen's
graduates have apparently successfully concluded a college educa
tion, and that a sizable number of these graduates experienced dif
ficulty during their freshman year at college.
What are Areas of Inadequacy, If Any?
The statistical findings, as discussed in Chapter V of this study, and supported by the questionnaire responses, are indicative of a need for searching inquiries into the major subject areas of
English, mathematics, science, and the foreign languages.
Although the validity and reliability of the findings of this study are admittedly restricted by the small number of cases involved, it is also recognized that these findings are based upon a total population of the graduates of St. Stephen's School for
Boys in the interim of 19U8-58.
Correlation studies indicate that English and mathematics are definite areas of inadequacy, and despite inconclusive findings in the subject areas of science and foreign languages, the data that were available strongly support an inference that these subject areas, too, are areas of inadequacy. CHAPTER VII
RECOMMENDATIONS
The best schools are accustomed periodically to re-examine their curricula, with the purpose of strengthening the quality of the school's academic training. Findings developed in this study should assist the St. Stephen's School for Boys in re-examining its curricula and teaching procedures.
'This study sought to ascertain the answer to two questions.
The basic question and major problem of the study was, How Well
Has St. Stephen's School for Boys Prepared Its Students for College?
A secondary question and minor problem was, What Are the Areas of
Inadequacy, If Any? Both problems are entwined within each other.
It is recognized that it is impossible, within the scope of this study and with the evidence available, to make categorical conclu sions.
It is felt, however, that the data and the instrument devel oped in this study should be used as a means to encourage St.
Stephen's School to evaluate periodically its program. As a means of broadening such a study, it is recommended that another follow-up be made of the graduates involved in this study. Overall high school performance could then be correlated with total college performance and also rank in high school compared with rank in college. Per haps a careful study of those students in the interim 1956-1961, and subsequent five year periods could be made. The office of the Academic Dean would be the one to continue such a study. Care fully kept records Indicating performance in the various subject areas in both secondary school and college, and at the same time insuring that all students involved have also College Board and aptitude test scores would insure added significance to such a study.
The knowledge that such a study was a "part of the curricula" might tend to promote stronger teaching procedures. Doing this would enable St. Stephen's School to have groups of approximately 100 graduates evaluated, because it is in these later years that the school has endeavored to be more selective in its admissions policy.
If this selection is valid, and the school program strong, then one could expect significant correlations between high school per formance and college freshman grades.
The conclusions reached in this study lend credence to the following specific recommendations.
1. Further detailed study of its graduates by St. Stephen's
School for Boys.
2. An examination of the curricula in the major subject
areas, particularly in light of continuity of learning.
3. An evaluation of present teaching methods with a thought
of making wider use of methods and materials often regarded as modern
and unconventional in the more conservative private school circles.
Also of importance is the need to seek means of promoting "inner
motivation" by making the teaching methods and materials more pur
poseful, challenging, and satisfying to the learner. U. A revaluation of testing procedures by individual teachers, and the development of newly revised examinations.
$• Despite the superior work being performed by the Academic
Dean amidst trying conditions, it is felt that his experience and knowledge would be more efficiently utilized with freedom from teaching responsibilities and clerical duties, which would allow him greater blocks of time for consultation with and guidance of both teachers and pupils.
6. It might be advisable to establish an advisory board consisting of professional people and perhaps knowledgeable lay persons with a knowledge of sound educational practice and pro cedures to assist the Headmaster and the Board in meeting the edu cational problems that confront them. Schools justify themselves principally by the soundness of their standards and the degree to which they realize them.
It is hoped that this study may encourage St. Stephen's
School for Boys to do a better job of preparing its students for college. The heart of formal education is always the encounter of teacher and student. When the evidence of wasted effort and loss of intellectual momentum among many of the St. Stephen's graduates is as clear as that shown in this study, it is evident that some of the causes lie in faulty academic planning. St. Stephen's School for Boys may wish to consider these specific recommendations, with a view to improvement of its program of study. The goal of in creased quality of education is certainly worth such efforts. 7 9
GLOSSARY OF TERMS SPECIFIC TO THIS REPORT
HSM High School Mathematics
HSE High School English
HSS High School Science
HSL High School Foreign Language
CM College Mathematics
CE College English
CS College Science
CL Foreign Language
SAT-V College Board Verbal Test
SAT-M College Board Mathematics Test
ACPE America) Council on Education Psychological Aptitude Test BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Derflinger, G. W, "Prediction of College Success. A Summary of Recent Findings," Journal of American Association of Collegiate Registrars. No. 19, l$i*3j pp. 48-67.
Eletante, Angela M. "The Rights and Duties of the Independent School in the United States." An abstract of a dissertation. Washington* The Catholic University Press, 1959.
