LB 
 
 IfcSI 
 
 00 
 
 xO 
 
 LO 
 
 to 
 
REPOR^ 
 
 on the 
 
 c 
 
 OF 
 
 fin? 
 
 Cost and Labor of English 
 Teaching 
 
 by a Committee of the 
 
 Modern Language Association of America 
 
 ^i '-" 
 
 and the 
 National Council of Teachers of English 
 
 MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE 
 
 F. G. HUBBARD, 
 
 University of Wisconsin. 
 
 A. B. NOBLE, 
 
 Iowa State College. 
 
 V. C. COULTER, 
 
 J. M. THOMAS, 
 
 University of Minnesota. 
 
 H. G. PAUL, 
 
 University of Illinois. 
 
 E. M. HOPKINS, Chairman, 
 
 Warrensburg Normal School, Mo. University of Kansas. 
 
 DECEMBER, 1913 
 
EDITIONS 
 
 PRELIMINARY REPORT 
 
 Published by the University of Kansas for distribution in Kansas. 
 Published by the Iowa State Board of Education for distribution in Iowa. 
 
 Published by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English for distribution 
 in Illinois. 
 
 Distributed in Missouri by the English Department of the University of Mis- 
 souri. 
 
 Published by the English Department of Mississippi A. and M. College for 
 distribution in Mississippi. 
 
 Published by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction for distribution in 
 Michigan. 
 
 Published by the Wisconsin Association of Teachers of English for distribution 
 in Wisconsin. 
 
 Published jointly by the English Departments of the Massachusetts Agricultural 
 College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mt. Holyoke 
 College, Trinity College, and the Connecticut Agricultural College, for 
 distribution in New England. 
 
 SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT 
 
 Published by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English for distribution in 
 
 Illinois. 
 Published by the English Department of the University of Kansas for distribution 
 
 in Kansas. 
 Published by the Wisconsin Association of English Teachers for distribution in 
 
 Wisconsin. 
 Distributed in Missouri by the Missouri Society of Teachers of English and 
 
 Modern Languages. 
 
 COMPLETE EDITION 
 
 Published by the State Department of Public Instruction for distribution in Iowa. 
 Published by the University of Washington for distribution in the State of 
 Washington. 
 
 Printed by the Department of Journalism Press, University of Kansas. Orders 
 by the hundred, one dollar and seventy-five cents, carriage not prepaid; by 
 the thousand, special rate on application. Single copies five cents postpaid. 
 
PRELIMINARY REPORT 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 (This report presents the results of an organized effort to estimate the purely 
 physical and material factors of efficiency in English composition teaching.) 
 
 1. English composition is a fundamental and necessary subject in all schools, 
 and is of especial importance in primary and secondary schools. 
 
 2. Efficiency of method, as shown by many years of investigation and dis- 
 cussion, is chiefly a matter of laboratory practice and of individual instruction. 
 
 3. Under present conditions, the results of English composition teaching 
 in almost all schools are unsatisfactory, and are the subject of general complaint. 
 
 4. In composition study, themes and exercises must be written; and the 
 average of efficient practice, stated in average number of words written by a 
 single pupil weekly, is for high schools about 400, for college freshman classes 
 about 650. (See page 6.) 
 
 5. Efficiency of method requires that all such manuscript shall be read, 
 criticised, and corrected by the teacher, either orally with the pupil, or in writ- 
 ing. (Pages 6, 7, 8 and 10.) 
 
 6. The physical rate, stated in the average number of words an hour, at 
 which an average teacher can carefully read and correct manuscript is for high 
 schools about 2000 and for college freshmen about 2200. (Page 7.) 
 
 7. Long continued criticism and correcting of manscript is one of the severest 
 tests of physical endurance to be found in any teaching, and the limit of full 
 and continued efficiency in it is about two hours a day or ten hours a week. 
 Much more than this results sooner or later in the physical collapse of the teach- 
 er. (Page 7.) 
 
 8. Under present conditions, the average number of composition pu- 
 pils assigned to a single teacher is in high schools about 130, in college fresh- 
 man classes about 105. (Page 8.) 
 
 9. To train this number of pupils according to a proper standard of effi- 
 ciency would require of each teacher for manuscript reading alone, in high 
 schools 26 hours weekly, in colleges 31 hours weekly; or two and one-half times 
 the safe limit of physical endurance. (Page 8.) 
 
 10. Under existing conditions, theme reading, the severest part of the com- 
 position teacher's labor, is commonly not counted or allowed for in any way in 
 assigning his work. (Page 10.) 
 
 11. Under the average of existing conditions it is a physical impossibility 
 by any "method" whatever, for any English composition teacher to bring his 
 work to a proper standard of efficiency. Pages 7, 8, and 21.) 
 
 12. In determining the proper duty of an English composition teacher, the 
 standard of measurement should be, not the number of teaching hours, but the 
 number of pupils. (Page 8.) 
 
 13. The average number of pupils which a single composition teacher should 
 be able to train, according to a proper standard of efficiency is under average 
 conditions, for high schools about 50, for college freshman elates about 35. 
 Conditions in particular cases may increase or diminish this number. (Page 8.) 
 
 14. English composition, usually taught in colleges by the younger and less 
 experienced instructors, should be taught by the best teachers of a department. 
 (Page 11.) 
 
 15. Teachers should not teach English composition exclusively. (Page 10.) 
 
 16. It is commonly better to employ "theme readers "than to leave themes 
 unread, but the practice seldom maintains a proper standard of efficiency. 
 (Page 11.) 
 
COMMITTEE ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ENGLISH 
 
 Pursuant to the action of the English Council and of the Bureau of Education 
 (see pages 14 and 23), the committee of six on the labor and cost of high school 
 and college English has been enlarged to fifteen for the study of the conditions, 
 methods, and results of English teaching in elementary schools. At the annual 
 meeting of the Council held in Chicago November 27 to 29, 1913, the committee 
 secured the approval of the Council for its general plan, and the adoption of 
 resolutions requesting colleges and high school accrediting organizations to take 
 action toward establishing a maximum for the number of pupils to be assigned 
 to a single English teacher, in accordance with the conclusions of the present 
 report; conclusions that after three years, and after fifteen editions of the report 
 totaling more than 25,000 copies have been issued, stand unquestioned, besides 
 receiving incidental verification from several related investigations. Various 
 schools and organizations have already taken such action, with eminently satis- 
 factory results; and the Council resolutions are designed to make such action 
 more general. For the text of these resolutions address the secretary of the 
 Council, Professor James F. Hosic, Chicago Teachers' College. 
 
 The plan for conducting the inquiry into the English of elementary schools is 
 as follows: Every state or district organization of teachers is asked to appoint a 
 special committee to name as many local sub-committees as possible within its 
 territory and to report the list to the chairman of the central committee named 
 below. Names representing one hundred localities, more or less as may be con- 
 venient in each instance, will be sufficient, and the localities may include cities, 
 towns, and county rural schools.. To both state and local committees further 
 instructions will then be sent with reference to the nature and distribution of 
 the questionaries and the gathering and tabulating of the material. Requests 
 for information may be addressed to the chairman or to any member of the 
 central committee. 
 
 Adelaide S. Baylor, 
 
 Department of Public Instruction, 
 
 Indianapolis, Indiana. 
 F. S. Camp, 
 
 William St. School, 
 
 Stamford, Conn. 
 Superintendent M. G. Clarke, 
 
 Sioux City, Iowa. 
 V. C. Coulter, 
 
 State Normal School, 
 
 Warrensburg, Mo. 
 I. E. Goldwasser, 
 
 Public School 62, Intermediate, 
 
 New York, N. Y. 
 F. G. Hubbard, 
 
 University of Wisconsin. 
 E. L. Miller, 
 
 Central High School, 
 Detroit, Michigan. 
 
 Lucy B. Moody, 
 
 Allegheny High School, 
 
 Pittsburgh, Pa. 
 A. B. Noble, 
 
 Iowa State College. 
 H. G. Paul, 
 
 University of Illinois. 
 Asst. Supt. E. D. Roberts, 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 Elisabeth M. Sherman 
 
 Dewey School, 
 
 Oakland, Cal. 
 O. B. Sperlin, 
 
 Tacoma High School, 
 
 Tacoma, Washington. 
 J. M. Thomas, 
 
 University of Minnesota. 
 E. M. Hopkins, Chairman, 
 
 University of Kansas. 
 
PRELIMINARY REPORT 
 
 GENERAL EXPLANATION 
 Status of Committee. 
 
