SCHOOL REPORTS AS A MEANS OF SECURING AD- DITIONAL SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION IN AMERICAN CITIES BY MERVIN GORDON NEALE, Ph. D. Professor of School Administration, University of Missouri (Columbia, iHuuuutri THE MISSOURI BOOK COMPANY PUBLISHERS 1921 Copyright, 1921 by Mervin Gordon Neale All Rights Reserved ACKNOWLEDGMENT The writer very gratefully acknowledges his indebtedness to Professors G. D. Strayer and N. L. Engelhardt for suggesting the subject of this investigation and for giving numerous help- ful criticisms during its prosecution. He wishes, also, to ac- knowledge his indebtedness to the many busy city school superin- tendents who took the time to furnish information relative to the means used to give publicity to school facts in their respective cities. 448817 in CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Page CHAPTER I. The origin and Development of School Reporting in the United States 1 CHAPTER II. Types and Cost of School Publications in American Cities 27 a. Description of the means by which information was secured 27 b. The types of school publications 1 54 c. Extent of circulation of each type 54 d. The "Audience" for which each type is intended 56 e. The cost of school publications 60 f. Additional types of school reports 62 CHAPTER III. Annual, Biennial and Triennial School Reports 69 a. The frequency of issue in different sections of the United States 70 b. The aims of these reports 74 c. Authorship 75 d. Analysis of content 76 e. Substitute types of publications 88 CHAPTER IV. The Principles and Practice of Utilizing School Reports as a Means of Securing Support for Education , 92 a. Differentiation of reports according to the audience to be reached 92 b. The principle of economy 97 c. Psychological principles which apply to school report- ing _ 97 d. A suggested program of school reporting 102 APPENDIX A. Extracts from State Laws Bearing on Written or Printed School Reports 106 APPENDIX B. Description of Questionnaire Used 114 APPENDIX C. List of Cities Replying to Questionnaire, Showing after the Name of each City the Different School Publications Utili- zed therein 117 APPENDIX D. A List of the Subjects of the Charts and Graphs in 103 Annual, Biennial and Triennial School Reports 127 BIBLIOGRAPHY 132 V LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page 1 of the First Printed Annual Report of the Board of Trustees and Visitors of the Common Schools of Cincinnati 10 The First Page of the Oldest available Printed Annual School Re- port in the United States 16 A Page from an Annual Report of the Visiting School Committee of Concord, New Hampshire, dated March 19, 1827, 17 A Resolution Ordering the Printing of a 168 Page Report on the Quality of Instruction in the Boston, Massachusetts Public Schools, dated September 11, 1845. 18 A Page Illustrating the Character of the Report Referred to in the Resolution shown on Page 18 19 An Illustration of the Types of School Publications Used in Canton, Illinois. 40 Types of School Reports Used in Eugene, Oregon. 41, 42 Types of Administrative Publications Extensively Used in Ameri- can City School Systems. 43 Teachers' Bulletins 44 Monographs 45 News Bulletins, the "House Organ" Type of School Publication ___ 46 Campaign Bulletins 47 A Means for Giving Wide Circulation to the Superintendent's An- nual Report 48 A Newspaper Display Advertisement 49 Illustration of the Use of a High School Journalism Class and a Daily Metropolitan Newspaper in Reporting School Facts to the Public 50, 51 Posters . 52 VII LIST OF CHARTS 1. Percentage of Space in Ten Annual Reports Issued by the Philadelphia Board of Controllers between 1819 and 1833 De- voted to Each of Four Subjects 20 2. Percentage of Space in Ten Annual Reports Issued by the Board of Controllers of Philadelphia between 1834 and 1843 Devoted to Each of Nine Subjects 22 3. Percentages of Space in Ten Annual Reports Issued by the School Committee of Brighton, Massachusetts, Devoted to Each of Thirteen Subjects. 24 4. Per Cent of 242 Cities Using Each of the 13 Most Frequently Used Types of School Publications. 53 5. Median Cost of Last Issues of 11 of the Most Frequently Used Types of School Publications. 62 6. Relative Rank of Different Sections of the United States in the Percentage of Cities Publishing Annual School Reports 72 7. Authorship of Annual, Biennial and Triennial Reports 76 8. Per Cent of Annual, Biennial and Triennial Reports Containing Material on the Twelve Most Frequently Found Subjects 80 9. Distribution of 103 Annual, Biennial and Triennial School Re- ports According to Length 81 10. The Relative Frequency of Use of the Different Kinds of Charts and Graphs Found in Annual, Biennial and Triennial School Reports. ' 82 11. The Distribution of Intelligence Among Adults 96 IX INTRODUCTION The present time presents peculiar opportunities for the friends of education to make enormous gains through the proper use of school publicity. Conditions indicate that in many ways this is a period of educational revival in the United States equally as far reaching and momentous as the educational revival which brought the public school system of the United States into existence. The present time is opportune for presenting the cause of education to the public for these reasons : 1. The world war brought home to the American people in a striking way the fact that our educational system failed in many of the ways in which we supposed that it succeeded. The millions of illiterates, the large number of non-English speaking citizens, the lack of trained technical workers, the lack of a proper appreciation of American citizenship by a large element of the population are among the weaknesses disclosed. , 2. The world war was influential in another way in that it caused, through the propaganda circulated and the general spirit created by the union of the allied nations, a vigorous appreciation of the opportunities and possibilities of democratic government. In line with this development of the democratic spirit, civic, commercial and social leaders have very plainly seen the necessity of making a larger proportion of the population conscious of the advantages and opportunities which education has to offer. 3. The very fact of the world war makes this an opportune time for stressing the cause of education. This is because of the enormous vivifying fact of carrying on a great cooperative enter- prise and of bringing it to a successful conclusion. 4. Two other facts combine to make this a peculiarly fitting time for securing the attention of the public to school facts. The first of these is the fact that school buildings programs were held up during the war and that the year 1920-21 finds the cities of the United States in need of some two or three billion dollars in order to supply the kipd of school buildings which would be XI XII INTRODUCTION adequate for the proper accommodation of the school children of this country. The second is the fact that the enormous increase in the cost of living and the opportunities which were presented to teachers in other lines of work have brought the schools face to face with a shortage of teachers which threatens to become a crisis unless heroic measures are taken. These are real issues. They are vital to the interest of the nation. They afford subjects for school publicity which are, potentially at least, of interest to every parent in the United States. Superintendents of schools and school officials generally are keenly interested in the agencies through which the needs of the schools and the importance of the education may be presented to all the people. It is the object of this study to show how the publication of school reports in the United States grew out of the first period of enthusiasm for public free education. It is the further purpose of the study to show the actual means now used by school officials to present the case of the schools to the people, to estimate the relative effectiveness of the various means and to suggest a program of school reporting which will assist in secur- ing for public education in the United States the increased support which the needs and opportunities of the present seem to demand. CHAPTER I THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY SCHOOL REPORTING IN THE UNITED STATES. It is the purpose of this chapter 1 To indicate the influences back of the publication of school reports in American cities. 2 To trace briefly the development of the custom of pub- lishing these reports. 3 To show the purposes which actuated the writers of early reports. A To analyze the contents of some of these early publi- cations in order to show the manner in which they attempted to accomplish their aims. The custom of publishing school reports in American cities may be looked on as a joint product of the conception that public officials are accountable to the people whom they serve and cer- tain community practices which were prevalent when the public school system of the country was taking form. More definitely, the facts which influenced the origin and early form of published school reports appear to be : . (1) The New England town meeting. (2) The general educational revival of 1820-50. (3) The propaganda publications of early educational societies. (4) The publication of catalogs, announcements, and reports of private 'academies. (5) The encouragement given by certain state boards of education as in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, and Rhode Island. The origin of the use of published public school reports as a means for securing increased support for education is to be found mainly in the New England States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine. The published annual school report in those states may be considered as a direct descendent of the New England town meeting. It (i) 2 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES was from the earliest colonial days in this section of America the custom to consider matters of public concern in the town meetings. Among these matters was the conduct of the local schools. At the annual meeting, when the policy for the coming year was to be determined, it was usual to have the selectmen or school committee report by word of mouth to the voters as- sembled about the conduct of the schools for the past year, of the existing needs and the appropriation required for the next year. As the number of children increased and schools became more numerous and the conduct of school affairs more expensive and more complex, it came to be the custom of school commit- tees to present written reports to be read at the town meeting. In 1738, for instance, a visiting committee in Boston, Mas- sachusetts, made a written report to the town meeting which gave the number of children in each of the schools and comment- ed on the quality of instruction observed. * In 1784, a com- mittee in Boston reported on "The Future Arrangement of the Free Schools." 2 In December 1766, the Town Meeting of Hartford, Conn., voted "that Messrs. Daniel Sheldon, Benjamin Payne, and Thomas Seymour, Jr., be a committee to join with the present school committee and devise some method for the better reg- ulating of the Grammar School and lay the same before the next meeting of the town in order for their approbation." 3 This report was submitted to the Town Meeting on December 17th, 1767, and must have been a written report since a copy of it appears in the town record. In 1792, it was voted by the Hartford Town Meeting that the committee of the grammar school report "to the town meeting to be holden December next, the general state of that school, the nature of the grants and appropriations, the number of The Rise of Local Supervision in Massachusetts, p 95, based on Boston Rep. Rec. Com., XIII, p 153. 2 Ibid., p 99, based on Boston Rep. Rec. Com. XXXI, p 16-18. 3 The old Hartford Grammar School: Republished from Barnard's American Journal of Education for April, 1878. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY SCHOOL REPORTING 3 scholars in it, and the advantages which arise therefrom to individuals and the public." 1 By 1838, the presentation of written reports had become so general a practice in the State of Massachusetts that a law was passed requiring school committees to present a written report on the conduct and condition of the schools to the annual town meetings. This law provided that the town might vote to have the report printed if it so desired." 2 In 1846, 3 the law was amended so as to make the printing of the annual report optional with the school committee and in 1859,* printing was made compulsory. The law, as amended in 1859, is the law on the subject in Massachusetts at the present time and reads as follows: "Section 6: The school committee shall annually make a detailed report of the condition of the several public schools, which report shall contain such statements and suggestions, in relation to the schools as the committee deem necessary or proper to promote the interests thereof. The committee shall cause said report to be printed for the use of the inhabitants, in octavo, pamphlet form, of the size of the annual reports of the Board of Education, and transmit two copies thereof to the commissioner of education on or before the last day of April, and shall deposit one copy in the office of the city or town clerk." The gradual increase in the number of printed annual school reports in the State of Massachusetts may be seen from figures given by Horace Mann. 5 Number of cities Printing annual Year School report 1839 6 6 1840 25 1841 33 1842 41 !The Old Hartford Grammar School, p. 193. 2 Laws of 1838. Ch. 105, Paragraph I. 3 Statutes of 1846, Ch. 223, Sec. 4. 4 Statutes of 1859, Ch. 57. 5 Abstract of Mass. School Returns for 1845-46, p 4. Estimate. Horace Mann states that "In 1839 not more than half a dozen were printed. 4 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES 1843 43 1844 44 1845 51 1846 71 These figures are, perhaps, more impressive than they look. They show that Massachusetts towns, before the middle of the nineteenth century were much more faithful in printing school reports than are the cities in most states at the present time. If the Massachusetts cities printing their annual school reports for the year 1841-42 are studied, it will be seen that the 39 mentioned * as submitting printed reports, included 75 per cent of the Massachusetts towns having a population of 4,000 and over, and 91 per cent of the towns of 6,000 and above. 1 The reasons which school comittees had in mind in publishing school reports may be illustrated by quotations on the subject taken from some of the reports. The Groton, Massachusetts, school com- mittee said in their report of 1841 -42j 2 "The law of our state makes it the duty of the school committee, an- nually, to submit a statement of the conditions of our district schools, accompanied with such remarks and suggestions as they may deem proper. We consider this a wholesome provision and fully recognize the wisdom of the statute. By means of such a report . . . the inhabitants of the town are informed of the state of their schools, and their attention is called to their existing defects and to the best method for their improvement." In the same year, the school committee of Fall River, Mass, stated in their annual report : 3 "The statute of the State requires, that the general school committee shall make a detailed report to the town, of the condition of all the schools under their general supervision. Those who are taxed to sup- port Public Schools, have a right to know how their money is ex- pended, and what is the character of the schools which they are re- quired to maintain. The committee are but the agents employed by 1 Abstract of Mass. School Returns for 1841-42, pages 1-231. Only 39 out of the 41 cities which printed reports are mentioned by name. 2 Ibid, p56: See abstract of Mass. School Returns for 1843-44 for similar statements. 3 Ibid, p!69. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY SCHOOL REPORTING 5 the town to take the agency of Common School Education, and the employer ought to be made acquainted with all that appertains to his interests, in respect to this agency. What the committee know as to the schools, the town ought to know." Horace Mann spoke frequently in his annual report about the advantages of printing the annual school report. In 1839, for instance, he said : 1 "It is a matter of deep regret, that more of the towns did not di- rect the printing and distribution among their citizens of the re- ports. To have a copy of them in every family is the only efficient way to secure such attention as they deserve, to the important sub- jects they discuss." In 1841 : 2 "Though the reading of a report in open town meeting can not be otherwise than useful; yet the advantages of distributing to every fam- ily in the town, an able and well written tract on common schools must be indefinitely greater." In 1842 : 3 "Forty-one of the reports were printed. If a much larger number of them were printed it would far more effectually subserve the object of the law in requiring them to be made. The views and suggestions which they contain are too valuable to be lost, as many of them now are." In 1838, school visitors in the state of Connecticut were re- quired by law to prepare a written report on the condition of the schools, together with plans and suggestions for their im- provement. 5 That it became customary to print these reports in some Connecticut cities is shown by a statement made by Henry Barnard : 5 1 Abstract of Mass. School Returns 1838-39, Page 9. 2 Abstract of Mass. School Returns 1840-41, p 6. See pp 4 & 5 for a statement of the contents of early reports. 3 Abstract of Mass. School Returns 1841-42, p 5. See eighth annual report of the Secretary, p 52-53, and 1845, p. 314. 4 Fourth Annual Report of the Bd. of Commissioners of Common Schools in Connecticut, May 1842, p 46. 5 Ibid, p 38. 6 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES "In some cases, the reports have been read in a public meeting called for that purpose; in others, in 'the several districts; and in a few instances they have been printed and circulated through every family. I know of but one instance where such a report was prepared previous to 1838." The printing of the annual school reports was never made compulsory in Connecticut, but from evidence presented in Chapter II, it appears that Connecticut towns and cities, almost without exception, do publish such reports at the present time. New Hampshire followed practically the same policy as Connecticut. One of the earliest available printed school re- ports in this state was presented to the town meeting of Concord, N. H., on March 14th, 1827 1 and was ordered by the town "to be printed and distributed under the direction of the visiting Committee." On March 12th, 1828, the town meeting of Concord voted that "such number of the Report of the Visiting Com- mittee be printed as will be sufficient to supply each family in town with one copy." 2 The early law in New Hampshire stated that: 3 "The Superintending Committee are to make out annually a report and present the same to the town at its annual meeting, stating the number of weeks which the public schools have been kept in each district, in summer and in winter, and what portion thereof has been kept by male and what by female teachers; the whole number of scholars that have attended each school; the progress made in each school in the various branches of learning; the number of children be- tween the ages of four and fourteen years in each district that have not attended school therein; and the number of persons in each dis- trict between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one years who can not read and write, with such suggestions as may be useful upon the management of schools and the subject of education." That it had not become a universal custom among New Hamp- shire towns to print the annual school reports by 1854, is in- 1 Report of the Visiting School Committee of Concord, N. H. March 14th, 1827. 