Fehlmann, Hazel A. "Graduates Evaluate a Curriculum Core," Journal of Home Economics, XLVI (January, 1951*)j pp. 10-12.
Jackson, R. "Prediction of the Academic Success of College Freshmen," Journal of Educational Psychology, June, 1955* pp. 296-301.
Iyle, Mary S. "Graduates Reflect on Their Education," Journal of Home Economice (January, 1957)# pp. 9-16.
Odell, C. W. "Educational Measurements in the Secondary School," Journal of Educational Research, October, 1932^ pp. 81-89.
Perry, H. a. "Fundamental Education and the Defenses of Democracy," High School Journal, January, 1955} pp. 32.
Scotes, Douglas E. "Selective Admission and Selective Retention of College Students at the University of Chicago," School Review, March, 1921*, pp. 182-192.
Shuey, A. M. "Academic Success of Public and Private School Students in Randolph-Macon Woman's College, The Freshman fear," Journal of Educational Research, March, 1956* pp. 1*81-2*91.
Traxler, Arthur E. "The Independent School and Education, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow," School and Society, November, 191*2# pp. 505-510.
Wickham, R. 0. "Aims in Preparatory School," School and Society, May, 1959# pp. 239-21*0. 85
D. MISCELLANEOUS
Jarman, Burnice H. "A Study of Episcopal Secondary School for Boys in the United States." Unpublished dissertation, The George Washington University, Washington, D. C., 1938. APPENDICES 87
APPENDIX I
c o l l a g e s a n d /o r universities a t t e n d e d b y g r a d u a t e s OF ST. STEPHEN'S SCHOOL FOR BOYS (Period 19U8-1956)
College Number Attending
American University 1 Broun University 1 Charleston, College of 1 Colgate University 1 Colorado, University of 1 Columbia University 1 Cornell University 1 Davidson College 3 Delaware, University of ]. Dickinson College 1 Duke University a Elon College
Florida, University of J. George Washington University 3 Gettysburg College 2 Gustavus Adolphus College 1 Hampden-Sydney College 6 Lehigh University ] Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Miami, University of 1 Naval Academy, United States 7 Ohio Wesleyan University j Oregon, University of J Pennsylvania Military Institute ] Pennsylvania State College 3 Pennsylvania, University of j Princeton University j Randolph Macon College 2 Richmond, University of j Rutgers University j St. John's College (Annapolis, Maryland) j South, University of the (Sewanee) 3 Stanford University 3 Swarthmore College 1 Allans University Tusculum College Union College : Villanova College Virginia Military Institute 8 Virginia Polytechnic Institute U Virginia, University of 6 88
College Number Attending
Washington and Jefferson College 1 Washington and Lee University 10 West Point (United States Military Academy) William and Mary College Williams College Yale University
Number of Universities and/or Colleges Represented - 1*7 8 9
APPENDIX II
ST. STEPHEN'S SCHOOL FOR BOYS YEARLY ENROLLMENT AND NUMBER IN GRADUATING CLASS
Year Enrollment Number in Graduating ClaBs
1 9 U 7 - W 31 1
19U8-19li9 35 0
191*9-1950 37 2
1950-1951 3U 1
1951-1952 59 10
1952-1953 59 12
1953-1951; 58 8
195U-1955 82 8
1955-1956 U8 1U
1956-1957 133 15
1957-1958 156 2h
Total 95 90
APPENDIX III
TOTAL POPULATION OF ST. STEPHEN'S GRADUATES AND THEIR ENGLISH AND UkTHEMATIC GRADES
N ~ 95 English Mathematics Case No. %gh School College High School College
