Vol. 33 December, 1942 No. 4 EAST CAROLINA TEACHERS COLLEGE BULLETIN Recent Studies By Faculty and Advanced Students Greenville, north Carolina Published four times a year— March. May. August, and December. Entered as second-class matter March 16. 19:{6 at the Post Office at Greenville, N. C, under act of Concress August 24. 1912. ### TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Foreword 3 Dissertations Recent Investigations in the Field of Business Education. Abstracts E. R. Browning 5 The New Bright Tobacco Belt of Carolina. Abstract Parnell W. Picklesimer 13 The Education of Negro Home Eco- nomics Teachers in North Carolina. A study not yet completed Katharine Holtzclaw 18 Other Studies by the Faculty _ 19 The Southern Planter and the Amer- ican Revolution R. L. Hilldrup 19 A New Light on Sir Philip Sidney Denver Ewing Baughan 22 Songs That Give Contrast to the Song Recital Denton Rossell 25 Prognostic Value of High School Grades Howard J. McGinnis 27 A Study of Student Attendance and Graduation Howard J. McGinnis 29 Studies by Students __ 34 A Study of Transcripts of High School Records Submitted to East Carolina Teachers College Tommie Lou Corbett 34 The Efforts of North Carolina to Obtain Amendments to the Fed- eral Constitution from August 1787, to June, 1790. By Annie Andrews Sellers. Thesis reported by R. L. Hilldrup 37 Behind Red Velvet: A Handbook of Dramatics for Teachers of High School English. By Clifton J. Brit- ton. Thesis reported by Lucile Turner 38 North Carolina Writers of Literary Prose from 1900 to 1940. Biogra- phies and Bibliographies. By Katherine Wilkins Hinson. Thesis reported by Lucile Turner 40 Titles of Theses and Dissertations Written by Members of the Faculty 42 ### FOREWORD A number of the studies that have been completed recently or that are now being carried on by members of the staff and by advanced students at East Carolina Teachers College are presented in this bulletin. It is to be expected that a live college faculty will be doing a reasonable amount of experimentation, investi- gation, and research to the end that the method of in- struction may become more effective, the content richer, and the student better trained to find, organize, and use facts. And it is not surprising, when one pauses to examine "samplings" of the work being done, to find that some of the studies are on campus problems; some on matters of social, historical, economic, and literary im- portance in the State, and some not localized but signifi- cant as contributions to knowledge in particular fields. Transcripts, the New Bright Tobacco Belt, and Sir Philip Sidney are not incongruous as symbols of the independent study that is going on in a teachers college. ### $$$ ### DISSERTATIONS During the past summer, two members of the faculty here received the doctorate; a third member has com- pleted all the required work except the dissertation and has made considerable progress on that, Mr. Browning took the degree of Doctor of Education at the Colorado State College of Education, and Mr. Picklesimer, the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at George Peabody Col- lege for Teachers. Miss Holtzclaw is doing her work for the doctorate at New York University. The three give here reports on their studies. RECENT INVESTIGATIONS IN THE FIELD OF BUSINESS EDUCATION E. R. Browning This report consists of three brief summaries of studies that were submitted in partial fulfillment of the require- ments for the degree of Doctor of Education at Colorado State College of Education. The primary purpose of this report is to present, in statistical form, some of the most significant facts revealed by the investigations. A COMMERCIAL OCCUPATIONAL SURVEY OF CITIES IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA THE PROBLEM The purpose of the study was to make an investigation of commercial employees in eastern North Carolina, the findings of which would be a basis for improvements in the business curriculum of East Carolina Teachers College. PROCEDURE A questionnaire was distributed to business firms in twenty-two counties in eastern North Carolina. The final report was made, however, on the basis of information received from the employers; statistical data obtained from the United States Census Report for 1930 ; a review of materials found in current literature in the field of business education ; and a study of similar surveys made elsewhere. ### 6 Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Studentb FINDINGS More commercial workers, 36.3 per cent, are found in selling occupations in eastern North Carolina than are found in any other type of work. These people were usually classified as "clerks" in stores, salesmen, and saleswomen. A majority, 63.6 per cent, of them did not go beyond high school. There are more males than females doing this type of work. There is no evidence that employers of sales people are opposed to employing young people under twenty-one years of age. Employers frequently said, however, that good salesmen are hard to find. Out of every twenty commercial employees in eastern Carolina, eight are clerks. The next largest group of commercial employees in eastern Carolina is the accounting group. These people were usually classified as accountants, clerks other than "clerks" in stores, auditors, bookkeepers, and cashiers. They accounted for 24.7 per cent of all of the workers reported. Members of the accounting group were usually graduates of high schools and business schools and were predominantly, 74.2 per cent, of the male sex. Commercial workers in executive and managerial posi- tions made up 20.4 per cent of the total employees. A large number, 40 per cent, of these workers are college graduates and a very large majority of them, 92.8 per cent, are men. Only 18.6 per cent of all the commercial workers are employed as machine operators and private secretaries. Approximately 50 per cent of the private secretaries were business school graduates. It is an interesting fact that 93 per cent of the com- mercial workers of eastern North Carolina are high school graduates and over 23 per cent of them are college graduates. A high school education was the last formal school work of over 50 per cent of the commercial em- ployees. Underwood, Royal, and Remington typewriters are widely used by business employers. The Burroughs add- ing machine and the National cash register are found in ### Recent Studies by Fac l'i.ty and Advanced Sti dents 7 a large majority of the stores and offices of eastern Carolina. Monroe and Burroughs calculating machines, Mimeograph duplicating equipment, Burroughs book- keeping machines, and Ediphone dictating equipment are very popular with the employers of this section. The part that office machines play in the daily office routine is indicated by the fact that there is an average of six office machines in each office, including two typewriters and one adding machine. Employers checked the school subjects related to the teaching of business English as being the ones in which they found their employees most deficient. Penmanship, salesmanship, and arithmetic ranked next, in the order stated, as to deficiency on the part of commercial em- ployees. There was a tremendous spread in the number of personal traits which employers listed as being desirable. Neatness, tact, courtesy, personality, honesty, indus- triousness, sales ability, accuracy, and punctuality were the traits most often mentioned by the business men. RECOMMENDATIONS The findings of this survey indicate a definite need for improving the business curricula of eastern Carolina schools. The major recommendations which can be im- plied from the facts found in this investigation are these : 1. That more emphasis be placed on the subject matter that pertains to the selling occupations. 