Success in Physics and Chemistry in Relation to General Science and Biology.

This article presents information on a study that was undertaken to determine to what extent, the general science pupils were more interested in science than those having had biology and to what extent, they were better trained in science as indicated by the results of their work in physics and chemistry. For this study the data are limited for the most part to those students who graduated from the West High School in six graduating classes. The number of students considered in the major part of the study is 938. Graduates of the West High School were selected for the study because there were no serious racial or environmental differences in students coming from either the grammar schools or the junior high schools. The article further informs that as a rule no student is allowed to take physics or chemistry until he has completed a year's work in plane geometry or its assumed equivalent in the case of commercial students. The article concludes that in view of the above facts it seems fair to assume that any gain in the study of the physics and chemistry as a result of general science versus biology is due to the development of certain desirable attitudes, method of study, and interest rather than as a direct result of memorized and duplicated material.