1 78 70 80 70 2 82 65 75 75 3 79 7U 63 71 h 88 80 83 65 5 80 75 77 85 6 95 85 77 93 7 83 70 78 60 6 85 70 75 75 9 76 95 7U 60 10 86 80 78 70 11 85 65 85 75 12 81 75 80 60 13 81 75 76 75 Hi 86 85 85 65 15 95 95 95 85 16 80 75 72 85 17 92 80 81 65 18 76 75 81 71 19 87 83 81 78 20 89 85 91 75 21 80 85 8U 85 22 79 75 76 75 23 77 65 81 75 2li 88 90 86 90 25 91 65 93 75 26 70 60 60 65 27 80 65 75 75 28 88 85 81 75 29 75 60 70 60 30 75 60 70 60 31 95 85 95 95 32 33 78 65 70 65 3l> 80 81* 80 91 35 73 70 71 75 36 71 80 71 75 37 87 85 90 70 38 76 60 80 60 91
APPENDIX III (continued)
N = 95 ^nglieh Mathematics
Case No. High School College High School College
39 83 60 75 60 1*0 78 60 72 60 11 83 75 82 75 1*2 75 60 66 60 1*3 77 88 76 85 Ui 83 90 88 85 1*5 86 75 92 95 1*6 85 95 85 95 1*7 83 85 86 80 1*8 92 85 98 65 1*9 87 75 75 85 50 81* 80 86 80 51 80 75 85 80 52 83 75 90 60 53 88 75 91* 80 51* 85 75 90 85 55 86 65 83 75 56 81 75 89 95 57 76 65 80 85 58 83 70 85 70 59 82 65 90 95 60 85 75 V ’J 75 61 81 85 90 65 62 83 75 82 60 63 91 95 88 75 61* 81 75 80 70 65 72 75 80 60 66 72 75 80 60 67 83 65 90 65 68 91 85 80 85 69 82 65 90 75 70 76 65 77 60 71 86 65 86 85 72 71* 75 81 60 73 79 65 76 65 71* 80 65 81 65 75 85 70 88 75 76 86 75 82 80 77 96 95 98 95 78 83 75 80 85 79 77 85 75 85 92
APPENDIX III (continued)
N - 95 English Mathematics
Case No* High School College High School College
80 88 80 90 75 81 77 65 70 75 82 9k 65 98 60 83 83 75 77 75 81* 83 77 76 82 85 76 85 76 65 86 91* 96 95 95 87 75 85 66 85 88 82 75 60 65 89 91 75 55 80 90 96 65 79 65 91 90 85 80 85 92 73 75 75 to 93 7U 75 82 65 9h 80 65 80 65 p r' 95 90 75 93 93
APPENDIX IV
68 OF THE 95 ST. STEPHEN'S GRADUATES SHOWING THEIR SCORES ON CERTAIN HIGH SCHOOL, COLIEGE, AND ACHIEVEMENT TESTS (Their Sums of Squares and Cross Products)
HIGH SCHOOLCOLLEGE BOARDS COLIEGE
Case Eng. Math. Science Verbal Math. Sng. Math. Science
X y z X X z 1 1 1 2 y2 3 y3 3
80 1 78 P U55 52k P 70 TO 80 5 77 75 ?*! 627 75 P 75 o $0 M It 77 Sk? 85 95 _ 75.... s k> 7.5 _ 7k .. 391 5oo 79 75 75 * 76 7L* 78 5li9 k79 95 60 70 10 86 78 ko6 368 80 70 7° li 85 89 85 S55' 569 65 75 80 8l 78 5oo 60 13 _ _I6 . w It I f lk 86 o5 90 552 63o 85 k 85 l5 95 95 93 95 85 ?5 l6 8o P i 72 76 lt°7 k7t p 75 60 17 92 81 P_ 699 _|79 _ 80 65 60 IB 76 81 8o 75 75 f e - 597 71 V 87 81 85 U06 k93 83 78 80 20 89 91 83 509 6k6 85 75 75 22 79 76 76 3kl 332 75 IS 23 7? 8] 78 kk2 597 65 75 H75 2k 88 86 89 590 90 90 9k 25 91 P2 5fB 65 28 88^1P 90s?f 508 5oi P zz 85 ft 8 5 - 29 75 70 70 k56 5k9 60 60 66 90 31 95 95 23 762 736 85 95 So So 81 362 k3k 8k 91 81 A 7° V 7i 70 kl7 ko9 It 65 3Z 87 96 90 ki5 5k9 oS 85 86 38 76 80 78 k7k "W . . 66 60 60 39 83 . 75 81 U81 521 60 70 75 k° Z? 72 517 kk? 60 60 86 92 te 503 69k 75 95 §85 . k6 85 85 87 k52 55?. 95 95 85 k8 $2 98 95 " 5 5 T .. 6£o 85 85 ... 8 5 ... 50 8k 86 8k k5o 601 80 80 80 }2 22 90 88 kk7 .703 P 60 65 S3 88 9k 92 555 627 P 80 .. J 5 __ APPENDIX IV (continued)
HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGEBOARDS COLLEGE
Case Eng. Math. Science Verbal Math. Eng. Math. Science
51* 85 90 85 568 669 75 85 75 55 86 78 660 627 B5 75 85 5B B3 89 65 1*62 552 70 70 65 59 82 90 86 51*9 - "65T" 85 95 85 60 85 $0 "" BB. 391 525“ 75 75 .... 75 ...... 61 81 90 87 525 579 85 65 65 62 8? 62 ?1* 326 500 75 60 65 91 88. . g3 . ftr 676 95 75 85 61 Bi 86 83 535 366 75 70 85 83 90 8u 657 65 65 65 68?I 91 80 621 512 85 85 85 69 82 90 -&68 U?3_ 621 65 75.. 85 70 76 17 82 362 378 65 60 65 ?1 86 86 83 U7U ■■"567 85 ....8 5 " ' 72 lk 6l 80 299 Ml. 75 60 65 I? 11 76 70 53$ 507 65 65 it Ik 66 81 Bo 308 65 7* '86 82 81 U79 558 80 75 _ 96 9& 95 675 608 95 95 95 ...... zz70 83 86 15 k09 572 75 85 60 16 ... . p r « 55s B88 96 ft 65 m 503 §2 81 77 79 77 U17 51*8 65 75 7 5 . 82 9h 98 98 611 737 65 60 60 85 If 76 70 1*1*9 527 ■55 65 60 &6 95 90 585 582 96 95 95 87 77 76 75 395 .... 56F" 85 88 8B 82 80 76 387 L67 75 65 ...... W ...... 89 91 95 92 51*1 630 75 80 75 CE