2. That the curricula of the schools make more definite provisions for the elimination of individual weaknesses in English, penmanship, and arithmetic. 3. That the content of courses in bookkeeping be made rich in materials that will help the student in particular office situations. 4. That the equipment of the business classroom be made as similar to that of business offices of the territory as possible. ### 8 Recent Studies ky Faculty axd Advanced Students THE Status of the Objectives and content of business LAW IN THE Secondary schools PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of this investigation was to determine the present status of objectives and content of courses in business law in the secondary schools. SOURCES OF DATA The primary sources of information concerning the status of objectives and content of business law were as follows : 1. General literature in the field of the social sciences and specific literature in the field of business law. 2. Courses of study of twenty-two city and state school systems. 3. Twenty commonly used business law textbooks in high schools, business schools, and colleges of the United States. FINDINGS 1. Eighteen different objectives of the course in business law were mentioned by the various writers. 2. The only objective on which there was substantial agreement was that the course should give the student a knowledge of the principles of law that pertain to business transactions. 3. Desirable attitudes toward society were mentioned by 50 per cent of the writers. 4. The development of respect and reverence for law and the development of the powers of logical reasoning were listed as important objectives by 30 per cent of the writers. 5. Writers of business law textbooks are usually well qualified to write on the subject. A vast majority of these writers are educators, representing well known universities, colleges, and high schools. Of the thirty- two authors contributing to the books used in this study, 50 per cent were members of the bar. ### Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students 9 6. There is a wide variety of practice in the use of illustrated materials in business law textbooks. A range from to 73 illustrations was found. An average of 31 illustrations was found in -early and recent business law textbooks. Drafts, notes, leases, deeds, and pictures are the most common types of illustrations found in the textbooks. 7. Business law content materials are highly tradi- tional in their nature. A strikingly small degree of change has taken place in the materials discussed throughout the entire history of the course. 8. The following list of subjects and average per cent of pages devoted to each is representative of the business law course as it has been taught and as it is now being taught : Average Per Subject Cent of Pages Contracts 23.0 Negotiable Instruments 13.9 Business Organizations , 13.2 Sales of Personal Property 10.5 Real Property - 8.7 Agency J 6.3 Law and Its Administration _. 5.3 Insurance 4.8 Bailments — — 4.5 Torts and Business Crimes 3.5 Common Carriers . 2.7 Surety and Guaranty 2.0 Employer and Employee 1.6 Total 100.0 THE WORK OF LEGAL AID CLINICS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ITS IMPLICATIONS TO THE BUSINESS EDUCATION CURRICULUM THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purposes of this study were to obtain data con- cerning the legal difficulties experienced by legal aid clients and to point out the implications of the difliculties to the business law course. ### 10 Rk( EXT Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students SOURCES OF DATA The first phase of this investigation dealt with the survey of literature in the field of legal aid. The second phase was concerned with the problem of obtaining data relative to the legal aid work of clinics throughout the United States. The third phase of the investigation in- volved the tabulation and interpretation of data received from fifty-two legal aid societies concerning the nature of 187,299 legal aid cases. In addition to the reports, clinics were visited in North Carolina, West Virginia, and Colorado. FINDINGS 1. Eighty-three types of legal difficulties were listed in fifty-two legal aid reports for 1940. 2. The outstanding types of legal difficulties were small money claims, disputes between landlords and tenants, and wage disputes. 3. Other claims ranking high in frequency of occur- rence were installment contracts, insurance, wage assign- ment and garnishee, personal injury, and workmen's compensation claims. 4. A comparison of the legal difficulties of legal aid clients with the content of business law courses revealed that the common difficulties of legal aid clients were given very slight attention in printed business law materials. The findings of the previous analysis of courses of study and business law textbooks are compared here with the findings of this investigation : TEXTBOOKS LEGAL AID CASES Per Cent of Pages Subject Per Cent of Cases 23.0. Contracts 20.3 0.0 Domestic Relations : 21.3 0.0 Unclassified 19.3 19.2 ...Property 18.9 13.9 -- Negotiable Instruments 0.0 13.2 Business Organizations 0.0 6.3 - Agency ..- 0.0 5.3 Law and Its Administration 0.0 4.8 Insurance 1.6 ### Rece.vt Studies by Facilty a.\d Advanced Stldems 11 4.5 -Bailments 0.0 3.5- -Torts 5.1 2.7 - Common Carriers 0.0 2.0 - - Surety and Guaranty 0.0 1.6 Employee and Employer : 7.7 0.0 -Criminal _ 4.2 0.0 Relief _ 1.6 100.0 - Totals 100.0 CONCLUSIONS In terms of the conclusions of the previous analysis of business law materials and the findings of this study, the following conclusions are presented : 1. The business law course has followed a fairly set pattern of content throughout the history of the course. There is no evidence that business law materials have been changed fundamentally in recent years. 2. There is evidence, however, that business law text- books are usually written by qualified scholars. Most of the writers are college teachers and more than half of them are members of the bar. 3. Business law textbooks contain a large number of legal definitions and an academic treatment of economic as well as legal aspects of certain problems. The subject matter is often presented from the point of view of the lawyer or business man. The rights and duties of laymen are seldom discussed in a clear-cut manner. 4. A comparison of the experiences of legal aid clients with the content of business law textbooks indicates that certain significant legal problems are practically ignored in printed business law materials. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The business law curriculum should provide oppor- tunities for the study of the legal difficulties of the people of each school community. 2. The experiences of legal aid clients show that people need to know more about local and state regulations. ### 12 Rkcent Studies by Faculty a>o Advanced Students State laws and city ordinances relating to certain types of contracts, such as insurance, should be given more at- tention. 3. The traditional outline of business law materials should be reorganized. There is no evidence that would justify the prominence given the following subjects in business law textbooks: business organizations, agency, bailment, common carriers, guaranty and surety, and the transfer of land. If the economic and technical aspects of these subjects were eliminated, the essential legal aspects could be included in a general study of contracts common to the business community. 