 In December, 1909, at a meeting of the English section of the Central Di- 
 vision of the Modern Language Association, held at Iowa City, a committee 
 was appointed to investigate and report at the next meeting of the section upon 
 the conditions of English composition teaching in high schools and in college 
 freshman classes. It was to ascertain if possible the proper amount of theme 
 writing to be required, the best way of dealing with student manuscript, the 
 necessary time, equipment, and number of teachers, and the relation of these 
 data to a proper standard of efficiency. The report was presented at the St. 
 Louis meeting of the Central Division, December 29, 1910, adopted by the 
 section, and recommended for publication. The committee was continued to 
 make further investigation, especially with reference to the comparative cost 
 of the teaching of English and of other secondary school subjects. It made 
 a report of progress at the Chicago meeting of the Modern Language Association, 
 December 29, 1911. 
 Method of Procedure. 
 
 . The method of procedure was as follows: Circulars embodying an extend- 
 ed list of specific questions were sent to all the colleges in the United States, 
 and to ten or fifteen of the leading high schools in each state; in all to about 
 eleven hundred schools and colleges. Replies were received from not quite 
 twenty per cent of this number, about evenly divided between colleges and 
 high schools, and representing more than a thousand English teachers. The 
 colleges reporting seem completely representative, and belong to 33 states; the 
 high schools reporting are mostly the larger schools, and represent 25 states. 
 Schools and colleges of the East and the Central West are most largely rep- 
 resented, next in number are the schools of the farther West, and least in number 
 those of the South. 
 Number of Schools and English Teachers. 
 
 In carrying out its task, the committee had the active aid of many friends 
 besides those who undertook the no small labor of replying to its question- 
 naire. Replies were received from 96 colleges of 345 English teachers, and 
 from 93 high schools of 552 English teachers. Supplementary high school 
 data were obtained from 122 teachers representing about 30 schools. The 
 total number of English teachers reporting is therefore 1019. 
 
 On receipt of replies, the answers to each question were accurately tabu- 
 lated, and verified by cross reference to related parts of the circular. For all 
 but a few points investigated, the questions were the same for both high schools 
 and colleges; and the answers to these questions, though separately tabulated, 
 are herein presented side by side: afterwards the answers to questions relating 
 to colleges only. Answers to questions of greater^importance have been averaged 
 by the number of teachers reporting, to those of less importance by the number of 
 schools reporting. Some answers have been computed by both methods, and 
 in no case has appeared any striking discrepancy between the two sets of re- 
 sults. 
 Value of Results. 
 
 From the first publication of this report in April of 1911, to the date of this 
 edition of 1912, and after the distribution of twelve thousand copies, no error 
 in it has been indicated save that which was anticipated: that it understates 
 existing evils and the resultant lack of efficiency. Intended to be conservative 
 
in statement, the committee now has reason to believe that it is rather too 
 conservative, but that it is otherwise completely accurate. For an account of 
 work done since April 1911, and a tentative statement of results since arrived at, 
 see pages 13, 14 and 4. 
 
 PRINCIPAL DETAILS OF THE INVESTIGATION. 
 Is theme- writing necessary in English composition teaching? 
 
 Evidently if this fundamental question can be answered in the negative, this 
 part of the investigation need proceed no farther. But no such report appears 
 in the correspondence of the committee; the vote is unanimous that oral training 
 alone is necessarily insufficient: and the average of opinions is that half the work 
 should be oral and half written. 
 
 If theme-writing is necessary, how much is there under actual conditions, and 
 how much should there be under ideal conditions? 
 
 The amount actually written under present conditions averages for high schools 
 380 words a week throughout the year, and for colleges 630 words a week. Ideal 
 conditions would slightly increase these averages to about 430 for high schools 
 and 680 for colleges, and would make possible equal attention to oral and to 
 written training. 
 
 What ought to be done with this amount of manuscript, and what actually is 
 done with it? 
 
 Various individual suggestions in answer to the first of these questions are dis- 
 cussed on page 9. Some of these are more commonly offered by those who are not 
 themselves teachers of English composition. The opinion of such teachers 
 is almost unanimously that not to give attention to all the work that a pupil 
 has done destroys his interest; that every written exercise should be carefully 
 read; that in addition to such discussion as is possible in class there should be 
 individual criticism of every exercise, either in writing, or orally in personal con- 
 ference with the individual pupil; that about one-third of the exercises need 
 to be rewritten, and that rewritten exercises should be re-examined. 
 
 What actually is done with manuscript varies with conditions. In some 
 colleges, where conditions are favorable, it is all read orally in private con- 
 ferences with individual students; a method satisfactory but requiring rather 
 more time than does written criticism, since in such conferences "a student 
 must have time to think," and the instructor "must have time to get the stu- 
 dent's point of view." Some instructors take whatever time is necessary to 
 read all manuscript up to 40 hours a week in high schools and 50 in colleges, 
 supplementing this reading with class discussion and with whatever of private con- 
 ference is practicable. Other instructors read but part of their manuscript, 
 with or without the assistance of student readers, and either destroy the re- 
 mainder or return it credited but unread. Others, and these greatly in the 
 majority, endeavor to read all manuscript but with extreme haste and con- 
 sequent "skimming" and "slighting." Relatively few instructors find it possible 
 by any expenditure of time and vitality to give proper attention even to half 
 of the exercises received. 
 How fast can themes be read? 
 
 If the statements thus far made are true, this question and the next, relating 
 to the physical, psychological, and optical limits of an instructor's efficiency, 
 are peculiarly vital. The simplest and yet a most important detail is the rate 
 at which themes may be "carefully criticised," orally or in writing. From 
 the inquiry emerged results, averaged from the reports of more than 700 teachers, 
 that have, it is believed, something of the certitude of a life insurance table. 
 
 Their replies averaged show that under present conditions of forced and 
 
 6 
 
inefficient effort, the average reading rate for high school instructors, exclu- 
 sive of about ten per cent of the most highly skilled, is approximately 2,100 
 words an hour, or including all instructors, 2,500 words. For college instruct- 
 ors, the torced rate averages 2,600 words for all instructors, or 2,300 for all 
 but the raost skilful. But if thorough work is to be done, the average read- 
 ing rate hr the average high school instructor is approximately 1,950 words 
 an hour, tnd for the college instructor 2,200 words an hour. For rereading 
 manuscript that has been revised and rewritten, the high school rate is 60 per 
 cent faster xhan this, and the college rate 73 per cent faster. If oral conference 
 be substituted for written criticism, the high school data show a rate for con- 
 ference slightly less than for written criticism; the college data a rate approxi- 
 mately the sime. 
 For how man; hours a day, and week, can themes be read? 
 
 What is th} duration of an instructor's efficiency when engaged in correct- 
 ing and criticising manuscript? Here also the results, based on the reports 
 of 600 teachers, are specific and presumably accurate. For the maximum of effi- 
 ciency, implyiig continued maintenance for an indefinitely extended period, 
 the limit is tw hours a day (college average 2.07 hours, high school average 
 2 hours.) For ? air efficiency for a limited period this may be extended to three 
 hours (high school 2.77, colleges 3.045); but at this rate the physical and ner- 
 vous system begin to give way, on the average, in three months, and full efficiency 
 is at an end. Bit under present conditions this time is exceeded in all schools. 
 High school teackers, with a teaching schedule of from five to seven periods a 
 day (usually six periods), read manuscript for an average of sixteen hours a 
 week, and are then obliged to stop, leaving a considerable part of it unread. 
 College instructors, with fewer teaching hours, read manuscript for an average 
 of 20.6 hours a week. In high schools, 392 out of 499 teachers find it impossible 
 by any effort to read all manuscript received. Under the somewhat more 
 favorable conditions of the colleges, 39 colleges of 111 teachers find it impossible 
 to read all freshman manuscript, while 6 colleges of 16 teachers are able to do 
 so in the specified L ,ime. For various reasons 18 colleges of 92 teachers are on 
 the right side of tnt average and have no serious trouble. 
 What are the results of present actual conditions? 
 
 The reported resilts of teaching composition under these conditions are as 
 follows: Scarcely a aandful of high school teachers feel that they have a reason- 
 able chance of contnuing in their work, for more than a limited period, with- 
 out the sacrifice of health. As victims of "overstrain," they "break down," 
 "collapse," "wear out," are "hopelessly weary and discouraged," are "com- 
 pletely exhausted," propose to "give up English," suffer from "nerves," "ner- 
 vous prostration," and become "physical wrecks." Of the colleges, soma 
 of the very best testify that it is more difficult to retain instructors in English 
 composition than in other subjects. Others report that instructors wear out, 
 suffer from indigest.on and nervous exhaustion, lose their efficiency, impair 
 their eyesight, becorae the prey of shattered nerves, break down and find their 
 way to the hospital or cemetery, because of "killing" work in English com- 
 position. These statements may seem extreme to others than composition 
 teachers; but they are included in this report because they are made over the 
 signatures of men aid women who mean exactly what they say, and because 
 the members of this committee can cite parallel instances from their own per- 
 sonal knowledge. 
 What number of students can one teacher train with proper efficiency? 
 