2 Report of the Visiting School Committee of Concord, N. H. March 12th, 1828. 3 Report of the Commissioner of Common Schools of New Hampshire 1847. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY SCHOOL REPORTING 7 dicated by a statement made by the New Hampshire Commis- sioner of Common Schools i 1 "The cause of education would be greatly advanced, if the several towns, as already intimated, would publish yearly a brief and interest- ing account of their schools, and leave a copy with every family. This report should be prepared with care and should give a correct view of the schools and of the best means to be used in improving them." An act was passed in Maine in 1841 requiring the superintend- ing school committees to return the school statistics to the select- men fourteen days before the annual town meeting. 2 The law stated that it was the duty of the superintending school com- mittee "to make a written report at the annual meeting next after their ap- oointment of the standing of, and progress made in, the several schools in the various branches of learning therein taught, and the success which may have attended the mode of instruction and government of their respective teachers." 3 In 1855, twenty-two Maine towns submitted printed annual reports to the state superintendent of common schools who states that : "The number of towns which print their report of their school com- mittee in our state, do not, probably, exceed forty. Two hundred and twent} r towns receive over one hundred dollars each from the State School Fund, and it is suggested whether they should not be required to furnish to every family in town a printed copy of the School Committee's report, as a condition of receiving their proportion of this money." 4 The case for printing the annual school report in Maine was presented by the Commissioner of Common Schools in his 1855 Annual Report as follows : "When the committee have submitted their report to the inhabi- tants of the town, it should be printed and a copy sent to every fam- ily, to be read by parents, teachers and scholars. Unless printed, how- 1 Report of the Commissioner of Common Schools of New Hampshire, 1854, p 46-47. 2 Maine School Report for 1852, p 32. 3 Maine School Report 1855, p 141, and Maine School Report 1856, p 141. 4 Maine School Report, 1855, p 36. 8 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES ever faithfully this document may have been prepared, and however valuable in statistics or suggestions, it will fail to produce much pos- itive good; for it is usually read near the close of the town meeting, when most of the voters have gone to their homes, or their minds are occupied with some matter of business . . . Many arguments could be adduced in favor of printing these reports and their distribu- tion. The committees would be encouraged in their responsible and arduous labors; and would seek a greater acquaintance with the gen- eral duties of their office. Teachers would seek to deserve the appro- bation of the Committee and the community, were their character as teachers to be set forth on the printed page, and read by every family in town. It would encourage good teachers and drive poor ones from the field. It would tend to create a healthy emulation among the parents and scholars of the different districts, as well as increase the amount of reading matter on the subject of schools . . . Commit- tees are recommended to bring this subject to the consideration of their respective towns in their next annual report." 1 In 1828, a sub-committee in Providence, Rhode Island, in- vestigated the matter* of reorganizing the school system of the town and prepared a six-page report which was printed and circulated "throughout the town." 2 Before 1845, Rhode Island had the following law which made either the reading or the publication of the school committee's annual report compulsory: "Powers and duties of towns. To prepare and submit annually first to the commissioner of public schools, on or before the first of July, in matter and form as shall be prescribed by him; and second a written or printed report to the town, at the annual town meeting when the school committee is chosen, setting forth the doings of the committee, and the condition and plans for the improvement of the public schools of their respective towns; which report, unless printed, shall be read in open town meeting." 3 The by-laws of the school committee of Providence adopted June 10th, 1844, contain a definite provision for carrying out the purpose of the foregoing law. "Art. II. Quarterly and Annual reports. The superintendent shall keep a record of his proceedings, always open to the members of the 1 Maine School Report, 1855, p35. 2 Report of Sub-committee of Providence, Rhode Island School Com- mittee. 3 Rhode Island School Report 1845, p!41. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY SCHOOL REPORTING 9 committee; and at every quarterly meeting shall make report in writ- ing of the number of pupils attending the several schools during the quarter, of the number engaged in the different branches of study in the same and containing such information relative to the conditions and plans for improving of the schools as he may have to communicate. A general report shall also be prepared by him, at the close of the school year for publication." 1 Article XII of the same by-laws also directed the superin- tendent of schools after each quarterly meeting to "cause to be published in the newspapers a statement of the number of scholars of each sex in all the schools during the preceding quarter." 1 The political and social ideas and habits which led to the development of the custom rendering first oral, then written and later printed school reports in New England, went with those who emigrated from this section to other states. The Trustees and Visitors of Cincinnati published a report in 1833 and an- nually thereafter. This was the third report to the community by the board, but the first two were not published and so were lost. 2 The first annual report of the Board of Managers of the Common Schools of Cleveland was for the year 1837-38. 3 The magnitude of New England influence may be judged from the extent of the migration from that section. Pro- fessor Cubberly states 4 that by 1810 more than half of New York, one-fourth of Pennsylvania, parts of New Jersey and the Western Reserve in Ohio had been settled by New Englanders. By 1850, according to the same authority, one-half of the settled portion of the old North-West Territory had been populated by New England stock and many New Englanders had pushed beyond the Mississippi River. There were, however, influences other than those which grew out of the New England town meeting and the New England 1 By laws Providence, Sch. Com. 1844. 2 A History of the Schools of Cincinnati John B. Shotwell, Cincin- nati, The School Life Co. 1902. 3 Quoted in full in Early History of the Cleveland Public Schools by Andrew Freese, Cleveland 1876. 4 Public Education in the United States, p. 72. 10 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES SCHOOL BEPOBT, City GntneS 7I of Trustees and V itors of the Common within the City of Cincinnati in gubmittini: to the CttyCotm- ci tfenr Aii&uui Report of the state and prospects of the last** &tFu*led to their s|rfK*a, deem it proper to aid- ve it to the -dtfi J h e KtuolpcritH . sttitffeetofy account ii- Iowa, or of the pro- ceeding* a*. -:>f stair predrcessors. Uatler the e- L'cv,- u -:.-.-:.ip j*<-a* if *?< -;v;- jr> f-^Ta. .. "- -: : -rirraiiv rmtiei upon t ..,k e up the annual repost for anolber net, who, after - -hoots ;-t the first tfer >f the i v " : : r f and tli0 renvahiNder, *ire allowed to ificooutsh their trust (whkJi^ frcmt its aniu^ uatara, b hat too cheeiioily resjgned) without leaving, IB line nhape of a farewell Report, njr specie ^l3tt- *' ''^I'r ;.- ;: ;; ';'' '''':> ~ ' (>*'.. ;-;,.. At HKM bu*y perkni of the iciK>ul y -> make ap fit -- a y.-ystaiaed t in eonse- otiier causes.) eniftber of the TlrKf&Tf and Ej&mburt but a single in-- r>f thekttcr B* -.'ith a fcsire majori! y of the former ia visiting tlie etghte^ii puHks examinations. W> .*d b kw im- The first page of the first printed Annual School Report of Cincinnati, Ohio, for the year 1832-33. This report was a 13-page pamphlet and contained an account of receipts and expenditures, discussions of changes in the teaching staff and textbooks, a list of the textbooks in use, recommendations relative to a reform in the manner of choosing the Board of Visitors and the immediate construction of a new school building, comment on the good results to be expected from meetings of the College of "Professional Teachers" in Cincinnati and a hopeful statement about the future of the Cincinnati public schools. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY SCHOOL REPORTING 11 attitude toward education which influenced the early publication of school reports. Between 1820 and 1850, there were many conditions in all sections of the United States which tended to give powerful emphasis to the cause of education. This was the period of the great development of democratic ideas. It was the period of the growth of a new interest in the welfare of the masses, both on the part of political and social leaders and on the part of the masses themselves. It was a time when philanthropic societies became alertly and vigorously interested in improving the lot of the common man. One result of this great demo- cratic movement was the employment of all available means of publicity for putting the case of public education before the people. The various public school societies memorialized the legislatures, issued addresses to the public, furnished public speakers, published tracts x in order to explain the nature of their work and, in may cases, issued formal printed reports. The Male Free Society of Baltimore which was organized about the beginning of the nineteeth century issued a report as early as 1822. 2 In Philadelphia, the annual school reports of the Board of Controllers may be looked on as in large measure a continuation of the propaganda and reports of the Philadelphia Society for the Establishment and Support of Charity Schools founded about 1800, and the Society for the Promotion of a Rational System of Education established some fourteen years later. 3 The Public School Society of New York, soon- after its organi- zation in 1805, published in the papers of the city an address to the public which was a statement of what the Society intended to do, and an appeal for financial support. 4 From 1805 to 1841, appeals to the public and memorials to the State Legislature were 1 From 1830 to 1850 tracts dealing with such subjects as the need of common schools, preparation of teachers, and the value of subjects other than the three R's were .widely distributed in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. See Monroe Cyclopedia of Education, Vol. V, p619. 2 Cubberley Public Education in the United States, p88. 3 Cubberley Public Education in the United States, p89. 4 History of the Public School Society of the City of New York. W. O. Bourne, N. Y. 1870. 12 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES frequent and urgent because the rapid growth of the Society's work made financial support an increasingly difficult problem. As the schools in charge of the Society increased in number, committees' reports came to be published 1 and annual reports were printed 2 so that when the public school system of New York City was established,, there was very definite precedent for the publication of annual school reports. The New York City school board publications may be looked on as, in large measure, a con- , tinuation of those which had been utilized for many years by the Public School Society. The influence of the catalogs, pamphlets and reports of pri- vate and semi-public academies may be seen in the contents of many early school reports. The lists of pupils with the names and addresses of their parents, graduation programs and speeches, lists of alumni, the names of high school graduates attending various colleges, represent the kind of publicity with which the academy catalogs had made school officials familiar. The custom of publishing annual school reports which became general in New England and extensive in other sections of the United States before 1860 is not, as will be shown in Chapters II and III, universal even at the present time. It will be shown in Chapter II that of 242 cities of 8,000 population and over, only 66 per cent have published annual reports within the past five years and that only 52 per cent have issued printed annual re- ports during the calendar year of 1919 and the first four months of 1920. New England is the only section of the United States where practically all the cities publish annual school reports. 3 Table I shows that twenty-three states have laws of some sort relative to the rendering or publication of reports. Of these twenty-three states, seven require the printing of an annual report in pamphlet form and of these seven, the states of Dela- ware and Alabama have passed the necessary legislation during the year 1919. Annual reports issued under the laws in these IHistory of the Public School Society of the City of New York, pp 85-86. 2 Ibid, p734. 3 See Chart 6, page 72 for the rank of sections of the United States according to the per cent, of cities in which annual school reports' are published. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY SCHOOL REPORTING 13 two states will be issued for the first time for the school year 1920-21. With one exception, the laws in these seven states direct that the reports shall deal with general educational con- ditions and needs, as well as with matters of finance. In one state, namely, Maine, the statute requires that a written annual report be submitted at the town meeting. In Colorado, the law directs that in first-class cities, a semi-annual financial report be published in a newspaper and that in cities other than first-class, such reports be published annually. The table shows also that four states require the publication of annual financial reports in the newspapers, that six require the publication of an annual report, either in pamphlet form or in a newspaper, two states require the publication of proceed- ings of the school board, and three the publication of budget estimates. The state of Connecticut requires the superintendent of schools to make a written report to the school committee. The state of Delaware requires the publication of the course of study in addition to the publication of an annual report in pamphlet form, and in the state of Rhode Island, it is required that the annual report be either printed in pamphlet form or read in open town meeting. 14 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES TABLE I. PROVISIONS IN STATE LAWS RELATIVE TO SCHOOL REPORTS. FOR EXTRACTS FROM STATE LAWS ON WHICH THIS TABLE IS BASED, SEE APPENDIX I. Annual printed report in pamphlet form required by law Written annual report to town meeting required. Semi-annual financial report to be published in newspapers Annual financial report to be published in newspapers. Annual report to Le printed either in pamphlet or in newspaper Propeedings of Board to be published Budget estimate to be published in newspaper Written report to Board or school committee required. Printed course of study to be supplied to teachers and interested citizens 73 a I| t-i ^ II ' a a! 3 a 0> p "3 o3 2 Is (X) X-l (X) (X) (X) Idaho X-2 Illinois X-3 X-4 (X) (X)-5 Maine (X) (X") Michigan X-6 X i.nneso a x x (X) (X) .... Ohio (X) ( X) (X)-7 x (X) x (X) Utah x Wisconsin X-8 1 Annually for other than first class cities. 2 In independent districts. 3 For cities having a population of over 100,000. 4 Must include .statement of receipts and expenditures. 5 "Shall publish annually" "publish" is not defined. 6 "Shall cause to be published." No provision relative to printed or written school reports designed for the local public was found in the statutes of other states. 8 Either to be published in newspaper or posted in 5 prominent places. 7 In cities of the first class. Content not defined. The "X's" are enclosed in parenthesis where the reporting of general educational conditions and needs is required. Tables II, III and IV, Charts I, II and III and the illustra- tions on Pages 10, 16, 17, 18 and 19 indicate the general nature of the content of the earliest school reports. In some cases, ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY SCHOOL REPORTING 15 they were little more than financial reports or bare narrative accounts of the school events of the past year. Taking them as a whole, however, they contained the sort of material which school boards and committees believed would cause the public to become more interested in and therefore to give better sup- port to public schools. The following statement taken from the abstract of the Mass- achusetts school returns for 1840-41 is Horace Mann's summary of the content of the annual reports of Massachusetts town and cities for that school year: "The topics occupying most space relate to the condition of school- houses, as it regards their construction, location and appurtenances; the diversity of class-books; the lamentable contrast between the real value of the schools and their value as indicated by the indifference of parents and guardians toward them; irregularity and tardiness in the attendance of the scholars; and the favorable opinions of the com- mittees in regard to the measures now in operation to give expansion and energy to our Common School system. . . . On another class of subjects, such as the benefits to be derived from a more liberal appropriation of money by the towns, the last hundred dollars gen- erally doing as much good as the first two or three hundred; the ad- vantages which might be realized from a judicious classification of the scholars, and, for this purpose, the establishment of Union Schools, and the separation of the larger from the smaller scholars, in all cases where practicable; the paralyzing effect of the Private School system upon the paramount interest of the Public Schools; the advantages of apparatus and school libraries; the superiority of female teaching, for young children, over that of males; the value of thorough instruc- tion as contrasted with the worthlessness and banefulness of that which is superficial; the introduction of new modes and processes of exciting the interest of children and for communicating knowledge to them; and above all, the power of a body of well qualified, well trained teachers, forthwith to lift the entire mass of the rising generation to a point of intelligence, in manners, in morals, immeasurably higher than that which they now occupy; on this class of subjects, the reports contain admirable materials for more than double the amount of selections here made." 1 1 Abstract of the Massachusetts School Returns, 1840-41, pp4-5. 16 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES FIRST ANNUAL REPORT CONTROLLERS OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SCHOOL nitrmicT w THE STAT* Sflttfs tfteir accotmty, of Ilii-icli 6Hi f ISIJ* ami 4 last offlif C % ontrHers nl umler the Act, &C* %c. PHJLADELPHiAi 'Ell BY OMIICR OF THE BOAW Or 1819. The fir.st page of the oldest available printed annual school report in the United States. This report contained discussions of previous educational efforts in Philadelphia, the difficulties confronting the board, the cost of education under previous acts of the assembly, the expenses of the current year, the .subjects taught, enrollment of boys and girls by schools and an abstract of the Education Law, together with the auditors' report and a directory of the Board of Control and School Directors. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY SCHOOL REPORTING 17 REPORT. THE subject of carl/ Education is confessedly connected with tite highest advantages, ard tfee dearest rights of ma* kimL it engage* the attention of all who are wise and good* The best means for tt promotion are sought, and b liberal!/ coiurtbated, to widen atid deepen its i. t:sp n%*cc! with these facts, and the duty which tliey * to thtir co&ftttuents, die Committee, appointed id ki* Si-hoobof this town, have carefully considered e they f.o?k! adopt, arid what measures the/ cmiid ci, for their further improvement. The result of fl^ dHtfceratipcis has led to the ronvsction, that the / tern, which tbclr predecessors had adopted, may be further Improved, by a greater particularity in the annual iiont 3fid re porM of the Schoob. Actiog a}X>ii ibis they have carefully noted the recitations of ever/ dais? a*J delivered, at the clo^t of etch ematnlnatioi*, an ^ i!res, exhiLitmg their opinion of the improvement ami Character of the School, aeeornpirtied with such adfice at they thought necessary. The mollit the/ beHere t have already been- bene icil. The Committee, also befiev!ng f that n particular report of each School would produce very useful effects, have adopted a course, which, thoogk it appear to tome too minute and prolix, they arc confident peedt only to he adopted for two or three years, to ensure the approbaiton of the community, Only adding, that while they describe the state of each School, it is not their intention to mar the feelings of an/ f whether parent*, teachert, or scholars, but to fnducf such measures and cicitc such amUiton as shall promote the in- ferf\*ts of lcar;iH?j thry woulil fetpeetfatt/ submit the fol towing Report, The first page of a report of the Visiting School Committee of, Concord, New Hampshire. Read in Town Meeting and ordered printed March 19, 1827. This page indicates the purpose of the report, which was a survey of conditions by schools covering enrollment, attendance, order and the progress of the pupils in reading, spell- inc. grammar, geography, writing, arithmetic and morality. It recommends larger school buildings; better heating facilities; the certification of masters by the town examining committee; uniformity of textbooks (a list is submitted); the publication of a ".small Book" to contain an abstract of the state laws on schools and school masters, the necessary "resolves of the town," a list of textbooks, the subjects to be studied, a uniform method of examining schools and a stringent rule concerning insubordination of pupils. 18 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES CITY OF B O S T < > N In S , That leu thousan Annual Examining- Committe the citizen*. t Thai in or Writing Bchoolt t;? life- not to 'be mnU-f>irod n AtJtl thittbti resoluttou bi^ printi osid:r tli-f 4 tii|}^tic:ai feturtwi. The fim filling miiM>ed by loclipf >ver these rettirna, 4$ th&t of eiittre iBcr* i duiH y. It is very dt&eutt to M^im thai. in the Boston Schools, there stionld be so many dtildftHi in th* fct claasm, uuabie to answer such qtiestiofti^ *re sho^^. INI to many who try to answer, an*: impejlVxtlf : that there should be so many absurd answers ; >o mt?iy ^rwt in spelling, in grammar, ami IK puneiuat ><$}. It by any aeetdeitt these docunrtents ^liatild be dki roved, we emtld hatdly bop that your faith in wir accuracy w.uild .imiuee you to b^* iksr^ the truth if w tokJ it. liit tlni ^jiers all Wor ITCMB, ^ch signed by the f^holiw wlw wroit* it. . The whole nncnber of |>ti|l$ imvaeat. VionU ^ CHART I FOR A GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION OF THE PER CENT OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF SPACE IN THE TEN REPORTS GIVEN TO EACH SUBJECT. 1818 to 1819 1820 to 1821 1821 to 1822 1822 to 1823 1825 to 1826 1S26 to 1827 1827 to 1828 1829 to 1830 1830 to 1831 1832 to 1833 ;j jjl ^| Statement of President Board of School 4. 4 5 G 5 5 7 5 6 5 Q 59 53 Auditor's Report 4 3 3 5 2 5 04 f\ Directory of Schools and Abstract of Schools Law Officers.. 2.5 2.5 2.3 1. 4.5 3. 15.3 2.5 13.8 2.3 Total . .. 13.0 7.5 10.5 11.0 10.8 11. 11.5 10.0 12.5 13. no s The total content of these ten Philadelphia school reports is included in the four* classifications. The totals at the bottom indicate the number of pages in each report. The last column on the extreme right gives the per cent of the total number of pages in the ten reports devoted to each subject. CHART NO. 1 Showing the percentage of the total space devoted to different classes of subject-matter in ten annual reports of the Board of Controllers of Philadelphia issued between 1819 and 1833. Statement of School Board . . . 53.2 Auditor's Report 30. Directories 13.8 Abstract of School Law ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY SCHOOL REPORTING 21 TABLE in CONTENTS OF ANNUAL SCHOOL REPORTS OF PHILADELPHIA FROM 1834 TO 1843 (INCLUSIVE). THE FIGURES UNDER THE DATES REPRESENT THE NUMBER OF PAGES DEIVOTED TO THE SUB- JECTS LISTED AT THE LEFT. SEE CHART 2 FOR A GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION OF PER CENT OF THE. TOTAL AMOUNT OF SPACE IN THE TEN REPORTS GIVEN TO EACH SUBJECT. | S s ll O r-> 00 08 rr 4-> Q "3 If 32 33333 33333 I Directories 3 2 2 .. 6 8.5 14 12 21 24 92.5 27.8 Statement of policy and summary of results by board. 6 6 5 10 10 9 9 11 11 8 85 25.6 High School Principal's reports 9 11 7 22.5 49.5 14. Financial statement 4 2 3 3 4 3.5 4 4 6 14 47.5 14.3 Names of high school pupils with occupation and addresses of parents 3 2 6 4 J5 4.5 High School Course of Study 4 .. 3 4 11 3.3 Distribution of high school entrance examination grades by elementary schools from which pupils came 1 2 2 1.5 6.5 2.0 Report of School Board Committee on High School 2 .. 4 .... 6 1.8 Report of School Board Committee on Elementary School 5 5 1.5 Miscellaneous : 1 9 5 15 4.5 Total 13 10 10 18 20 21 46 43 69 83 333 100.2 ilncludes names of distinguished high school pupils (those making highest grades) attendance statistics,, report by a high school teacher on a high school observatory, report on Teachers' Salaries, and a letter quoted from th< ; State Superintendent of Schools. 22 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES CHART NO. Showing the percentage of total space devoted to the different claases of subject- matter in ten annual reports of the Board of Controllers of Philadelphia issued between 1834 and 1843. Directories 27.8 Statement of School Board 23.6 Report of High School Principal . 14.9 Financial Statement 14.3 Names of High School Pupils, Vocation & Address of Parents 4.5 High School Course of Study 3.3 Distribution of High School Entrance Examination Grades* 2.0 Report of Board Committee on High School , 1.8 Report of Board Committee On Elementary School 1.5 I I I Miscellaneous 4.5 *By elementary schools from which the pupils came. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY SCHOOL REPORTING 23 TABLE rv. SHOWING THE NUMBER OF PAGES DEVOTED TO EACH OF NINETEEN SUBJECTS IN THE AN- NUAL REPORTS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF BRIGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS FOR CERTAIN YEARS BETWEEN 1847 AND 1851. oo es o c* TH rH rH -H I- CO 05 r-l en c3l 35 S? 333 o 1 g o a Is Sf ll a Sf 83 sf i! It Survey of School Conditions . 15 13 12 12 9.5 10 15.5 13 18.5 12 130.5 51.5 Budget and Finance .... 1 2 3.5 1.8 3.0 5.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 .8 28.1 11.1 School Board Summary and Rec. ..2.8 3.5 .2 3 1.5 .7 2.8 1 2.5 2 .1 1 2.3 .9 2.5 1.6 17.8 16.3 7.0 6.4 Buildings and Bldg. Programs 2 1.8 2 1 Teachers -3 .3 .2 .... 1.5 .7 2 1.3 2.5 2.5 .6 1.4 1.6 .6 15.5 6.8 6.1 2.7 4.0 2 6 2.4 1 1 4 .... 6 2.4 Public Lectures ... 1 7 .6 .6 .5 .5 1 4.9 1.9 Mass. State Bd. of Education 4.5 4.5 1.8 School Calendar 1 1 .8 3.8 1.5 3 1.2 1.5 1.5 .6 1.2 1.2 .5 1 1 1 1 1 I .8 f 1.4 7 .7J Totals 24.1 25.1 21.9 19.1 17.1 20.9 30.6 31.6 40.2 23 253.6 100.2 The Table roads In the Report for 1847-S, 15 pages were given over to a sucvey of school conditions etc. The subjects are arranged in the order of the total number of pages devoted to each in all the reports studied. See Chart 3 for a graphic representation of the total amount of space in the ten reports given to each subject. 24 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES CHART NO. 3 Showing the percentage of total space devoted to each class of subject-matter in ten annual reports of the School Committee of Brighton, Massachusetts issued between 1848 and 1864. Survey of School Conditions . . 51.5 Budget and Finance 11.1 School Board Summary and Recommendatioas 7.0 Census, Enrollment, Attendance 6.4 Buildings & Building Programs 6.1 Teachers ...................... 2.7 Course of Study .............. 2.4 Rules of School Committee ____ 2.4 Public Lectures ............... 1.9 Massachusetts State Board of Education 1.8 School Calendar 1.7 Work of School Committee 1.5 Directory of School Officers 1.2 Miscellaneous 2.5 I I I I I I ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITY SCHOOL REPORTING 25 If Charts I and II, which show the content of early Philadel- phia school reports, are compared with Chart III which shows the content of the reports of the school committee of Brighton, Mass., one rather striking difference will be observed. The greatest per cent of space in the Brighton, Mass, report is de- voted to a survey of actual school conditions, in which the school committee very definitely reported on the general state of each of the schools of the town with respect to the quality of instruc- tion, the general success of the teachers' methods and the general state of the school accommodations. . The Philadelphia school report tended to run more to directories and reports of principals, and, as might be expected from the pauper school attitude to- ward education, the school board statements in the Philadelphia reports were more in the nature of propaganda than reports on the effectiveness of instruction in the different schools. A more detailed analysis of the content of the reports issued by the Philadelphia Board of Controllers between 1819-1833, shows that the following topics were discussed : The legal authority for making the annual report, difficulties facing the board in the beginning of its work, a survey of previous attempts at providing free education in Philadelphia, a description of the system of schools established under the act of March 6th, 1818, the number and distribution of pupils by schools, condition of schools as deter- mined by visits made by school board committees, explanations of ex- penditures, the subjects of instruction for boys and girls, attendance, child labor, expenditures per capita of pupils enrolled, justification of establishment of a school for colored pupils, a discussion of the im- portance of education, the need for legislation which would keep youthful beggars and "depredators" away from the wharves, the need for a compulsory school law, the improvement of discipline, a dis- cussion of a manual of Lancasterian instruction and recommendations of infant schools for children under five years of age. Partly as an outgrowth of the New England town meeting and partly as an outgrowth of the practices of the early public school societies, the educational aspirations of American cities during the period from 1820 to 1850 led to the development of the custom of publishing school reports. The reports were in- fluenced in many cases both in form and content by the reports 26 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES of private or semi-private academies. The establishment of State Boards of Education gave encouragement to the custom of publishing school reports and resulted in definite suggestions with respect to the statistical part of the reports. The typical school publication of American cities early came to be the annual school report. This publication was looked on by school committees and boards of education as a means of popularizing public education and of creating sentiment for better school equipment, better buildings, better teachers, more faithful attendance of pupils, and more efficient instruction, as well as a means of reporting on the manner in which they had performed the duties of their office. The statements quoted from school committees and state school commissioners show that in New England, at least, annual reports were intended primarily for the general public and that the desired circulation was "a copy for every family." CHAPTER II. TYPES AND COST OF SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS. It is the purpose of this chapter to show: 1. The types of school publications used in American school systems. 2. The number of copies issued and the possible extent of the circulation of each type. 3. The regularity with which the different publications are issued. 4. The audience which each type is intended to reach. 5. Evidence as to the relative weight attached to each type by city superintendents as an effective means of reaching the general public. 6. The amount of money spent for school publications by types, by sections of the United States and by sizes of cities. 7. The total expenditures by cities for school publications issued during the twelve months preceding April-May 1920 and the total cost by cities of the latest issues of all publications used during the past five years. After a brief description of the means by which the informa- tion was secured, the data will be presented in tabular form and photographic illustrations of most of the types of school publications will be shown. The chapter will close with a sum- mary of some of the outstanding points presented in the tables and a discussion of four types of school reports with which the tables do not deal. In order to determine the practice now followed by American city school systems in the publication of reports and other ma- terial designed either directly or indirectly to acquaint any por- tion of the public with facts about the schools, a questionnaire the form of which is described in Appendix B. was sent to superintendents of schools in 560 cities of 8,000 population and (27) 28 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES over. Replies were received from 242 cities from 40 states representing every section of the United States. A list of the cities which furnished the information is given in Appendix C. which shows after the name of each city, all the types of school publications reported by the superintendent as having been issued during the past five years. In some of the tables which follow, cities are distributed ac- cording to the following sections of the United States : Section 1. New England includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachu- setts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Section 2. Middle Atlantic includes New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Section 3. East North Central includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Section 4. West North Central includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Section 5. South Atlantic includes Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Section 6. East South Central includes Alabama, Kentucky, Missis- sippi and Tennessee. Section 7. West South Central includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Okla- homa and Texas. Section 8. Mountain includes Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Section 9. Pacific Coast includes California, Oregon and Washing- ton. In other tables, the cities are distributed according to the one of the following population groups into which they fall. 1 Group 1 8,000 to 15,000 Group 2 15,000 to 20,000 Group 3 20,000 to 30,000 Group 4 30,000 to 50,000 Group 5 - 50,000 to 100,000 Group 6 100,000 to 300,000 Group 7 300,000 and over. 1 The population was taken from the preliminary reports of the 1920 census where the figures were available by May 1, 1920. In other cases, the latest estimate of the Bureau of the Census was used. TYPES AND COST OF SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS 29 Reports were received from 85 cities in population group 1 ; 22 in group 2 ; 38 in group 3 ; 44 in group 4 ; 29 in group 5 ; 14 in group 6 and 10 in group 7. The total number of cities in each state to which the question- naire was sent, as well as the number and per cent of the cities from which replies were received, is shown by sections and by states in Tables V and VI. TABLE V. si ** 58 OS C ! "S 'B, m which replies eceived ll | g * 8 8 <= 2 ? . a o & 6? S % X t 0,2 Section 1 107 71 66 Section 4, West North Central 50 23 46 Section 2, Middle Atlantic 120 54 45 Section 7, West Sbuth Central 29 12 41 Section 3 East North Central , 120 46 38 Section 6 East South Central 29 9 31 Section 9 Pacific Coast 32 9 28 Section 5 South Atlantic . ... 49 13 27 Section 8 24 5 21 Total 560 242 43 30 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES TABLE VI. SHOWING THE NUMBER OP CITIES IN EACH STATE TO WHICH THE INQUIRY RELATIVE TO SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS WAS SENT, TOGETHER WITH THE NUMBER AND PER CENT OF CITIES IN EACH STATE REPLYING. No, of-cities to which Number of cities Per Cent of Qities inquiry was sent replying replying Alabama 8 2 25 Arizona 2 1 50 Arkansas 5 1 20 California 22 8 36 Colorado 8 2 25 Connecticut 29 20 69 Delaware 1 District of Columbia 1 Florida 4 Georgia 11 6 55 Idaho 2 o Illinois 45 20 44 Indiana . . . 11 4 36 Iowa 11 5 44 Kansas . .,. 3 2 67 Kentucky 5 4 80 2 2 100 Maine 3 1 83 Maryland 2 1 50 Massachusetts 49 30 61 Michigan 31 14 45 Minnesota 12 4 33 Mississippi 9 3 33 Missouri 14 7 50 Montana 6 1 17 Nebraska 5 1 20 Nevada 1 New Hampshire 9 8 89 New Jersey 38 20 53 New Mexico 1 New York 58 21 36 North Carolina 9 1 H North Dakota 2 2 100 Ohio 24 3 12 Oklahoma . . 10 4 40 Oregon 5 o o Pennsylvania 24 13 54 Rhode Island 12 7 58 South Carolina 6 1 17 South Dakota 3 2 67 Tennessee 7 o Texas 12 5 42 Utah 1 o o Vermont 5 5 100 Virginia 1J 3 30 Washington 5 1 20 West Virginia 5 1 20 Wisconsin 9 5 56 Wyoming 3 1 33 560 242 TYPKS AND COST OF SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS 31 TABLE VII. SHOWING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CITIES OUT OF 242 REPORTING IN WHICH EACH OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS ARE ISSUED AND A DISTRIBUTION OF THE CITIES PUBLISHING EACH TYPE BY SECTIONS^ OF THE UNITED STATES. ^o^l^S^I^S^E^S^Jj 11 a> oo ? o o 5 <= _,MofcCQbnbO,W)O.W)C,bCD,tJ)Dl c ' 2 ? .2 ^ B, 2 .2 -2 .5 2 .S .2 * 2 I fl | o | ^ | - 1 - 1 -g I* | g; ^"M *a*l |2|& S | z s a o-S o - * a o s S p ? hn Is "S "o "C "3 S a: 3 3 53 "C 3 +2 -1^1 3 it ll & d CO* ^ * 6 co 2 *ii .S 159 71 33 20 10 10 3 6 1 5 16 4 5 8 1 . 1 7 3 2 1 1 27 1 8 8 8 1 4 . 1 40 13 8 8 5 4 1 1 . 102 09 26 ?1 1fl o 4 3 1 7 3 5 1 Course of Study 2 108 ?7 18 ?3 15 5 3 8 1 fi News Bulletin . . . . 3 4 8 8 1 1 . 1 Rules & Regulations of School Board 90 ?9 14 19 1" 8 8 5 . 4 30 2 6 8 6 1 2 . 8 36 S 8 11 9 1 1 2 1 Posters 28 S 8 3 ?, ?! 2 . - 11 24 g 5 3 3 1 1 . 3 1 1 1 . 1 1 School Board proceedings 4 3 1 Display cards in cars 1 1 . School Directory and Rules & Regulations .. Course of Study and Rules & Regulations . . Annual Financial Report & Estimated Receipts 2 2 1 .. 1 1 1 i i ! 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 i Rules & Regulations of Industrial Dept. . . . 1 1 1 .. . No report issued 12 4 S 1 1 3 'For a list of states included in each section see page 28. 'Includes curricula. 32 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES TABLE VIII. SHOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF CITIES BY SIZEi ACCORDING TO THE KIND OF REPORTS PUBLISHED. Kind of Report 82 2 S 8 ooo o o o o Annual ........................................ 49 13 27 29 22 10 9 159 Biennial ....................................... 