4. A fundamental revision of business law materials is needed in respect to the following types of contracts : hiformal contracts are given very little attention in business law materials. These unwritten, and sometimes casually made, agreements appear to be significant to a large segment of the population. A treatment of the rights and duties of the parties to such contracts would improve the business law course. The wage contract is a frequent source of difficulty with legal aid clients. Business law materials contain only a casual treatment of this subject. Business law materials should contain a more detailed treatment of modern wage and hour legislation. Landlord and tenant relations should be given more careful attention. There is evidence that tenants are uninformed concerning the most important phases of their lease agreements. Business law materials contain an ex- tended discussion of the technicalities involved in the transfer of land but very little discussion of the property rights of the people who do not hold title to land. Installment contracts are very common to legal aid clients. This topic is practically ignored in most printed materials dealing with business law. Local business firms could provide interesting and valuable materials that would give the student an understanding of the im- portance of the installment contract in the modern business world. ### Recent Studies by FAtri.TY and Advanced Students 13 Insurance contracts are presented in an academic and conventional manner in business law textbooks. Greater attention should be given the rights of policy holders. A more detailed treatment should be given state insurance laws and the findings of current federal investigation of current insurance practices. THE NEW BRIGHT TOBACCO BELT OF NORTH CAROLINA a study in human geography ParnelL Wilson Picklesimer ABSTRACT STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM This is a study of the human geography of the New Bright Tobacco Belt of North Carolina. The region lies almost wholly within the Inner Coastal Plain of the state, and embraces a territory of nearly 5,000 square miles. The area has been set apart as a regional unit largely on the basis of its present land use. The purposes of this study are to determine how man has occupied and used the land, to account for the changes that have taken place in the use of its resources, and to suggest problems which are likely to await solution in the near future. DATA AND METHODOLOGY This report is based on field obsei'vation of conditions in the region during a residence of the past fifteen years. Within the last two years the writer has had many per- sonal interviews with leading farmers, county agents, editors, county and city officials, and executives of various transportation and business enterprises. Available data bearing on the problem in the following libraries of the state have been checked for information: State Library, Raleigh; Greater University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and Raleigh; and East Carolina Teachers College, Greenville. Statistical materials have been accumulated largely from the various bureaus and departments of the city, county, state, and federal governments. In addition ### 14 Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students to information obtained from such sources, county his- tories, newspaper files, and other published materials have been consulted. Wherever possible, material obtained through interviews has been carefully checked through field observation to permit evaluation. Wherever greater elaboration or clarity seemed desir- able or necessary, maps, pictures, graphs, and tables have been added. Suggestions as to probable future develop- ments are based on conclusions reached during the course of the investigation. SUMMARY Several facts and relationships of interest to the human geographer are revealed. The New Bright Tobacco Belt, as this region is called, has been revolutionized within the span of about three hundred years. From a land of native vegetation and wild life has evolved a land of forest industries, followed by a subsistence agriculture and a livestock industry of the forest and, finally, an agriculture devoted largely to the production of cash crops. From a study of the trends in agricultural commodities, it is revealed that subsistence agriculture prevailed until about the time of the invention of the cotton gin in 1793, after which time an increasing amount of attention was given to cotton and tobacco. The production of tobacco on a commercial scale, however, did not make much progress until after about 1890. It was not until after the opening of the present century that there was a slight tendency on the part of farmers to diversify their productions. Each culture set its own peculiar stamp upon the region. The Indians occupied the area until about 1722, but they utilized little of its resources. The early white settlers made their homes along the streams, and ex- panded gradually to the interstream sections. During the colonial period the settlers earned a livelihood chiefly through the cultivation of the soil, the raising of livestock, and the development of a naval stores industry. Farming was first conducted on the terraces along the rivers, and the productions consisted largely of subsistence crops. The livestock industry, although an industry of the forest. ### Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students 15 was proportionately more important than at any other time in the history of the region. While there were many oaks, the region was mainly an area of pine forests, from which naval stores were secured and exported. The New Bright Tobacco Belt is a low plain with a slight tilt toward the southeast. Approximately three- fourths of the area is mildly undulating upland which contains the cultivable land, and the remainder is largely made up of boglands, unsuited to agriculture but some- times used for grazing. On the whole, the region does not have a trim appearance. Those finer adjustments found in more highly developed farm areas have not been made here. Agricultural activities are at present dominant in the region and are related to, and in part limited by, such factors of the natural environment as topography, climate, soil fertility, native vegetation, and transporta- tion facilities. There are several factors which favor agricultural production. The surface of the land is fairly smooth and largely devoid of stones. The climatic conditions are such' as to favor a variety of lower middle-latitude crops. The dominant and most normal soil of the region is the group known as the Norfolk sandy loams and these are moder- ately well drained and easily tilled. A survey of the native vegetation also indicates that a considerable variety of crops can be grown. On the other hand, there exist certain conditions which are not favorable to agricultural production. Approxi- mately one-fourth of the region is made up of poorly drained boglands, which are unsuited to agriculture. Most of the land, including the so-called uplands, is so flat and of such low elevation, that artificial drainage becomes a farm necessity. The soils are badly leached, and are not what one would call first-rate soils. The area apparently remains an important agricultural section largely because of the continued use of commercial fertilizers. Further- more, a few troublesome weeds are found to harass the farmer, such as field garlic, bitterweed, poison ivy, cockle- ### 16 Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students bur, field bindweed, nut grass, and Johnson grass, which reduce crop yields and endanger farm values. Natural environmental factors largely determined the methods and routes of travel and transportation. The area is interlaced with streams and swamps and, because it was at first easier to travel by water than by land, the early settlers occupied the most favored locations on or near the navigable streams. As interest grew in cotton and tobacco, people tended to shift