 The preceding data show by a simple computation based upon the stated 
 averages, what are the average conditions, with respect to number of pupils, 
 
of proper efficiency in composition teaching conditions that can be perma- 
 nently maintained. The computation is this: If a teacher can read 2,0(70 words 
 an hour for two hours a day for five days a week, and if each of his pupfls writes 
 400 words a week, that teacher can take proper care of 50 pupils. Similarly, 
 if a teacher can read 2,200 words an hour for ten hours a week, and his pupils 
 write 500 words a week each, that teacher can train 36 pupils. If tne teacher 
 read two additional hours on Saturday, the number of his pupils may be pro- 
 portionately increased, to 60 and 43 in the respective instances, For such 
 a number of pupils the number of teaching hours is obviously a negligible factor 
 in the problem. 
 
 The problem must be worked out according to the individual data in each 
 particular case. A certain class may be at a 200-word stage in its development; 
 but for that stage the theme-reading rate is correspondingly lefss. To more 
 abundant writing usually corresponds a more rapid reading, apii vice versa. 
 Independently of the preceding computation, the individual statements of 397 
 high school teachers, averaged, make 81 pupils the upper limit o/ proper assign- 
 ment to a single teacher; and similarly 265 college teachers average 61 as the cor- 
 responding limit for college freshmen. In particular cases this /lumber may or 
 may not be too great. 
 
 If fair efficiency for a limited period is sought for, and an instructor is cap- 
 able of reading at a 2, 500- word rate for 15 hours a week, theh at an average 
 of 400 words a student that instructor may care for 94 stu/lents. But if it 
 happens that the interest and enthusiasm of the students lad each to write 
 600 words a week, then the high pressure number for that instructor is 62 stu- 
 dents; and according to preceding data the instructor can ^ndure that pres- 
 sure for only three months, two-thirds of a semester. In anjl instance in which 
 proper efficiency is the end in view, the number of a composition teacher's re- 
 citation hours is a relatively unimportant matter; the matter of supreme im- 
 portance is the number of pupils assigned him. The obvjbus reason is that 
 English composition is as much a laboratory subject as is anyteubject of scientific 
 or industrial training, without however requiring expensive material equipment; 
 and with a proper number of pupils, the chief demand on the teacher's time 
 is that of supervising laboratory practice, oral or written. 
 
 How far is the proper number exceeded under present condtions? 
 
 As to the actual number of pupils assigned to single tesjchers under present 
 conditions, 530 high school teachers average 128.6 pupils *ach; the maximum 
 reported is 250 pupils to a teacher, and 340 teachers report an average of 134 
 pupils each. In college freshman classes, 168 teachers average 104.1 pupils 
 each; of these teachers 110 average 120 pupils each, and tht maximum reported 
 is 200 pupils. 
 
 ^ For a high school teacher to read the themes of a <jlass of average size 
 writing the average amount weekly requires an average tifne of more than 25 
 hours weekly. For a college teacher under the same coiditions the average 
 time required is more than 30 hours weekly. 
 
 In both high schools and colleges, therefore, the number of pupils assigned 
 to* a single teacher is more than two and one-half times tiie average of proper 
 efficiency ,and more than one and one-half times the upper limit of proper efficiency. 
 Similarly the time required is more than two and one-half times the limit of 
 physical endurance without overstrain, and double the limit of temporary 
 endurance at high pressure. It seems hardly necessary to look further for the 
 causes of discouragement, failure, and nervous breakdown. 
 
 What' else' is essential in successful work? 
 Besides*' proper limitation of the number of pupils, composition teachers re- 
 
 8 
 
gard as other essentials for successful work some other teaching besides com- 
 position literature preferred, recognition and respect for their work by school 
 authorities, the support and co-operation of other teachers and of school officers 
 and administrators. They also feel that, since their work is very much heavier 
 than that of other instructors (data page 11), they should at least have equal 
 pay; whereas in more than 20 per cent of the schools reporting their pay is less. 
 With all these things granted, successful teaching further requires opportunity 
 for personal work with individual pupils, and observance of the physical 
 limitations of time and strength. Without observance of these limitations 
 the average teacher must be content to do inferior work, or else must maintain 
 a high standard for a time at the sacrifice of health and future usefulness. 
 
 FURTHER DETAILS AS TO ACTUAL CONDITIONS. 
 While the preceding questions are the principal ones that the committee 
 set itself to investigate, many others were included for the sake of greater com- 
 pleteness of detail, and additional matter of importance developed as the work 
 went on. From this point on, the replies to the remaining questions of the 
 circular of inquiry will be presented in summary. 
 What is done with excess manuscript that cannot be read? 
 Answers: Skim it mostly; 33 high schools, 19 colleges. 
 Credit it unread; 10 high schools, 9 colleges. 
 Destroy it; 19 high schools, 3 colleges. 
 Some high schools use it in general class discussion. 
 Some colleges turn it over to "readers;" cheap help employed by 
 the college, or by the instructor at his own cost (see data page 
 11 following.) 
 On what is the stress placed in criticising manuscript? 
 
 Answers, in summary: In all schools the stress is placed heavily on spell- 
 ing, punctuation, and sentence form; more lightly on paragraphing; more lightly 
 still on general structure; least on artistic qualities and almost as little on per- 
 sonal qualities, though here the colleges do a little better than the high schools. 
 What is your estimate of a year's work in theme reading, and in writing cor- 
 rections and criticisms, for a single instructor? 
 Answers. Theme reading average of high school instructors, 1,570,000 words 
 
 a year. 
 
 Theme reading of college instructors, 1,568,000 words a year. 
 Writing average of high school instructors, 133,000 words. 
 Writing average of college instructors, 100,350 words. 
 Is the work of composition teaching unduly or unfairly burdensome? 
 Answer. Yes, 594 teachers; colleges 193, high schools 401. 
 
 No, 147 teachers; colleges 90, high schools 47. 
 Can you obtain satisfactory results? 
 
 Answers: No, 432 teachers; colleges 153, high schools 279. 
 
 Yes, 267 teachers; colleges 116, high schools 151. 
 
 Almost all affirmative answers are qualified with the statement that the work 
 done is "as satisfactory as could be expected under the circumstances," and 
 are therefore in effect negative. 
 If results are not satisfactory, why not? 
 
 High school answers: Because of overwork, large classes, lack of time and 
 strength for necessary theme reading. 
 
 College answers: The same reasons; and in addition, lack of preparation of 
 
 9 
 
students, lax ideals and lack of respect for English in the college itself, lack of 
 opportunity for conferences with students, lack of co-operation by other in- 
 structors, and careless or inconvincible attitude of authorities. 
 What are the proper conditions for efficient and successful work? 
 
 Answers in round numbers, including some points already stated: Number 
 of pupils to a teacher in high schools not to exceed 80, in colleges 60. Number 
 in a section, 20. Number of recitations weekly, 3 or 4 for each section. Pro- 
 portion of oral to written exercises. 50 per cent each. Average number of 
 written words weekly from each student, high schools 400 to 450; colleges 650 
 to 700. All to be criticised with the utmost thoroughness, either orally or in 
 writing; if the latter, 50 to 75 per cent of the criticisms to be fully written, the 
 rest indicated with symbols. About 30 per cent of the exercises, the most de- 
 fective, to be rewritten and reread, carefully with the pupil or hastily for veri- 
 fication, according to circumstances. Individual consultations, by testimony of 
 all but three schools, should be held at least as often as every two or three weeks 
 with pupils that need them, and average 15 minutes in length (range from one 
 minute to one hour). For such consultations, in addition to the time specified 
 for theme reading, a high school instructor should have 5 hours weekly and 
 a college instructor 6 or 7; all provided and allowed for in the teaching schedule, 
 but the proportion of consultation to reading time to be governed by circumstances 
 such as the needs of individual pupils. 
 
 Should a composition teacher teach composition exclusively? 
 
 Answers: No; 71 high schools and 51 colleges. 
 Yes; 5 high schools and 10 colleges. 
 It depends; 2 colleges. 
 
 What allowance if any is made in your school for manuscript reading and con- 
 ference? 
 