1 i 4 4 3 2 1 16 Triennial ........ ............................... 1 2 1 1 2 .. .. 7 Monographs .................................... 7 2 8 2 2 2 4 27 School Manual .................................... 8 4 3 10 11 3 1 40 Schcol Directory ................................. 21 7 18 26 15 9 6 102 Manual and Directory ............................... 1 1 1 l .. 2 6 Course of Study .................................. 31 10 15 22 18 7 5 108 News Bulletin .................................... 1 .. 5 4 6 2 3 21 Rules and Regulations of School Board ........... 23 5 13 22 17 4 6 90 Campaign Bulletin ................................ 6 2 3 9 7 2 1 30 Reports in newspaper ........................... 15 1 8 8 2 1 1 36 Posters ........................................ 3 2 3 10 6 2 2 28 Newspaper display Ads ........................... 6 .. 5 7 3 3 .. 24 Monthly reports ................................... 2 1 .......... 3 Students handbook .................................... 1 ........ 1 School Board proceedings .................................. 1 . . 3 ,4 Display cards In cars ......................................... 1 1 School Directory and Rules and Regulations ................. 1 1 2 Course of Study and Rules & Regulations ....... 1 . . . . . . 1 . . . . 2 Annual Financial Report & Estimated Receipts ...... 1 .......... 1 School Manual & Rules and Regulations ........... 1 ...... 1 .. .. 2 Directory and Course of Study ..................... 1 ............ 1 Accounts of special school activities ...................... 1 .. .. 1 Folders ............................................. 1 ........ 1 School Manual, Course of Study & Rules & Reg ...... 1 ........ 1 Survey ............................................ 1 ........ Rules & Regulations of Industrial Dept ...................... 1 1 Advance Prints and Reprints ................................. 1 1 No report issued .................................. 6 3 1 2 ...... 12 1 For explanation of size groups see page 28. TYPES AND COST OF SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS 33 TABLE IX. SHOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF CITIES ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF COPIES IN THE LAST ISSUES OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCHOOL, PUBLICATIONS. I Lind of Report > ^^a^^^^^^^ 05 Annual 5 9 9108284121 17 6 8 3 10 3 4 1 3 1 . . 133 Biennial 4.1.. 5 ... 1 1 . . 1 1 . . 14 Triennial 1 . 1 . 211.. 6 Monographs 3 1 1 ... 6 .... 211. 2 1 . . 1 1 . . 20 School Manual 1 4 4 1 12 . 1 1 . .. 1 . . 1121. . .1 31 School Directory 2 3 10 9 7 23 3 7 2 1 11 . 1 1 1.211... 5 Manual and Directory 12 .. 1 . . 1 . . . 5 Course of Study 4 7 3 8 5 16 3 1 4 . 11 1 2 . 31412. .1 77 News Bulletin 2 1 .. 1 . 2 . . . . . . 1 . . 1 . .12. .2 13 Rules & Reg. of School Bd 2 3 6 8 . 16 1 . 4 . 10 . 3 . 6.1.2... 62 Campaign Bulletin 1 .... 2.1. 2 ... 5 . 1 8 20 Posters 4 1 2 21 1 .... 2.2. 1 10 Monthly Reports 1 1 Students Handbook .. . 1 1 School Bd. Proceedings t 1 ... 1 ... 2 Display cards in cars 1 .... 1 School Directory and Rules and Regulations 2 2 Course of Study and Rules and Regulations 1.1. 2 School Manual and Rules and Regu- lations 2 1 3 Accounts of special school ac- tivities ... 1 1 Folders 1 1 School Manual, Course of Study & Rules & Reg ....!.... 1 Survey . 1 1 Rules & Regulations of Indus- trial Department ....!.... 1 Advance Prints and Reprints ... . NOTE: No city publication issues fall in size groups 1100-1199, 1300-1399, 1400-1499, 7000-7999 and 8000-8999. 34 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES TABLE X. NUMBER OF ISSUES OF EACH TYPE OF SCHOOL REPORT PUBLISHED WITHIN THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD ENDING MAY 1920, IN 242 CITIES OF OVER 8000 POPULATION. "o I Kind of Report J t* i g j Number of Issues in Five Years 1 1 2 3 4 5 More than 5 "a Annual + 11 5 8 3 5 8 13 4 8 5 8 5 122 159 16 7 27 40 102 6 108 21 90 30 36 28 24 a i 4 1 2 2 1 2 1 Biennial Triennial 2 3 6 8 5 2 2 1 1 I 1 2 1 17 8 79 6 6 1 1 '"4" 9 i 12 7 10 3 School Manual School Directory , 18 8 20 3 10 9 6 40 2 55 16 1 3 1 20 11 3 12 1 1 1 5 1 1 12 News Bulletin Rules and Regulations of School Board .... 8 1 5 3 1 .... 1 8 1 4 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 Course of Study and Rules and Regulations.... Annual Financial Report & Estimated Receipts School Manual and Rules and Regulations.... 1 j ... 1 1 ...... 1 Folders . . 1 1 School Manual, Course of Study & Rules & Reg, 1 1 1 No Reports Issued . , 12 TYPES AND COST OF SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS 35 TABLE XI. SHOWING THE YEAR IN WHICH THE LATEST ISSUE OF EACH TYPE OP SCHOOL REPORT WAS PUBLISHED. Year in Which Last Issue was Published. Kind of Report 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1015 1916 1917 1918 1919 or before f I z f I ? 5 Rl|jMrf0! o 46 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES Official School Bulletins: These represent the "house organ" type of communication. TYPDS AND COST OF SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS 47 Campaign bulletins: intended directly to secure public support for definite measures. Should the Salaries if the Public School Teachers of Rochester be Increased? The Board of Education answers this question in full in this pamphlet Read it carefully and give us YOUR opinion The Board ol Education Rochester. N. Y. Our Public Schools "Vote ^Bondf for Schools March 8th, 1920 DES MO1NES MUST NOW FACE ITS SCHOOL PROBLEM City Fh't Yean Behind With Its School Building '"Program W/7 KV />,n Or Hit Childre A SQUARE DEAL TO THE LITTLE CHILDREN of BUFFALO Citizens of Winston-Salem awing tte WarW Wr, we gm way $400,000 to the Red Cross, V, M. C. X, lavish Refe{, United War Work Fund and after good cauws Winston -Salem's N School Program 48 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES A sample of newspaper publicity. The typewritten Report of the City Super- intendent to the School Board was well summarized in the daily press. JREGON. MONDAY KVENttSQ, ?NE It, lilt. SCiOtSOFEUGEl IS TOLD BEHT, City Superintendent Say Him of Board to Get Maximum of TYPSS AND COST OF SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS 49 A sample of newspaper advertising. Contains too much copy for the space allotment and lacks unity, but illustrates an attempt at informing the "public" about the schools. Canton Public Schools Begin Tuesday, Sept. 2 Every child should start the first day. Books now are on sale at the book store. Present promotion card when purchasing. Do not purchase notebooks and do not write in your books before seeing the teacher. GradeiSchool Districts For the present, districts will remain the same as last year. All Seventh and Eighth grade pupil* will go to Grammar School. Enrollment High School pupils will enroll the week preceding the beginning of school as follows: Freshmen on Tuesday, Sophmores on Wednesday, and Juniors and Seniors on Thursday. Personal conference* arranged when necessary. Seventh and Eighth Grade children will enroll and be assigned to sections on Thursday, August 28th the Seventh Grade pupils at 9:00 a. m. and the Eighth Grade pupils at 1:30 p. m. Purchase books immediately after being assigned to class. This will help you as well as the bookman. See list of books and prices published in daily papers. High School an Opportunity It is more necessary now than ever before that every boy and girl get a high school education. Canton High offers the opportunity. Courses offered: College Preparatory, General, Commercial, Household Arts, Industrial, and Teachers' Training. High School fully accredited by North Central Association. Commercial work as good as best business colleges. Other high school subject* in" connection with' business courses. All our graduates in good positions. We cannot supply the demand. Remember all this without any expense except your books. All Work Absolutely Free If you live outside Canton your tuition is paid by the non-high school district. It costs you nothing if you live inside the district. Every boy and girl can get an education. Do not make the mistake of dropping out of school now. If you do it will be the great regret of your life. Stay in school! It pays! G. W. GAYLER, Sup't. 50 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES One Means of Making the Public Acquainted with the Conditions of the Schools. A journalism class of the Long Beach High School, Cal. had charge of one complete issue of one of the daily papers in the city. In this issue they told the story of the work of the public schools in a very interesting way. (See also Page No. 51.) ENROLLMENT 2,556, GAIN OF 28 PER CENT OVER LAST YEAR AT LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL It's Largest High School in Country Outside City of Los Angeles, and Growing Rapidly GIRLS OF POLY HI ALL SET TO RUN OWN TRACK MEET Tfae rtrls as well as the boy Waldo Drake I thirty-five With aX. iacreaa in caroHment tmmmmm -MUCH OF VALUE IN i FRSRw GSWL ' S AT POLY JUNE FIRST CLASSES IN IB Ey* Rlohnjeo The High 'School art exhibit ached- j led for the first. ' m"~ . it DEBATING TALENT HEREJANKS HIGH PRINT SHOP AT HIGH SCHOOL KEPT BUSY ?l l?F rs , nt ', ns 2VL *4 fit TVMUf* 01/11 I BOTH DAY AND NIGHT 01" iTOb MuLL j 8Rn! 7sVen,n H J^tt?*! ujftu nv OTUnCMTQ isSHS a *sl LH 2ilS^M: Waldo Drske " ini boo) is tc a people's unl ion of the spirit of Long Eeacl! i illustrate* 3832 new itadoat) $?Xi* 'hooi's aims i* tc desire to adranct .d better their coo- JE1LRY-MA1G TAUGHT IN CLASS ; AT LOCAL POLY HI CANYON CMW FOR THREE CLASSES IN HlSCHiLaKLS Helen Klrkftmd A cibta la the big Santa At [PINAFORE CAST IS BUSY REHEARSING. Gladys EM H. M.. &- Plnafn 'SHORT STORY' STUBf popular today that throe clause* of UK'Br clasai>:n bavo beo orgauJasd at Poly Higii this semester under 11)iU t& sttt4nt of Poly Hih mp- retet th* tncroazlng value O f rAtjii ia iliRARY CROWDED, ..,..,.., nmiirnmiMonr MRBF Bnniyi NFKT YB POPHIAR 'sTimY METALED PLANS OF MORE ROOM (Uin.1 nHMKMBff^ eAOO | T , OH1B Marion Sheffield SlUUtNl HIUYSIUKt 1 . |AS LARGE BUSINESS .SHAKESPEAREAN DRAMA IN JUNE AERONAUTICS IS HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS' GYMNASIUM IS MUCH 0MOWDED Ethel Cook bo^'CAERULEA,' H. S. BOOK, U TO GO ON PRESS NEXT WEEK; ISSUED IN JUNE Eugene Wither . ariiiaal publication of h .-?.'iool etistsd by the TYPES AND COST OF SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS 51 This page shows how a high school journalism class may be utilized to make the public acquainted with its schools. (See also Pag No. 50.) DC Ul Ul 111 I * ^* u fa J 45 M ff'rO ^ ** 9 | J > KHfjjl c* g Illilllll H ex,, CO itffi S ,"B fc I fi ""T3 V (3 $% c^ If: C-D 00 52 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES Extracts from Posters Used in a School Campaign in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 1 SC 2 ^O U a: SH x < 's^ r> ' 55 I ,| | I ' I | | * ' I I I I I 8 'S 8 f g" fl 5 R' 5-8 8 3 * If 5 $ * 5 X s 1 I i | "I? 1 1 a c | g ft 2 - g it H " ? R y- | P 1 P 7. s ?; p p S 2 ! i i i ^r X I I 3? ~ -: j * c i &: S ^ ; < < < 2 < s c c " s s ,, : ill 1 I E s ^ j: Sl III ' i i j 11 I M -a II ! |i I! ii iiii i! ilMI ii L 11 i^ii ^1 -v-2 i^i|^| | ^ u, tl jj II cyj uj Ii e * s -g * % ,,0 . g,.s ;ii ; fflMfjHliil lii 00 & Si a Section 1 71 71 100 71 100 Section 13 10 77 11 85 Entire ( 242 159 66 187 77 Section 2 54 33 61 42 78 Section 9 g 5 56 7 78 Section 19 6 50 67 Section 4 23 11 48 16 70 Section 3 46 20 42 27 59 Section 6 9 3 33 4 44 Section s 5 1 20 1 20 iSection 1 New England states Section 4 West North Central states Section 5 South Atlantic states Section 3 East North Central states Section 2 Middle Atlantic states Section 6 East South Central states Section 9 Pacific Coast states Section S Mountain states Section 7 West South Central states Chart No. 6 is a graphic representation of the relative rank of the different sections of the United States in the percentage of cities publishing annual school reports. 72 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES CHART NO. 6 This Chart indicates the relative rank of different sections of the United States in the percentage of cities publishing annual school reports. Percent of cities pub- lishing an- nual school report Section 1. Section 5. . 100 Entire Country Section 2 01 Section 9 56 Section 7. . Section 4 48 Section 3. . .42 Section 6 33 Section 8. Sec. 1 New England Sec. 5 South Atlantic Sec. 2 Middle Atlantic Sec. 9 Pacific Coast Sec. 7 West South Central Sec. 4 West North Central Sec. 3 East North Central Sec. 6 East South Central Sec. 8 Mountain ANNUAL, BIENNIAL AND TRIENNIAL REPORTS 73 In studying the aims, authorship and content of school reports, 103 annual, biennial and triennial publications were selected so as to have every section of the United States, and different sized cities, represented. The latest available reports were used. A letter was sent by the Librarian of Teachers College, Columbia University, to Superintendents of schools in cities of 8,000 population and over, asking for the latest published reports. The reports examined were distributed by states as follows: Alabama 1 Michigan 3 Arizona Minnesota Arkansas Mississippi California 3 Missouri 3 Colorado 2 Montana Connecticut 11 Nebraska Delaware Nevada Florida New Hampshire 4 Georgia 1 New Jersey 6 Idaho New Mexico Illinois 4 New York 8 Indiana North Carolina 2 Iowa 1 North Dakota 1 Kansas 2 Ohio 4 Kentucky 4 Oklahoma Louisiana Oregon 1 Maine 3 Pennsylvania 9 Maryland 1 Rhode Island 5 Massachusetts 17 South Carolina The sizes of cities issuing the reports examined were as follows : From 8,000 to 15,000 9 cities From 15,000 to 20,000 6 cities From 20,000 to 30,000 9 cities From 30,000 to 50,000 27 cities From 50,000 to 100,000 27 cities From 100,000 to 300,000 17 cities From 300,000 and over 8 cities Forty of these reports were from the New England states, 23 from the Middle Atlantic, 13 from East North Central, 7 from the West North Central, 4 from the South Atlantic, 6 from the 74 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES East South Central, 2 from the West South Central, 3 from the Mountain States and 5 from the Pacific Coast states. One of the striking facts which a study of these 103 reports discloses, is the wide variety of purposes which seem to actuate the writers. Below are listed 40 aims which, according to state- ments made by superintendents in the reports, were before them in presenting the material. The figure in parenthesis after each statement of aim indicates the number of times it appeared in all the reports examined. 1. To give an account of the past year's work (13). 2. To comply with state regulations (8). 3. To show school conditions as they exist (7). 4. To indicate the lines of future progress (6). 5. To present material to make possible a comparison of local edu- cation achievement and effort with that of other communities (4). 6. To show the results obtained in the schools (4). 7. To show comparisons with former years (3). 8. To point out weaknesses in the school system (2). 9. To follow established custom (2). 10. To secure citizen cooperation (2). 11. To comment briefly on some of the more important features of the year's work (2). 12. To interest patrons in the work of the schools (2). 13. To show how the needs of the future may be met (1). 14. To present statistical material for the sake of record (1). 15. To present the urgent need for better school accommodations (1). 16. To show the necessity for the selection and retention of superior teachers by paying liberal salaries (1). 17. To publish school events for the sake of record (1). 18. To deal with the problem of school accommodations (1). 19. To deal with the problem of the teaching force (1). 20. To discuss new features of school work (1). 21. To make the school committees and others think seriously of school problems (1). 22. To review the whole school problem in its larger phases (1). 23. To state the general school policy (1). 24. To give the board of education and the patrons a fair idea of what is being done for education in the city (1). 25. To give useful and interesting information about the schools (l). 26. To guide the community in intelligent thinking on school affairs (1). 27. To set up standards by which the public may judge the efficiency of the schools (1). ANNUAL, BIENNIAL AND TRIENNIAL REPORTS 75 28. To stimulate the professional spirit of the teaching staff (1). 29. To aid scientific investigation and experimentation among edu- cators generally (3). 30. To comply with the rules and regulations. of the school board (1). 31. To plan new business for the next year (l). 32. To describe the progress of the schools (1). 33. To mention briefly for the sake of record the principal new '(policies, plans and activities of the year (1). 34. To present facts about the schools graphically (1). 35. To interpret school facts for the public (1). 36. To furnish a handbook of ready reference for patrons and the school staff (1). 37. To record the needs of the schools (1). 38. To present a few salient topics briefly and generally (1). 39. To serve as the chief means of communication between authorized school officials and the public (1). 40. To improve the schools (1). It is impossible to determine exactly the authorship of many annual, biennial and triennial school reports because of the fact that there is nothing to indicate who is responsible for a large part of the content. By an actual page-to-page count of the con- tents of one hundred and three annual reports) it was found that it was impossible to determine the authorship of 40 per cent of the material. Of the remaining 60 per cent, the superintendent was responsible for 20 per cent ; the school board, either through the President, the School Board Committee, or the Secretary, for 8 per cent; supervisors, 7 per cent; principals, 6 per cent; auditors and treasurers, 3 per cent ; attendance officers, 2 per cent ; directors of departments or special activities, 1.5 per cent; com- mittees, 1.5 per cent; business manager, 1.5 per cent; Bureau of Research, 1.5 per cent and some sixty other school officials or combinations of school officials for the remaining 8 per cent. These facts are shown graphically in Chart 7. 76 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES CHART NO. ^ Showing the authorship of annual, biennial and triennial school reports, in so far as it can be determined from the reports themselve.s. The figures at the left of the bars indicate per cent of the total number of pages in 103 reports having the indicated authorship. Authorship not Indicated 40. Superintendent of Schools 20. School Board (Committee or Officer) 8. Supervisors , . 7. Principals Auditors and Treasurers 3. Attendance Officer or Dept 2. Directors (of Depts. or Activities) ... 1.5 Committees 1.5 Business Manager 1.5 Bureau of Research 1.5 Miscellaneous . . 8. I I I I I I The content of the 103 city school reports 1 previously de- scribed was distributed according to the subjects listed in Table XIX. When the total number of pages in all these reports de- voted to each of the subjects was determined, it was found that 75 per cent of the content could be classified under the following -1 For a list of these reports, see bibliography, pages 132-137. ANNUAL, BIENNIAL AND TRIENNIAL REPORTS 77 twenty classifications to which 1 per cent or more, of the total space was devoted: Per Cent of total Subject pages In 103 reports devoted to subject. Budget, Finance, Indebtedness and Insurance 10 Directories 9 Superintendent's General Statement 9 Census. Enrollment, Attendance and Nativity 1 Pupil Classification and Progress Supervisors' Reports (general in nature) 5 Commencement Programs and Class Rolls 3 School Costs 3 Building and Building Programs 2 Course of Study 2 Health of Pupils 2 Measurement of Class Room Achievement 2 Pictures of School Activities 2 High School Principals' Reports 2 School Program 2 Teachers' Salaries, Annuities and Insurance 2 Textbooks 2 War Work 2 Reports of Grade Principals 1 Evening Schools . . . . 