vn 60 $2 73 75 62 U*2 U79 _ 75 1 ?? 7h 82 75 _. U69 572 75 60 60 9 i 96 56 69 580 61*7 85 65 75 55 *0 9} 90 581 W 75 85 78
11 5690 5677 5601 1*196 1*7805213 5130 5088 95
APPENDIX IV (continued)
SUMS OF SQUARES AND THEIR CROSS PRODUCTS
1 Variable 2 3 8 5 6 7 8 X1 yl 21 X2 y2 X3 y 3 Z2 $690 1 X 877,702 877,280 871,168 358,763 1*38,160 1 X 2 y l 5677 877,771 870,785 1*02,890 X1*30,129 56oi 3. Z1 1*65,057 396,706 1*19,611
81*6 N. X u 278/002 301,066 325,282 396,813 X2 X \ 1*780 X 5 y2 31*1*, 762 362,925 358,821 X '"'X 5213 6 1*06,161 398,813 X 3 391,1*59 5130 7 395,106 396,681 y3 5058 8 Z2 383,858 ...... , L .... . 96
APPENDIX V
LIST OF PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOIS INITIALLY QUESTIONED REGARDING STUDY
The Choate School Rev. Seymour St. John, Headmaster Wallingford, Connecticut
Deerfield Academy Dr. Frank L. Boyden, Headmaster Deerfield, Massachusetts
Flintridge Preparatory School for Boys Malcolm G. Dickenson, Head Pasadena, California
The Gilman School Henry Callard, Headmaster Baltimore, Maryland
Groton School Rev. John Crocker, Headmaster Groton, Massachusetts
The Hill School Edward T. Hall, Headmaster Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Kent School Rev. John 0. Patterson, Head Kent, Connecticut
The Laurenceville School Dr. Allan Vanderhof H«ely, Head Laurenceville, New Jersey
Mount Herman School Northfield, Massachusetts Hdn&d L*. Bubendall, Head
The Phillips Exeter Academy Dr. William G. Saltonstall, Principal Exeter, New Hampshire
St. Christopher's School Robert W. Bugg, Head Richmond, Virginia
Saint Mark's School William Mfyatt Barber, Jr., Head Southborough, Massachusetts
Saint Mark's School of Texas Robert H. Iglehart, Head Balias, Texas
The Taft School Paul F. Cruikshank, Head Watertown, Connecticut 97
APPENDIX V (continued)
Thomas Jefferson School Robin McCoy, Headmaster St. Louis, Missouri
Tilton School J. Rolland Crompton, D. C., Head Tilton, New Hampshire 98
APPENDIX VI
LIST OF HEADMASTERS ANQ/OR RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAIS SUBMITTING QUESTIONS FOR USE IN QUESTIONNAIRE USED IN THIS STUDY
Frank L. Boyden Deerfield Academy Deerfield, Mass.
Henry Callard The Gilman School Baltimore, Md.
John Crocker Groton School 'Groton, Mass#
Arthur R. Hyatt Laurenceville School Laurenceville, N. J,
James V. Moffat The Hill School Pottstown, Pa.
Herbert B, Moore The Tilton School Tilton, New Hampshire
Arthur Platt Mount Herman School Mount Herman, Mass#
George V. Porter The Choate School Wallingford, Conn.
Dawes Potter Thomas Jefferson School St. Louis, Mo.
Rayden Ronahaugen Kent School Kent, Conn#
William Saltonstall Phillips Exeter Academy Exeter, New Hamp.
Willis W i n s St. Stephen's School Alexandria, Va. APPENDIX VII
COPY OF ORIGINAL LETTER SENT TO U 4 SCHOOIS
October 9, 1958
Mr. Arthur D. Platt, Assistant Headmaster Mount Herman School Mount Herman, Massachusetts
Dear Mr. Platts
I wish to thank you for your letter of August 6, expressing an interest in the study we are making at St. Stephen's. When com pleted, I shall be most happy to share with you the findings.
In order to gather related information I am again asking your assistance.
^f it were possible for you to speak with each graduate of your school, individually, what one question is foremost in your mind that he could answer, which might assist you in determining your school's strengths or weaknesses, curriculum or methods wise?