 Answers: In 43 high schools out of 68, and 31 colleges out of 44 reporting 
 on this point, none at all. That is, in about 70 per cent of the schools reporting, 
 such labor is in addition to a full assignment of class-room duty and is not counted 
 or recognized in any way whatever. This is the labor which, as shown by pre- 
 ceding data, averages from 16 to 20 hours a week for all composition instructors, 
 often extending to 40 or even 50 hours, which is essential to efficient teaching, 
 and in excess of 10 hours a week of reading and 5 of conference is insupportable 
 for more than a limited period. 
 
 If allowance is made for theme reading, what is that allowance? 
 
 Answers: In the high schools in which any allowance is made for theme 
 reading, the average allowance is one period a day or five periods a week, counted 
 as teaching time. This is an allowance of less than five hours, while the work 
 to be done, as shown by preceding data, actually consumes 16 hours on the average, 
 and would require more than 25 hours, under average conditions, if it were fully 
 performed. In colleges, the average allowance made for theme reading and 
 conference is to count 3 hours of such work equivalent to 1 hour of teaching. 
 
 Is the allowance, if any, a fair one; and if not, what would be fair? 
 
 Answers: The average allowance stated is not fair, because entirely in- 
 sufficient for the work to be done, and because the mental and physical strain 
 of theme reading in excess seems greater than that of teaching. According to 
 the average of 165 high school teachers reporting, a fair allowance for theme 
 reading in high school would be two periods a day deducted from teaching, 
 with corresponding essential reduction in size of classes; and according to the 
 average reports of 97 college instructors, 1.67 hours of reading and conference 
 
 10 
 
should be counted equivalent to one hour of teaching. (In applying these sug- 
 gestions, it is of course necessary to recall that but a limited number of hours 
 a day can be efficiently spent in theme reading.) 
 
 How does the labor of composition teachers compare with that of teachers of 
 other subjects? 
 
 Answers: It is always much heavier, sometimes incredibly heavier, often 
 extending to more than three times the hours of absolutely necessary duty, 
 even when teaching hours are fewer, and not counting for either subject the 
 time for preparation of lessons. Most of the answers to this question were in 
 general terms, but the average of the specific answers makes the proportion of 
 English composition labor to that of other instructors, with the occasional ex- 
 ception of science, 1.75 to 1. (See supplementary report, page 16.) 
 What as to status and pay of English composition teachers? 
 
 Answers: A large proportion of the composition teachers reporting are dis- 
 satisfied and decline to regard their profession as a permanent one. In all, 
 105 college teachers and 220 high school teachers frankly confess discourage- 
 ment; while, usually in larger schools, 124 college teachers and 207 high school 
 teachers express intention to remain in their work, with such qualifications 
 as the following; "I have a better place in view;" "My classes happen to be 
 small;" "I refuse to overwork, slighting my duties if necessary;" "I like my 
 work, even if it is hard;" "I have been trained for this work and can do nothing 
 else, hence am helpless to change;" "The work has compensations;" "We 
 hope for better things." The more cheerful replies usually come from teachers 
 who are by good fortune well on the right side of the average of present con- 
 ditions. Finally, in 13 colleges out of 58 and 17 high schools out of 82, Eng- 
 lish teachers are paid less than other teachers, in no case more; and in some 
 schools it is explained that English teachers are as a class regarded as inferior 
 to others. 
 
 DETAILS RELATING TO COLLEGES ONLY. 
 What class of instructors should teach freshmen? 
 
 Answers: Best instructors in the department, 41 colleges. 
 All the instructors in department, 5 colleges. 
 The best young men, 2 colleges. 
 The best young men under senior direction, 2 colleges. 
 Instructors who are "interested," 1 college. 
 It depends on circumstances, 1 college. 
 
 As to actual conditions, in 43 colleges freshman composition is taught by 1 
 dean, 3 department heads, 29 professors, 6 associate professors, 30 assistant 
 professors, 26 instructors, and 2 tutors. In 6 colleges, all English instructors 
 teach freshman composition. 
 Is it well to employ "manuscript 'readers" or "cheap help?" 
 
 Answers: 49 colleges of 179 teachers think it well to employ them. 
 
 19 colleges of 86 teachers prefer to leave themes unread. 
 
 As to actual conditions, 36 colleges, 144 teachers, employ manuscript read- 
 ers, while 17 colleges, 77 teachers, instead of doing so leave part of the work 
 undone. 15 colleges, 48 teachers, manage to do it all without cheap help, usually 
 by overworking the regular instructors. 
 What is the degree of efficiency of manuscript readers when employed? 
 
 Answers: About 25 per cent show little efficiency, 50 per cent fair, and 25 
 per cent high. 11 colleges of 58 teachers have found readers that are com- 
 pletely satisfactory; 23 colleges of 96 teachers have failed to do so. 
 
 11 
 
What are they paid, and how much are they worth? 
 
 Answers: 6 schools pay them by tuition, 11 by salary; in 9 they are em- 
 ployed at the expense of individual instructors. Pay by the hour ranges from 
 15 cents to $1, averaging about 32 cents; pay by salary ranges from $30 to 
 $300 a year, averaging about $150. In the opinion of 23 schools of 93 teachers, 
 such readers are worth what they cost; 7 schools of 18 teachers think not. The 
 reports seem to show on the whole that "cheap help" is not necessarily worth- 
 less because it is cheap; that on the average it is preferable to employ such help 
 rather than to leave work undone; that in proportion to their pay and their pre- 
 paration and the care exercised in selecting them, manuscript readers are as use- 
 ful in their place as are other instructors; but that to substitute a cheaper for a 
 higher grade of instruction is undesirable. 
 
 SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 The present inquiry concerned itself with two principal questions only, and 
 the results arrived at are in substance as follows: 
 
 1. In secondary schools, English costs less than any other subject in 
 proportion to the number of pupils taking it; and the unit teaching cost of 
 one pupil for one year is almost exactly seven dollars. 
 
 2. The average number of pupils assigned to an English teacher is 
 greater than in any other subject; mathematics and history approaching 
 English most nearly. 
 
 3. In proportion to the number of teachers, the labor of teaching Eng- 
 lish in secondary schools is greater than that of any other subject, even 
 when high efficiency is necessarily sacrificed in order to lessen that labor. 
 
 12 
 
Council of eacljer of Cnglistj 
 
 REMOVING AN INCUBUS 
 
 At the third annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Eng- 
 lish, which was held in Chicago, November 27 to 29, a series of resolutions 
 offered by Professor Edwin M. Hopkins of the University of Kansas was 
 unanimously adopted. Professor Hopkins, who has been for some years chair- 
 man of the Joint Committee of the Modern Language Association and the 
 National Council on the Labor and Cost of English Teaching, stated that 
 investigations of the Committee show beyond any doubt that satisfactory work 
 in the teaching of English composition cannot be done so long as secondary 
 schools and colleges assign too many pupils to the teacher. The average at 
 present is over 125 in secondary schools and over 100 in colleges. The number 
 could be considerably reduced without raising the cost of English teaching to 
 the level of most of the other subjects. 
 
 The resolutions, which were passed without a dissenting voice, are as 
 follows: 
 
 I 
 
 The National Council of Teachers of English approves the steps taken 
 by the North Central Association to limit and decrease the number of 
 pupils assigned to English teachers in high schools, and requests the Associa- 
 tion and all similar accrediting bodies to recommend for immediate action 
 that schools in which the maximum number of pupils assigned to a single 
 English teacher exceeds 100 be not accredited in English; and it also re- 
 quests the Association and all similar accrediting bodies to take further 
 action at as early a date as seems expedient to reduce this maximum to 
 80, with due provision, as at present recommended, for necessary time for 
 conference and theme reading counted as teaching time. 
 
 II 
 
 It is the sense of the National Council of Teachers of English that in 
 order to secure satisfactory results in college English it is essential that the 
 maximum number of students in Freshman English Composition assigned 
 to a single instructor should in no case exceed 60; and that when such an in- 
 structor has classes in other subjects, a ^ corresponding reduction should be 
 made in the number of pupils assigned him in English composition. 
 
 In support of these resolutions Professor Hopkins said that the North 
 Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools has under consideration 
 the adoption of a rule that no school in its territory shall be accredited in Eng- 
 lish if the maximum number of pupils assigned to a single teacher of English 
 exceeds five classes of 25 pupils each. The teachers' associations in two states, 
 New York and Wisconsin, have recently requested that such a maximum shall 
 not exceed 100. 
 
 Over 25,000 copies of the report of the Hopkins Committee have been dis- 
 tributed, and the Bureau of Education is about to issue a bulletin setting forth 
 the facts. Nothing has given so much encouragement to those who are aware 
 of the real situation as the warm response which has been made to the appeal 
 which this report embodies. 
 
