ARE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS GETTING A
SQUARE
DEAL ?
By G. W.
Gaylee,
Superintendent of Schools, Canton,
Illinois.
Tlie study given below is a continuation of the one published last month entitled "Enrolment by Grades in Fourteen School Systems of Central Illinois." It aims to throw light upon the cause of the continuous decrease in attendance from the first grade to the senior year in high school. The question raised here is whether elimination is due to the fact that boys and girls do not desire an education or is it due to a lack of right conditions caused by the cheapening of the work? Would the elimination, at least in part, be obviated based
on
by
the
a
more
distribution of of children enrolled ?
equitable
percentage
Much has been said in
recent years about
It is the
high
school education.
been
kept constantly before
one
the
of the
and funds
high school system
and
that has
the school
made to this but it should not be
graded school
part
pupils
public. No objection can be forgotten that the elementary
bulwark of education.
Here is where all in form of and democratic people go any of first. In a democracy the government these must be taken care many must be cared for as well as the few, the 85 per cent must is the
great
the children of all the
receive their due
Table I
proportion of time and funds. gives data with regard to the grades only, for thirteen
school systems of Central Illinois. In these thirteen systems are enrolled 28,8G5 pupils. These pupils are taught by 853 teachers, average of 34
Only four school systems (Jacksonville, Quincy, Champaign) have a lower The cost of average. average teaching is $17.20 per pupil. Four towns have a cost higher per pupil, the same that have a lower enrolment than the general average. The average salary average
an
pupils
to the teacher.
Molinc and
per teacher in these thirteen systems is a month for nine months in the year. average.
These
Quincy.
are
$582.29 Five
per year
or
$04.70
towns pay above
the
Moline, Rock Island, Pekin, Decatur, and
Table II
concerns the high school only. There are 4999 pupils enrolled in the thirteen systems and 205 teachers employed. This gives on an average 24 pupils to the teacher. The cost of teaching in the thirteen schools for the year (found by adding
(174)
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
175
TABLE I.
|
Town
;
Grade Enrolment
Grade Teach-
Average
ers
Pupils
No. of
Average Cost per Pupil
Average Yearly
Salary
Average Monthly Salary
13.18
499.59 549.31 619.47
55.51 61.03 68.83
I Canton Jacksonville.. Moline
1857 1538
49 58
2874
20
37.9 26.6 23.9
Champaign.
.
1698
51
33.2
Rock Island.. Monmouth.
2977 1256
83 35
35.8 35.8
15
Galesburg.
2722
72
37.8
15.3
1116
28
39.8
12.1
1689
40
42.2
15.24
1011
Total
Cost of Grade
Teachers
Beardstown. Pekin Clinton.. Mattoon. Decatur.
28
36.1
13.6
1947
45
43.2
11.7
614.51 538.57 581.47 482.34 643.75 492.85 510.50
4685
124
35.3
16.1
608.70
67.63
Quincy..
3495
120
29.1
23.8
611.35
67.92
24,480 31,860 74,336.39 29,430 51,005 18,850 41,866 13,506 25,750 13,800 22,972.50 75,480 73,362.71
28,865 I
853
33.8
17.20
582.29
64.70
496,698.60
Average Yearly Salary
Average Monthly Salary
Cost of High
872.25 995.26 852.21
96.91 110.58
.
.
Totals
20.7
25.8 17.3 16.1
577.06
64.11
68.27 59.84 64.60
53.51 71.52 54.76 56.72
TABLE II.
Total
High i School I
Town
Enrolment
Canton.... Jacksonville Moline j
High
Average
Average
School
No. of
Teach-
Cost per
Pupils
Pupil
255
10
25.5
34.20
354
17
20.8
48.08
418
19
22
38.73
Champaign.
387
15
25.8
36.55
Rock Island Monmouth
501
20
25
40.50
392
14
Galesburg.
774
28
28 27.6 27.5
28.88 32.31 24.38 37.87 31.20 33.71
! '
943
1014.75 SOS.92
229
9
25.4
582
28
27.8
43.61
Quincy
500
20
25
49.05
1389.72 672.28 833.33 751.11 857.77 906.50 1226.40
Totals.
4999
205
24.4
37.80
922.28
Beardstown Pekin... Clinton. Mattoon.. Decatur... ..
