3. If you do not expect to remain four years, what is the reason: (a) Financial conditions?

(b) Lack of success in school work?

(c) Desire to go to work?

(d) Loss of interest?

4. Please underline the course which you are now taking:

(a) General;

(b) College Preparatory;

(e) Two-year Commercial.

(c) Manual Arts;

(d) Commercial;

5. What led you to choose this course:

(a) Advice of parents, teachers, friends?

(b) Success of others?

(c) Belief in your personal qualifications and ability for the work of this course?

6. Do you know what studies are included in this course:

(a) In the first year?

(b) In the second year?

(c) In the third year?

(d) In the fourth year?

7. What qualifications do you think, you have for the work of this course?

8. What line of work do you intend to follow after you leave high school?

9. What do you understand to be the requirements of this work?

10. How have you ascertained these requirements?

II. Is this the work which you really desire to do?

12. What have your parents advised?

13. To what extent, if any, have possible financial benefits influenced your choice?

14. If this is not the work which you really desire to do, why are you not preparing to follow your personal choice?

15. What service to the community are you planning to render through your vocation?

EXTRA:

A. For College Preparatory Pupils:

1. For what college are you preparing?

2. Why have you chosen this college?
3. What are its requirements?

B. For Scientific, Normal School, Normal Art School, etc.,
Preparatory Pupils:

1. For what school are you preparing?

2. Why have you chosen this school?
3. What are its requirements?

NOTE. Please answer questions in full where space is given; otherwise, as briefly as possible. The purpose of this inquiry is to help in the conduct of the school rather than to be inquisitive concerning the personal affairs of the pupils. Please answer frankly. Replies will be considered confidential.

January, 1913.

A printed copy of this questionnaire was, without warning, given each pupil of the three upper classes one morning in February, 1912. One period, about forty-five minutes, was allowed for the answering of the questions. No attempt was made to have absent pupils answer them later. The same plan was followed a week later in an afternoon session with first-year pupils.

The present report is based on only 1,226 of these papers. These 1.226 include, however, every year and every course, and are, therefore, enough from which to draw conclusions. No attempt has been made to reduce all the answers to tables and schedules. Summaries are here given, or actual quotations which give real insight into the pupil's mind and heart.

For the first two questions, however, a table seems most illuminating:

It is evident that there is less certainty in the minds of first and second year pupils regarding the length of stay in the school. The large number of two-year statements is doubtless due to the fact that most of these pupils belong to the two-year commercial class. The reasons given for less than four years' stay fall under the respective headings, as follows:

Financial conditions and desire to go to work are evi

dently the chief reasons.

Of the 1,209 pupils 154 are in the general course; 489 in the college preparatory, which includes normal and scientific pupils also; 29 in the normal-arts course, which is new and not well understood; 480 in the commercial course; 56 in the two-year commercial; and I special student. In the senior and junior classes more are in the college divisions; in the sophomore and freshman classes the commercial course predominates.

It is in the reasons for choice of these courses that special interest lies, and in the change of course. Of the latter II were mentioned. Several of these are worth noticing:

1. Started in B. Changed to A-due to poor marks and death of father.

2. Changed to A because he had no definite plan at first.

3. Changed from A to B at the beginning of the fourth year, etc.

That they and others needed guidance is shown by such reasons for choice as these:

1. "Chosen at random."

2. (D) "Mostly because there was nothing I really wanted, and I had to take something.'

3. (A) "Did not intend to go to college or take busi

ness course."

4. (D) "Didn't know what else to take."

In view of these answers one is not surprised to find that of 1,118 answers to question 6 only 426 indicate knowledge of the work of the four years; 145 of three years; 272 of two years; and 275 of the first year. The first and the second year pupils know little about the years ahead; no wonder they make serious errors in choice.

Their ideas for their qualifications for the course taken range from "None or "I'm sure I don't know" to statements of personal factors, special abilities or interests, etc. Among the most interesting are these:

Ability to do mathematics better than many girls." "A brain and ability to study until I get what I want." "Willingness to work hard."

"Ambition, honesty, common sense, good health, etc." The occupations to be followed later cover much ground. They are divided into four groups for comparison:

1. Commercial, including bookkeeping, stenography, etc.

2. Future study, including college, normal school, etc.; professional and semi-professional work, including law, medicine, music, art, etc., and the trades. Of the 1,226 only II indicated a desire to engage in the work of trades. Many already know what profession they purpose to engage in; and many plan to go into commercial life172 as stenographers, 36 as bookkeepers, and 56 in office work.

Knowledge of the requirements of these occupations is limited. Personal factors are named in much the same way as in answer to question 7. Business factors, ability to work, appreciate the value of time; "willingness to do what is required, and more, if necessary," are mentioned. Special demands are spoken of in very few instances; viz., apprenticeship or special training. Is it any wonder that, looking for information concerning employments, one says later, "There is nothing to take to be a nurse," and another, that he made a mistake in taking the wrong course and cannot, therefore, prepare for the vocation he desires?