Grading: What System For AHS?
by Dave Work and Jan Gray
Is Ashland High School's grading system ade
quate? Is it even desirable? Are there other systems
better equipped to function in today's educationalized
society?
Certainly, the system is adequate, or at least as
adequate as most systems can be. It does not, how
ever, provide an efficient or beneficial method of re
porting one's quality of work. In our present system,
too much stress is placed on semester exams and
semester grades. They are not actually a true evalua
tion of the knowledge the student has gained in a
semester. Many of the mid-term tests place greater
emphasis on minute details than on general knowl
edge. Semester grades are unfair to a student if he
did poorly in the first and did well in the second, or
vice versa. The two grades would be averaged together
and would not give a true record of the quality of
work he did all year.
Another System
Another system, the accumulative grading sys
tem, has been tried and proven successful and ade
quate and efficient in many schools in Oregon, spe
cifically in the Portland School District. Under this
system, a student receites a grade each six weeks,
but this grade is a composite of all the work done
from the beginning of the year. That is, his first
report card is a record of the work done during the
first six weeks, the second a report of the work for
12 weeks, the third is a record of the work done for
18 weeks, and so on.
The final grade received is a report of the work
done for 36 weeks, or all the grades received on daily
work and tests are averaged, instead of all the grades
received on report cards. The final grade received
at the end of the year is the only grade sent to col
leges for admittance. Under this system, only six
weeks tests are given, placing less emphasis on the
test itself and more on the quality of the total six
weeks work. Semester grades are not given, giving a
student a whole year to bring his grade up as high
as possible.
Comparison
Compared to the present grading system, the
accumulative system immediately points out the in
accuracies in the former. An example would illustrate
this point: A student receives a "B", than an "A",
then a "B"; and an "A" on the semester exam. At
AHS he would most likely receive a "B" as his se
mester grade; a grade showing improvement, rather
than his semester's accomplishment. The accumulative
grading system would treat the situation diilcrently.
First of all, there would be no semester exam nor
would he receive a semester grade. Though the stu
dent would receive a "B" for the third grading period,
he would have 18 more weeks to raise his grade to
an "A"; only the final grade being reported to col
leges or other schools to which he might transfer.
Again in the case of the student: If he received
straight "A's" the rest of the year, at AHS he would
have a 3.5 (a "B" and an "A"), but under the accumu
lative system he would have a 4.0, showing that his
average quality of work was of "A" caliber, not of
"B plus." The latter system gives a true representa
tion of the average quality of work he has done from
the beginning of the year.
College Records
Colleges do not question the accumulative grad
ing system's merits and accept them as a true record
of a student's scholarship. Why should AHS use a
system that is inaccurate and unfair to the students
when they could use a system just as effective, much
more accurate, and more beneficial to the students?
Could the students at AHS benefit from a change
to the accumulative grading system? Is it actually a
better system for the students? Would a change in
the present system be practical?
Perhaps a critical evaluation of the semester
and the accumulative grading systems is necessary
in order to be sure that one is better for AHS than
the other. It is the duty of the administration to
study all systems carefully, and if a change is needed,
one should be made.
High-lights
By Alan Engstront
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149 Fast Main Aslilani
Having a study hall, especially first period study hall, helps
you learn to appreciate the school library very much. By carefully
inspecting the shelves in your free time, which is usually all the
time, you can discover some books of true literary greatness. One
book that is really a find is Blackstone's Book of Marvelously
Magical Tricks To Astound Nearly Everyone, or something along
that line. However, after you are tired of impressing and astound
ing your friends (usually in two days), it might be a good idea to
check out the book entitled Whiterock's Seven Ways to Improve
Your Sagging Personality After Using Blackstone's Monstrous
Magical Book.
Perhaps one of the best things about the library is that it has
something for everyone. Track and field buffs may find it interest
ing to know that the fastest measured speed for a spider is 1.73
feet per second or 1.17 miles per hour in the case of the tegenaria
atrica. The long jump record for a flea is thirteen inches, held by
a California rodent flea since 1910. The high jump record is seven
inches. Couldn't someone using an extensive training program
develop a new champion here at AHS?