from the riverine to the interstream sections, where conditions were more favorable for these crops. Roads came slowly into exis- tence, and it was not until 1929 that an adequate system of hard-surfaced highways was provided. Although there is at present a fairly good railway pattern, the circulation within the area depends largely on roads. Unimproved land comprises a large percentage of the area of every county in the Belt, and constitutes about 66.1 per cent of the total land surface. The unimproved land is largely in timber, much of which is now inferior in kind and quality, and represents (1) lands too wet to attempt clearing and draining for agricultural use; (2) abandoned fields which have reverted to forest or are in the process of so doing; and (3) a small amount of land which could be cleared and drained with profit. It is observed that the first two classes comprise practically all the unimproved land. The area embraced in class one is remaining constant, but in class two it is increasing. Some of class three lands are being cleared. In recent years there has been an increase in the acreage of unim- proved land, which is probably the result of the greater emphasis being placed upon small-acreage cash crops, and of the reluctance of farmers to diversify their productions. The forest industries are the region's second most im- portant industry. There are at present 174 forest- industry plants, and these are distributed throughout all counties. The industry is dominated by small portable sawmills, operating largely in second growth timber, and averaging a change in location about four times a year. Important mill products are lumber, cross ties, and veneers. ### Recext Studies by Faculty and Advanced Stldents 17 The location and diversity of markets for forest prod- ucts favor production. The large consuming centers of the Northeast are within truck haul of this region. The furniture industry of the nearby Piedmont area of the state provides a market for hardwood lumber and veneers. There is also a demand for hogsheads, boxes, crates, and baskets in which to market tobacco and vegetables. During the past forty years the following changes have occurred in rural conditions: (1) there has been an in- crease in the number of farms; (2) there has been a marked decrease in the size of farms ; (3) there has been a slight decrease in the amount of improved land in farms ; and (4) farm land has increased greatly in value, although it is now on the decline. The increase in the number of farms was caused largely by the subdivision of previously existing farms with an accompanying reduc- tion in the size of individual farms. The kinds of cash crops grown do not call for an expansion of the existing cropped area. Land values have increased 460.3 per cent since 1900, but the depression years of the thirties re- duced these values to new low levels from which they have not recovered. The leading crop productions in the Belt are tobacco, cotton, corn, peanuts, soy beans, hay, and vegetable truck crops. More time and attention are given to the cash crops than to subsistence crops. The region is found to be well adapted to the growing of tobacco, and from this one crop the farmers receive most of their cash income. The livestock industry makes a poor showing in the area, but is somewhat on the increase. A diversified agricul- tural program is slowly developing. At present nearly 32 per cent of the total population lives in agglomerated communities. These communities function chiefly as trade centers, markets for farm products, and seats of government. Their growth in population, like that of the rural areas, has been greatest during the past four decades. An awkward feature of the tobacco marketing towns is found in the great rush of business during the fall, followed by the lean months of winter, spring, and summer. ### 18 Recent Studies bt Faculty and Advanced Students The present utilization of the land reflects to a large extent the use for which the land is suited. It would appear, however, that greater emphasis should be placed upon the production of food and feed crops, the develop- ment of which is slow because of inadequate markets and the lack of a system of standards for grading many farm products. The development of such a farm program is also held in check by the greater demand for bright tobacco. Another problem which seems ripe for solution pertains to the forested areas. Forest land is taxed at the same acreage rate as cultivated land, which practice is discouraging to forest conservationists and often compels the cutting of timber before it reaches the proper stage of merchantability. There is also a need for better pro- tection of the forests against fire than exists at the present time. THE EDUCATION OF NEGRO HOME ECONOMICS TEACHERS IN NORTH CAROLINA Katharine Holtzclaw The purpose of this investigation is to determine the adequacy of the present pre-service and in-service train- ing of the Negro teacher of home economics in North Carolina, to meet the social and economic home-making needs of the Negro families in the state. Considerable work in collecting data has been done, but a part of the research requires travel, and at the present time war conditions make this impossible. ### OTHER STUDIES BY THE FACULTY This group of studies, some completed and others not, shows considerable range — history, critical biography, vocal music, and college administration; yet if all the studies on which staff members are working as they find time were reported, the range would probably be much greater. One significant completed study, not included, is an evaluation of the grades teachers here have given during the past five years. It was at the request of the faculty that the Director of the Department of Mathematics made this investigation which should tend to make more accurate and reliable the grades given to students. THE SOUTHERN PLANTER AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION R. L. HiLLDRUP In the First Section of this study an attempt is being made to present more clearly the reasons that aristocratic planters of the South joined "mechanics" of the North, yeomen of the Piedmont, and frontiersmen of the West in a democratic movement which jeopardized their own social position and led to a disruption of the British Em- pire. Attention is being centered chiefly on the effects of the following upon the planters' attitude toward the British Empire during the late Colonial Period: 1. Indebtedness of southern planters to British im- porters of the agricultural products of the American colonies, and subsequent signs of strained relations between these creditors and debtors in private and business correspondence, and in the agrarian and mercantilistic literature of that period. 2. Political contests of indebted planters and creditor merchants in colonial legislatures and in parliament over the establishment of land banks, loan offices, and the issuance of cheap money. The indebted planters wanted these things; the creditor mer- ### 20 Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students chants opposed them. The merchants had more influence than the planters with parhament, which intervened to prevent the colonial legislatures from carrying out the financial schemes of the planters. 3. Contests over colonial stay laws and other devices resorted by the planters to prevent collection of debts. 4. Colonial non-intercourse agreements. Non-inter- course agreements were regarded by many planters as a means whereby they could show their dis- pleasure with the British merchants and the British Government at the same time. They regarded the British merchants and merchants in southern ports who were operating branches for British firms as instigators of much of the parliamentary legislation that was unfavorable to planting interests. The Second Section will present the evidence of con- tinued enmity of planters and merchants during the War as revealed in these situations: 1. Political alignments. 