 Those who wish further information concerning the work of this committee 
 should communicate with Professor E. M. Hopkins, University of Kansas, 
 Lawrence, Kansas. 
 
What are they paid, and how much are they worth? 
 
 Answers: 6 schools pay them by tuition, 11 by salary; in 9 they are em- 
 ployed at the expense of individual instructors. Pay by the hour ranges from 
 15 cents to $1, averaging about 32 cents; pay by salary ranges from $30 to 
 $300 a year, averaging about $150. In the opinion of 23 schools of 93 teachers, 
 such readers are worth what they cost; 7 schools of 18 teachers think not. The 
 reports seem to show on the whole that "cheap help" is not necessarily worth- 
 less because it is cheap; that on the average it is preferable to employ such help 
 rather than to leave work undone; that in proportion to their pay and their pre- 
 paration and the care exercised in selecting them, manuscript readers are as use- 
 ful in their place as are other instructors; but that to substitute a cheaper for a 
 higher grade of instruction is undesirable. 
 
 SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 The present inquiry concerned itself with two principal questions only, and 
 the results arrived at are in substance as follows: 
 
 1. In secondary schools, English costs less than any other subject in 
 proportion to the number of pupils taking it; and the unit teaching cost of 
 one pupil for one year is almost exactly seven dollars. 
 
 2. The average number of pupils assigned to an English teacher is 
 greater than in any other subject; mathematics and history approaching 
 English most nearly. 
 
 3. In proportion to the number of teachers, the labor of teaching Eng- 
 lish in secondary schools is greater than that of any other subject, even 
 when high efficiency is necessarily sacrificed in order to lessen that labor. 
 
 12 
 
INFORMATION OBTAINED AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF THE 
 PRELIMINARY REPORT. 
 
 General details of action taken. 
 
 From April 1911 to November 1911 were published and distributed eight 
 editions numbering twelve thousand copies of the preliminary report 
 of the committee, with the general request that readers would furnish the 
 committee further information in corroboration or correction of the state- 
 ments of the report, and answer two additional questions, relating to the 
 comparative cost and comparative labor of teaching English and other sub- 
 jects. Replies were comparatively few, and gave corroboration rather than 
 additional information. Results were compiled from these, from material 
 furnished by teachers' organizations and from the school reports of several 
 states, but were still insufficient to justify the presentation of a final re- 
 port. An investigator of the cost of equipment of English and other teach- 
 ing, Professor V. C. Coulter, was invited to act with the original committee, 
 and the work of the body thus enlarged was endorsed by the National Coun- 
 cil of Teachers of English at its Chicago meeting, December 1, 1911. A re- 
 port of progress was made at the Chicago meeting of the Modern Language 
 Association, December 29, 1911, which also adopted resolutions of endorse- 
 ment, and assumed all the expenses incurred by the committee to that date. 
 Further endorsements have since been given by the English Section of 
 the Schoolmasters' Club of Michigan, March 29, 1912, the N. E. A. depart- 
 ments of Higher Education, Normal Schools, and Secondary Education, July 
 11, 1912, and the Executive Committee of the N. E. A., October 23, 1912; and 
 each endorsement recommends the completed report to the attention of the 
 United States Bureau of Education with reference to possible final publica- 
 tion and general distribution. 
 
 To secure more adequate data for its final report, the committee prepared 
 another specific questionnaire on the comparative cost and comparative labor 
 of English and other teaching, and on the comparative cost of teaching 
 equipment for English and other subjects. Copies of this were sent out as 
 an insert in the first number of the English Journal, published January 15, 
 1912; and additional copies were distributed to representative high schools 
 in each state through the courtesy of state superintendents and of high 
 school inspectors. A summary of results was presented to the National 
 Council of Teachers of English at Chicago, November 30, 1912, and to the 
 English Section of the Modern Language Association at Indianapolis, 
 December 27, 1912. 
 
 At the last named meeting, the committee, which for one year had been 
 acting jointly for the Council and the Association, was continued with the 
 request that it gather further data relating to the comparative cost *f 
 teaching English and other subjects in colleges, and in other matters place 
 itself under the authority of the Council or its Executive Committee. In 
 response to this request, the committee immediately sent out one hundred 
 letters to representative colleges, asking for the data above named; and re- 
 ported to the Executive Committee of the Council for further instructions. 
 That Committee recommended that the membership of the English Commit- 
 
 13 
 
tee be increased, and that its work be extended to include the study of the 
 conditions and the teaching efficiency of the lower schools. 
 
 In June, 1913, the Bureau of Education approved the report and the fur- 
 ther plans of the committee, appointed its chairman a special collaborator, 
 and authorized the proposed extension of the work with a view to the ulti- 
 mate publication of results as a Bureau bulletin or series of bulletins, the 
 first of which may be ready in the fall of 1914. See page 4. 
 
 For the present report, the chairman has prepared the tabulations relating 
 to relative teaching cost and labor of various subjects, and Professor V. C. 
 Coulter those relating to equipment cost; each with such assistance as was 
 available. 
 
 Number and distribution of replies received. 
 
 To the general questions of the preliminary report, of which 15,000 copies 
 in all were distributed, only about forty replies were received, and these 
 chiefly from one state, in which the report was followed with special let- 
 ters to certain schools. To the special questionnaire later prepared, of 
 which more than 3,000 copies were sent out, were received 130 replies, and 
 as these were especially complete and detailed, they constitute the principal 
 basis of the results herein stated. Besides these, in two states special state 
 investigations were made, in one instance including 91 'schools and in the 
 other 74, and these have been used for correction and confirmation wherever 
 possible. While above 330 schools in all have been heard from, many re- 
 plies have been so incomplete or so obviously erroneous that the conclu- 
 sions of the report for the most part rest upon a much smaller number, 
 indicated in connection with each point presented. As to size, 187 schools 
 average 10.85 teachers each; an average that is probably a little too high 
 for the entire 330. 
 
 In the distribution of the replies, 24 states were represented, chiefly those 
 of the Middle West. From the Eastern states and as far south as Mary- 
 land there is a fairly strong showing. Outside of the general territory thus 
 indicated replies are comparatively few and scattering. 
 
 The teaching cost of high school subjects. 
 
 The data in hand are somewhat more conclusive as to the relative than 
 the absolute teaching cost of secondary school subjects; but almost every 
 report received includes a statement as to the cost of English teaching, 
 even when the size of the school is not indicated. It is believed therefore 
 that the stated average cost of teaching English to one pupil for one year, 
 based upon about 250 reports from schools of all sizes but fairly representa- 
 tive of the proportions generally obtaining, may be regarded as fairly in- 
 dicating the unit cost for the entire country. For all the schools reporting, 
 the average is just above seven dollars; with the omission of a very small 
 percentage of extreme cases it is just below seven dollars; hence seven dol- 
 lars seems to be the mean or limit, toward which all reports have tended 
 from the beginning. Figures for other subjects are usually and necessarily 
 based upon a much smaller number of reports than are those for English. 
 
 The data in this table to some extent overlap those of Professor Coulter, 
 and include certain reports which he has not as yet had opportunity to pass 
 upon; but the results are in such substantial agreement that both tables are 
 printed, till such time ais they can be averaged together. 
 
 14 
 
Subject Number of 10110018 Average annual 
 
 included in estimate teaching cost, each pupil. 
 
 English 235 $7.05 
 
 Latin 191 9.49 
 
 German 156 10.02 
 
 Mathematics 188 8.08 
 
 History 182 8.03 
 
 Physios 153 13.71 
 
 Chemistry 108 17.20 
 
 Botany 146 8.56 
 
 Domestic Science 75 9.50 
 
 Manual Training 89 15.19 
 
 Commercial 116 10.74 
 
 Preceding scientific subjects combined 167 11.74 
 
 Preceding vocational subjects combined 128 11.98 
 
 Average number of pupils assigned to a teacher in each subject. 
 
 In the preliminary report of this committee, the average number of pupils 
 for each of more than a thousand English teachers was found to be 128.6. 
 Later and entirely independent data from 500 additional teachers give an 
 average of 122. The average of all the data in the committee's hands, from 
 between 1500 and 2000 English teachers, shows 126.4 pupils for each 
 teacher. The relative number for other subjects, based on the most recently 
 received reports, is here shown. 
 
 Subject 
 
 Number of 
 
 Average number 
 
 Average number 
 
 
 Schools 
 
 of teachers in 
 
 of pupils for 
 
 
 reporting 
 
 each school 
 
 one teacher. 
 
