Manitowoc County WI Archives History - Schools .....Diploma Examinations, Graduation, And Testing Programs 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/wi/wifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 26, 2007, 10:55 pm

DIPLOMA EXAMINATIONS, GRADUATION, AND TESTING PROGRAMS

    Manitowoc county boys and girls attended the first pioneer schools when
convenient. The short, irregular school terms, the poorly qualified teachers in
many instances, and the very irregular school attendance of school age children
were factors which made completing the course of study set up almost an
impossibility. The bright young man or woman who completed the "standards" set
by the teachers was advised to write the teacher's examination. If successful in
the examination, he or she taught school. If not successful, he or she would
often return to the district school during the winter term for more "larnin".

    The first diploma examination was held the last Friday and Saturday of
March; 1886. The examination was conducted at Two Rivers and Cato and was in
charge of County Supt. John Nagle. A total of 35 county pupils took the test,
but only seven of the applicants passed. The first eighth grade graduates in
1886 were David Fitzgerald, Alice Carey, Kate A. Hayes, Otto Guidinger, Frank
Vraney, Timothy McKeough, Charles G. Stangel. The diploma issued to them was a
common school diploma which entitled the holder to enter high school. Entrance
to high school was possible without an eighth grade diploma at that time though.
Prof. C. G. Stangel reported that the diploma examinations were given at the
same time and place as the spring teachers' examinations were. The subjects in
which the eighth graders were tested were orthoepy, grammar, U. S. history,
arithmetic, geography, spelling, writing, constitution, reading, and physiology.
The test was dictated very rapidly by Supt. Nagle. The applicant was held
responsible for both oral and written work. The written part of the test was of
essay type.

    Diploma examinations were, held every year after 1886. By 1890, printed
tests formulated by the county superintendent of schools were administered.
Copies of these tests are on file in the vault of the county office. A system of
preliminary examinations given about six weeks before the regular diploma
examination was begun about 1900. These preliminary tests were made by the
superintendent, printed, and distributed in sealed envelopes to the teachers.
These sealed envelopes were not to be opened until the day set for the
preliminary examinations. This preliminary test was given to indicate to the
teacher and her pupils the scope and character of the material to be expected in
the regular examination.

    During the early 1890's, three grades of diplomas were issued, namely first,
second, and third grades. The first grade diploma required an average of 85 and
a minimum of 70 in any branch; the second grade diploma required an average of
75, with a minimum of 60; while the third grade required an average of 75 and a
minimum of 50. In 1897, there were 13 first grade, 44 second grade, and 147
third grade diplomas issued. A total of 282 took the examination. No third grade
diplomas were issued after the early 1900's, but first and second grade diplomas
were issued until 1935 when only one grade of diploma was presented to rural
eighth grade graduates. A system of recognizing outstanding graduates was begun
in 1925 by setting up Honor Classes made up of the upper ten per cent of the
eighth grade rural graduating classes. In the cities a system of promotion cards
is employed and no diplomas are given until the pupil graduates from the high
school.

    The type of diploma tests have changed with the times. Essay and oral
examinations were the rule until the 1920's. Educational-leaders about that time
were advocating short answer tests of the true-false, yes-no, multiple choice,
and one word answer type. The Manitowoc county superintendents followed the
newer trends by gradually changing over to the short answer type of diploma
examination. About 1940, standardized tests were advocated and so a gradual
abandonment of county-made tests was in order in favor of standardized tests
tried out on thousands of boys and girls. By 1946, standardized tests were the
rule and grade placement instead of standings based on 100% was inaugurated.

    The development of the diploma examination system and the resultant policy
of having all school children complete their eighth grade education placed an
ever-growing load on the county superintendent. He not only had to make, the
questions, but he also had to mark the hundreds of papers of the applicants for
a diploma. About 1900, the Manitowoc county superintendent appointed a board of
examiners composed of leading teachers in the county. This examining board
conducted diploma examinations in ten or more centers throughout the county on a
Friday and Saturday in April or May. At first these board members took the
examination papers, to their homes and corrected them during the few spare hours
of the following weeks. For two or more successive Saturdays this Board met in
the county superintendent's office to correct papers and to confer with that
official. The papers were finally all graded by the middle of May at which time
the names of the graduates were determined. The system of marking papers at home
and on Saturdays was continued until the later 1920's after which the week
following the administration of the diploma examination was devoted to grading
of the papers by the Board in the county office. When standardized tests were
instituted, the time required to grade papers had been cut down to two days.

    The first diplomas issued to rural school graduates were mailed to the
successful applicants. It was not until 1903 that Supt. F. C. Christiansen held
the first annual district school graduating exercise in the Turner's Opera House
in Manitowoc on June 11th. Forty-five rural school boys and girls graduated. A
program of quartet, trio, and audience singing was given. A copy of the first
graduating exercise program is on file in the county office. By that time county
spelling, adding, penmanship and highest diploma standing contests were held in
the forenoon and medals and prizes awarded to the winners at the afternoon program.

    The development and improvement of courses of study, school texts, and
standard tests, as well as the policy of an eighth grade education for every
child in our county schools, necessitated a testing program, not only for the
eighth graders but for the children of all grades. Standards of attainment had
to be set up for all grades to lessen the chances for failure when the child
reached the eighth grade. Throughout the county and the cities testing programs
were set up. These tests were administered to determine each child's
intelligence, his progress in certain subject matter, and his general
achievement from grade to grade. Through such testing it is possible to care for
the individual differences existing and to suggest possible means of overcoming
obvious physical handicaps.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

1848 - 1948

CENTENNIAL HISTORY
of the
Manitowoc County School Districts and Public School System

EDITED BY JOS. J. RAPPEL, COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 1948 


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wi/manitowoc/history/schools/diplomae53gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/

File size: 7.7 Kb