193
7
198
9
22
216
9
24
94.69
104.77 112.75 89.95 154.41 74.70 92.60 83.45 95.30 100.72 136.26
102.55
School Teachers
8,722.50 16,920 16,192.12 14,145 20,295 11,325 25,015 4,706 7,500 6,760 7,720 25,382.50 24,528.16
189,211.28
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC.
176
salaries of all cost per
pupil
school
liigli of
is
teachers)
$189,211.28
or an
average
$37.80.
than the average. These are JacksonIsland, Decatur, and Quincy. The average ville, Moline, is salary paid $922.28 per annum or $102.55 a month. Six schools Five schools cost
more
Rock
are
Jacksonville, Champaign, Quincy. Island, Galesburg, Decatur, The most interesting points in this study come out in compar-
paying
Rock
ing
above the average.
are
and
and
in the 853
These
the figures given in the two tables. Notice that in these schools 28,8G5 children are taught by average of 34 children to the teacher, while in the
contrasting eight grades
teachers,
an
high schools 4999 pupils are taken average of 24 pupils to the teacher. when
they
care
The
by 205 teachers or an grades have the children
of
helpless and when more individual instruction yet have on the average ten more pupils to the
are most
is necessary and
teacher. Further it will be dren in the
grades
school it is
$37.80
that
on
that the average cost for teaching chilper pupil enrolled is $17.20, while in the high or a little over twice as much. When we know seen
the average about 85 per
cent of the
children in these sys-
tems never go further than the eighth grade, the question naturally arises as to whether the large majority of the children are getting a
public money expended for education. Are people given an equal opportunity? The average salary of the grade teachers in these schools is $582.29 per annum or $04.70 a month, while the high school
fair
proportion
of the
all the children of all the
teachers receive on the average $922.28 per year or $102.55 per month. In all cases both in the high school and in the grades the salaries of the principals were included, but the salaries of supervisors and
superintendents were not. Here we see that the children of the grades do not have as high salaried teachers as pupils of the high school although it is generally agreed that the best trained teachers are needed in the elementary school rather than in the high school. Table ITT shows the percentage of pupils taught in the grades as compared and contrasted with the percentage cared for by high schools and the percentage of money paid for salaries in the grades as compared with the percentage paid for salaries in the high schools. For the grades in Canton take care of example 88.2 per cent of the total enrolment but receive 73.7 per cent of the total money paid for salaries, while the high school takes 11.8 per cent of the pupils and receives 26.3 per cent of the total money
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. for salaries.
spent
pupils
are
In the thirteen
taught by
177
84.1 per cent of the grades who receive 71.3
systems
the teachers of the
per cent of the total money spent for teachers' salaries, while in the high schools there are enrolled 15.8 per cent of the students and the teachers receive 28.7 per ccnt of money spent for salaries. This does not take into account money spent for apparatus and other
which is
material,
in the
always greater
high
school than in
TABLE III.
Per cent of Pupils in
Town
of Money for
Per cent
Per cent of Pupils in High Schools
Grade
Per cent of
Money for High School Teaching
Grades
Teaching
Canton Jacksonville. Moline
88.2 81.2
73.7 65.3
87.3
82.1
12.7
17.9
Champaign.
81 85.5
20.9 14.3
32.5
Rock Island. Monmouth..
70.2
67.5 71.5 62.4
23.8
37.6
j !
11.8
26.3
19.2
34.7
28.5
Galesburg...
77.9
62.5
22.1
37.5
Beardstown. Pckin Clinton
84.6
89.5
14.7 10.5
22.6
Mattoon
89.5
Decatur.
88.9
74.1 77.4 66.6 74.8 74.8
11.1
25.2
Quincy
87.4
74.9
12.6
25.1
Average.
84.1
71.3
15.8
28.7
82.1
school.
After
studying
25.9
17.6
33.3
10.8
25.2
these conditions
carefully, significant question arises?Are the grade children, the eighty-five per cent or more of the total enrolment, getting a above bear out the criticism by Dr. square deal ? The facts given G. Stanley Hall in "Educational Problems" (page 543) that "We have paid relatively vastly too much attention to the few who go on to secondary and higher technical, liberal and professional education, and have wastefully, not to say disgracefully, neglected the
elementary
the very
the needs of the
masses
of
our
children and
youth."