 English 
 
 228 
 
 2.00 
 
 122 
 
 Latin 
 
 207 
 
 X.09 
 
 82 
 
 German 
 
 154 
 
 .96 
 
 90 
 
 Mathematics 
 
 186 
 
 1.81 
 
 110 
 
 History 
 
 193 
 
 1.15 
 
 107 
 
 Physics 
 
 159 
 
 54 
 
 72 
 
 Chemistry 
 
 114 
 
 .49 
 
 63 
 
 Botany 
 
 143 
 
 .49 
 
 84 
 
 Domestic Science 
 
 76 
 
 t.09 
 
 85 
 
 Manual Training 
 
 89 
 
 1.32 
 
 74 
 
 Commercial 
 
 116 
 
 L37 
 
 96 
 
 Total number of pupils enrolled in each subject, stated relatively, in per- 
 centages. 
 
 Under this head, the committee has endeavored merely to discover the general 
 relations as indicated in a few state reports, in order that it might form an inci- 
 dental and conjectural opinion as to the probable relative total teaching cost 
 of each secondary school subject. The few reports examined were found to be 
 not far apart with respect to the relative school attendance in each subject; 
 and the proportions thus ascertained were as follows: If English be called the 
 unit or 100 per cent, that of Latin is about 49, German 26, Mathematics 80, 
 History 57, Science (all subjects) about 58. 
 
 15 
 
Relative total teaching cost of each subject, in percentages. 
 
 If the preceding statement be regarded as approximately correct, the 
 total teaching cost of each subject, stated in relative percentages, is as 
 follows: English 100, Latin 65.66, German 36.92, Mathematics 91.2, History 
 64.41, Science 96.28. This and the preceding statement, while merely illus- 
 trative, are probably not far from the truth. 
 
 Relative annual cost of English and Science for each pupil, including 
 equipment; and relative total annual cost for each subject. 
 
 The average annual increase in equipment for each pupil in English 
 seems to lie between 20 and 25 cents; that for all scientific subjects be- 
 tween $1.50 and $2.50. Assuming the lowest figures for each, the ratio of 
 annual cost of English for each pupil is to the corresponding cost for 
 Science as 100 to 182.6. On the same basis, the total annual budget for 
 English in one year would be to the Science budget as 100 to 105.9. 
 
 All figures thus far presented have been continually revised and re-re- 
 vised for more than a year, as additional reports have been received; but 
 while the figures themselves have been changed at each revision, none of 
 those changes has modified in any essential particular their general char- 
 acter and significance. 
 
 Relative labor of teaching high school subjects. 
 
 Under this head a large proportion of the reports received were blank, 
 and only a few were complete and accurate enough to be of service. A first 
 rough tabulation indicated that English, science, and history, and possibly 
 German, require more time of a teacher than do other high school subjects; 
 but to determine the relative demand of these and other subjects proved 
 difficult because of the insufficient data, especially in the case of scientific 
 and vocational subjects. The general results arrived at, while in them- 
 selves inconclusive, are corroborated in some particulars by those of the 
 preliminary report, and in particular in showing that English is the heaviest 
 subject of all. But they also seem to indicate that English teachers under 
 average conditions are justly declining to undertake the physical impossi- 
 bility of maintaining a higher standard of efficiency under those conditions, 
 and are simply doing "the best that can be done under the circumstances"; 
 which according to the figures below means about two hours a day of theme 
 reading and one of consultation, or twenty-five per cent more than is re- 
 quired for similar purposes by any other subject; whereas the highest 
 efficiency might require one hundred and fifty per cent more, as shown in 
 the preliminary report. 
 
 No. Av. No. Teachers Av. No. Classes Av. No. Classes 
 
 Subject Schools in Each in Each Each Teacher 
 
 English 54 2.49 12.83 5.15 
 
 Latin 49 1.16 6.26 5.40 
 
 German 40 1.02 5.59 5.45 
 
 Mathematics 52 2.03 10.08 5.32 
 
 History 46 1.29 7.11 5.51 
 
 Physics 11 .39 1.9 4.87 
 
 Chemistry 35 .62 2.28 3.67 
 
 Botany 9 ".29 1.55 5.34 
 
 Domestic Science 6 .67 3.83 5.71 
 
 Manual Training 7 .67 4.00 5.97 
 
 Commercial 28 2.31 12.83 5.15 
 
 16 
 
Subject 
 
 English 
 
 Latin 
 
 German 
 
 Mathematics 
 
 History 
 
 Physics 
 
 Chemistry 
 
 Botany 
 
 Domestic Science 
 
 Manual Training 
 
 Commercial 
 
 Recitation and 
 Lab. Pds. W'kly 
 
 26.46 
 
 26.42 
 
 26.68 
 
 26.59 
 
 26.34 
 
 26.50 
 
 25.45 
 
 26.56 
 
 25.32 
 
 26.03 
 
 26.9 
 
 Assembly and 
 Consultation 
 
 6.87 
 
 5.9 
 
 5.6 
 
 6.59 
 
 6.42 
 
 5.60 
 
 5.43 
 
 5.00 
 
 6.9 
 
 5.06 
 
 5.28 
 
 Themes, Exams. & 
 Reports Hrs. W'kly 
 
 9.62 
 
 5.8 
 
 7.00 
 
 5.22 
 
 6.10 
 
 6.00 
 
 6.60 
 
 7.14 
 
 6.29 
 
 3.62 
 
 5.98 
 
 Subject 
 
 English 
 
 Latin 
 
 German 
 
 Mathematics 
 
 History 
 
 Physics 
 
 Chemistry 
 
 Botany 
 
 Domestic Science 
 
 Manual Training 
 
 Commercial 
 
 Preparation and Other 
 
 Necessary Labor 
 
 10.23 
 
 7.98 
 
 7.92 
 
 6.18 
 10.28 
 10.57 
 11.62 
 
 9.62 
 
 8.72 
 
 9.33 
 
 6.73 
 
 Approx. Total 
 Hrs. Weekly 
 47.63 
 40.16 
 41'.20 
 39.06 
 43.68 
 43.33 
 43.96 
 43.06 
 41.86 
 38.86 
 38.85 
 
 Total Hrs. not Includ- 
 ing Preparation 
 
 37.40 
 32.18 
 33.28 
 32.88 
 33.40 
 32.76 
 32.34 
 33.45 
 33.14 
 29.50 
 32.12 
 
 Relative cost of teaching college subjects. 
 
 This part of the investigation was not begun till requested at the Indiana- 
 polls meeting of December 27, 1912. As a tentative beginning 100 letters 
 were sent out January 30. To these 33 replies have been received, 15 stat- 
 ing that the desired information cannot easily be given, the others either 
 sending eome part of it or promising it as soon as possible. While the 
 material thus far received is entirely insufficient for the intended purpose, 
 the individual reports are so interesting that a digest of twelve of them 
 is subjoined. These reports represent colleges of all sizes; four of the larg- 
 est universities, four smaller colleges, and four of intermediate rank and 
 importance; and the figures in each instance are estimates of the cost of 
 each subject for each student taking it one hour a week for a semester. It 
 is hoped ultimately to determine proportions and relative percentages, 
 rather than specific units. 
 
 17 
 
College English Math. History Latin German Physics BoUny Chem 
 
 I $2.60 $2.90 $2.89 $4.34 $2.70 $3.88 $6.16 $4.77 
 
 II 1.29 .73 1.78 1.17 .42 .68 168 
 
 HI 2.96 1.63 1.11 2.63 .88 10.18 5.71 446 
 
 IV .88 .67 .61 1.59 .75 4.67 .59 1.03 
 
 V 1.48 .66 1.00 4.11 1.37 4.21 90 
 
 VI 23.80 3.56 7.80 4.46 20.82 3.00 4.00 
 
 VII .40 .81 .71 1.14 1.16 6.58 1.81 
 
 VIII .96 6.29 1.42 25.13 2.64 8.98 12.87 3.92 
 IX .72 1.24 .72 5.12 
 
 X 1.79 1.68 1.66 2.48 3.39 
 
 XI 1.75 7.16 2.43 3.50 3.00 9.11 
 
 XII 2.06 2.12 1.53 3.56 2.17 3.65 5.26 
 
 Aver. 1.53 2.45 2.15 2.94 1.75 5.28 5.37 288 
 
 3.39 5.16 3.49 
 
 Figures in black face in statements VI and VIII seem abnormally large 
 in comparison, and are not included in the first averages given; but the re- 
 sult of inclusion is shown immediately below. If those figures are omitted, 
 the results except as to chemistry correspond in a general way to those 
 obtained for secondary schools; and the order of cost is English, German, 
 History, Mathematics, Chemistry, Latin, Physics, and Botany. Four of these 
 colleges, Nos. I, VI, VIII, and IX, express dissatisfaction with the present 
 status and results of their English work. Three colleges, two of them not 
 included in the preceding list, furnish accurate statements of the cost of 
 Freshman Rhetoric; and the average of the three is 1.52. The most ex- 
 pensive subject is in six colleges Physics, in two Botany, in one Chemistry, 
 in one History, and in one each Latin and English: the figures in the last 
 two cases being questionable. The least expensive subject is in four colleges 
 English (the same as History in one case), in three History, in two German, 
 and in one each Mathematics, Botany, Physics, and Chemistry. These re- 
 sults are here presented merely because of their incidental interest, and 
 not as justifying any conclusions whatever; the work must be continued and 
 extended. 
 
