Abstract
An attempt is made in this study to answer two questions: (1) how much retardation is in the rural schools of Antelope County, Nebraska; and (2) what are the causes of the retardation found there.|Both over-age pupils and those who have failed to be promoted are considered retarded. It was found that 12 per cent of the 1064 pupils in the study are over-age and that 18.7 per cent repeated one or more times. Since there is considerable overlapping between these two groups, 21.5 per cent of the children are retarded.|From the scores in the Stanford Achievement Tests 45. per cent of the pupils are retarded in achievement.|The causes of the retardation are irregular attendance, physical defects, late entrance, dullness, transientness, and poor teaching.|In order to improve the conditions in the rural schools, the writer recommends the following:|1. The education of the parents to an appreciation of the relationship between regular attendance and school progress and between physical fitness and happy living.|2.,The use of continuous record cards and transfer cards in the schools.|3. The use of standardized tests.|4. Better teaching.|5. A salary schedule.|Grateful acknowledgments are due to D. L, Leary, Ph. D., President of St. Mary's College, Leavenworth, Kansas and to William A. Kelley, LL. B., Ph. D., Professor of Education, The Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska for the helpful suggestions offered and the kindly interest manifested by them during the investigation.|The writer is also indebted to Mrs. Ida McClintoch, County Superintendent of Schools, Neligh, Nebraska, to Miss Katherine Justesen, County Nurse, Neligh, Nebraska, to Mr. H.V. Taylor, Superintendent of Schools, Clearwater, Nebraska and to the many teachers and pupils of the rural schools of Antelope County whose assistance in collecting data made the study possible.