Chapter 1 - The Eight-Year Study is Launched

Schools and Colleges Join Hands

8 Year Home
8 Year Web Project
Introduction
I-Study-Launched
Introduction
Face-the-Facts
More-Facts
Join-Hands
Chosen-Schools
Plan-for-Freedom
More-Plans
Footnotes
II Schools Choose
III Curriculum-Needs
IV-Schools-Study-Pupils
V In College?
VI We Learned
Appendix
Index
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indentThe plan of co-operation between schools and colleges provided that a small number of representative secondary schools, to be selected by the Directing Connnittee2 of the Commission, would be released from the usual subject and unit requirements for college admission for a period of five years,3beginning with the class entering college in 1936. Practically all accredited colleges and universities agreed to this plan. Relatively few colleges require candidates to take College Entrance Board Examinations. In such cases, these examinations were waived by all except Harvard, Haverford, Princeton, and Yale. These four men's colleges, with this one reservation, accepted the proposal and agreed to co-operate. The Directing Committee was especially appreciative of the full co-operation of the women's colleges.

indentIt was agreed that admission to college during the experimental period would be based upon the following criteria:4

  1. indentRecommendation from the principal of the co-operating secondary school to the effect that the graduating student (a) is possessed of the requisite general intelligence to carry on college work creditably; (b) has well-defined, serious interests and purposes; (c) has demonstrated ability to work successfully in one or more fields of study in which the college offers instruction.

  2. indentA carefully recorded history of the student's school life and of his activities and interests, including results of various types of examinations and other evidence of the quality and quantity of the candidate's work, also scores on scholastic aptitude, achievement, and other diagnostic tests given by the schools during the secondary school course.

    indentIt is intended that the tests used will be of such character that the results submitted to the colleges will give a more adequate and complete picture of the candidate than is given by methods now in use. A special Committee on Records is now at work endeavoring to determine:

    1. What information the college needs for wise selection and guidance of students;
    2. How that information can best be secured;
    3. In what form it should be recorded and presented to the

indentThe co-operating colleges will not be obliged to admit under this agreement all such students as meet the new requirements. However, during the experimental period and from the limited group of cooperating schools, the colleges agree to accept students under this plan without regard to the course anti unit requirements now generally in force for all students, and without further examination. The-colleges, for this period, agree, also, that students applying for admission under the new requirements will be considered without discrimination in comparison with students applying from other schools where present requirements are in effect.

indentThe Directing Committee approached the task of selecting the secondary schools to participate in the Study by asking school and college officials in strategic positions in various parts of the country to recommend schools which would contribute to the improvement of secondary education if given the opportunity provided by this agreement with colleges and universities. About two hundred schools were suggested. Every member of the Committee then occupied a full-time, responsible post. No one was free to give the time necessary for careful investigation, but acting as wisely as possible under the circumstances, the Committee chose twenty-eight schools which seemed well-qualified to promote the purpose of the Study. Later two California schools were added.

National Middle School Association University of Maine at Farmington MAMLE - Our Maine Concern McMel - Maine Center for Meaningful and Engaged Learning Mike Muir
Casey J. Brooks
Erica Haywood
Page Updated Monday, April 24, 2000