 Relative equipment cost of high school subjects. (V. C. Coulter.) 
 
 The tables and charts given here show the present teaching cost and 
 equipment value per pupil enrolled in each of the subjects usually taught 
 in the secondary school. Statistics similar to these have been compiled for 
 various groups of schools in different states several times during the last 
 five years. The results have been practically uniform, and the addition of 
 any considerable group of schools has made little difference in the results. 
 This indicates the general validity of the figures here given. The reports 
 upon which the present tabulations have been based have come in during 
 the present year, and none of the older figures have been used. 
 
 Table I shows the general averages. But the other tables are more sig- 
 nificant since they show something of the distribution of teaching cost and 
 equipment value. 
 
 Table IV indicates what the reports fully prove, that there is no uniform 
 ratio between the expenditures for the various subjects, that the present 
 situation is merely the result of the whim of individual school officials. 
 
 In view of the established inadequacy of the present teaching force in 
 
 18 
 
English, and the almost universal lack of equipment, it is pertinent to call 
 attention to the comparatively small amount of money spent for that sub- 
 ject. Attention may also be called to the small number of schools report- 
 ing work in agriculture and physiology, and to the small amount of money 
 spent for the latter subject. 
 
 The present persistent demand for standardization of content, of methods 
 and of grading, seems not to have considered the condition of the schools 
 indicated by these figures. There can be no standardization in a school in 
 which one department is 100 per cent more efficiently equipped and manned 
 than another. The present situation calls loudly for a careful statement of 
 curricula content values, and an apportionment of money among the var- 
 ious elements according to their needs. 
 
 TABLE I. 
 
 Subject 
 
 English 
 
 Latin 
 
 German 
 
 Mathematics 
 
 History 
 
 Physics 
 
 Chemistry 
 
 *Biology 
 
 Phy. Geo. 
 
 Agriculture 
 
 Physiology 
 
 ^Combined 
 
 Dom. Art & 
 
 Manual Tr. 
 
 Commercial 
 
 Comb. Voc. Sub. 
 
 French 
 
 No. Schools 
 
 Teaching 
 
 No. Schools 
 
 Reporting: 
 Teaching Cost 
 
 Cost per 
 Pupil 
 
 Reporting 
 Equipment 
 
 162 
 
 $7.14 
 
 112 
 
 140 
 
 8.11 
 
 55 
 
 115 
 
 10.86 
 
 53 
 
 130 
 
 8.28 
 
 52 
 
 124 
 
 7.70 
 
 79 
 
 95 
 
 12.59 
 
 63 
 
 84 
 
 14.98 
 
 58 
 
 86 
 
 9.17 
 
 64 
 
 29 
 
 7.04 
 
 15 
 
 9 
 
 15.40 
 
 5 
 
 12 
 
 6.10 
 
 6 
 
 >nce 110 
 
 10.75 
 
 80 
 
 ience 58 
 
 7.95 
 
 46 
 
 68 
 
 13.12 
 
 48 
 
 90 
 
 10.22 
 
 38 
 
 i. 
 
 10.37 
 
 
 27 
 
 9.84 
 
 10 
 
 Equip. Value Av. Annual 
 
 per Equipment 
 
 Pupil Increase 
 
 $2.76 
 
 1.62 
 
 1.28 
 
 0.75 
 
 2.06 
 
 19.71 
 
 23.49 
 
 9.02 
 
 8.66 
 
 10.75 
 
 4.02 
 
 13.84 
 
 10.24 
 
 26.25 
 
 4.45 
 
 12.28 
 
 1.75 
 
 $0.21 
 0.09 
 0.12 
 0.08 
 0.18 
 1.30 
 1.44 
 0.69 
 0.56 
 4.50 
 0.23 
 0.92 
 0.46 
 1.00 
 0.33 
 0.55 
 0.06 
 and 
 
 * Sometimes reported biology, sometimes botany, sometimes botany 
 zoology. 
 
 fThis item is not a combination of the science subjects above. Many 
 schools reported only for the combined sciences, and they are included in 
 these averages. 
 
 TABLE II 
 
 17 58 56 34 32 85 72 39 23 43 48 
 
 Eng. | Lat. | Ger. | Math. | Hist. | Phy. | Chem. | Boit | D.S. | M.T. J Com.) 
 92 48 45 75 73 23 13 52 23 17 25 
 
 This table is made by taking the approximate median of the teaching 
 cost per pupil for all subjects as given in Table III, and showing the number 
 of schools with a teaching cost above, and the number with a teaching cost 
 below. That is, 17 schools have a teaching cost per pupil in English above 
 the general median, and 92 below. 
 
 19 
 
TABLE HI 
 
 Distribution of annual teaching cost per pupil. 
 Tch'g Cost 
 per PupU Eng. Latin Ger. Math. Hist. Phys. Chem, Bot. D. S. M. T. Com. 
 
 4-5 
 5-6 
 
 6-7 
 7-8 
 
 8-9 
 9-10 
 
 10-11 
 
 11-12 
 12-13 
 13-14 
 
 14-15 
 
 15-16 
 16-17 
 17-18 
 18-19 
 19-20 
 20-21 
 Over $22 
 
 Total 109 106 101 109 105 108 85 91 46 60 73 
 This table shows the number of schools reporting teaching cost per pupil 
 
 in the various subjects from $4 to $22. There are 5 schools with a cost for 
 
 English of less than $4, 15 with a cost of from $4 to $5, etc. 
 
 The black type and the heavy lines in the various columns represent the 
 
 approximate median above and below which there are an equal number of 
 
 schools. 
 
 TABLE IV 
 
 Distribution of equipment value per pupil in English, Physics, and Chem- 
 istry. 
 
 Equip. Value per Pupil Equip. Value per Pupil Equip. Value per Pupil 
 
 No. Schools in English in Physics in Chemistry 
 
 6 $0.06 to $0.68 $5.04 to $61.54 $1.50 to $20.00 
 
 5 1.01 to 1.45 10.72 to 62.10 1.37 to 190.45 
 
 4 2.10 to 2.73 13.16 to 25.00 15.00 to 77.45 
 
 5 3.00 to 3.60 5.00 to 66.66 5.90 to 64.71 
 3 4.63 to 8.00 23.42 to 85.00 13.84 to 55.00 
 
 CONCLUSIONS AND FURTHER QUESTIONS. 
 
 While the object of the committee has been solely to ascertain and make 
 public certain facts, it has repeatedly been requested to make those facts 
 the basis of formal recommendations, and in particular to suggest an ideal 
 
 20 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 UJB. 
 1 
 
 V>ilV-IJ 
 
 1 
 
 13 
 
 3 
 
 m. i. v. 
 
 3 
 
 <U1I1. 
 
 1 
 
 15 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 
 22 
 
 10 
 
 9 
 
 18 
 
 17 
 
 3 
 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 25 
 
 6 
 
 8 
 
 17 
 
 16 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 14 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 18 
 
 14 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 11 
 
 6 
 
 
 7 
 
 11 
 
 15 
 
 6 
 
 18 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 
 4 
 
 T 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 13 
 
 12 
 
 8 
 
 11 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 11 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 10 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 "TT 
 
 8 
 
 11 
 
 3 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 8 
 
 3 
 
 
 8 
 
 13 
 
 10 
 
 6 
 
 T" 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 m 
 
 4 
 
 wm 
 
 2 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 ~ 
 
 5 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 
 1 
 
 18 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 16 
 
 23 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 9 
 
 12 
 
reorganization of the high school course in English. Aa such a reorganiza- 
 tion must affect all secondary school subjects directly or indirectly, and be 
 to some extent dependent on individual conditions, it presents independent 
 problems, the study of which has now been undertaken by a special com- 
 mittee of the National Education Association including a sub-committee on 
 English under the chairmanship of the secretary of the National Council 
 of Teachers of English. But though every question answered in the re- 
 ports of the present committee suggests many others that require further 
 investigation, the work has led to a number of conclusions with regard to 
 the proper organization of a secondary school English course; and a brief 
 summary of the principal findings may be made as follows: 
 
 First, and most conclusively established, the initial step toward increas- 
 ing the efficiency of English composition teaching, the one thing that is es- 
 sential in all cases, whatever else may prove to be necessary, is to reduce 
 the average number of pupils assigned to English composition teachers in 
 all schools to a proper laboratory standard. The reason why this reduction 
 is the initial step toward higher efficiency, and in all cases the essential 
 step, i* because, no matter how favorable other conditions may be, without 
 this reduction high efficiency is a physical impossibility. The general aver- 
 age and the upper limit of that standard for colleges and secondary schools 
 have been shown in the committee's report. 
 