In light of our study, "The Adequacy of the Preparation of St. Stephen's Boys for College," it might be possible that your personal inquiry, pertaining to your school, together with those submitted by other leading preparatory schools, might form the nucleus of an instrument to assist our graduates in gaging our school. This instrument should be valid for any like school.
Sincerely,
Norman H. Gray Director of Research APPENDIX VIII
I2TT2RS RECEIVED IN CONNECTION WITH STUDY 101
THE HILL SCHOOL Pottstown, Pennsylvania
COPY
August 1, 1958
Dear Mr. Grayt
In the absence of Mr. Hall who is in Burope, I wish to thank you for your letter of July 29. I do not know of any formal study that has been made which would be similar to the one you mention.
We have had several faculty committees studying various aspects of school life, but no official report on their results have been published. The nearest study I can uncover is the report of the Evaluation Committee that was made by the Middle States Association in 1956.
We keep an account of the college records of our students and these reports are filed in the Director of Studies Office.
I wish you the best of luck in your project and I hope that your report will be made available to other schools because I am sure that there is a great need for the study which you describe.
Sincerely yours,
James V. Moffatt Assistant Headmaster
Mr. Norman H. Gray Research Project Director St. Stephen's School Seminary Post Office Alexandria, Virginia 102
THE HILL SCHOOL Pottstown, Pennsylvania
COPY
October 13, 1958
Dear Mr. Gray:
If I were to ask each graduate of The Hill one question, it would be the followings "In what way did The Hill best prepare you for college and life, and in what areas do you think our educational program can be improved?"
Continued good wishes for the success of your project.
Sincerely yours,
James V. Moffatt Assistant Headmaster
Mr. Norman H. Gray Director of Research St. Stephen's School Seminary P. 0. Alexandria, Virginia 103
THE CHOATE SCHOOL Wallingford, Connecticut
COPY Office of the Director of Studies George F. Porter August 5i 1958
Dear Mr. Gray*
I regret that we have no statistical survey concerning the adequacy of preparation of our students for college at this time, but strangely enough, we have been contemplating making some such survey during the coming year. Of course, we have always followed closely the progress of our graduates in college, particularly in the freshman year, but we have made no correlation of results.
Good luck to you in your study.
Sincerely yours,
(signed) George F. Porter iou
THE CHOATS SCHOOL Wallingford, Connecticut
COPY George F. Porter Director of Studies December U, 1958
Dear Mr. Gray:
I apologias for my carelessness in allowing your letter to be dormant for so long. Probably the reason it got shunted to one side and stayed there is that I could not think of any one reasonably short, yet fully revealing, question to give you. I know that I should undoubtedly want to ask several questions, rather than one; but let me offer you just one at this time.
Q u e s t i o n : In what college freshman courses do you feel that your Choate preparation was superior; what courses, only average; and what courses, inadequate?
This sounds as though I am stating the obvious, but I feel sure it would be my first question to any of our present college students•
Sincerely yours,
(signed) George P. Porter 105
THE PHILLIPS EXETER ACADEMY Exeter, New Hampshire
COPY William G. Salton stall, Principal
August 7, 1958
Dear Mr. Gray*
We have made no special study of the adequacy of the preparation of our pupils for college. We do, of course, try to keep track from year to year of the records that are made, but this is about all we have done.
I am much interested in what you are doing and hope that your research will turn up some interesting data.
Sincerely yours,
(signed) William G. Saltonstall
Mr. Norman H. Gray St. Stephen's School Seminary Post Office Alexandria, Virginia
WGSxPCR 106
THE PHILLIPS EXETER ACADEMY Exeter, New Hanpshire
COPY Willi sub 0. Saltonstall, Principal
October 13, 1956
Dear Mr. Grayi
The question you ask in your letter of October 9 is a difficult one, but I think I would answer it in this way*
As you look back on your experience can you suggest any Way, or ways, of strengthening the school that might hare better prepared you for the generous enjoyment of life? Another way of phrasing it might be to ask whether the graduate1s experience at school induced a hunger for learning that would carry over throughout life.
Sincerely yours,
(signed) William G. Saltonstall
Ur. Norman H. Gray St. Stephen's School Seminary Post Office Alexandria, Virginia
WGStER (Dictated by Mr. Saltonstall and signed in his absence) 107
KENT SCHOOL Kent, Connecticut
COPY
September 17, 1958
Ur. Norman H. Gray Research Project Director St. Stephen's School Seminary P. 0. Alexandria, Va.
Dear Mr. Gray*
I'm sorry that a reply to your letter of July 29th has been delayed so long. Unfortunately, we have very little to offer you in the way of advice concerning the study you are projecting.
About the only thing we have done recently along the line you are working is a careful tabulation of the grades made by our graduates in college compared with the grades made at Kent School. This is a very complicated kind of study and I'm not at all sure that it proves anything. The upshot of this was that we have joined the National Registration Office from which we hope to secure some more meaningful information.
