University Daily Kansan, April 22, 1981
Page 7
Education
From page 1
The report said more emphasis needed to be placed on providing basic skills in reading, writing and arithmetic.
In other words, the report indicates that in the "back to basics" campaign has failed and has put a strain on the entire educational system, including KU.
John Guenther, chairman of curriculum and instruction in the School of Education, said the increased number of students in need of remedial courses downgraded KU's educational level. He said professors who nrcally could teach higher level courses were being by having to teach remedial courses.
"We don't want teachers teaching kids who can't spell." Guenther said.
He said the high schools were guilty for not focusing on such basics as math and English, because they offered a
greater variety of courses than in the past.
BOTH HIMMELBERG and Gowen also placed some of the blame on the blenching.
Gowen said high school graduates who enrolled in freshmen English courses were coming to college ill-prepared."Then, in three and one-half months, we must bring them up to college level," Gowen said.
Himmelberg said high schools were not "centralized," meaning they lacked the basic history, math, science, and English courses in their curricula
"The basic problem is not that high schools don't offer mathematics," he said. "The problem is in each state sets of practice, they become the requirements."
Kansas sets a minimum of 17 units for high school graduation: Four units of
language arts, one unit of math, two units of social studies, one unit laboratory science, one unit physical education and eight units of electives.
"I DON'T THINK you can find a state with a lower minimum," John Hunter, Kansas accreditation specialist in the state department of education, said.
Many people point to the declining college entrance exam scores of high school graduates across the nation as evidence of the lag in education.
But Lee Capps, associate dean of the School of Education, said those scores were misleading.
Caps pointed out that test scores showed a decline because the sample pool of students had increased.
FOR MORE accurate testing, states are developing their own tests to evaluate high school students.
Also, high school are teaching mundane skills instead of thinking skills, he said. For example the school teaches the student how to solve a math pro-
"Last year, the testing found a possible problem in 11th grade math," he said.
The KU School of Education developed a test designed to expose any reading, English or math incompetencies.
This test was given to students across Kansas in grades two, four, six, eight and 11.
Merle Barton, commissioner of the Kansas department of education, said the legislature would almost certainly continue the tests for another two years.
BOLTON SAID some school districts had changed their curricula as a result of the test.
Officials postpone road-extension decision
A hearing to consider the extension of 24th Street east of Oudahl Road will be continued in two weeks, Lawrence city commissioners decided last night.
The hearing, which began April 14 and continued last night, will consider extending the road 600 feet east of Ousdahl. The idea of looping the road to 23rd Street was dropped by commissioners last night.
By PAM HOWARD Staff Reporter
Robin Davis, 2627 Missouri, was one of many citizens who crowded into the
Commission room to voice an opinion on the extension.
"All my neighbors share my astonishment." Davis said. "Why build roads in you can prove that Outdoor is overland when you've got to do something about it."
DAVIS SAID, however, that there was no proof there was too much traffic on Ousdahl and that the extension is unable to facilitate traffic from one block of Ousdahl.
Bob Turvey, who owns a home at 2403 Arkansas St., complained about the possible stormwater-drainage
problems associated with the proposed road.
"I think it's something that needs considerable study," Turvey said.
STATE SEN. Jane Eldredge, R-Lawrence, who represented a group of Oudahd residents, agreed that the area presented problems with stormwater drainage, but still approved of the project.
"It is, for my clients, the best solution to the problem," she said.
Commissioner Barkley Clark and the other commissioners, except Don Binns, agreed that because of the cost
of the proposed project and because of potential drainage problems, it would be better to end 24th Street in a cul-de-sac than to bring it to 23rd Street.
Binns said he favored continuing the road out to 23rd Street.
Student wins Truman award
A Harry S Truman scholarship was recently awarded to a KU student David J. Adkins, Topeka sophomore, for the first time in the award's four-year history. Truman scholarships, which range up to $5,000 yearly, are awarded annually to 79 university students across the nation.
In other action last night, the Commission voted 4-1 to hire a Kansas City, Mo., engineering firm, Johnson, Brickle and Mulcahy to study the safety of a parking lot being constructed at 600 Massachusetts st. The city anticipates no halt in the construction while the study is being conducted.
Adkins was officially notified that he was a recipient of the award by the selection committee last Friday.
"It appeared in the Lawrence and Topek papers before I received any word about it," Adkins said earlier this week.
"The official notice finally came in the mail Friday. I suppose the selection committee sent out press releases to the winners' local papers beforehand."
THE TRUMAN SCHOLARSHIP is awarded to college sophomores who have at least a 3.0 GPA, and who plan to pursue politics or public service as a career. The scholarship is awarded for achievement of undergraduate and graduate study, in the amount of the award depends on the student's educational expenses.
David Adkins
One scholarship winner is chosen from each state and U. S. territory, and there are 13 at-large winners. Each student is nominated by the nominate two students for the award.
Adkins was chosen to represent KU last fall. As a nominee, he was required to write a 600-word essay about his career goals and his interest in politics.
Semi-finalists were chosen on the basis of their essays and extra materials. The semi-finalists were personally interviewed by the selection committee.
Adkins said that his Student Senate experience had been beneficial to his scholarship competition performance. Adkins is currently chairman of the University Senate executive committee, and served last year as freshman class president and as a Student Senator.
THE SELECTION COMMITTEE evaluated each of the applicants' involvement in school government as an incentive to interest in, and commitment to politics.
Adkins said that he wanted to pursue a career in elective politics so that he could be a political system while serving the public, which has also considered attending law school.
He said his "infatuation with politics" began early in life because of an almost constant exposure to politics. He was active in the Republican Party for many years, and his father ran for Shawnee County sheriff last year.
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Internationally known author - Professor
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