Master's Theses

Department

Advanced Education Programs

Degree Name

Education Specialist (Ed.S)

Abstract

Finding out the post secondary educational pursuits of the 1961 and 1962 Mitchell County high school graduates as well as their opinions concerning the nine areas of study of their high schools was the purpose of this study. A total of 265 graduates were considered in the sample with 203 opinionnaires being returned and considered useable. The data indicated Mitchell County to be an average county in most respects. The seven high schools in the study were considered typical of the high schools found in North Central and Northwest Kansas. These high schools included Beloit High School, Cawker City High School, Glen Elder High School, Hunter High School, St. John's (Beloit) High School, Simpson High School and St. Boniface (Tipton) High School. The general consensus of the educational authorities quoted in the review of selected literature was that education must prepare the individual for life as well as for making a living. They contended that a general educational mold for all students was not desirable--that fulfilling the needs of the individual was paramount in curriculum planning. The study revealed that a large number of the responding graduates, 132 (65.2%), continued their education following high school graduation. This included 88 (43.4%) who started to a four year college. However, only 80 (39.4%) of the original 132 completed their initial post secondary education program. After eight years only 59 respondents (29.1%) had completed at least a B.S. or B.A. degree in college. Of this number, 10 had achieved a M.S. or M.A. or higher degree. Three respondents had achieved the doctorate degree. The data indicated that parents were the chief influence in selecting the post secondary education pursuits of these responding 1961 and 1962 Mitchell County high school graduates. A majority of these graduates, 107 (52.7%), reported they had entered the field of employment for which they were originally educated. A large percent of these graduates (41.4%) were of the opinion that their high school education helped somewhat in preparing them for their trade or profession. Of particular note was the fact that 81.3% of the responding graduates were either satisfied or very satisfied with their present trade, profession or occupation. The data also pointed out that 37.5% of the respondents had held three or more full-time employment positions since graduating from high school. The outward migration of these students was evident by the fact that 65.5% of the responding students' present homes were over fifty miles from their home community high schools. Regarding the opinion of the 1961 and 1962 responding Mitchell County high school graduates concerning the nine areas of study as taught in their high schools, English Language Arts rated the highest, and was followed in order by Business Education, Physical Education and Health, Mathematics, Science, Practical Arts and Vocational Education, Fine Arts, Social Science and Foreign Language.

Keywords

Secondary education, High schools, Mitchell County (Kan.), Postsecondary education, Mental states, Questionnaire

Advisor

Dr. LaVier L. Staven

Date of Award

Summer 1970

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© The Author(s)

Comments

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