 Second, the cost of taking this step will not be prohibitive; it will merely 
 give English composition, adjudged the most important of all laboratory 
 subjects, its proper place among such subjects in the school budget, as any 
 scientific system of standardization must do. Now it stands at the very 
 bottom, worst paid and worst equipped of all if not the last considered, 
 relegated to the company of text-book subjects and without financial honor 
 even among them. Full recognition will not make it the most expensive 
 subject, because it requires, not elaborate buildings and apparatus, but 
 merely an adequate supply of books and teachers, with simple illustrative 
 material. 
 
 Third, after this step is taken, others may then prove to be necessary in 
 some cases: such as (a) the standardizing of the preparation and the 
 skill of English teachers; (b) the determining of the relative efficiency of 
 various methods under varying conditions, as for instance of oral and writ- 
 ten training; (c) the establishing of the definite and required cooperation 
 of other teachers with English teachers; and (d) the coordinating of the 
 English work of all schools from the lowest to the highest. But with the 
 present average assignment of pupils, it is established that the best teacher 
 using the best methods cannot secure high efficiency, except by overwork 
 with its inevitable results, and even thus for a limited period only. It may 
 for emphasis be repeated that the thing that chiefly matters in the teaching 
 of English composition is not the number or the size of individual classes, 
 but as in any other laboratory subject, the total number of students assigned 
 to a teacher; though incidentally within certain limits smaller classes are 
 preferable to larger ones, even for efficient teachers. 
 
 In the progress of the investigation, further details appear to be sanc- 
 tioned by the opinions of a majority of teachers reporting. For instance, 
 in secondary schools English schedule time should be about equally divided 
 between literature and composition, both subjects preferably taught by the 
 same teacher to the same pupils. A prevailing practice is to give composi- 
 
 21 
 
tion two days a week and literature three; but exceptions are numerous. 
 Laboratory practice it is said should be about e'qually divided between oral 
 and written work; not necessarily both in the same week, but with a cer- 
 tain weekly average minimum of written work. Composition sections should 
 not exceed 20 students each, and a smaller number is preferable, especially 
 in oral training. Ample time should be provided for private personal con- 
 ference between instructor and pupils, for both oral and written work, all 
 counted and paid for as teaching time, thus greatly lessening the necessity 
 and labor of theme correcting, and increasing efficiency by a ratio greatly 
 exceeding the necessary increase in cost. 
 
 Without enumerating other topics which necessarily will be fully and 
 authoritatively covered in the forthcoming report of the N. E. A. committee, 
 it will be noted that even the few points stated raise further questions of 
 the utmost importance, to which answers cannot be found too soon. Per- 
 haps the most pressing of these is the question as to the relative time neces- 
 sary in oral and written training respectively to obtain fairly equivalent 
 results in each. Each serves its own ends, and neither can be replaced by 
 the other, but each aids the other in certain respects. This question has a 
 most important bearing upon the problems of labor and cost discussed in 
 this report. So far as it can be answered by a consensus of opinion, the 
 answer is almost unanimous that oral training takes more time, while of 
 course greatly lessening the burden of theme correction. English teachers' 
 associations in two states are now making a special study of this problem; 
 in one instance making a comparative study of the conditions as they are 
 found, and in the other conducting a carefully organized experimental test. 
 A fairly definite and conclusive answer may therefore be expected within a 
 reasonable time. 
 
 Another question that must some time be answered, and the sooner the 
 better, is that relating to the feasibility of requiring <the cooperation in all 
 schools of all other teachers with the teachers of English, and the nature 
 of the results that may be expected. It seems plausible if not indeed prob- 
 able that after establishing ideal conditions of efficiency in the English class- 
 room, the influence of other classes, the playground, the street, and the 
 home, may after all by mere preponderance of time largely nullify the 
 English teacher's work. While it is true that they cannot under improved 
 conditions nullify it in the same measure that they now do, and that it may 
 be possible to secure high efficiency in spite of them, it is also true that 
 the facts should be ascertained and passed upon. An organized effort to 
 do so has not yet been made, though there have been a few individual ex- 
 periments. Those in which cooperation was occasional and purely voluntary 
 seem invariably to have failed; and so have those in which the English of 
 other classes was passed on and graded by the English teacher; because 
 in neither have other teachers assumed real responsibility. But in one ex- 
 periment now in progress in a secondary school, it is made a part of the 
 regular duty of all other teachers to supervise the English of their classes 
 according to specific and simple instructions, whatever the subject may be, 
 and to report grades on English to the English department, to be taken 
 into account in the final English estimate. This experiment promises to be 
 successful; it has been in operation long enough to demonstrate that it 
 produces very apparent good results in English without increasing expense 
 in other departments. 
 
 22 
 
The same school has found an even more marked improvement in results 
 to follow from reducing the total number of students assigned to an English 
 teacher in accordance with the data published by this committee. This 
 number varies from 60 to 50; each teacher averages not more than 17 reci- 
 tations weekly, and spends 12 to 15 hours weekly in private conference with 
 pupils and 5 hours in theme reading. The proportion of oral to written 
 exercises is 5 to 1; written exercises average 300 words a week for each 
 pupil, and delivery of oral exercises requires 10 or 15 minutes a week from 
 each pupil. To introduce the system increased the previous cost of teach- 
 ing not above 25 per cenjt> while the number of failures compared with 
 that of neighboring schools in the same period has been reduced one half. 
 This in general terms is to say that with regard to one single point, an in- 
 crease of not to exceed 25 per cent in expense has led to an increase of 100 
 per cent in efficiency.* 
 
 Two <xther investigations intimately related to those discussed in this 
 report are now being undertaken under the direction of the National Coun- 
 cil of Teachers of English. One of these relates to the proper preparation 
 and equipment of English teachers of all schools; the other to the compara- 
 tive cost and cither conditions of the English work of the lower schools. 
 From the beginning of the present movement to find the reasons for the 
 present unsatisfactory educational situation in English, it has seemed prob- 
 able that in the lower schools exists the greatest need of all for improve- 
 ment of conditions; and that if proper reorganization could there be brought 
 about, the English problems of the higher schools would be greatly sim- 
 plified; but so great and so complicated is the problem presented by the 
 lower schools that it has hitherto been passed over. It is now proposed to 
 approach it, under the general supervision of the Council, through affiliated 
 organizations everywhere; and the present committee has been continued 
 and enlarged for this special purpose: individual members of the committee 
 to take charge of specific parts of the work after a general plan is formu- 
 lated and approved. Also further report remains to be made on the com- 
 parative cost of teaching college subjects. For the membership of the en- 
 larged committee, and other details, see page 4. 
 
 Questions, criticisms, suggestions, and information of any sort relating 
 to work that has been done, is to be done, or ought to be done, will as here- 
 tofore be welcomed by the committee. It wishes to express its apprecia- 
 tion of the help of many earnest co-workers, its desire for further assist- 
 ance, and its hope that, through the general recognition of conditions neces- 
 sary to good results, there may be established in all schools a high and 
 general efficiency in English teaching. 
 
 *The school referred to, here named by permission, is the J. Sterling Morton High School 
 of Cicero, Illinois, Principal H. V. Church. The following statement regarding its English 
 work is quoted from the letter of a recent visitor: "I never saw the like before in any 
 school. No doubt a similar condition might be found in some high grade private schools, 
 but this is a public high school, in a community largely inhabited by foreigners, a school in 
 which few of the pupils come from wealthy families * * * *. It is the system beyond 
 all question, which has produced the results." In introducing the "system" Mr. Church 
 has had the effective support and approval of all his teachers ; of other subjects as well as 
 of English. See report in English Journal for March, 1913, page 185. 
 
 23 
 
14 DAY USE 
 
 RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED 
 
 LOAN DEPT. 
 
 This book is due on the last date stamped below, or 
 
 on the date to which renewed. 
 Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. 
 
 LD 21A-50m-4,'59 
 (A1724slO)476B 
 
 General Library 
 
 University of California 
 
 Berkeley