SQUARE
DEAL ?
By G. W.
Gaylee,
Superintendent of Schools, Canton,
Illinois.
Tlie study given below is a continuation of the one published last month entitled "Enrolment by Grades in Fourteen School Systems of Central Illinois." It aims to throw light upon the cause of the continuous decrease in attendance from the first grade to the senior year in high school. The question raised here is whether elimination is due to the fact that boys and girls do not desire an education or is it due to a lack of right conditions caused by the cheapening of the work? Would the elimination, at least in part, be obviated based
on
by
the
a
more
distribution of of children enrolled ?
equitable
percentage
Much has been said in
recent years about
It is the
high
school education.
been
kept constantly before
one
the
of the
and funds
high school system
and
that has
the school
made to this but it should not be
graded school
part
pupils
public. No objection can be forgotten that the elementary
bulwark of education.
Here is where all in form of and democratic people go any of first. In a democracy the government these must be taken care many must be cared for as well as the few, the 85 per cent must is the
great
the children of all the
receive their due
Table I
proportion of time and funds. gives data with regard to the grades only, for thirteen
school systems of Central Illinois. In these thirteen systems are enrolled 28,8G5 pupils. These pupils are taught by 853 teachers, average of 34
Only four school systems (Jacksonville, Quincy, Champaign) have a lower The cost of average. average teaching is $17.20 per pupil. Four towns have a cost higher per pupil, the same that have a lower enrolment than the general average. The average salary average
an
pupils
to the teacher.
Molinc and
per teacher in these thirteen systems is a month for nine months in the year. average.
These
Quincy.
are
$582.29 Five
per year
or
$04.70
towns pay above
the
Moline, Rock Island, Pekin, Decatur, and
Table II
concerns the high school only. There are 4999 pupils enrolled in the thirteen systems and 205 teachers employed. This gives on an average 24 pupils to the teacher. The cost of teaching in the thirteen schools for the year (found by adding
(174)
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
175
TABLE I.
|
Town
;
Grade Enrolment
Grade Teach-
Average
ers
Pupils
No. of
Average Cost per Pupil
Average Yearly
Salary
Average Monthly Salary
13.18
499.59 549.31 619.47
55.51 61.03 68.83
I Canton Jacksonville.. Moline
1857 1538
49 58
2874
20
37.9 26.6 23.9
Champaign.
.
1698
51
33.2
Rock Island.. Monmouth.
2977 1256
83 35
35.8 35.8
15
Galesburg.
2722
72
37.8
15.3
1116
28
39.8
12.1
1689
40
42.2
15.24
1011
Total
Cost of Grade
Teachers
Beardstown. Pekin Clinton.. Mattoon. Decatur.
28
36.1
13.6
1947
45
43.2
11.7
614.51 538.57 581.47 482.34 643.75 492.85 510.50
4685
124
35.3
16.1
608.70
67.63
Quincy..
3495
120
29.1
23.8
611.35
67.92
24,480 31,860 74,336.39 29,430 51,005 18,850 41,866 13,506 25,750 13,800 22,972.50 75,480 73,362.71
28,865 I
853
33.8
17.20
582.29
64.70
496,698.60
Average Yearly Salary
Average Monthly Salary
Cost of High
872.25 995.26 852.21
96.91 110.58
.
.
Totals
20.7
25.8 17.3 16.1
577.06
64.11
68.27 59.84 64.60
53.51 71.52 54.76 56.72
TABLE II.
Total
High i School I
Town
Enrolment
Canton.... Jacksonville Moline j
High
Average
Average
School
No. of
Teach-
Cost per
Pupils
Pupil
255
10
25.5
34.20
354
17
20.8
48.08
418
19
22
38.73
Champaign.
387
15
25.8
36.55
Rock Island Monmouth
501
20
25
40.50
392
14
Galesburg.
774
28
28 27.6 27.5
28.88 32.31 24.38 37.87 31.20 33.71
! '
943
1014.75 SOS.92
229
9
25.4
582
28
27.8
43.61
Quincy
500
20
25
49.05
1389.72 672.28 833.33 751.11 857.77 906.50 1226.40
Totals.
4999
205
24.4
37.80
922.28
Beardstown Pekin... Clinton. Mattoon.. Decatur... ..