History fans and other interested persons will be glad to learn
that the first English grammar book written and published by an
American and used by an American school was The First Ey
Rudiments of Grammar, Applied to the English Tongue, for One
Who is Extremely Desirous to Promote Good Literature in Amer
ica, and Epecially a Right English Education. For the Use of
Schools. (Honest.)
For lighter reading, I turn to the paperback rack. Actually, I
never check out the exploits of Tarzan on the Dark Side of Mars
or Doc Savage in his battle with the Monster That Laid an Egg
on Little Rock, Scoring a Ctenoiden Victory; I just read them in
the library.
The library also provides a wide selection of magazines for
anyone and everyone. In fact, I was really surprised when I picked
up Seventeen Monday morning. (By mistake.) Its stories are really
interesting and of acceptable quality, although the advertisements
are a bit distracting.
I think Mr. Haugen deserves a lot of thanks for the liberal
checking out policy of the library and for the lounge chairs and
study booths. Probably the best way to thank him is to return that
book that was due in October or to write what you really wanted
to say in your report on another piece of paper, instead of on
the woodwork of the booths. Right, Green Hornet?
7 ai-alyiUf,
WITH ANNIE
The time for student body
elections is almost upon us once
again. Within the next few
weeks students will be making
their choice of leaders for the
next school year. With the com
ing of election week, students
should begin considering new
ideas for campaigning. The elec
tion of student body officers is
handled in various ways in dif
ferent scholos.
McNary
For the first time in the
school's history, campaigning
will be allowed at McNary High
School in Salem. The campaign
ing will, however, be limited to
a designated area in their Little
Theater foyer.
This practice may sound un
usual to students of Ashland
High School where campaign
posters line the halls during
election week.
West Seattle
Another practice not used at
AHS is the primary election.
This method is used at West
Seattle High School to limit the
number of students running for
student body offices.
ruins9
JUNIORS
Wednesday, April 5 was the
date set for the basic math test
for next year's seniors. The test
was taken by all juniors to deter
mine who will be required to
take basic math in their senior
year. A make-up date for the
test has been set for Wednesday,
April 12.
DEBATE
The state debate tournament
is scheduled to be held April
13 through April 15 on the
Oregon State University campus
in Corvallis. Five AHS students
will attend.
AFS
The week of April 17 through
April 21 has been designated as
AFS week. A dance to be held
April 21 will cap the week-long
events.
SOPHS AND JUNIORS
Prometheus tests have been
tentatively scheduled for April
18. The tests are open to juniors
and sophomores only. The test
will be part of the basis for de
termining which students are
selected to attend next sum
mer's session of Project Prome
theus at Southern Oregon College.
Doi
in s
CHORUS
A chorus concert has been
scheduled for April 20. The
event will be held in the Eng
lish Building lecture hall. All
students are invited to attend.
ELECTIONS
April 27 is the date set for
the annual campaign assembly.
Each candidate will present a
campaign speech at this time.
Voting will be done on Friday,
April 28 during English classes.
INTER-CLUB COUNCIL
Inter-club Council will spon
sor the election dance on April
28 from 8:00 11:00. Election
winners will be announced at
this time.
MAJORETTES
All girls interested in trying
out for majorettes contact Mr.
Maddox or either of the major
ettes. Tryouts will be held some
time in early May.
ALWAYS
FIRST
QUALITY
Downtown Ashland
DRIVE in
n
I r fRENCH FRIES SHAKES
HAMBURtiERS CHEESEBURGERS
HAKES )
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JCF
"Your Partner in Personal Progress"
Jackson County Federal Savings
& Loan Assn.
337 East Main St. - Ashland, Oregon
Home Office: Medford
Klothes Kloset
"CLOTHES FOR THE TEEN
MAN ON THE GO"
Full Line of Shirts by:
Kennington
Lancer
Capri
Pants by Lee
(Permanent Press)
CONGRATULATIONS
FOR A SUCCESSFUL
FOOTBALL SEASON
SUPPORT Till GRIZZLIES
Wolr DeBoer
The Man From Dodge
"LETS SUPPORT THE
GRIZZLIES REAL GOOD"
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Chrysler Dodge
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PROFESSIONAL AMPEX RECORDERS
DISC PRESSING
Siskiyou Studio
Special Band Group Recording
Competitive Prices Local or Out of Town
Fred Lewis Phone 482-4079
On the Plaza 482 -1911