What goes on the high school record is of concern to tile student, his parents, tile college admission committee, the prospective employer, and others. Those who have been involved in the Eight-Year Study have emphasized continuously the importance of what is recorded and reported about high school boys and girls. Students know that what the school writes down reveals its real objectives much more clearly than the usual catalog "statement of purposes." Therefore, they work for the things the school records; they want "a good record."

The obligation to secure, record, and report pertinent data concerning candidates was inherent in the agreement with the colleges. The schools had promised to provide the colleges with evidence of the candidate's readiness for college work. They wanted to give colleges more significant information than the student's record of units and grades. It was their hope that each applicant would be so completely described that the college would have a much better basis for selection and guidance than ever before. If this could be done, the transition from school to college would be facilitated and the student's educational experience in school and college could have both unity and continuity.

Recognizing the importance of recording and reporting, the Directing Committee formed the Committee on Records and Reports when the participating schools began their new work in 1933. All of the work of this committee, and of tile special recording committees formed later, has been done under the direction of Dr. Eugene R. Smith, Head master, Beaver Country Day School. The Committee on Records and Reports was asked to aid the schools in determining

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 colleges.

The Committee bad not gone far with its work before it was realized that the task it had assumed was difficult arid extensive. Although its original purpose was to assist the Thirty Schools in furnishing colleges needed information, the Committee was soon asked to help the schools in the whole field of evaluation for all pupils, whether they were going to college or not. Therefore, it became necessary to secure additional service and to divide the work. To assist the schools in collecting evidence of each student's progress, the Evaluation Staff was organized with Dr. Ralph AV. Tyler as Director. Its work is reported in the first section of this chapter and in Chapter V. The responsibility for assistance to the schools in recording and reporting evidence remained with this Committee. The major aspects of its eight years of work are presented here. ³

For its own guidance the Committee set up general purposes and working objectives of recording. They are given here for the aid they may be to others: in the same field.

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