193
7
198
9
22
216
9
24
94.69
104.77 112.75 89.95 154.41 74.70 92.60 83.45 95.30 100.72 136.26
102.55
School Teachers
8,722.50 16,920 16,192.12 14,145 20,295 11,325 25,015 4,706 7,500 6,760 7,720 25,382.50 24,528.16
189,211.28
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC.
176
salaries of all cost per
pupil
school
liigli of
is
teachers)
$189,211.28
or an
average
$37.80.
than the average. These are JacksonIsland, Decatur, and Quincy. The average ville, Moline, is salary paid $922.28 per annum or $102.55 a month. Six schools Five schools cost
more
Rock
are
Jacksonville, Champaign, Quincy. Island, Galesburg, Decatur, The most interesting points in this study come out in compar-
paying
Rock
ing
above the average.
are
and
and
in the 853
These
the figures given in the two tables. Notice that in these schools 28,8G5 children are taught by average of 34 children to the teacher, while in the
contrasting eight grades
teachers,
an
high schools 4999 pupils are taken average of 24 pupils to the teacher. when
they
care
The
by 205 teachers or an grades have the children
of
helpless and when more individual instruction yet have on the average ten more pupils to the
are most
is necessary and
teacher. Further it will be dren in the
grades
school it is
$37.80
that
on
that the average cost for teaching chilper pupil enrolled is $17.20, while in the high or a little over twice as much. When we know seen
the average about 85 per
cent of the
children in these sys-
tems never go further than the eighth grade, the question naturally arises as to whether the large majority of the children are getting a
public money expended for education. Are people given an equal opportunity? The average salary of the grade teachers in these schools is $582.29 per annum or $04.70 a month, while the high school
fair
proportion
of the
all the children of all the
teachers receive on the average $922.28 per year or $102.55 per month. In all cases both in the high school and in the grades the salaries of the principals were included, but the salaries of supervisors and
superintendents were not. Here we see that the children of the grades do not have as high salaried teachers as pupils of the high school although it is generally agreed that the best trained teachers are needed in the elementary school rather than in the high school. Table ITT shows the percentage of pupils taught in the grades as compared and contrasted with the percentage cared for by high schools and the percentage of money paid for salaries in the grades as compared with the percentage paid for salaries in the high schools. For the grades in Canton take care of example 88.2 per cent of the total enrolment but receive 73.7 per cent of the total money paid for salaries, while the high school takes 11.8 per cent of the pupils and receives 26.3 per cent of the total money
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. for salaries.
spent
pupils
are
In the thirteen
taught by
177
84.1 per cent of the grades who receive 71.3
systems
the teachers of the
per cent of the total money spent for teachers' salaries, while in the high schools there are enrolled 15.8 per cent of the students and the teachers receive 28.7 per ccnt of money spent for salaries. This does not take into account money spent for apparatus and other
which is
material,
in the
always greater
high
school than in
TABLE III.
Per cent of Pupils in
Town
of Money for
Per cent
Per cent of Pupils in High Schools
Grade
Per cent of
Money for High School Teaching
Grades
Teaching
Canton Jacksonville. Moline
88.2 81.2
73.7 65.3
87.3
82.1
12.7
17.9
Champaign.
81 85.5
20.9 14.3
32.5
Rock Island. Monmouth..
70.2
67.5 71.5 62.4
23.8
37.6
j !
11.8
26.3
19.2
34.7
28.5
Galesburg...
77.9
62.5
22.1
37.5
Beardstown. Pckin Clinton
84.6
89.5
14.7 10.5
22.6
Mattoon
89.5
Decatur.
88.9
74.1 77.4 66.6 74.8 74.8
11.1
25.2
Quincy
87.4
74.9
12.6
25.1
Average.
84.1
71.3
15.8
28.7
82.1
school.
After
studying
25.9
17.6
33.3
10.8
25.2
these conditions
carefully, significant question arises?Are the grade children, the eighty-five per cent or more of the total enrolment, getting a above bear out the criticism by Dr. square deal ? The facts given G. Stanley Hall in "Educational Problems" (page 543) that "We have paid relatively vastly too much attention to the few who go on to secondary and higher technical, liberal and professional education, and have wastefully, not to say disgracefully, neglected the
elementary
the very
the needs of the
masses
of
our
children and
youth."