1 Per Cent of total pages in 103 reports devoted to twenty subjects listed 75 Table XIX distributes the content of the 103 school reports according to the number containing given ranges of pages on each subject. Chart 8 shows the subjects which found a place in 50 per cent or more of the 103 reports and indicates the comparative fre- quency with which the twelve leading divisions of subject-matter tend to appear. Table XX shows the distribution of reports according to the per cent of the total number of pages in each report devoted to 70 subjects. TABLE XIX. SHOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF SUBJECT MATTER IN 103 ANNUAL, B'lENNIAL AND TRIENNIAL SCHOOL REPORTS BY NUMBER OP PAGES DEVOTED TO EACH SUBJECT. Column Number: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Number of Pages Devoted to Each of the Subjects Listed Subject --.-<-:. .* " 2 ^ 1 CJ m *-J _ : o en o ^ 01 4 -^ m 1 'Americanization 12.6 90 7 3 1 1 1 2 Buildings & Building Programs 47 . 6 B4 ><> 8 :; 1 "2 3 Budget, Finance, Indebtedness, Insurance 90.3 10 SO >o 7 12 6 3 12363 4 Census, Enrollment, Attendance, Nativity 92.2 8 ?I3 25 18 13 3 3 31231 f Glasses & Schools for AtVprcal 2S.2 74 18 8 1 6 Commencement Programs, Class Rolls , 53.4 48 18 W 3 $ - 1 1 .... 7 Continuation Schools 12.6 90 10 1 1 . 1 ... 8 'Courses of Studv 1 24.3 78 14 6 1 . 1 . . . 1 2 9 Directory School Officers, Teachers 94 . 2 6 26 20 16 12 9 3 144.2 10 Equipment 10.7 92 <> 1 1 11 Evening Schools r.o.r, 51 S6 18 2 1 ... 12 Extra Curricular Activities 13.6 89 11 3 1? Floor Plans, Front Elevations 4.9 98 1 <> 14 Health of Pupils 62 1 39 36 16 9 1 15 Index 33.0 69 ?2 5 4 1 1 . 1 .... 16 In Memoriam 31.1 71 ^7 n 17 Instruction, Methods of Teaching 4.9 98' 1 ?, . . . 2 . 18 Intelligence Tests 5.8 97 2 1 1 .... 19 Janitors, Custodians, Engineers 29.1 73 2f> 4 20 Junior High School 16 5 86 10 4 3 21 Laws & Administrative Rules 18.4 84 7 6 ' 1 . .212 22 Library 19.4 83 16 4 23 Measurement of Class Room Achievement 19.4 86 4 6 3 a 1 . 1.111 24 Normal School, Practice Teaching . 9 7 93 6 1 2 1 25 Parochial & Private Schools 4.0 98' 3 1 1 26 Pictures of School Buildings 37.9 64 19 7 7 4 1 . . . . 1 . 27 Pictures of School Work 34.0 68 11 12 4 2 3 . . . . 3 . 28 Population and Growth of City 15.5 87 14 1 1 .... 29 Pupil Classification and Progress 81.6 10 30 20 9 5 2 32.52 30 Pupil's Marks 1.9 101 1 1 3 1 Supt's Summarv & Statement of Aim 96.1 4 18 23 15 13 10 4 3643. .-'.2 Report of District Prin. (General) 11.7 91 3 3 2 1111. i>3 Report of High School Prin. (General) 4"> . 6 56 20 13 (> 3 4 1 34 School Calendar . 36 9 65 ?7 1 '65 School Costs 59.2 42 29 22 2 2 11.22 36 School Grounds 7.8 95 7 1 37 School Program 17.5 85 10 8 1 1 . ... 1 2 38 School Savings Banks, Thrift, Aid Funds 14.6 88 12 2 . 1 39 Supervisors' Reports (General) 55.3 46 5 12 12 11 3 5 3213. 40 Statement from School Board (Pres Secy.) 52.4 49 34 13 3 1 . 2 1 .... 41 Table of Contents 28 2 74 Ol i 3 1 Teachers 42 Distribution & Number of 37.9 64 33 3 1 16 5 86 15 1 1 44 Preparation ... 12 6 90 11 2 45 Resignations Appointments Leaves 29 1 73 26 4 46 Salaries Annuities Insurance 50 5 51 29 16 5 1 1 47 Tenure and Promotion of 7.8 95 8 48 Textbooks . . . 27.2 75 14 7 1 2 1 2 . . . 1 . 49 Valuation of School Property 32.0 70 24 3 2 3 1 . 50 Vocational Guidance 15.5 87 9 4 1 11... t-1 Vocational and Trade Schools 16.5 86 12 3 1 . . . 1 . 52 War Work 33.0 69 20 5 2 ;; 2 ... 1 1 53 Alumni Directories 5.8 97 2 1 1 1 . . 1 . *> 9 100 o 1 55 Honors, Awards, Perfect Attendance 15.5 87 8 7 1 . 5(* List and Description of Real Estate 2.9 100 1 1 . 1 . . . . 57 Minutes of Bd. Meetings 2.9 100 1 1 . . . . 1 . 58 Miscellaneous Statistics 40 8 61 29 8 <> > 1 9 7 <)3 9 1 3 9 99 1 1 1 I 61 Pictures Miscellaneous Subjects .... 10.7 92 q 2 2 9 100 1 1 1 (33 Publicity 1 102 1 64 Report Cards 1 102 1 65 Report of Business Mgr . 1.9 101 1 1 66 'Report of Industrial and Com'l Principals . ... 1.9 101 1 1 P7 Schcol Gardens 7 8 95 4 2 68 Summer School 19 4 83 14 4 1 i 69 Student Directories 1 9 101 1 1 70 Wider Use of School Blclgs 4 9 98 1 1 1 71 All Other Subjects 45.6 56 27 10 6 a 1 . ilncludes curricula. Column 1 shows the per cent of the 103 reports which contain subject matter dealing with each subject. Reading down this column 12.6 per cent of the reports contain material on Americanization; 47.6 per cent on buildings and building programs, etc. The other columns distribute the reports according to the number of pages devoted to the subject, e. g.: the figure at the top of column 2 shows that 90 of the 103 reports contain pages on Americanization, the figure at the top of the column, that 7 reports contained from .1 to 2.9 pages on Americanization etc. TABLE XX. SHOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF 103 ANNUAL, BIENNIAL AND TRIENNIAL SCHOOL REPORTS ACCORDING TO THE PE-R CENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES IN EACH DEVOTED TO THE SUBJECT LISTED. Per Cents of Total Number of Pages in Report * * S * * * * 8 77 i. i T 7 5 ci M c~i o 1 Americanization 90 1 4 2 Bldgs. & Bldg. Programs 54 25 12 10 2 3 Budget, Finance, Indebtedness, Insurance 10 19 23 16 8 9 3 2 2 2 1 2 4 Census, Enrollment, Att., Nativity 8 13 25 24 19 6 2 1 3 2 .. .. 5 Classes and Schools for Atypical 74 20 6 1 1 1 6 Commencement Programs, Class Rolls 48 13 15 12 6 6 3 7 Continuation Schools 90 11 1 .. .. 1 8 Courses of Study 78 14 5 1 1 2 1 9 Directory Sch. Officers, Teachers 6 23 14 10 16 9 10 4 3 4 4 . . 10 Equipment 92 10 1 11 Evening Schools 51 38 12 1 . . . . 1 1 2 Extra Curricular Activities 80 12 2 13 Floor Plans, Front Elevation 98 2 1 .. 2 14 Health of Pupils 39 38 10 5 4 . . . . 1 15 Index 69 26 5 3 1( In Memoriam 71 28 4 17 Instruction, Methods of Teaching 98 2 1 2 . . IS Intelligence Tests : 97 3 2 .. 1 .. .. 19 Janitors, Custodians. Engineers ' 73 27 2 1 20 Junior High School 86 13 3 1 21 Laws and Administrative Rules 84 9 4 .. 1 1 1 .. .. 1 2 .. 22 Library 83 16 4 23 Measurement of Class R'm Achievement 83 7 3 2 3 3 . . . . 1 . . 1 24 Normal School, Practice Teaching 93 S 1 . . 1 l 1 .". Parochial and Private Schools 9S 5 26 Pictures of Scho< 1 Buildings 64 21 11 4 1 1 . . . . 1 27 Pictures of School Work 68 7 17 8 1 . . . . 2 . . 28 Population and Growth of City 87 13 . . 2 1 29 Pupil Classification and Progress 19 25 20 13 9 4 5 2 1 1 3 1 30 Pupil's Marks 101 2 31 Supfs Summary and Statement of Aim 4 15 15 20 5 12 6 8 6 4 7 1 32 Report of Dist. Prin. (General) 91 6 .. 2 1 1 2 .. .. 3." Report of High School Prin. (General) 5G 19 13 '.) 3 1 1 1 34 School Calender 65 35 2 1 .. .. ;,5 School Costs 42 22 27 6 . . 1 2 . . 1 1 . . 1 36 School Grounds 95 8 M7 School Program '. 85 11 2 1 1 3 38 School Savings Banks, Thrift, Aid Funds 88' 13 1 . . 1 39 Supervisors' Reports (General) 46 4 8 16 8 5 6 5 2 1 2 .. 40 Statement from Sch. Board (Pres. Secy.) 49 33 8 7 3 1 2 .. 41 Table of Contents 74 26 3 Teachers 42 Distribution and Number of 64 37 2 43 Improvement in Service 86 17 44, Preparation 90 11 1 . . 1 45 Resignations, Appointments, Leaves 73 26 4 4vi Salaries, Annuities, Insurance 51 30 13 7 1 1 . . 4 7 Tenure and Promotion of 95 8 IS Textbooks 75 15 5 4 2 49 Valuation of School Property 70 24 5 2 2 . . . . 1 . . . . 1 . . 50 Vocational Guidance 87 9 5 1 1 51 Vocational Trade Schools 86 9 6 2 52 War Work 69 19 5 3 2 3 1 1 .. 53 Alumni Directories 97 2 2 1 1 .. .. 54 General Statistical Summary 100 3 55 Honors, Awards, Perfect Attendance 87 7 7 . . . . 1 1 56 List and Description of Real Estate 100 1 1 1 57 Minutes of Board Meetings 100 1 1 1 .. ."S Miscellaneous Statistics 61 32 6 3 1 59 Parent Teacher Association 93 9 1 (iO Physical Training 99 1 2 .. .. 1 01 Pictures, Miscellaneous Subjects 92 11 <;2 Playgrounds 100 1 . . 1 1 (>'.' Publicity 102 .. 1 64 Report Cards 102 . . 1 0!> Report of Business Manager 101 . . 2 66 Report of Industrial and Com'l 101 . . 1 . . 1 7 School Gardens 95 5 2 1 GS Summer School 83 16 3 . . 1 . 09 Student Directories 101 . . 1 . . 1 70 Wider Use of School Buildings 98 4 1 71 All Other Subjects 56 35 8 4 . The table reads from left to right; e. g. in 90 of the 103 reports per cent of the content was devoted to Americanization; in 7, from .1 to 2.9 per cent; in 4, from 3 to 5.9 per cent. From this table it may readily be seen that in 15 out of 103 reports, from 9 to 17.9 per cent of the space was devoted to commence- meat programs and class rolls, that in 50 reports from 9 to 49.9 per cent of the content was devoted to directories, that in 29 reports from 9 to 49.9 per cent of the number of pages is given orver to general reports from supervisors, etc. 80 vSCHOOL RKPOl SRICAN CITIES CHART NO. 8 on twelve P s e ubjecti F """^ f th& 103 annual> Wennial aiul triennial reports examined contained material This chart shows the per cent of the 103 school reports Which contained discussions of the indicated topics. Superintendent's Gen- eral Statement . . . 96.1 Directories Census, Enrollment and Attendance . . . . 92.2 Budget and Finance ... 90.3 Pupil Classification and Progress 81.6 Health of Pupils 62.1 School Costs 59.2 Supervisors Reports ^ (General) 55.3 Commencement Programs and Class Rolls 53.4 Statement From School Bd. Pres. or Sec'y. . . 52.4 Evening Schools Teachers' Salaries, An- nuities and Insurance 50.5 ANNUAL, BIENNIAL AND TRIENNIAL REPORTS 81 CHART NO. 9 A distribution of 103 annual, biennial and triennial .school reports by total number of pages contained. This chart shows that fifty per cent of the reports contain between 47 and 118 pages and that the median Jeugth is 80 pages. The chart roads 12 reports conlaint-d between 10 and 20 pages, 13 between 3C and 49, etc. 20, 18 ..6 14 12 10 Illl llllll.i.i 10 30- 50- 70- 90- 110 130 15O 1 190 210 230 25O 270 90 jftfc 29 49 69 79 109 129 149 169 10 9 2 9 229 249 269 2*9 309 over iTwo of the four reports represented in this column contained between 400 and 419 pages, 1 "between 450 and 469, and one between 590 . and 609. 82 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES CHART NO. 10 Thirty-fire out of 103 school reports s M udied contained charts, graphs or .cartoons. The kinds together with the frequency of the use of each variety, is shown below. Kind of Chart Times Used, Bar Graph 86 Curve 60 Frequency Distribution 39 Component Part Circle 37 iCartoon 17 Block Diagram 13 Composite Bar Graph 10 Dot Map 3 Monument Chart 3 Up and Down Bar Chart 3 Combination Bar and Curve .... 2 * Cartoon Graph 1 Circle Areas 1 Concentric Circle 1 Photographed Sample 1 I Right and Lef t Bar Chart 1 I Square Areas 1 I Total 282 * *A11 but three of these were found in the 1918 report of the Mt. Vernon, N. Y., schools. I I I I I ANNUAL, BIENNIAL AND TRIENNIAL REPORTS 83 THE KIND OF TYPE USED IN ANNUAL, BIENNIAL AND TRIENNIAL SCHOOL REPORTS EIGHT POINT LEADED Fifteen reports out of one hundred and three were printed in this style of type: "In scholarship our pupils compare very favorably with those of other schools. Pupils who have graduated from our high school are admitted on certificate wherever pupils of other high and preparatory schools are received. Graduates from our colleges are pursuing courses of study in the following colleges and universities:" Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Report 1918. NINE POINT SOLID Nine reports out of one hundred and three were printed in this style of type : "The school census, taken in January, enumerated 9070 children between tlhe ages of 5 and 15 years. Four thousand fifty-eight were listed as attending public schools, 3,2f41 attending parochial schools, 269 private schools. Principals' reports -indicate that industrial pros- perity has tempted many pupils to leave school for (work." Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Report 1919. NINE POINT LEADED Six reports out of one hundred and three were printed in this style of type : Woonsocket, 'Rhode Jslanid, Report 1919. ;< In conformity with our opinion thaifc the annual report of a school system should be an "open book" to (patrons, taxpayers, board of education, members of tlhe corps, and members of the teaching pro- fession wherever engaged in 'public-school iwork, we have tried to use in this reponb only pertinent material and to eliminate what would be of little value because of ladk of concreteness 1 or bases for com- parisons. ' 9 Denver, Colorado, Report 1908-1919. TEN POINT SOLID Sixteen reports out of one hundred and three were printed in this style of type : 84 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES "At the beginning of the present school year we accepted as the particular work to be emphasized this session, apart from the usual routine, the matter of improving health conditions. Under the direction of the United States Health Service and of the City Health Department two physicians and two nurses have given practically all of their time to the schools." Charlotte, North Carolina, Report 1918-1919. TEN POINT LEADED Thirty reports out of one hundred and three were printed in this style of type: "The following report attempts nothing more than the briefest mention, for the sake of record, of the principle new policies, plans, and activities instituted during the school year 1917-18. To make adequate presentation of these, and many other lesser but important and interesting new plans and activities." Cleveland, Ohio, Report 1918. ELEVEN POINT SOLID Seventeen reports out of one hundred and three were printed in this style of type : 1 Teachers are expected to purchase magazines, school journals, books on their respective subjects, at- tend summer school occasionally and do some traveling. All this takes money. According to the recommendation in Federal Bulletin No. 28, teachers should be paid such a salary that they can afford to spend some money in these efforts at self improvement." % Fargo, North Dakota, Keport 1917-1919. ELEVEN POINT LEADED Seven reports out of one hundred and three were printed in this style of type : 'It is the business of the superintendent of schools to carry out the general plans and policies of the school committee, attending to the details, and, like the superintendent of a business enterprise, he should make a report of what has been done during the year, and stop there." Dover, New Hampshire, Keport 1917. ANNUAL, BIENNIAL AND TRIENNIAL REPORTS 85 TWELVE POINT SOLID Three reports out of one hundred and three were printed in this style of type : "The reconstruction period after the war does not mean less demands upon our schools, but more. Already we feel the need of a larger and better educational program in our elementary schools. A people that has spent billions of dollars in fighting a righteous war will not withhold the revenue necessary to establish a school system adequate to the needs of our reconstruction period." Springfield, Illinois, Report 1917-1918. It was pointed out in Chapter II that the median number of copies of annual reports per issue in American cities is about 500. Table XXI shows the distribution by size of 133 cities according to the number of copies in the last issue of the annual report. In only a relatively small per cent of the cities in Group 1 having a population between 8,000 and 15,000 is a sufficient number of copies printed to furnish one for each family. If the median issues are taken, the per cent of families which might be reached would vary from about 20 to a fraction of 1 per cent. 86 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES TABLE XXI. DISTRIBUTION OF CITIES BY SIZE ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF COPIES IN THE LAST ISSUE OF THE ANNUAL REPORT. No. of copies in last issue H o M O. a g O w o. O Tfl O B O >n 0. !3 2 o t- fo. D s o o *5 Less than 100 3 1 1 r> 100 190 7 1 i 9 200 299 2 2 2 o i 9 300 399 . . . . 3 2 3 1 1 10 400 499 3 4 i ft 500 599 8 2 5 8 2 1 2 >H 600 699 1 1 1 1 4 700 799 1 1 800 899 . . . . 1 1 > 900 999 ... 1 1 1 000 1 099 3 1 2 3 4 2 2 17 1 100 1 199 1,200 1,299 2 2 fl 1 300 1 399 . . . . 1 400 1 499 1 500 1 599 3 3 1 1 g 1,600 1,999 1 1 1 3 2 0002,499 2 5 3 10 2 500 2 999 . . . . 2 1 3 3, 000 3 999 1 1 1 1 4 4,000 4,999 1 1 5,000 5 999 o 1 3 6 000 6 999 1 1 7 000 7 999 g 000 -8 999 9 000 9 999 10 000 and over Total 4 10 25 27 13 8 8 138 Median No. of copies 575 350 1,037 1,050 1,050 591 Group 1.. 8,00015,000 Group 4.. 30,00050,000 Group 2. .15,000 20,000 Group 5.. 50,000100,000 Group 3. .20,000 30,000 Group 6. .100,000 300,000 Group 7.. 300,000 and over While it is true that most of the school reports examined were of a general nature and sought to set forth conditions which existed, the progress which had been made and improvements which were yearly brought to the attention of the school board or specifically recommended, there were a few reports which set up definite problems and devoted the major part of the discussion to these definite problems. The biennial report of the Spokane Public Schools for the two years ending June 30th, 1918, and the annual report of the school committee of Providence, R. I. for the year 1918-1919, ANNUAL, BIKNNIAL AND TRIENNIAL REPORTS 87 are examples of cases where the superintendent set up as his objective to make a "self survey" of the school system. In these reports comparative material is presented much after the fashion of the reports of survey commissions in order to show to the citi- zens who read the reports the standing of the local school sys- tem as compared with those in other cities. In the annual report of the Public Schools for New Britain, Conn., for 1918-19 two definite problems are stated in the beginning of the report and the entire report is devoted to a solution of these problems. The following is a quotation from the 82d report of the Board of Education of Cleveland, Ohio for the school year 1917-18 :* "The following report attempts nothing more than the briefest mention, for the sake of record, of the principal new policies, plans, and activities instituted during the school year 1917-18. To make ade- quate presentation of these, and many other lesser but important and interesting new plans and activities, would require a ponderous, unin- viting and expensive volume that few people would read. Instead, it is planned to issue from time to time attractive monographs or pam- phlets, each treating some single phase of the work or policy of the schools." This aim, as stated by Supt. Spalding in the above quotation, is a novel one for the annual report. It frankly assumes that the annual report is not for the general public, that it would not be read by the general public and that an entirely different kind of publication would be necessary in order to put the case of the schools before it. To reach the public, Supt. Spalding, as suggested in the state- ment quoted above, planned a series of bulletins on such subjects as Adenoids and Arithmetic, School use of Libraries, The Field of the Commercial School, Salary Schedules, School Gardens, Factory Schools, News-writing as a Part of the Curriculum, Cleveland's One-story School Buildings, The Shift Plan, School Housing, The Price of Education and Teacher Training. 2 1 82d report of Bd. of Ed., Cleveland, O. pll. 2 School Topics (Official publication of the Cleveland Public Schools), April 8th, 1920. 