2. American legislation confiscating property of Loyalist merchants. 3. Lenient laws for the discharge of prewar debts owed to British merchants. 4. Monetary and banking legislation of the southern states. 5. Efforts to prevent the American delegates from agreeing to articles in the treaty of peace which per- tained to prewar debts and confiscated property of Loyalists. In the Third Section of this study the writer will at- tempt to give an account of the ways in which the indebted planters continued to prevent the collection of British debts after the signing of the peace treaty of 1783. Particular attention is being paid to their efforts to keep the government of the Confederation so weak that it could force neither state governments nor the people to ### Recent Studies by Faculty A.\n AnvAXCED Students 21 perform treaty obligations. These political tactics in- creased sectional feeling between New England and the South, because New England's merchants realized that they could not hope to secure favorable commercial treaties with European countries until the Confederation had demonstrated its power to enforce treaty obligations within the several states. In the Fourth Section of this study consideration is to be given to the swing of public opinion toward a stronger union, its causes and results. Among the likely causes to be investigated are these : 1. A growing fear among the aristocratic planters lest they lose their social position because of the turbulance and demands of the common people. 2. The inherent weakness of the Articles of Con- federation. 3. Economic depression as a cause of dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation. 4. Increasing power of the commercial class in Ameri- can affairs. Effects of the trend toward a stronger union which will be considered are these: 1. The Constitution of the United States as an instru- ment of a conservative commercial class and a planter aristocracy for the maintenance of their security. 2. Hamiltonian capitalism as a replacement of British mercantilism by American mercantilism. 3. Efforts of the southern planters to resist "enslave- ment" by this new mercantilism, which some of them, at least, hated no less than they had hated British mercantilism. This study is not to be regarded as a comprehensive account of all the motives that may have prompted southern planters to participate in the War of American Independence, but rather as an account of one neglected cause of their conduct on a number of occasions. ### 22 Recent Studies by Faculty axd Advanced Students A NEW LIGHT ON SIR PHILIP SIDNEY Denver Ewing Baughan Of some dozen biographies of Sir Philip Sidney — most of which have appeared during the last two decades — none has analyzed exhaustively in the light of sixteenth- century records the man's attitudes toward family, church, practical ethics, marital relations, and the court. A New Light on Sir Philip Sidney, planned for publica- tion within the near future, attempts to set forth these attitudes in as many chapters. Though the conclusions are documented for scholarly reference, the technical machinery will, I believe, not prove obtrusive to those who care only for the essays themselves. Sidney's concern for family and social position was superinduced both by the circumstances of his birth and by Queen Elizabeth's favorable attitude toward the new nobility. The fact that his father bought his pedigree from a notorious Clarenceux King of Arms and manu- facturer of genealogies was kept a close secret until the present century. Yet the son's oversensitiveness on the point of ancestry implies that he knew more than has been suspected regarding his father's antiquarian in- terests. Moreover Sidney's quixotic defense of his uncle the Earl of Leicester (to whose fabulous wealth he was heir apparent) seems to have influenced him so pro- foundly as to leave its imprint on the artistic pattern of the revised Arcadia, one of the first English novels and one of the most popular books of the seventeenth century. Though Sidney was probably following the practices of his time in his acceptance of church benefices, the truth remains that England's most gentlemanly gentleman ought to have been free from at least some of the ecclesiastical sins that characterized the early stages of the so-called Reformation. The cold-blooded bargaining for church preferments — begun when Philip was only nine years old — involved him in the evils of child pre- bends and a despoiling of the glebe, which bolstered from time to time the sagging fortunes of the Sidney family, and in the evils of absenteeism and pluralism, which made ### Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Stimjents 23 many a diocese the "scene of trouble, grief, and scandal." Even Sidney's dream of a Protestant League was tainted with the seeking of self-glory, and his relations with Catholics a shameful acceptance of sequestrations and an exploitation of recusants to whom he sold American lands and made possible his marriage with the daughter of Francis Walsingham, the Queen's Secretary. On the ethical side Sidney seems to have been a true child of his age. Opportunism and expediency were ex- pected traits. That the noble Sidney not only knew his Machiavelli but set forth the principles of the Florentine preceptor in the Arcadia as models of conduct was well known by such friends as Gabriel Harney and Fulke Gre- ville. Sidney's interest in Machiavellism, however, did not stop with the academic — his closest friends, the mighty Earl of Leicester, Francis Walsingham, Lord Burleigh, and Fulke Greville were all finished Machia- vellists, and he himself failed only comparatively as one. Much has been said about the romantic love-affair be- tween Sidney and Penelope Devereux, daughter of the first Earl of Essex. Since until the recent discovery of a seventeenth century life of Sidney the only evidence for the affair was the Astrophel and Stella sonnet se- quence, much gossamer has been spun from the stuff of scholarship. Fortunately this newly discovered life makes it fairly clear that Sidney himself confessed to feelings of remorse with regard to an affair with a mar- ried woman, who must have been the Penelope of the sonnets. As to the other women who came into his life, it is the present writer's contention that all were chosen for him. Such was the Elizabethan custom, and Philip was started early. Sir Henry Sidney apparently did all in his power to effect a match for his son with the influ- ential Lord Burleigh's daughter Anne, but, after months and months of negotiations, the business came to nothing. The hope of a match between Philip and Penelope, how- ever, seems to have been first conceived by the dying Earl of Essex in Ireland. Sir Henry must have had little or no interest in the match because the Earl's fortunes had been dissipated. At any rate the marriage of Philip's ### 24 Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students uncle the Earl of Leicester and Essex's widow undoubt- edly brought the two young people together, but after Penelope's marriage to the Earl of Oxford a match with Philip was out of the question. Sidney's friendship with Hubert Languet made possible a proposed marriage with the sister of the Prince of Orange, but the Queen's veto was strong against alliances of such nature. Whether she spoiled Sidney's prospects here is not known, but again negotiations miscarried. When Philip's chances grew slim and Secretary Walsingham's daughter (her- self not for all markets) was apparently the only possi- bility left, a marriage