In short, the best we can offer you at the moment is our good wishes in a very difficult job.
Sincerely yours,
Raydon P. Ronshaugen Assistant Headmaster
RPR:nc 108
SAINT MARK'S SCHOOL (SKAL) SOUTHBOROUGH, MASS.
COPY
August 11, 1958
Dear Mr. Gray:
On my return to my desk for a few days, I have your letter of July 29th, and find I must tell you that during recent years we have made no study here about the job our boys have been doing in college. We do, of course, get reports and study them carefully but we have made no such effort as you evidently have in mind. All I can say, therefore, is good luck to you.
Sincerely yours,
W. W. Barber, Jr.. Headmaster.
Mr. Norman H. Gray St. Stephen's School Seminary P. 0. Alexandria, Va. THB IAWRSNCEVILLE SCHCX)L Lawrenceville, Now Jersey
COPY
Assistant Head Master August U, 1958
Mr* Norman H. Gray Research Project Director St. Stephen's School Seminary P. 0* Alexandria, Virginia
Dear Mr. Gray,
I wish to acknowledge receipt of your letter of July 29, addressed to Dr. Heely who is away on vacation.
In response to your request, I write to say that no such study as you are interested in has been made here at Lawrenceville.
Sincerely yours,
(signed) Arthur R. Hyatt
B Assistant Head Master 110
EEEHFIELD ACADEMY Deerfield, Massachusetts
COPY
December 29, 1958
Dear Mr. Gray:
Thank you for your letter of November twenty-first.
I do apologize for not answering it and your question of October ninth long before this, but the fall has been terribly busy at Deerfield and my correspondence has suffered accordingly.
I have discussed your letter at length with a number of members of the faculty, and we in our united efforts came to the conclusion that the one question we would perhaps like to ask all of our graduates is, MAs you look back, what part of your Deerfield experience has been most meaningful to you?"
The reason that we approach it in a positive fashion rather than in a negative one is in order to avoid the sometimes critical attitude that can develop in boys of the college age. This is not necessarily true of all boys, obviously, but I feel that while they are still in college it is difficult for them to weigh the full meaning of everything which has been done for them in the secondary school. The problem or situation which develops for them at the moment in col lege may be difficult, and so they naturally will, if approached with a question at this time, refer back to that portion of their secondary school career which might have affected that particular aspect of their work.
I realize that this may not be just the answer for which you are looking in your survey, but I do feel that that would be the ap proach which we would make if we decided to ask such a question of our alumni.
I do hope if you are ever in this vicinity you will plan to stop by and visit with us, for I would enjoy showing you about the campus, having you meet some of our faculty, and talk with our boys. The town also is in a most interesting state of preservation and is well worth a trip to see that, ify best wishes to you.
Cordially yours,
(signed) Frank L. Boydon
Mr. Norman Gray Ill
DE2RFIELD ACADKMY Deerfield, Massachusetts
COPY
August 5, 1958
Dear Mr. Gray:
Thank you for your letter of July twenty-ninth.
The study which you have in mind sounds very interesting, but we have never made one in a regularly organized way. I personally check over with the registrar the reports of our boys as they come frosi the colleges and write to them individually suggesting that the work is not up to the standard which their native ability indicates they can maintain.
To those who have done well a word of appreciation and a dis cussion of any subject in which they may have been having difficulty is given. As an illustration, we find that freshmen are urged to take courses which they are not yet ready to pursue .successfully, such as economics and philosophy, for in general we have found that these require the maturity of a sophomore or upper classman. We also find the tendency on the part of parents to push boys into physics and advanced math and engineering for which a boy may have no real ability, but should pursue a liberal arts course with law or business in mind.
I am inclined to think that this study is an individual one and with us, at least, it falls into the province of the registrar and myself.
I have been very much interested in Virginia for the past three years as 1 have served on the Federal Commission for the Jamestown- WiHiamsburg-Yorktown Celebration. I came to have a very real admira tion for the State and its people.
If you get up this way at any time I hope you will plan to stop off and see us.
Cordially yours,
(signed) Frank L. Boyden Mr. Norman H. Gray Research Project Director St. Stephen's School Seminary P. 0. Seminary Road Alexandria, Virginia 112 GROTON SCHOOL Groton, Massachusetts
COPY
December 5, 1958
Dear Mr. Gray:
Yte have nothing of a printed nature which would be of value to you in your study.
I am wondering whether you might not like to come up some time to spend a few days here at Groton and to-talk with various members of our faculty. This would seem to me particularly pertinent as then we would know exactly what kind of thing you had in mind and give you the benefit of our thinking, such as it is, on similar matters.
