Page 6
University Daily Kansan
Monday, Jan. 18, 1965
High School Size Affects Students
By Corinne Newberry
If you came to KU from a large high school, you probably feel the curriculum and facilities offered you were a big help in preparing you for college.
But if you graduated from a relatively small school, chances are you wouldn't trade your experiences and friendships there for anything.
TWO KU PSYCHOLOGY PRO-
fessors, Roger G. Barker and Paul
V. Gump, have done research and
written a book on the subject en-
titled "Big School, Small School."
The question of school consolidation—doing away with a number of smaller institutions to form one large one for the community is a controversial one among educators, many feeling that a wide variety of courses and a large teaching staff are the only answers to growing population pressures.
Their purpose was not to present any solution to the question, but merely to look at the effects of various school sizes on the students themselves—their participation in extracurricular activities, their general enthusiasm, and the richness of their experiences. The project was begun in 1960, and carried out by the Midwest Psychological Field Station at Oskaloosa.
The results of their research show that although the large
school may offer a great deal more opportunities, a much larger proportion of students in smaller schools have active, demanding roles in such things as student government, dramatics, journalism and musical activities.
"My major contribution to the research," Professor Gump said, "was concerned with the non-classroom settings (the book's term for extracurricular activities), and their levels of importance in one big school against five small ones.
"THERE IS A TREMENDOUS difference," he said, "between sitting in a gym rooting for a basketball team, and actually playing on the team. That's about the best way to explain what we studied. We didn't try to measure the academic competence of any schools, or of their instruction."
Although it was found that large schools go to more affairs, since there are more offered, students in small schools attend a greater variety of outside activities and take more leading, demanding roles in them. The authors illustrate this by saying that when there are 300 junior involved in a class play, perhaps 50 to 75 will be chosen as actors, the rest will watch. But in a Junior class of 23, probably all will be actors or at least stagehands or musicians.
"In a small school," Professor
Gump said, "more people participate actively because more people are needed. The school paper needs a boy because he knows how to write about sports. The basketball team needs him because he can play. Perhaps he's a member of the band, too. Because he knows he is needed, he develops a real feeling of responsibility about his school."
Small school students, when asked about their satisfactions with non-class "settings" frequently gave challenge, self-improvement, and "being important" as their reasons for joining.
THE RESEARCH IN "BIG School, Small School" also showed that students in small schools get different kinds of satisfactions from their outside activities than those in large schools. This is again because, the authors say, being a "performer" in a club is different from merely being a member.
Large school students, the book says, usually gave answers connected with belonging to "something big." Their satisfactions were usually derived from someone else's action.
ALTHOUGH PROFESSOR Barker was unavailable for comment, his wife took an active part in the research and said she felt the project was necessary because of the viewpoint many people hold about small schools.
Local Republicans Comment:
Qualified Unity Support
By John Sharp
Local Republican leaders are hopeful that the two wings of their party can rally to the support of the new Republican National Chairman, Ray Bliss of Ohio.
All local leaders interviewed said they assumed a party split at the national committee meeting has been avoided by the replacement of Dean Burch. Local conservatives expressed disappointment at what they saw as a compromise, but said they thought the move was necessary to avoid an intra-party war.
Leaders of both wings of the party voiced some doubts as to whether some elements of the other wing would support the new leadership of Ray Bliss.
Mrs. Wilson, county vice chairman, said, "I think the job belonged to Mr. Bliss to begin with. If things
J. D. KING, DOUGLAS COUNTY Republican Chairman; Mrs. Mary Wilson, vice chairman; Morris Kay, 3rd District Goldwater Chairman; and three KU Republican leaders commented on the change.
Douglas County Chairman King said, "It seems like the party is moving forward. Mr. Bliss will definitely be acceptable to all wings of the party."
Official Bulletin
Summer Scholarships to Norway: The "Sons of Norway Benefit Society" offers two scholarships for study at the International Summer School of the University of Oslo for summer 1965. Information available at .306 Fraser Hall.
Water Well Drillers Institute, All Day Kansas, Union
Dr. L. W. Seagondollar. 155 Malott.
*Student Recital*. 8:00 p.m. David Holloway, baritone; Martha Randall, soprano, Swarthout Recital Hall.
Supervision of Police Personnel Conference, All Day. Kansas Union.
TOMORROW
Episcopal Evening Prayer, 9:30 p.m.
Danforth Chapel.
Teaching Candidates: Interviewer on campus, Tues., Jan. 19. Mr. Byron Deter with Kansas City, Mo., will interview both elementary and secondary candidates.
Water Well Drillers Institute, All Day Kansas. Union.
American Society Class, 7:00 p.m.
Films. Public welcome—purpose is to teach about American society. 24N Strong.
Christian Science College Organization,
730 Anforth Chapel, Chapman University,
Impiperters, Canterbury
Student Peace Union Open Meeting, 7:30 p.m. Student Union.
Wesley Foundation Community Worship, 9:15 p.m. Methodist Center, 1314
Inquirers Class, 7:30 p.m. Canterbury House, 1116 La.
Episcopal Holy Communion, 9:30 p.m.
