Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 16 December 1999 — Page 38

The Muncie Times, December 16, 1999, page 38

IN COLORED CIRCLES

Colored Y.M.C.A. Schedule For Week

Compiled by Hurley C. Gootiall Reorganization of the Glee Club of Willard Street Branch Y.M.C.A. will occur at 8 o’clock this evening, B.F. Grant, secretary, announced yesterday. Members are William Duerson, Clem Findley, Arnold Burden, Vincent Board, Harold Heywood, Donald Heywood, Rosaire Heywood, Charles Watkins, Roy Buley, Brit Burks, Paul Davis, James Oakdon, Ernest Oaldon, Leroy Grider and Donald Levi. To raise funds to send delegates to

the state older boys’ conference Friday and Saturday at Indianapolis the Hi-Y Club will have a benefit chili supper Wednesday night at the

branch. The regular meeting will be at 8 o’clock Thursday morning at Central High School, with a talk by Dr. J.C. Davis. The Garfield Friendly Indians will take a hike at 3:30 o’clock this afternoon. The Longfellow Frifcndly Indians, directed by Charles Walker, will meet tomorrow and choose a captain for their baseball team. Three practice sessions will be held this week in preparation for intraschool competition among YM.C.A. teams. They will hold a “chili powwow” at the branch Saturday. Wilson School Friendly Indians

will meet at 8 o’clock tomorrow morning and the Blaine School group at 3:30 o’clock Wednesday afternoon. Both groups will organize baseball teams. The Boys’ Leadership Club will discuss “Baseball Leagues and Their Value” at 6 o’clock Wednesday evening at the branch. The branch staff meeting will be at 7 o’clock Saturday night. The Business and Professional Men’s Council will have a luncheon meeting Thursday noon at Holcomb’s Cafe. Appeared March 30. 1930 in the

GUESS WHO

Be the fifth caller to identify the people at left and win $5.

Answers from the last Guess Who At left are Magnolia White Marshc and Marshall White

Falling Hoosier SAT scores due to many factors

“We have given everyone a shot at going to college in this country, because Americans believe it is the key to a better life, ” he said. “That means over the last several decades we've increased the number of students who are taking standardized tests withou t considering if they want to go to college. ” Dan Lapsley Ball State’s educational psychology chairman

Declining SAT scores by Indiana’s high school students may be due to several factors, says a Ball State University educator. Scores may be down because the number of students taking the Standardized Aptitude Test has increased or fewer students are prepared for the test than ever before, said Dan Lapsley, chair of the Ball State educational psychology department, who is examing the state’s standardized testing procedures. “I think it is important not to overdramatize SAT scores for many reasons,” he said. “They are only a part of predicting success at the college level.” In 1998, Indiana’s average verbal score was 497 and math was 500, with about 59 percent of high school graduates taking the test. Iowa had the highest average verbal score at 593 and math at 601 with only about 5 percent of high school graduates taking the test. Indiana’s Standardized Aptitude

Test scores have steadily fallen in recent years. At the same time, the number of Indiana high school students taking the test has increased. Lapsley said there may be a connection between lower scores and increasing the number of test participants. “We have given everyone a shot at going to college in this country, because Americans believe it is the key to a better life,” he said. “That means over the last several decades we’ve increased the number of

students who are taking standardized tests without considering if they want to go to college.” Students must start preparing for college level classes as early as junior high or middle school. Yet only 14 percent of Hoosiers take advanced and rigorous classes in high school, leaving many unprepared for tough academic testing, Lapsley said. “Unfortunately, too many students decide late in high school that they want to go to college,” he said. “At that point they aren’t

prepared for the SATs. And, if they aren’t already on an academicallychallenging track, not much is expected of them in class. They are way behind.” Parents must take the lead in demanding their children enroll in academically challenging courses. At the same time parents must pressure school systems into toughening courses, Lapsley said. “Parents must insist on high academic standards from the schools, teachers and students,” he said. “You can’t just breeze through high school without tough courses and expect to do well in college or in life.” Another factor to consider is that, until recently, SAT scores in Indiana improved for several decades. The recent drop may simply be a shortterm problem. It will take several years of reviewing test data before that assumption can be made, Lapsley said.