was contracted, which, if it failed to bring consummate happiness, at least brought power- ful political connections. It will therefore be seen that, save for the liaison with Penelope, there was likely little or no love-life for Sidney because both his social level and his personal ambition dictated a marriage cle convenances It is as a courtier of the Queen that Sir Philip Sidney's name will probably be longest remembered. Since the most famous of courtiers are usually failures, Sidney's ambiguous success in this department can hardly be dis- allowed. His thwarted hopes of such preferment at the Queen's hands as would have graduated him from cour- tier to power-politician are of a piece with his quixotic death. Little wonder that in his imagination he beat a retreat to an Arcadian kingdom somewhere east of the moon and west of the sun. There his courtly perfection, which was undoubtedly inspired by Castiglione's II Cortegiano, could luxuriate in an unclocked eternity, but at the court of the Queen his was a frustrate spirit, whose apotheosization not even the coldest and cruelest facts on record could prevent. Hence, as there will always be an England, so there will always be a Sir Philip Sidney. This part of the proposed book was published in somewhat modi- fied form as "Sir Philip Sidney and the Matchmakers," Modern Language Review, XXXIII (October 1938), 506-19, plus a note "The Question of Sidney's Love for His Wife," Notes and Queries, CLXXVII (Nov. 25, 1939). 383-5. ### Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students 25 SONGS THAT GIVE CONTRAST TO THE SONG RECITAL Denton Rossell Many factors contribute to the success of a song recital. We quite generally recognize that the successful concert singer must have a pleasing and expressive voice, magnetic personality, musicianship, a vivid imagination and interpretive ability, "style" in his singing, and at- tractive bearing upon the stage. We too often fail to realize that careful planning of the program is one of the most important elements contributing to the success of the concert. The singer has but one voice. By the standards of artistic taste and custom, he is limited in bodily move- ments and the creation of .physical effects. During a full evening of songs an audience may become disinterested in the limited variations of tone which one voice may produce and become satiated with even the voice of luscious quality. The concert singer, who is required to stand comparatively motionless on a bare stage and deliver songs for an hour and one-half, must use every possible means of saving his audience from boredom. Contrast and variety are of great value in the preven- tion and relief of ennui in the concert hall just as they are in the daily routine of our lives. On the musical program they may be obtained by change of tempo, change of style of composition, variation in the style of technique, change of mood. Shakespeare gained effective contrast in serious dramas by the introduction of the "grave-diggers' scene" in "Hamlet" and the "porter's scene" in "Macbeth." Those who have seen these plays in the theatre must surely recall how the cleverly introduced scenes relieve the tightened emotions of the audience and, by the contrast which they offer, give potency to the tragic scenes which follow. Beethoven turned to the levity of the scherzo movement to obtain relief and contrast within his great symphonies. Songs of jocularity may similarly provide for us a few necessary spots of relief on the song recital. ### 26 Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students In building a vocal program many things must be con- sidered. The chosen songs may, by their grouping, ex- press a great deal of originality; however, in general, a kind of formula should be followed. For instance, let us assume that the program will follow the conventional chronological pattern. We may choose to introduce our program with a group of songs by Handel followed by groups of German lieder, French art songs, Russian songs, and contemporary American songs. Although this type of program is perhaps too frequently used, it is satis- factory in that the variety of composers and styles repre- sented naturally give broad heterogeneity. However, these contrasts of language, and composers, and style, do not give us assurance that our program shall have satis- factory variety. We must look within each song group to see that the songs offer change of tempo and change of mood. As an example, let us assume that we open our German group with Schubert's "Der Wandered an den Mond." Because that song is quiet, lyric and moderately slow, we could obtain refreshing change in mood and tempo by using the same composer's exalted love song "Ungeduld" for the second song. To offer contrast to the fast moving "Ungeduld" we could turn for our third song to that delicate song miniature "Stille Sicherheit" by Franz. In keeping with the chronology of our program and once more providing antithesis we could end the group with Wolf's "Der Rattenfanger" which is a humor- ous characterization with speedy tempo. In following the above plan of program building, we find that there is an abundance of appealing slow songs of lyric, tragic, or noble spirit. They are the songs which perhaps come to our minds as we plan our program, and they are the melodies around which our song groups are formed. To provide contrast for these eloquent songs we must turn to the song of fast moving tempo or humorous text, and we find that worthy songs in that order are not so plentiful. It is the purpose of this study to draw from the broad field of song literature a list of concert songs of these last mentioned types. The two types may be classl- ### Recent Studies ijy Faculty and Adva>'ced Students 27 fied broadly as songs of humor and songs characterized by rhythm, accent, and the joy of Hving. The first type of song, with words humorous enough to cause a smile or laughter, can be illustrated by Moussorgsky's "Song of the Flea," "Hobby-Horseman," or "Child's Prayer"; Ravel's "Nicolette" ; Brahms' "Vergebliches Standchen"; Schumann's "Du Soldaten- braut"; Haydn's "Eine Sehr Gewohnliche Geschichte"; Jacques Wolfe's "Sailormen." The second type which is of faster than moderate tempo and which is rhythmical and filled with the joy of living is illustrated by such familiar songs as Schubert's 'Auf dem Wasser zu Singen"; Brahms' "Der Schmied" and "0 Liebliche Wangen"; Schumann's "Fruhlingsnacht" ; and Rossini's "Tarantella." [Mr. Rossell has compiled a list of 230 songs which he classifies In the above categories. He expects to increase the list by a like number of similar songs and hopes that such a list will be of value to professional and amateur singers, song coaches, teachers of sing- ing, and accompanists who may be called upon to plan vocal pro- grams.] PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADES Howard J. McGinnis The purpose of this study, still under way, is to dis- cover the probable prognostic value of high school grades in determining what a high school graduate is likely to do in college work: (a) to see whether the grades made in high school are indicative of the grades the student will make in college; (b) to discover whether other probable factors than intelligence enter into the scholar- ship record made by a student. Sixty-one high school transcripts of freshmen entering in the fall of 1939, carrying a majority of grades in the 70's, were selected for the experimental group. Sixty-one transcripts of freshmen entering at the same time, who had made high grades in high school, that is around 90 or better, were selected for the control group. These transcripts were selected by inspection only. No pre- determined standard of measurement was applied in their ### 28 Recext Studies by Faculty axd Advaxced Students selection. The purpose of making the selection in this manner was to see whether one could distinguish any real difference in two groups of students by mere observation of their grades. It was the intention to follow the record of these students quarter by quarter and year by year until June, 1943, when in the normal course of events they should complete the requirements for the Bachelor's degree. The study has a little less than a year yet to run. Several observations could be made on the basis of data gathered thus far; however it does not seem wise to draw con- clusions at this time, but in the table below will be found SUMMARY OF THE RECORD OF 121 Students Covering Three Years of College Work 1st Yr. 2nd Yr. 3rd Yr. J^tn Yr. 1. No. Enrolled H L 61 61 51 33 47 25 40 20 2. Aggregate Quarters H L 181 15.5 153 97 140 75 126? 