88 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES As another means of presenting school facts to the teaching body and public, the Board of Education in Cleveland started on April 8th, 1920 a publication called "School Topics." It is stated in the first issue of "School Topics" that the publication is a continuation of the Cleveland school bulletin which was estab- lished in February, 1919. The paper is intended for teachers and citizens. It is in charge of a director of publications, is issued twice a month and is intended to supplement the Cleve- land daily newspapers and to publish a certain kind of news which does not appear in the daily papers. This publication is clearly of the "house organ" type and judging from the copies examined, it is written in a very readable and attractive style. In the 64th annual report of the Board of Education in the city of St. Louis, Supt. Withers announces a change from a method of reporting school facts previously in use in that city. The following statement shows very clearly the character of the proposed change : "The discussions of various phases of the progress of the schools during the year covered by this report, 1917-18, were not prepared in the form previously followed in the annual reports of the Superintendent for many years past. Instead, it was planned that the report of the Superintendent for the year 1917-18 should discuss only a few very prominent features of the school work for that year The plan of the Superintendent's report contemplated the inclusion of only these discussions and because of the length of them it was expected to leave out the usual summary of the progress in the several departments of the school work In line with the form of this report which the war situation made advisable, a recommendation to publish the annual report in similar form in the future was made to the Board November 12, 1918, and approved. Instead of printing a large number of complete volumes many months after the year has closed, this plan contemplates the issuance during the school year of discussions of specific phases of school work as advance prints of the Superintendent's annual . report. It is planned to give these pamphlets a wide distribution both in the city and outside and to restrict very materially the circulation formerly made of he large and expensive complete reports of the Board. It is expected that the publication of the report in this way will be to the ad- vantage of the schools in a much wider and more immediate publicity of significant progress in the schools." 1 1 64th Annual Report of the Bd. of Ed. of the city of St. Louis, Missouri, pp9, 10, 11. ANNUAL, BIENNIAL AND TRIENNIAL REPORTS 89 A somewhat similar attitude toward the annual report is in- dicated in the following extract from the annual report of the public schools of Hackensack, N. J., for the year 1918: What the Annual The superintendent's annual report is intended Report is for chiefly to inform the public of the work of the schools and to interest them in means of im- provement. The problem is to present the report in such a way that people will read it and think about the matters discussed. Few people will read a long report unless it is decidedly interesting, and some of the facts which people ought to know can hardly be made exciting. Would a Monthly In the effort to gain public attention more Report be better? effectively, a few cities have begun to issue reports in small sections, quarterly, bi-monthly or monthly. In his way, a given report may be devoted to a single subject, and questions can be discussed when they are of current in- terest instead of six months after settlement. We might try it I have considered the new type of report for some time but have not recommended it because the work of preparing it would sometimes have to be done under pressure of time and it would probably increase the expense of printing. How- ever, I am in favor of anything which will increase the public interest in the schools, and if the Board approves, I should be glad to try the plan of monthly bulletins during the coming year. Following is a list of topics as they might be divided among the several reports: September Statistical and Financial Reports of the preceding year. Graduation, Summer School. Changes in teaching staff. October Opening of School. Enrollment. Plans of development for the year. November Evening schools. Wider use df school houses. December Physical Training, Assembly Exercises. Medical Inspec- tion. January Recommendations affecting next year's budget. February Statistical Reports for the first term. January Graduates. March Budget for next year. Business for the annual school meet- ing. Report of year for evening schools. April Reorganization of the Board officer* and committees. Plans for exhibits of school work. May Features of the year's work in Manual Training, Drawing, Music or other subjects. June Calendar for the new year. Plans for summer school. Notable accomplishments of the year 90 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES The following facts lead one to doubt if the annual school report as it is now published in American cities is really an effective means for reaching the public in order to secure greater support for education : 1. The reports are, in general, issued in such small numbers as to make it impossible for them to reach more than from two to thirty per cent, of the families in American cities. 2. In typical school reports no special attempt is made to render them readable and attractive. Only about one-third of city school reports contain graphs, cartoons, maps or charts and only thirty- four per cent contain pictures illustrative of school work or school activities. 3. Annual reports are too long to be read by the great majority of citizens. There is no question in the minds of advertising men but that the vast majority of men and women simply will not take the time to read a 75 or 80 or 100 page document on all phases of school work and probably none of the superintendents who write annual reports actually believe that any appreciable number of the people of his community pay any special attention to the statis- tical tables which he inserts, unless some definite problem comes up on which the tables give information. 4. In over 90 per cent, of the school reports examined, no definite problems were set up for solution. The reports were written in accordance with the law of the state, in compliance with the rules and regulations of the board of Education, in accordance with custom, to review the past year's work, show conditions in the schools, to cause teachers to become more interested in school work, etc. It is the exceptional school report which sets up definite clear-cut issues or problems and then proceeds to present material which bears on the solution of the problem stated. 5. There is a mass of material in most annual reports which seems to be put in either as a filler, as a permanent record or because of its interest to a very limited group of persons. In this class of material would fall commencement programs and class rolls, lists of janitors, custodians and engineers, school laws and ad- ministrative rules of the Board of Education, floor plans and front elevations of school buildings, reports of supervisors ad- dressed to the superintendent of schools, school calendars, long lists of textbooks, alumni directories, lists of honors, awards and perfect attendance, minutes of board meetings, student directories and itemized expenditures. 6. The mechanical nature of the make-up of many of the reports is not such as to attract readers. Twenty-six of the one hundred and ANNUAL, BIENNIAL. AND TRIENNIAL REPORTS 91 three reports examined, contained an index but no table of contents. Twenty-one contained the table of contents but no index, eight had both the index and a table of contents, while forty-eight con- tained neither table of contents nor index. Slightly less than 15 per cent of the reports were written in eight point type which is extremely difficult to read and certainly not calculated to invite at- tention to the content, no matter how simple the language or in- teresting the subject. In conclusion, it is submitted that the annual, biennial and triennial school reports as they are published today in American cities do not furnish the means for an adequate program of giving to the great body of citizens the information which they should have as a basis for supporting the public schools. In the following chapter will be suggested the principles upon which an adequate program of reporting school facts should be based and a system of school reporting will be recommended which satisfies the principles enumerated. CHAPTER IV THE: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF UTILIZING SCHOOL REPORTS AS A MEANS o? SECURING SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION. It has been shown in previous chapters that in so far as official school publications go, city school superintendents in the United States rely chiefly on annual, biennial and triennial reports for presenting the case of the schools to the public. It has been shown also that while this is the general situation, a small percentage of cities have either substituted smaller mono- graphs for the larger and more formal periodic reports, or have used them as supplemental. Evidence has also been presented to show that certain other means of putting school information before the public, such as campaign bulletins, posters, reprints or advance prints of certain portions of the annual reports, newspaper advertisements, folders, and official school newspapers of the "house organ" type are in use in a few cities. It is the purpose of this chapter to outline the principles on which an adequate system of reporting school facts to the public should be based and to present a definite plan based on the principles set forth. In the first place, the manner of presenting school facts must be based on a clear conception of the audience to be reached. .The audience may be analyzed from two points of view. First,' people may be grouped on the basis of the extent to which they are acquainted with the methods of investigation, the technical terms and special vocabulary of the educational profession. The school board, through its discussions with the superintend- ent and other school officials may be presumed to have a basis for being interested in and being able to understand certain dis- cussions which would be of little interest to and perhaps quite beyond the understanding of the layman. Teachers, principals and supervisors have, in general, a control over the methods used in educational experimentation and research, and an interest in (92) PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE 93 certain professional phases of the work of the schools which will enable them to understand and appreciate kinds of subject matter which would not appeal to or be understood by people in general. There is also in every city a group of citizen leaders who have either an active or potential interest in the work of the schools as a means of civic and general progress. These leaders may be found among the members of various civic, social, commercial, literary and other organizations of the city. In many cases they are actively seeking opportunities to further worthy causes. For this reason, it seems entirely justifiable to consider them as a class decidedly worth reaching. The school monographs men- tioned in Chapter III which the school authorities in Cleveland plan to issue are mainly intended for this class according to the following statement from School Topics, an official publication of the Cleveland school board. "Copies of these monographs, as they are printed, will be sent to all public schools in the city. This will make it possible for all teachers to read every monograph. It will not be possible, however, to pro- vide a copy for every teacher. These popular pamphlets will be sent to the public libraries and to many clubs and organizations of Cleveland. Also they will go to the larger school systems and the more responsible school officials throughout America." "By means of the series of monographs the work and interests of the schools will be brought home, it is hoped, to all public officials of the city and country, to the Ohio legislators and to Cleveland's repre- sentatives in Congress. All will receive copies." Another class of people who have either active or potential interest in a special sort of school information is composed of possible school students. Some cities have given special at- tention to the manner of reaching this class of students and have issued folders, display cards in street cars and have furnished pictures and copy to the newspapers for feature articles relative to the opportunities offered in evening classes. In some cities an attempt has been made to reach possible day high school students through special phamphlets describing the opportunities offered in the various courses of instruction. 94 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES There is, finally, that somewhat undefined group, the "general public," the audience for which annual, biennial, triennial and monograph school reports are now mainly intended, but could not in the vast majority of cases reach for the simple reason that as a matter of general practice not enough copies are issued to supply more than from one to twenty per cent of the families in the city, even though no copies were used for the purpose of exchanging reports with other cities. It is perhaps well to think of the "general public" in con- nection with another classification which should be clearly kept in mind in the publication of reports for the purpose of securing support for education the classification of people according to the distribution of intelligence. The statement that the audience which school reports are designed to reach may be classified according to varying degrees of intelligence which people possess is, of course, not intended to mean that it is possible to establish clear cut lines between classes of people with different degrees of intelligence. However, the scientifically established fact of the continuity of variations in intelligence does not prevent the application of the facts of individual differences in intelligence to an analysis of the audience to be reached by any type of publi- cation in any city. The fact that fathers and mothers are generally interested in their children, that people in general have for the most part the same desire for a square deal, that they are fond of their homes and have the same human sympathies by no means implies that all people are able to read the same kind of school publications. The fact that "people of the same age differ enormously, more in intelligence than they do in height, strength, etc." 1 needs to be kept clearly in mind by every city superintendent who wishes to reach the "general public" by means of published school re- ports. Professor A. I. Gates is authority for the table XXII as an approximation of variation of intelligence among adults in the United States. This table was derived from a study of many mental tests given by psychologists to school students and adults and the tests given to some two million soldiers. 1 From an unpublished manuscript by A. I. Gates, Assistant Pro- fessor of Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University. PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE 95 TABLE XXII. Intelligence Quotient Per cent of adults having indicated I Q Below 65 0.33 66-75 2.3 76-85 9.0 86-95 21.67 96-105 33.3 106-115 21.6 116-125 9. 126-135 2.3 136 and over 0.33 The facts in Table XXII are shown graphically in Chart No. 11. Professor Gates sums up the characteristics of the various grades of I. Q's as follows: "The lowest 'I Q's' 0-25 are idiots; 25-50 I Q's are imbeciles, reach- ing as adults tlje general intelligence of average children 3-7 years of age. I Q's from 50-65 or 70 are 'Feebleminded' in various degrees. About 2 per cent of the population have I Q's below 70 per cent." I Q's from 70-80 rarely go further than the fifth grade in school which is beyond the intellectual limit of most of them. The majority of adults in the servant girl and unskilled labor class are in this range. Many semi-skilled laborers have I Q's of around 80. The range from 80-90 I Q's are "very dull" and require from 9-12 years to finish eight grades, most of them never completing school. Note that one-third of the population have I Q's of 95 or less. The range from 95-105 I Q's includes one-third of the population. These are the genuinely "average" people. They are intelligent enough to finish grammar school, but only about one-third of the whole group do. Only a few of the upper part of this range (100-105) go through high school. As a matter of fact only 6 or 7 per cent of our population ever finish high school and most of these are in the upper third of in- telligence (105 and above.)" From the above data and from tests which have been given, Professor Gates concludes that the language ability of the "aver- age adult" is about that of pupils in the sixth or seventh grades. 1 If this is typical of the language ability of the middle 33 per cent, the printed material which would reach any great portion of the lower 33 per cent of the adult population would of necessity be much simpler than that of any of the school publications which have yet been issued. In connection with the division of the audience on the basis of intelligence, it must be remembered that there are some five and a half million illiterates in the United States and that almost three million foreign-born persons living in this country ?- ^ See note 1, page 94. 96 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES CHART NO. 11 Showing the distribution of intelligence! among adults in The United States. Per cent of adults Intelligence Quotients Below 6- 76- 86- 96- 106- 116- 126- 1J6- 65 75 85 95 105 115 125 1?? nd over PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE 97 are unable to read English. For this class visual appeal through motion pictures, slides and cartoons, and reproductions of photo- graphs must take the place of printed reports. In addition to the principle that the different types of school / reports should be adapted to the audience for which they are in- tended, due regard should be given to the matter of economy. This principle by no means assumes that the portion of the school budget spent for publication of school reports is at present time too large. On the contrary, it is so extremely small as to be almost negligible for most American cities. The principle, how- ever, should have this significance. There is no particular reason for including in a school report published for wide distribution a mass of material which the greater part of the population either cannot understand or does not appreciate. This would mean that the portion of annual school reports intended directly for ad- ministrative purposes or for acquainting the teachers with results of educational experiments, research and educational tests, might well be mimeographed or multigraphed and distributed among those for whom the information is designed. School reports of this type are becoming frequent. The quarterly mimeographed reports of the superintendent of schools in Leavenworth, Kansas, and Bucyrus, Ohio, the report of a building survey of the public schools of Elizabeth, New Jersey, the mimeographed survey of the status of the public schools in St. Louis, Missouri, made for the benefit of those participating in the campaign to secure ad- ditional money for teachers' salaries in the fall of 1919, and the mimeographed report of the Board of Education in Eugene, Oregon, which is shown in the illustration on page 41, may be mentioned as examples of reports of this sort. In the third place, the principles of psychology which apply \ to advertising in general should guide in the formation of a ' policy of reporting school facts to the public. Superintendents of schools are well acquainted with the modern theories with re- spect to the use of subject-matter. They know that, psycholog- ically speaking, subject-matter orginates in order to solve certain problems. In spite of this knowledge, however, the typical an- nual report is not written to solve a definite problem or problems. 