Sincerely yours,
(signed) John Crocker
Mr. Norman H. Gray Director of Hesearch St. Stephen's School Seminary Road Alexandria, Virginia 113
GROTON SCHOOL Groton, Massachusetts
COPY
September 1*, 1958
Dear Mr. Gray:
Thank you for your kind letter of July 29th which I have on my return from vacation.
We are in the process of undertaking a study of our curriculum, our daily schedule and various aspects of our School's corporate life. This may take some time and, as yet, we have nothing in sriting that would be of service to you.
I suppose every school engages in projects of self-study and I trust that you have been able to secure printed information from certain other schools in which you have an interest.
Sincerely yours,
(signed) John Crocker
Mr. Norman H. Gray Research Project Director St. Stephen's School Seminary Road Alexandria, Virginia 11h TILTON SCHOOL Tilton, New Hanpshire
Herbert B. Moore, Headmaster
COPY
August 1, 195t>
Mr* Norman H. Gray Research Project Director St. Stephen* s School Seminary Hoad Alexandria, Virginia
Dear Mr. Grayt
I am sorry that we have made no study along the lines that you indicate in your letter of July 29th.
For sane time I have thought this to be a good idea and would hope that Tilton School might in the future conduct such a survey. If you come to any general conclusion in your work and would be willing pass them along I would be most appreciative of receiving them.
Sincerely,
HBM:d Herbert B. Moore 115
TILTON SCHOOL Tilton, New Hampshire
Herbert B. Moore, Headmaster
COPY
December it, 1958
Mr. Norman H. Gray Director of Research St. Stephen's School Alexandria, Virginia
Dear Mr. Gray:
The reason I have not answered your letter of October 9th is that it poses a problem which is unsolvable, at least by me. I would feel terribly frustrated if I were allowed only question to ask our alumni in the hopes of determining the school's strength or weaknesses.
I suppose that if I had to limit myself I might try "What one course was most beneficial to you in preparation for the type of work you received in college, and why?" Perhaps this question would be vague enough to elicit significant responses.
I am a fraid that I am not much help in this regard but I am most anxious to see the results of your work. Please excuse my delay in aswering your earlier letter.
Sincerely,
HBM/s Herbert B. Moore 116
ST. CHRISTOPHER'S SCTOOL 711 St. Christopher's Road • Richmond 26, Virginia
COPY
July 31, 1958
Mr. Norman H. Gray Research Project Director St. Stephen's Sch&ol Seminary Road Alexandria, Va.
Dear Mr. Grays
For the past eight or ten years we have been using the services of the National Registration Office For Independent Schools in order to give us an idea of the adequacy of the preparation of our seniors for college. We also get reports from the individual colleges.
If you would like a copy of the report from the NRQFIS we shall be glad to send it to you at a later date. I shall see Mr. Hoy at a meeting next week and shall be glad to talk to him relative to this.
Sincerely yours,
R. W. Bugg Headmaster
KWBsB 117
MOUNT HERiiON SCHOOL Mount Hermon, Massachusetts
COPY
Office of the Assistant Headmaster November 17, 1958
Mr. Norman H. Gray Director of Research St. Stephen's School Seminary P. 0. Seminary Road Alexandria, Virginia
Dear Mr. Gray*
I am not sure that this very belated r eply to your letter of October 9 will be of much help to you in preparing the special questionnaire which you plan to circulate among your graduates. Unfortunately your letter arrived while I was away from campus on an extended trip, and since my return I have been kept so busy with individual interviews with seniors and with college representatives that correspondence has of necessity been relegated to a secondary position. However, 1 assure you of our continued interest in your project and I hope that what follows may be of some help.
It would be rather difficult, it seems to me, to determine from a single question what thoughts and ideas one of our graduates might have which would be helpful to us in determining our strengths or weaknesses either in curriculum or method. I normally start any such discussion with alumni as they visit the campus by asking what difficulties, if any, they have faced in meeting the academic demands in their first year in college. This leads to further questions such as, "In what way has your preparation to meetlhese demands been deficient? Have you found the sudden change from the routine and regularity of boarding school life to the relative freedom in college more than you could cope with successfully at the start? Ware you properly indoctrinated in note taking, preparation of special reports, planning and proper use of free time, etc.?"
Ae certainly wish you all success in your efforts to prepare a suitable questionnaire, and we should certainly be interested in any report based on the returns.
Cordially yours,
ADP/ap Arthur D. Platt 118
MOUNT HfiiMON SCHOOL Mount Hermon, Massachusetts
COPY
Office of the Assistant Headmaster August 6, 1958
Mr. Norman H. Cray Research Project Director St. Stephen's School Seminary P. 0. Seminary Road Alexandria, Virginia
Dear Mr. Gray:
I regret to say that we have so far not made any formal or exhaustive study such as the one you are now undertaking at St. Stephen's School. If such a study had been undertaken here, we certainly should be pleased to send you a copy of the results. Perhaps in the not too distant future we shall attempt such an analysis. In the meantime, best wishes to you in your research project; and if when completed, you feel inclined to share the results with us, we should be pleased to receive a copy.