66? 3. No. with Grades Above Average H L 61 7 49 8 43 8 1 1 4. No. with Grades Below Average H L 53 2 25 4 17 1 5. Aggregate Qtr. Hours Passed H L 2870 2380 2474 1342 2125 1095 •? 6. Average No. Qtr. Hours Earned a Quarter H L 15.3 15.3 16.2 13.9 15.18 14.6 9 7. Aggregate Quality Points Earned H L 5472 1152 4546 1091 3447 910 7 8. Average Quality Points Earned a Quarter H L 30.2 7.4 20.6 11.3 24.6 12.1 7 >9. Total No. Failures a Year H L 4 125 1 43 12 36 7 ### Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students 29 a summary of data accumulated during the three years during which the study has been carried on. The ex- perimental group is designated by the letter "L", meaning those with low grades in high school studies. The control group is designated by the letter "H", meaning those with high grades in high school studies. It is observed in the tabulation above that the records made in college by the two groups of students are very dissimilar. The reason, or reasons, for that dissimilarity may be a matter of interpretation unless deeper reasons are to be sought through further studies. For example, only twenty of the low group enrolled for the fourth year of college work ; forty of the high group enrolled. During the third year the low group attended about half as many aggregate quarters as the high group ; earned on the average fewer quarter hours of credit; earned a little more than one-fourth as many aggregate quahty points; and made twice as many failures as the control group. The record does not show why twenty-one of the high group and forty-one of the low group dropped out of college before the beginning of the fourth year, but it is known that some did so because of financial difficulties, some married, and three were graduated. One member of the experimental group and two mem- bers of the control group completed the requirements for graduation and were graduated at the end of three years. This was done by attending summer sessions. A STUDY OF STUDtNT ATTENDANCE AND GRADUATION Howard J. McGinnis This study traces the quarterly and yearly attendance record, grades, and graduation of the freshmen who en- tered East Carolina Teachers College during the fall quarters of 1932, 1933, 1934, and 1935. The study is an extension of one suggested by the Committee on Coopera- tive Research of the North Carolina College Conference and presents the record made in this college by 592 stu- ### 30 Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students dents who entered as freshmen on transcripts of high school work. It does not include, perhaps, all of the freshmen who entered this college during the years indi- cated, for the reason that it has not been our practice to keep a separate itemized list of such entering freshmen. It does include all freshmen entering during the years indicated, directly from high school on official transcript, who were listed in the Tecoan as freshmen for those years. Some of the facts brought out by these tabulations which follow have considerable interest and seem to be of some signiiicance as they relate to the work of this college. For instance, of the 592 students considered, only 305 were graduated. This is 52% of those who entered as freshmen. It is of interest, also, to note that of the 287 who were not graduated, 136 or 47.4% dropped out during or at the close of the first year of attendance; 26 or 7% dropped out during or at the close of the second year of atten- dance ; 37 or 12.9 % dropped out during or at the close of the third year of attendance; 19 or 6.6% dropped out during or at the close of the fourth year of attendance; 18 or 6.3 % continued on into the fifth year of attendance without graduating, and one attended 171/2 quarters or nearly 7 years without graduating. It is noted, therefore, that those who did not graduate spent in attendance from less than one quarter to 171/2 quarters. The average number of quarters attended by this group was 5.1. Some significance seems to attach, also, to the fact that while the grades for those graduat- ing averaged nearly 28 grade points above a grade of "3" (which is normally considered an average grade), the average grade of the 287 who did not graduate was 8 grade points below an average of a "3". ### Seventeen of those graduating completed only the two- year normal curriculum. The period covered by this study was the transition period when we were eliminating the two-year curriculum. It is noticeable that approximately 75% of those who were not graduated made a grade average below "3". Recext Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students 31 Sixty-eight of the 592 students considered asked that transcripts be sent to other institutions. A considerable number of these were sent to hospitals or training schools for nurses. Most of these transcripts were requested by students who had a low scholastic average. There is a probability that several of those requesting transcripts did not actually attend other institutions. ANALYSIS OF THE RECORD BY YEARS J932 1933 1934 1935 1. Total number freshmen records considered 118 119 167 188 2. Number eventually graduated — normal diploma 3 6 7 1 A.B. degree - 54 59 81 94 3. Number not graduated 61 54 79 93 4. Percent of the class not grad- uating 51.3 45.4 47.3 48.9 5. Percent of class graduating 48.7 54.6 52.7 51.1 6. Average number of quarters for non-graduates 4.7 5.5 4.7 5.5 7. Number who earned no credit 6 3 2 8. Average no. grade points below "3" for non-grads. 6.6 9.6 9.0 7.7 9. Average grade points above "3" for graduates 29 25 27 28.7 10. Range of grade points earned by graduates — 1 to +80 — 5 to +111 av. to — 5 to +86 +98 11. No. of non-grads. with grades above "3" - - 13 12 15 23 12. No. of non-grads. with grades below "3" 40 40 61 70 13. Range of quarters for non- graduates 1 to 12.5 ltol5 1 to 15 ItolS 14. No. of non-grads. given tran- scripts to other colleges or to hospitals 17 15 20 16 15. No. who attended 12 or more quarters and were not grad- uated 13 5 6 5 16. Of the 592 freshmen records checked covering the entering classes for the four years Indicated, 305 or 52% were gradu^ ated and 287 or 48% were not graduated. ### ( 32 Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students A further review of the record of each freshman class may be made as follows: CLASS OF 1932 Fifty-four graduated with the A.B. degree ; 3 with the two-year normal diploma; 61 did not graduate. Of the 61 who did not gi-aduate, only 13 made better than average grades while in college. One made exactly average, and 6 did not stay long enough to earn any college credit. The 57 who graduated earned a total of 1,688 grade points above an average grade of "3". The 61 who did not graduate lacked 395 grade points of a grade average of "3". CLASS OF 1933 Fifty-nine graduated with the A.B. degree; 6 with the two-year normal diploma; 54 did not graduate. Those who did graduate had total grade points