SCIENCE in SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOLS* EMMA WHITTON Coker College, Hartsville, South Carolina
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HE OBJECT of this study was to determine the status of science teaching in South Carolina high schools. All available sources of information were liberally used. These consisted of the publications of the State Department of Education, the reports of the county superintendents of education, and of superintendents and teachers of individual schools. In this investigation a questionnaire was mailed to the superintendents of all South Carolina schools that are members of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, and to the superintendents of other South Carolina schools known to have science courses. Although few, if any, high schools offering science work have been omitted in this investigation, the most intensive study was made of those schools which are members of the Southern Association. The following table is a condensed summary of some results of the investigation:
By "special trainmg" was meant any work beyond that required for the college degree. Only. 12% answered "no"; 8% have M.A. degrees; one a Ph.D.; and the rest A.B. or B.S. degrees. In only 25% of the accredited schools in the state is the science teacher restricted to his own field. Elsewhere he also teaches some subject other than science. In many instances there may be three science teachers, and only one, or possibly two, who teach other subjects. Mathematics seems to be the additional subject most frequently taught, with history, English, and French coming next in the orders given. There are approximately 48,470 high-school students in the state. From those attending schools offering courses in science, only 26% take advantage of the opportunity for scientific training. This is a low percentage and should be raised. The mathematics requirement in the accredited high schools is not adequate for science work. Often only three courses are offered-two years of algebra, and one of plane geometry. Neither solid geometry schoolr N ~ e.~ r d l e d schools s ~ nor ~ trigonometry ~ ~ L is~included in most high schools of in offerina inwhkh inwhich the state. There are some schools which do not recourse svpicd drcliaa reguircd % (in skud % 9% quire mathematics for graduation. In fact, one may Subject General science 94.3 6024 - 54 46 get a state diploma without mathematics. Only Biology 92.8 3894 60 sixteen units are required, and these may comprise Phynier 70.0 1152 43 Chemistry 67.1 1452 47 53 four in English, one in American history, three in a Commercial Geography 5.7 202 100 .. physical ~~~~~~~h~ 5.7 217 101 .. major subject, two in a minor subject, and five in Geography 5.7 91 100 .. electives. Doubtless some mathematics would be General BvJiners Science 1.4 52 100 .. socihlscience 1.4 25 100 .. included in the electives. Since mathematics is the foundation of all science, a lack of training in this From these statistics it appears that the four sciences subject prevents successful work in the sciences. most generally taught are general science, biology, This is perhaps the reason why few students avail chemistry, and physics. These are taught in the themselves of science courses in college. first, second, third, and fourth years, respectively. A study was made of certain counties of the state; The other sciences may be selected in any year, ac- a typical county, Marlboro, gave the following data. cording to the arrangement of the respective curricula. All high schools in the county include general science The science equipment in the accredited high schools in their curricula; 80% include biology; 20% include of the state is exceedingly poor. In individual schools chemistry; and 20% physics. In the entire county the values range from $75 in general science to $3000 in there are 419 students enrolled in these sciences, physics. The Greenville High School has the most 82% of which are elective. The laboratory equipment valuable science equipment in the state, the total value for the county is valued a t approximately $3650. of the equipment in physics, chemistry, and biology All the teachers are college graduates and 77% of being $9000. This is probably due to the fact that them teach other subjects in addition to science. Greenville is a city with many technical industries. The writer draws the following conclusions: In all cases but one the science teachers are college (I) The high schools in South Carolina, even the graduates. The question, "Has there been special accredited ones, do not have, on the average, science training in the sciences?", brought varied answers. departments adequate for the training of high-school students. * An undergraduate research study. (2) In schools where sciences are taught, the courses 578
are too often elective and classes are consequently small. (3) Only 25% of the science teachers in the accredited schools teach science alone. This condition does not offer an incentive for teachers to prepare for the teaching of sciences only. (4) Only 26% of the students where sciences are taught take advantage of scientific instruction. In the state as a whole, perhaps not more than five to ten per cent. of the high-school students are being trained in the sciences. (5) In the typical county mentioned, the total laboratory equipment for all the high schools is only $3650. The writer contends that this amount of equipment is entirely too meager. (6) Perhaps one of the most' serious of all criticisms applies to the teacher. Only 8% of the teachers have
undertaken training beyond that required for a bachelor's degree, which demands only introductory courses in science. (7) This study includes in the main only the best schools of the state (the accredited ones). Thousands of high-school students in the state have no opportunity for scientific training other than elementary agriculture. Of the 48,000 high-school students our figures indicate that only 8 to 10 thousand, or 2070, avail themselves of the opportunity of science study. (8) The writer is forced to draw the conclusion that South Carolina (and possibly many other southern states) is far behind in the teaching of science in her high schools, and that one of the most crying needs of the educational system of the state is a greater emphasis upon science, scientific equipment, and specially prepared teachers.