Cordially yours,
Arthur D. Platt
ADP/ap 119
ST. MARK'S SCHOOL OF TEXAS
Office of the Registrar 10 6 0 0 Preston Road Dallas JO
COPY
August 11, 1958
Mr* Norman H. Gray Research Project Director St. Stephen's School Seminary P. 0. Alexandria, Virginia
Dear Mr. urayt
Your letter addressed to Mr. Iglehart was forwarded to my office. Mr. Thomas B. Hartmann is the present headmaster of St* Mark's. Mr. Iglehart is now at the Choate School, Wallingford, Connecticut.
To my knowledge there has not been a study of St. Mark's as outlined in your letter.
Thank you very much for your interest.
Sincerely,
Hal Curry Registrar
HLC.s rb 120
THOMAS JEKFiERSON SCHOOL Houte 6, St. Louis 23, Missouri
Robin McCoy, Headmaster COPY
December 1, 1958
Mr. Norman H. Gray Director of Research St. Stephen's School Seminary P. 0., Seminary Road Alexandria, Virginia
Dear Mr. Grays
Axciuse this late reply to your letter of October 8. After checking with the faculty on what one question we would ask our gradu ates, this one seemed to us the bests
"if you had the power, what one change would you make in the school?"
I hope this will be useful to you#
Cordially,
Dawes Potter Associate Headmaster DP :1b 121
THOMAS JEFFERSON SCHOOL Route 6, St. Louis 23* Missouri
Robin McCoy, Headmaster COPY
August U, 195B
Mr. Norman H. Gray Research Project Director St. Stephen's School Seminary P. 0. Seminary Road Alexandria, Virginia
Dear Mr. Gray:
•1-n reply to your question about the adequacy of our students' preparation for college, wa have not made a formal study. However, there are two things we do to check on the college preparation job we are doing.
First, we get the results of the National Registration Office each year. As you probably know, these reports compare a student's freshman performance in college with his senior year in preparatory school. The comparisons have a healthful way of keeping our grading system in line with reality. On the average our graduates get higher grades in college than they do here.
Second, we have alumni polls which we sand out at various intervals after graduation asking the boys about their preparation. How does it seem two years or five years after they leave here? We get some of this same information from yearly visits to most of the colleges our boys go to, and from our graduates when they come back for visits.
I hope this information will be of some help.
Cordially yours,
Dawes Potter Associate Headmaster
DP :1b 122
APPENDIX IX
QUESTIONNAIRE
QUESTIONS
1. Were you prepared for the work of your college course? (check one)
a. Fully prepared______
b. Moderately prepared ______
c• Poorly prepared______
d. Unprepared ______
2. In what subject was your preparation most adequate? ______
3. In what subject was your preparation least adequate? ______
I t . Describe in what respect, if any, the academic demand of your college differed most strikingly from the demand of your work at St* Stephen1So
5. How was the transition to college studies from preparatory studies? (check one)
a. Very difficult______
b# Moderately difficult ______
c. Somewhat difficult ______
d. Not difficult at all ______
6» Did you find it harder to study at college than at St. Stephen's? (check one) 123
APPENDIX IX (continued)
a. Much harder______
b. Moderately harder ______
c. Somewhat harder______
id. No difference at all______
e. Somewhat easier______
f. Moderately easier ______
g. Much easier ______
7* Describe in what respect, if any, your values and attitudes were different from those of the majority of your college classmates?
8. Describe the most difficult problem you faced in changing from St. Stephen's School to college.
9. Were you properly prepared in note-taking, preparation of special reports, planning and proper use of free time? (check one)
a. Fully prepared? ______
b. Moderately prepared? ______
c. Slightly prepared? ______
d. Not prepared? ______
10. In the light of your experiences at College and at St. Stephen's School, what recommendations would you make concerning the St. Stephen's program to help the program better prepare boys for college? APPENDIX I
St. Stephen's School Seminary Poet Office Alexandria, Virginia March 28, I 9 6 0
Dear Graduate:
You will be glad to know that your Alma Mater, St. Stephen's School for Boys, is making an effort to ascertain "How well it prepares its boys for College."
We need your help in this program. We need to know some facts about you and some of your judgments. This will help us decide what kind of education those students presently in school and those on the way up should have*
You are asked to fill out the enclosed questionnaire— it will take only a few moments— put it unsigned in the accompanying self-addressed envelope, and drop it in the mail.
Do fill out the questionnaire promptly, won't you? I am thanking you in advance.
Sincerely,
Norman H. Gray Director of Research
NHG/el