Danforth Chapel.
had gone differently at the convention he would have been appointed originally."
"I don't think members of the ultra-conservative wing of the party, such as the John Birch Society, will accept Bliss. They don't recognize compromise. They recognize only one way, and that is their way," said Mrs. Wilson.
MORRIS KAY, 3rd District Goldwater chairman, said he thought all wings of the party would support Bliss.
"I would hope the liberal wing of the party would support him," said Kay.
Kay said he did not think Senator Goldwater had relinquished control of the party.
"I think Mr. Burch would probably have had enough support in the national committee to remain as chairman, but he might not have had enough support to be effective," said Kay.
KAY SAID, "THE image of the Republican party is built in Congress, not by the national chairman. The party is going to have to be an effective opposition party, and develop some positive policies."
"We are definitely influenced when we look at good or bad school buildings," Mrs. Barker said. "Often the conclusion is that kids in a good-looking school must be having better experiences. Too often, we don't bother to ask the kids.
"It will take five or six months to tell how effective the party's new leaders in Congress are, Kay said.
Bill Porter, KU CYR chairman and Topeka sophomore, said, "I've heard a lot about Bliss in organization circles, and have always been
"I believe the conservative wing of the party will support Bliss. They've always supported moderate candidates," Porter said.
impressed with the tremendous job he has done in Ohio."
"When you say a school is good or bad," Mrs. Barker said, "you have to say 'good or bad for what?' Just knowing the kind of curriculum a school offers doesn't tell us what kind of students that school is producing."
THE EDITOR OF the Collegiate Young Republicans Newsletter, Bob Miner, Great Bend sophomore, said, "I think Mr. Bliss is the best possible replacement from among professional politicians."
Miner said, "I can see no reason to find an executive director to preside over party organization work since Bliss is an expert on party organization."
"I'd rather have seen Bob Taft, Jr., or Richard Nixon made national chairman, and Ray Bliss made executive director to replace John Grenier of Alabama who resigned. I don't know if an executive director will be appointed or not," said Miner.
COMMENTING ON WHETHER the seven new Republican U.S. representatives from Ga., Ala., and Miss., would support Bliss, Miner said, "Southern Republicans will support Bliss, but I don't know about Southern segregationists."
Judy Collins, a member of Young Americans for Freedom, a conservative youth group, said, "I would rather Mr. Bliss replaced John Grenier as executive director, and Burch remained as national chairman, if a compromise was necessary."
ANOTHER SUBJECT DISCUSSED in the book is the amount of obligation students in various size schools felt toward their schools
Call Earl's for
2 Free Pepsi Colas
that Study Break.
with every pizza.
Delivered Hot to your door from
"Large and small schools have 'marginal students.'" Professor Gump said. "These are the students who don't have much academic success, who have a high drop-out rate. We found that in small schools the marginal students felt just as much responsibility about the school as those who had good academic records, whom we called 'regular students.' But in the large schools, we found the marginals were also socially marginal." When students didn't feel needed, Professor Gump said, they seemed to lose interest in the affairs of the school.
Earl's Pizza Palace
10c delivery charge
VI 3-0753
"People seem to feel these days." Professor Gump said, "that we've got too much ruralization in our school systems. They say it's time to cut down on provincialism. I suppose, too, that one large school in a community is more convenient from an administrative point of view. But I think our studies show that convenience isn't always the answer."
NOW! Shows 7:00 & 9:00
LAST 2 DAYS . . .
"THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE"
Starts WEDNESDAY ...
Ask
ETHAN A. SMITH MOVING & STORAGE CO.
How is the cost of my move determined?
Free booklet answers questions about moving
The final charge for any move is based on:
(1) actual weight of your goods;
(2) actual distance goods are moved;
(3) the charge for "accessorial services", Call today . . . let us give you a FREE packing estimate. Ask, too, for a free booklet, "How to Buy a Move," that gives the facts about moving services and charges.
Ethan A. Smith Moving & Storage Co.
808 Pennsylvania VI 3-0380
BEFORE MIUISI
sion, 0
Age 1
$10,000
Santee
AGENT FOR
NORTH AMERICAN
VAN LINES
Wester pletely mimeo copy.
Printed
plete o
outline
classes
Notes.
Kent
inclu
must
VI 3-
TYPE tables; Herme Adding equip Mass.
BE TJ Harley clutch, IS NO about Monti
Delta at any gems 1:00 am
G.E. E —Duri Mass.
1964 white
vwhite under
WOUL usable over
w W M
wM 1963.
12.600
$1,695.
1956 F
new si
wrong.
school.
(stand:
Student
rent w
10 x
home
This 1
conditi
RI 8-0
1961 C feet, in awning mediat
Cornin Will s interes Hurry.
Studen Mobile custom washer at 623
1956 H sharp condition tops m trans. Auto S open e
Morga Trium drive.
Typew
Quiet-
Priced
p.m.
Marrie bedroo Availa after 5
Female mate carpet quiet utilitie
One o work CALL
Two s to tak one-be within see. PI
OLD 6
If you
Do it
Washu Reason Phone
Black lost at 3-5770.
1 roll
11-65 i
Office