98 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES In some cases where this intention was evidently present in the mind of the superintendent of schools, it is not made apparent in the text. In all of the one hundred and three periodical reports examined, there were only two or three where the superintend- ent stated his problem in the beginning and definitely showed the relation of the material included in the report to the solution of the problem stated. A second phase of the problem of utilizing the psychological principles which apply to advertising is that the style used in reports must be such as to make the contents readily understood by the readers for whom they are intended. This means that the sentences should be relatively short and simple and that ftiere should be no long complicated paragraphs. It means also that attention should be paid to the mechanical devices which ad- vertising men have found of use in attracting the attention of the reader. Pictures and charts are not only more dynamic than verbal description but they serve to attract attention to and create in- terest in the words of the text. In a survey of the school build- ing situation in Delaware, by Strayer, Engelhardt and Hart, 1 most effective use was made of pictures to tell the story of school building conditions in the entire state. In a survey of the schools of Greensboro, North Carolina, 2 the conditions which made many of the school buildings of the city dangerous to pupils in case of fire were strikingly shown by means of a series of pic- tures. In a survey of the schools of St. John's Newfoundland, 3 more than fifty pictures were used to show the condition of school buildings, fire hazards, over crowding, etc., as well as good con- ditions from other cities for purposes of comparison. The following samples taken from campaign bulletins re- cently issued in the cities of Des Moines, Iowa and Buffalo, New York, represent attempts to adopt a style which will appeal to the average reader: -1 General Report on School Buildings and Grounds of Delaware, pub- lished by the Service Citizens of Delaware, Wilmington, 1919. - An unpublished Survey Report on the Schools of Greensboro, N. C., made by Strayer and Engelhardt in March, 1920. 3 Made by Engelhardt and Hart in May 1920. Unpublished. SHACKS FOR SCHOOLS IN WAR EMERGENCY The shortage of building materials during the war made it necessary to erect several temporary shacks for schools. (IN THE BULLETIN, A PICTURE OF A TEMPORARY SCHOOL SHACK WAS SHOWN AT THIS POINT.) Seventeen classes, 500 children, are now attending ^school in shacks like this. Shall We Waste Money and Injure Children by Building More Shacks to be Replaced Later with Per- manent Buildings, or Shall We Save Money and Benefit Children by Erecting Permanent Buildings Now (99) 100 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES High Schools Far Beyond Capacity The normal capacity of the three high schools is 3,700 pupils. The present enrollment in the high schools is as follows: East High School 1,636 West High School : 1,549 ' North High School 1,079 4,264 The high schools are today housing about 600 more pupils than they can properly accommodate. Pupils are entering the high schools from the grades in con- stantly increasing numbers. There is today a larger proportion of the total city school enrollment in high school than ten years ago. The percentages are : 1909-10 _ . 13.8 per cent 1918-19 _ 20.2 per cent During the past .five years the high school enrollment has in- creased at the rate of 305 pupils each year. As shown above the present high school enrollment is approx- imately 4,300. At the present rate of increase the enrollment for the next seven years will be as follows : 1919-20 _-:. 4,300 1920-21 4,605 1921-22 4,910 1922-23 5,215 1923-24 5,520 1924-25 5,825 1925-26 6,130 1926-27 . 6,435 J Increase in 7 years of 2,135 pupils WHERE WILL THESE 2,135 PUPILS GO UNLESS RE- LIEF IS PROVIDED WITHOUT DELAY? 9 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE 101 A SQUARE DEAL TO THE LITTLE CHILDREN OF BUFFALO 1 The population of Buffalo has increased 1 00,000 people in the past five years! During this time, the city has built for children below the high school only 56 permanent school rooms. This is less than the equivalent of two of our large elementary schools. Try to imagine a city of 1 00,000 people with only two grade schools, and the situation becomes very clear. 9,000 LITTLE CHILDREN IN TEMPORARY QUARTERS 9,000 little children go to school daily in temporary quarters church basements, private houses, stores and annexes. Naturally, the light, heat, ventilation and working conditions in these places are not what they should be. None of these make- shifts is desirable. They are expensive and unsatisfactory in operation. Many of the children in attendance would have better accomodations in a country school. 2,500 CHILDREN ON HALF TIME The city has 2, 500 children on half time. Clearly, these children are not being given a "square deal." Nothing can be said in defense of half time, and the children who are com- pelled to attend school on this basis are being deprived of the rights to which they are morally and legally en- titled. 1 For a photographic reproduction of the cover page of this bulletin, see page 47. 102 ^ SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES A third phase of the application of the principles of psychology to school reporting is the principle that to influence the conduct or attitudes of people, school reports should be timely. Newspapers refuse news stories that are out of date. They know that few people are seriously interested in past events un- less these events apply very definitely to real problems of the present. Much of the content of annual, biennial and triennial reports is printed long after the material has lost its timeliness and news value. A fourth psychological fact which should be influential in de- termining the nature of the system of reporting school facts best calculated to win support, is that people strive to further those movements and causes for which they have a feeling of value. The good will which goes along with this feeling of value is perhaps not to be developed entirely by the presentation of facts. In commercial enterprises the cultivation of favorable "attitudes" has been attempted through the publication of "house organs" in which human interest features intimately related to the readers' problems and desires are included. The following is submitted as a type of a program of school reporting which would satisfy the principles set forth in this chapter : I. AN ANNUAL REPORT A report should be published annually to present complete statistical and other informational data for the use of the official educational staff and certain especially interested citizen leaders of the community. This report might consist, as in some of the larger cities at the present time, of the collection of pamphlets and monographs issued from time to time during the school year, supplemented by certain technical statistical material published mainly for the sake of record and convenient reference. II. A TIMELY FINANCIAL REPORT An annual publication of the budget estimate for the coming school year to be presented to the public before the annual school PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE 103 election or at the time when the community is actively interested in the determination of the extent of the financial support neces- sary for the coming year. The publication of the budget esti- mates in annual reports issued by cities at the present time could be of no great significance because of the fact that figures have lost their news value owing to the great length of time which has elapsed between the date when the budget was a live issue and the date of the publication of the report. III. MONOGRAPHS ON LIVE ISSUES The same principle which applies to the publication of the budget estimate and financial accounts of the school district applies equally to publications along many other lines. If the school system, for instance, is carrying on a health campaign, the publication of a description of the work being done and the aims to be accomplished would have infinitely greater news value if it were published while the actual work was going forward, than if, after a period of four or five months, it appeared in a lengthy annual report. The system adopted in St. Louis in 1918 is in line with the principle on which this recommendation is based. As was stated in Chapter III, the parts of the St. Louis Annual Report which deal with subjects in which the public is presumed to be interest- ed are published as advance prints and given a wide circulation. At the end of the year the material which has been published from time to time in these advance prints is brought together and bound with certain formal reports and issued in limited numbers as a single volume. The practice in Cleveland which was mentioned in Chapter III. is also in line with the principles stated. There the annual report is issued in limited quantities for the sake of record and the citizen leaders are reached through the publication of pamphlets dealing with specific subjects. IV. A HOUSE ORGAN PUBLICATION. In order to reach the general public effectively the "house organ" type of school bulletin or newspaper should be published. 104 SCHOOL REPORTS IN AMERICAN CITIES This paper should go into the homes of all parents and citizens generally for the purpose of creating good-will and appreciation of the work of the school and to bring about a better understand- ing of what the schools are seeking to accomplish. V. WHERE THE ANNUAL REPORT TO THE PUBLIC IS REQUIRED BY LAW. In the states in which an annual report to the public is re- quired by law, and where the statute requires that it shall deal with the condition and needs of the schools, an application of the principles stated would mean the omission of directories of school officials, buildings, teachers, students and alumni ; courses of study; rules and regulations of the school board; copied proceedings of the school board; itemized statements of expenditures (except where specifically required by law) ; grad- uation programs and lists of graduates; records of prizes and awards. It would mean also two other things. In the first place, it would necessitate the adoption of a specific purpose for the annual report. This purpose would be more specific than to give record of the stewardship of the board of education or a description of the condition of the school system. It might be a description of these things but it would be a description of them with a definite purpose in view. This would make it possible for even an annual report to have point ; to present subject-matter as related to a definitely recommended line of action. In the second place, it would mean that the various super- visors' and principals' reports would be omitted in the forms in which they now appear in most school reports. If supervisors and principals are to contribute, and it is certainly believed that they should in the largest possible way, their contribution should take the form of cooperative work on a definite program, and instead of their contribution being addressed to the superintend- ent, it would be addressed to the general public and written with its influence on the general public clearly in mind. PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE: 105 VI. A DEFINITE PROGRAM OP COOPERATION WITH NEWSPAPERS A definite policy of furnishing the newspapers of the city with the kind of information about the schools which constitutes news to which the public is entitled should be adopted. The proper use of newspapers as a means of reporting school facts to the public is perhaps the most effective means that school authorities are able to use. The ratings of school publications on page 59 and the quotations at the close of Chapter III show that many city superintendents clearly recognize this fact. Since newspapers strive to adapt their style to the capacities and read- ing habits of the general public, and since in most American cities some newspaper goes in practically every home, they afford a means of reaching a wider range of people than any other publicity medium. Moreover, newspapers, generally recognize the news value of school stories. The real need, then, is for a definite systematic plan for furnishing the newspapers with the facts out of which news stories about the schools may be made. VII. A TRAINED PERSONNEL FOR SCHOOL REPORTING There should be definite provision for the proper personnel in every city school system to do the work which is necessary in any adequate system of school reporting. In the larger cities there should be a publicity or publications expert whose duty should be to cooperate with the newspapers of the city in the preparation of the kind of news and feature articles which they will publish and to prepare the various school publications design- ed for the public in such a way that they will be read and under- stood. In all too many cases this potential news does not contribute to public interest in and support of education. This is because school superintendents, principals and other school officials are busy with routine matters, do not have the newspaper point of view and have acquired in their various scientific studies a some- what highly technical, if not ponderous, style of writing which makes it very difficult, if not impossible, for them to put school reports into such form that they will be read by the general public. APPENDIX A. EXTRACTS FROM STATS LAWS BEARING ON WRITTEN OR PRINTED CITY SCHOOL REPORTS ALABAMA (Applies to City Boards of Education*) "Section 22. The city board of education shall cause to be prepared and published annually, not later than the month of October, in suf- ficient quantities for distribution among the interested citizens of the community, an annual report showing the condition, current ac- complishments, and needs for the improvement of the schools; also a statement of the business transactions of the board, and the amount expended and for what purpose. Such statement must show the total amount of school funds received by the city and the sources from which derived. The amount expended for teachers' salaries in each school and the amount paid out of the school funds for any other pur- pose than teachers' salaries must be shown and shall include the name of the person to whom paid, the amount of each of such items and the purposes for which said amounts were expended." Alabama School Code, Oct. 1, 1919. COLORADO "125. It shall be the duty of the boards of directors of all school districts in school districts of the first and second class in the several counties of this state to publish semi-annually, within twenty days after the close of business -Jun'e 30th and December 31st of each year, a complete report of the financial conditions of said school district, show- ing all receipts and disbursements from each and every fund, so item- ized as to give the general public definite information as to the financial condition of such district; such publication shall be -made, once in a newspaper of general circulation printed and published within said district; provided that if there be no newspaper published within said district, then such publication shall be made once in a newspaper having a general circulation within said district. S. L. '11, p. 582." Colorado School Laws, Jan. 1, 1914, p. 72. Paragraph 126 requires all districts other than first and second class to publish a similar report at the close of each school year. Colorado School Laws, Jan. 1, 1914, p. 73. * Incorporated municipalities having 2,000 or more inhabitants by the last Federal Census. (106) APPENDIX A. 107 CONNECTICUT The superintendent "shall, one week at least before the annual town meeting, submit to the board or to the committee, as the case may be, a full written report of his proceedings, and of the condition of the several schools during the year preceding, with plans and suggestions for their improvement." Conn. 1916 41 (125.) DELAWARE "2326-73. Section 127. The Board of Education, subject to the pro- visions of this Chapter, the rules and regulations, prescribed courses of study, and the policies of the State Board of Education, shall pre- scribe, on the written recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, courses of Study for the schools under its jurisdiction, and a printed copy of these courses of study shall be supplied to every teacher and to ever} 7 interested citizen of the district." Del. School Code, 1919, pp. 55-56 "2326-81. Section 135. The Board of Education shall cause to be prepared and published annually in the month of November, in suf- ficient quantities for distribution among the citizens of the district, an annual report addressed to the people of the district, covering the condition, current accomplishments, and nee,ds for the improvement of the Schools, also a statement of the business and financial trans- actions of the Board " Del. School Code, 1919, p. 59 "2326-101. Section 155. The Superintendent of Schools shall pre- pare, or cause to be prepared, and submit to the Board of Education for adoption, all reports required by the State Board of Education; and he shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, and submit for the ap- proval of the Board of Education the annual report addressed to the people of the respective special school district provided for in section 135 of this chapter." Del. School Code, 1919, p. 64 IDAHO Annual financial report to be posted in three conspicuous places. Provided : "The report of any expenditures shall contain the specific items, amounts, the names to whom such expenditures w T ere made." "That in Independent Districts the aforesaid financial report shall be published in one issue of a newspaper nearest the school house of said district." Idaho 46 1917 (61) 108 APPENDIX A. ILLINOIS "The board of directors shall make, at the annual election of di- rectors, to the voters there present, a detailed report of receipts and expenditures, and transmit a copy of the same within 5 days to the treasurer." Illinois '16, 35 (114-1) Annual Report in Cities of over 100,000 population. "The board shall prepare and publish an annual report which shall include in detail all receipts and expenditures, specifying the source of such receipts and the objects of such expenditures, and shall trans- mit the same to the mayor and the city council." School Laws of Illinois, 1917, Circular 123, p. 10 "The said board shall keep a faithful record of all its proceedings in well bound books. Such records and all by-laws, rules and regula- tions, or parts thereof, may be proven by a copy thereof certified to be such by the secretary of said board, or when the same are printed in book or pamphlet form which purports to be published by authority of said board of education, the same need not be otherwise published, and said book or pamphlet shall be received as evidence without further proof of said records, by-laws, rules, or regulations ... in all courts and places where judicial proceedings are had." School Laws of Illinois, 1917, Circular 123, p. 10 "Par. 139. The specifications of the powers herein granted are not to be construed as exclusive, but the board "of education shall exercise all the powers that may be requisite or proper for the maintenance and the fullest development of an efficient school system, not inconsistent with these (those) general provisions of the school law of the state which apply to all school districts." School Laws of Illinois, 1917, Circular 123, p. 10- IOWA "The board shall present at each regular meeting of the electors a full statement of the receipts had and expenditures made since the preceding meeting, with such other information as may be considered important." Iowa 1919 42 (2780> "It shall publish . . . two weeks before the annual school elec- tion, by one insertion in one or more newspapers ... a detailed and specific statement of the receipts and disbursements . . . And . . . at the same time publish in detail an estimate of the several amounts which, in the judgment of such board, are necessary to main- tain the schools in such district for the next succeeding year." Iowa 1919 42 (2781) APPENDIX A. 109 KANSAS Cities of the First Class "Par. 144. ANNUAL REPORT. The board of education at the close of each school year, or as soon thereafter as practicable, shall make an annual report of the progress, prosperity, and condition, financial as well as educational, of all the schools under their charge; and said report, or such portion of it as the board of education shall consider of advantage to the public, shall be printed either in a public newspaper or in pamphlet form." Laws 1876, Ch. 122, Art. 10, Sec. 20.) Paragraph 191 contains the same provisions for second class cities. Kansas School Laws, 1915-17, pp. 58 and 71. KENTUCKY "Par. 154 (Par. 4477 Ky. St.) President and Secretary of Board-Re- port by. The said trustees* shall elect one of their number president, who shall preside at their meetings, and perform such other duties as may .by required of him, and they may elect a secretary and prescribe his duties. The president and secretary, or either of them, shall make such reports to the county superintendent as are required of common school trustees, and shall publish annually such information as will show the financial condition of the graded common school district, and such other facts as they may deem beneficial to the cause of education in their respective districts." 1916 Kentucky School Laws, p. 70 MAINE ' At the annual town meeting, the Superintendent shall make a written report of the conditions of the schools for the past year, with a state- ment of the conditions of school buildings, the proficiency made by the pupils, and the success attending the modes of instruction and government thereof." Maine 1917. 31. (1918. Sec. 59. II-c) MASSACHUSETTS Report of the School Committee to be sent to the Commissioner of Education. "Section 6. (As amended by section 5 of chapter 368, Acts of 1912) They shall annually make a detailed report of the condition of the several public schools, which shall contain any statements which the committee consider necessary or proper. They shall cause said report to be printed, for the use of the inhabitants, in octavo pamphlet form, of the size of the annual reports of the board of education, and trans- mit two copies thereof to the commissioner of education, on or before *Cities of the first, second, third or fourth class. 110 APPENDIX A. the last day of April, and shall deposit one copy in the office of the city or town clerk." Massachusetts School Laws, Revised to 1914, p. 38 MICHIGAN "To print and publish immediately after each meeting in such man- ner as the board shall decide all proceedings of the board at such meeting." Michigan 1917. 156 (340-1). Applies to third class cities. "All proceedings and official actions of the board shall be printed and published immediately after such meeting, in such manner as the board shall decide. It shall cause to be made at the end of each fiscal year and to be published a complete report of its receipts and expen- ditures and general school statistics." Michigan General School Laws 1917, p. 80, Sec. 20. Applies to cities having more than 100,000 and less than 250,000 inhabitants. MINNESOTA "71. Publication of proceedings of independent school districts . . . The school board of each independent school district in "this state shall cause to be published once, in some newspaper published in such school district, or if there be no newspaper published therein, then in some newspaper published in the county in which such school district is located, the official proceedings of such board, and such publication shall be made as soon as may be, and not later than thirty days after the meeting at which such proceedings were had. Such publication shall be let annually by contract to the lowest bidder, at the first regular meeting of the said board after the annual election in such district, provided that not more than fifty cents per folio shall be paid for such publication." Minnesota School Laws 1919, p. 22 121 and 122 contain the same provisions for all school dis- tricts containing ten or more townships and define "Proceedings" as follows: "The term proceedings as used in this act shall include a statement of all propositions, submitted by motion or resolutions, or otherwise, to such board, including the number of votes for and against all reports made to such board, and its action thereon, and an abstract of all claims allowed, giving the name of the claimant and the amount and general purpose of the claim." Minnesota School Laws, 1919, p. 40 NEVADA "It shall be the duty of the governing board of every . . . school district or high school district in this state between the first Monday APPENDIX A. Ill 'of January and the first Monday of April of each year to prepare a budget of the amount of money estimated to be necessary to pay the expenses of conducting the public business of such . . . school district ... for the current year. Such budget shall be pre- pared in such detail as to the aggregate sums and the items thereof as shall be prescribed by the Nevada Tax Commission. The budget . . . shall in any event show the following detail: .. . ." It shall be filed with the city clerk or with the auditor or recorder of the county in which the district is situated." "A copy of said budget shall be forthwith published for two pub- lications, one week apart, in the official newspaper of the city, town or county, if there be one, or, if there be no official newspaper, then in a newspaper to be designated by the governing board of such city, municipality, town, school district or high school district." "Sec. 10. It shall be unlawful for any governing board or any mem- ber thereof or any officer ... to authorize, allow or contract for any expenditure unless the money for the payment thereof has been specially set aside for such payment by the budget." Penalty Removal from office. Nevada 88-90. Sec. 9-10. NEW JERSEY "65. Such board of education shall, as soon as practicable after the close of each school year cause to be printed and published a report of the condition of the public schools under its charge, of all the property under its control, and an itemized account of the expenditures of the board and of the finances of the district." New Jersey School Laws 1918, p. 32 NEW MEXICO "The board of education, at the close of each school year, or as soon thereafter as practicable, shall make an annual report of the progress, prosperity and condition, financial as well as educational, of all the schools under their charge; and said report, or such portion of it as the board of education shall consider of advantage to the public, shall be printed, either in a public newspaper or in pamphlet form, and a copy furnished the county and the superintendents." New Mexico 1915. 28 (4892 Sec. 86) OHIO "Such boards may require superintendents and teachers to report matters the boards deem important . . . and to make such sug- gestions and recommendations as they may deem advisable relative to methods of instruction, school management, or other matters of educational interest. The board of education of each city district shall prepare and publish annually a report of the condition and ad- 112 APPENDIX A. ministration of the schools under its charge, and include therein a complete exhibit of the financial affairs of the district." Ohio School Laws 1915. 291 (7785) OKLAHOMA "The board of education, on or before June 30th, each year, shall make an annual report to the County Superintendent of Public In- struction of the progress, prosperity and condition, financial as well as educational, of all the school matters under their charge, and said report shall be printed either in a newspaper or pamphlet form." Oklahoma 1919. 29 (138) OREGON Duties of the board of education in cities of the first class. "To make an annual printed report to the taxpayers of the district." Oregon School Laws, 1919, p. 98 "348. Budget shall be submitted to district.* The district school board shall call a meeting during the first week of December to act upon this budget and shall give notice of this meeting by publication in a daily paper having not less than 20,000 circulation and published in the city or town in which such district is located. This notice shall also include a copy of the proposed budget. Any legal elector of said district may attend such meeting and shall be accorded a hearing on any item of such budget . . ." Oregon School Laws, 1919, p. 106 RHODE ISLAND "The school committee shall also prepare and submit annually, at the annual town meeting, a report to the town, setting forth their doings, the state and condition of the schools and plans for their improvement, which report, unless printed, shall be read in open town meeting." Rhode Island 1910. 23 (Sec. 10, Law 1903) The superintendent "shall make a report to the school committee annually and at such other times as it may direct." R. I. 1918 p. 6 (Ch. 1667). SOUTH DAKOTA "The clerk of the board of education at the close of each school year shall make an annual report of the condition, financial as well as educational, of all the schools of the corporation, a copy of which shall be sent to the county superintendent. Said report, or such portion of it as the board of education shall consider advantageous to the public shall be printed in a public newspaper or in pamphlet form." South Dakota 1918. 89 (188) *Districts with 20,000 children. APPENDIX A. 113 \ SOUTH DAKOTA "The board of education is hereby required to publish in that news- paper nearest to the geographical center of such school district, such paper to be selected by the district board, a statement of the receipts and expenditures of such district within twenty days after the end of each fiscal year, which said statement shall include the amount of money received, amount paid for teachers, repairs and incidentals, the amount on hand and in what' bank deposited. Such statement shall be published annually in two consecutive issues of such newspaper. South Dakota 90 (189) UTAH "4678. (1910) Duties and compensation of the clerk. It shall be the duty of the clerk to attend all meetings of the board; to keep an accurate journal of its proceedings, and to have the care and custody of the seal, records and papers not otherwise provided for; to counter- sign all warrants drawn upon the treasurer by order of said board; to keep an accurate account of all moneys paid to the treasurer on ac- count of said board and from what source received, and all money paid on orders drawn on the treasurer by order of said board; and to prepare and submit to .the board an annual statement under oath, of the receipts and disbursements during the year ending June 30, which statement the board shall cause to be published in a newspaper having general circulation in said city showing: 1. The amount on hand at the date of last report; 2. The amount of the sinking fund and how invested; 3. The moneys paid out and for what paid; 4. The balance of school moneys on hand; 5. The number, date and amount of every bond issued and re- deemed under the authority herein given, and the amount received and paid therefor." State of Utah, School Laws, 1919, p. 946 WISCONSIN "Itemized report of receipts, etc. to be published by town and union high school boards, Section 496c 2. It shall be the duty of the school board of every town high school, and union free high school in the state, to publish or cause to be published, or posted in five prominent places, during the week preceding the annual meeting, a summarized financial report of receipts and disbursements for the preceding year of such district, and the recommendations for the following year, in a newspaper published within the town, city or village where such school is located; said report not to exceed five folios, and in case there is no newspaper published within such town, city or village, then such report shall be published in any newspaper having a general circula- tion in such town, city or village, and published within the county where such school is located." (1913 c. 109) Wisconsin School Laws, 1911-13, p. 12 APPENDIX B. Description of the Questionnaire Used to Secure Information from City Superintendents of Schools Relative to Official School Pub- lications. The following letter was sent with the inquiry blank: "You will doubtless be interested in knowing accurately just what the present practice is with respect to reporting school facts to the public in American cities. In order to get the facts the Department of Educational Administra- tion of Teachers College, Columbia University, is sending the en- closed inquiry form to all superintendents of schools in cities in the United States of 8,000 population and over. As soon as the returns are received they will be tabulated and a summary will be sent to you. The types of publications listed in the inquiry represent the ones most frequently used at this time. In order to make clear just what is meant by each of the types mentioned, a brief description is given on the other side of this letter. The problem of securing the right means of reaching all the people is just now a very vital one for city superintendents, and it is on this account that I am asking you to cooperate by furnishing the facts from your city." The letter was accompanied by the following description of the kinds of school reports named in the blank : TYPES OF SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS A. ANNUAL REPORT. The typical school publication of Amer- ican cities. As a rule, intended to be a comparative account of the work and progress of the public schools. B. BIENNIAL REPORT. Same as A except published every two years. C. TRIENNIAL REPORT. Same as A except published every three years. D. MONOGRAPHS TO TAKE THE PLACE OF A, B, or C. Such as those published by Superintendent Spaulding at Minne- apolis. E. SCHOOL. MANUAL, such as the "Handbook of the Board of Education of Philadelphia" and the "Manual of the Board of Education of Detroit." Contain complete school, teacher, and school board directories, rules and regulations of the board of (114 APPENDIX B. 115 education, salary schedules, school calendar, and certain enroll- ment and financial statistics. F. SCHOOL DIRECTORY , such as those published in many of our cities. Primarily a well arranged and indexed directory of school board officials and teachers. G. COURSE OF STUDY, Publication of a number of courses or a single course in pamphlet form. H. NEWS BULLETIN, such as "School Topics" in Cleveland, "The School Review" in Denver, "The School Magazine" in Buffalo, "The Official Bulletin of the City of St. Paul," "The Detroit Educational Bulletin," "Our Public Schools" in Oakland, and "Omaha Public Schools." I. RULES AND REGULATIONS OF SCHOOL BOARD. Sep- arate booklet containing city charter or general state law pro- visions relative to schools and rules and regulations of the board. J. CAMPAIGN BULLETIN, such as "A Square Deal for the Lit- tle Children of Buffalo" and "Our Public Schools" in Des Moines, Iowa. K. REPORTS IN NEWSPAPERS, such as certain financial reports which must, according to law, be published in newspapers. L. POSTERS. Street car posters, signs, window cards, etc. M. NEWSPAPER DISPLAY ADVERTISEMENTS, such as those used in campaigns for school bond issues, and to advertise com- mencement exercises, new courses, etc. The questionnaire form was printed on a stamped return folder. A sample of this questionnaire appears below. 116 APPENDIX B. OFFICIAL CITY SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS. + * ..* Number of issues in last 5 yrs. Date of last issue Number of copies in last issue Meant for what classes* COST of last issue of all Issues last 12 mos. A Annual Report B Biennial Report C". Triennial Report D Monographs to take the place of A, B or C . . E. School Manual F. School Directory G. Course of Study H News Bulletin t I. Rules and Regulations of School Board J. Campaign Bulletin K. Reports in Newspapers. (Paid for Space) ], Posters M. Newspaper Display Ad- N . . o Coiumn Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 S * 'Check in column 1 the reports which are required by law. ***Indicate in column 2 by means of numbers the relative rank of A, B, C, D, H, J and K (putting best as 1, next best as 2, etc.) as effective means for reaching the general public. 'Indicate by code in column 6 the classes of people intended to be reached by each type of report: 1. School Board. 4. General Public. 2. Supervisors and Principals. 5. Possible Continuation School Students. 3. Teachers. G. Citizen Leaders. 7. Superintendents of Schools and School Officials in other cities. Do the teachers of your city publish a bulletin, pamphlet or magazine of their own? When was the publication started ? < Remarks: Reported by APPENDIX C. 117 .s o 3 YH N eo * to o t- a a a a a n a. 3SS33S u 2 2 2 2 o ooo ooo I 1 *!* i is? ^ o o wlll^l fig' P! 9ti ^l *-> C * p x >. a :2 HISf*-51l?? laSll^Illpll S| SSa t 3 - EJ =s 2 J= t: 5 j3 ii!l:igi^iisili5 Btt'Sow^aPiQ fc *5 " M 5 a5 T3 51 s, ^3 J M ^=S H ^^ 3 -g a ! I S5 ' ' .5 OQ ' 'SB +j 1-9^^.1 81 o-r'/o- ^ ^ = 'S ^ i^ .2 .2 .2 S - ^ 2 2 -2 118 APPENDIX C. ;aodea OK. PUB sjnjjj aonBApv jo puB A'aAjng jo asanoo IBDUBH looqog sjopio^j looqog lujoadg jo sjunooov fpn}g J asanog pa ^ao^Dajia pai poqog jo PUB PUB ^ao^oaaia tooqog SJBQ UJ 8PJBQ ^BldSJQ s-Suitiaaaojj pJBog looqog jjooqpnBH s^aapn^g s;aodaa ^iq^noK (joj piBd) aadBdsAia^ nj saajsoj jo saoi}BinSda pjBog loo qog ^pn;g jo asanoj X.iojDdJia i$ iBnuBK sqdB^gouojv IBtaaaux IBiaaatg IBnany uopBindoj UOI>03g X -XX xx : :x :H t- 0>050S<35~CJ0505 0000 ': || '<: (MOfO T -(rHiN'-(^ CI Ji-(Me<:cO t-H^j-- l -N | -'LJrr*^'- a OMwy occ3wii>;iX. a? ^H w s-iOQaj.w > 3 ^5'3 s^^k-3Sa>9^ SSSjKS5St33SSBJ| ? ^S(tfHtfW<:CQMJ^Ma;!cOH^^MOQHOJS 0< < < O h APPENDIX C. 119 :x x :x x : : x x x : : : : x x : : x x * x : : : :xx ::: :x ::::::: x ' -x 120 APPENDIX C. panssj j.iodaa PUB s;auj OOUBAPV jo suoijBtnSeg PUB A*aA.ing jo osanc>j [ooqog [Btoadg jo sjunoooy A'pnjg jo asatioo pus A\io:pa.ijQ PUB pus pus pne .pins JO pas pnB ^ao^oaaja loqog 8JBQ Ut SPJTJ3 A"BldSTQ s3u{poooojj pJBog looipg sjuapnjg (aoj ptBd) uj jo pJBog looqog A'pnjg jo looqog IBtiuay x : x x X X I !?!= a a v 2,5 03 .!_> *0l APPENDIX C. 121 : j >< y, \ :: -:Mk :M : : : : : ' 2 ' " i '3 ; ! s . n ' : ;ii Ha i : . tc : l-s. :i a :S e a, >?Z- illtl?H1i. g*f jlllstetj S.s^'etiSfliS.BSs.a* I^IIS? f *|-|2^! j^i ^s 122 APPENDIX C. panssj POB jo suoj}B[n3aa DUB A'dAJng ay saina jo asanoQ looqog tBioodg jo sjunoooy vfpnjg jo asjnoQ pas PUB puB IBUUBJ^ poqay sjdjaoa iBpuBuj.1 P UB jo asanoQ pus puB 8JBQ sjuapnjg (aoj piBd) aadBdsA\3M uj ajaodaa jo snoijBinSaa JOOOOH sa;na jo IBiunauj, aojjBtndoj M eo eo co eo T< <*> o cs M i yr c gla.s.^iE APPENDIX C. 123 H : : : H H H :M : : :M : : : rH rHlOrH^lOt-(fCN N N Cl N M N N N (M M d N M (N 124 APPENDIX C. panssi rjaoda-a o^ ::...:::::.:::: : : : : .^ jo suoijBinSaa P UB &q::;:xt< ^XKMXXK |x M : ^ : 10 .... . . . < . City OKL.AHOMA Oklahoma City Sapulpa Shawnee Gnthrle PENNSYLVANIA : \ ' ' ;:::: io : : : : :2 :< :::!:: . : ; : : : : * ^ : : : ' - 1 : H : iii iKi{H,iii!iiMii;iii K w OQ H 125 126 APPENDIX C. sjatada'jj PUB sjau,j aoaBApy - jo suoj;[n3eji PUB &viua A'dAJns . . . ; . : : . : : . : : : : : : suojjKiuSey sy sainy sy A"pnjs jo esano > IBIIUUIV [ooq t )>> : s-iepioj looqag [Btoodg jo sjuno,x>v : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : o aunoo P UB AMo*oe.iKJ sao{jBinSr7j . PUB "seiny puB iBnuBJV looqoj. . . : : : : : : : : : : : : g)d (M eH peBin.a B^ina pas ^pn*S J asanoj ' : : : : : : : : : : : : : snonB[n9aa pas sainji puB ijo^oaaia looqog : sSiijpaaoojjj pJBog jooqog qooqpuBH s)Odpn)g s^aodtty ^[q^uoiv 1 A'BtdSJQ J