of 1,638 above the average of "3". Of the 57 who did not graduate, two had grades exactly average; 12 had grades above average; the other 40 lacked 495 grade points of having a grade average of a "3". The total grade points for the group as a whole was 308 points below an average of CLASS OF 1934 Eighty-one graduated with the A.B. degree ; 7 with the two-year normal diploma ; 79 did not graduate. Those graduating made grades 2,392 points above an average of a "3". Of those who did not graduate, 3 did not earn any college credit ; 15 made better than average grades and earned a total of 154 grade points above an average of "3". The other 61 made a total of 673 points below an average of "3". CLASS OF 1935 Ninety-four graduated with the A.B. degree; 1 with the two-year normal diploma ; 93 did not graduate. The 95 who graduated had a total of 2,727 grade points above an average of a "3". Of the 93 who did not ### Recext Studies by Faculty and Advanced Stipents 33 graduate, 23 made better than average grades for a total of 200 grade points above a "3" average. The others of this group made a total of 913 points under an average grade of "3", or a total of 713 points under an average grade of "3" for the group as a whole. This study indicates that a high percentage of students who entered this college during the years covered (1) did not attain a satisfactory standard of college work, (2) left college before the end of the second year, and (3) that nearly 5% of those who attended the college four years or more were not then graduated. ### STUDIES BY STUDENTS The first article in this group is by a senior who assists in the Registrar's office, and the other articles are reports on theses presented by three of the candidates for the M. A. in June and August 1942. These reports are written by the faculty members who guided the students in the preparation of the theses. A STUDY OF TRANSCRIPTS OF HIGH SCHOOL RECORDS SUBMITTED TO EAST CAROLINA TEACHERS COLLEGE TOMMIE Lou CORBETT, '42 This study includes mainly transcripts submitted for admission to East Carolina Teachers College during the college year 1941-42, but since a small number of tran- scripts of the previous two years were in the same file, they were included. It is believed that data on transcripts of the previous two years are typical of the data found on the current transcripts. Only data given on the tran- script form provided by this college were used. One of the objects of the study was to determine whether high school officers who filled out the transcripts were giving the personal data called for on the transcript. Another was to determine the average number of high school units submitted for admission, and still another to observe the spread of grades, the average grade, and any tendencies in high school grading. Three hundred and fifty different transcripts were used in making the tabulation. This is approximately the number of freshmen who enter East Carolina Teachers College each fall. In three hundred and eighteen in- stances or ninety-one percent of the cases, the students were recommended for college admission. In only one instance was an emphatic "no" given, and in five instances some expression of doubt about the recommendation was indicated. ### Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students 35 The "grade average" on the 350 transcripts was 87 7^- Forty-three were in the first quintile, 86 in the second, 151 in the third, 43 in the fourth, and 27 in the fifth. The average number of units carried on these tran- scripts was 17.1. While a large majority of the tran- scripts carried sixteen units, which is the minimum carried, one carried 23 units and several carried from 17 to 20 units. Among the personal data requested was one item asking that any honors earned or awarded the student in high school be indicated. Such honors were indicated in 179 instances or 51 7c of the cases. Space was left, also, on the transcript in which remarks about the candidate were invited. In 194 instances or 55% of the transcripts remarks were made. They were designed to aid the college in understanding the candidate and in being of greater service to him. Generally the comments were complimentary. Information about the formal schooling of the father and of the mother and the general intelligence of the candidate was asked in other items of the tabulation, which appears below. 1. Total number of transcripts studied — 350 2. Total number recommending college admission — 318 (91%) 3. Average grades carried on transcripts — 87% 4. Average number high school units carried on transcripts — 17.1 5. Formal schooling of father indicated on 322 transcripts a. 128 or 39% attended only elementary school b. 134 or 42% ended formal study in high school c. 60 or 18% attended college 6. Formal schooling of the mother indicated on 319 transcripts a. 72 or 22% ended formal study in elementary school b. 143 or 45% ended formal study in high school c. 104 or 32% attended college 7. The general intelligence of the candidates was indicated on 312 transcripts. It is suspected that in many cases this was a subjective evaluation, but in others it is quite certain the measure was made by some sort of intelligence test. a. Number rated "high Intelligence" — 51 or 16% ### 36 Recext Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students b. Number rated "above average intelligence" — 135 or 43% c. Number rated "average intelligence" — 120 or 39% d. Number rated "low^ intelligence" — 4 or a little more than 1% 8. Number candidates securing high school honors — 179 or 51% 9. Number of instances of transcripts carrying remarks about candidates — 194 or 55% One may wonder about the effect of the parents/ formal schooling on the educational success of the children. The numbers involved here are inadequate to establish any facts. They may, perhaps, indicate a trend. The formal schooling of the parents is indicated below for the 57 students whose high school grades averaged more than 90% and for the 52 students whose high school grades averaged below 85% : Fathers' Mothers' Schooling Schooling ended in the ended in the Elem. H.S. Col. Elem. H.8. Col. 57 Students with Average Grades above 90% 16 27 14 10 25 22 52 Students with Average Grades below 85% 24 19 9 12 21 19 Totals 40 46 23 22 46 41 This tabulation involving 109 students indicates that the student whose parents had advanced schooling is a bit more likely to make high grades in high school than the students whose parents did not go so far in our educational system. This study lends strength to the belief that a brief transcript form when carefully constructed, may carry reasonably adequate information about the student to en- able college officers to classify him correctly and counsel with him intelligently. It shows that (a) High school officers fill out transcripts for their students with considerable care, (b) Many high school students earn more than the minimum number of units required for graduation, (c) The range of grades in percentage was from 73 to 97 inclusive; the grades fol- lowed the pattern of the normal curve of distribution with only a minor distortion toward the higher scores. ### Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students 37 THE EFFORTS OF NORTH CAROLINA TO OBTAIN AMENDMENTS TO THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION FROM AUGUST, 1787, TO JUNE, 1790 Annie Andrews Sellers Reported by R. L. Hilldrup This thesis consists of an account of the efforts of North CaroHna to add amendments to the federal consti- tution; an analysis of the influences and motives which caused the demand for amendments; and suggestions to teachers who may be called upon to teach this vitally im- portant phase of American history. The first chapter is entitled "The Preliminaries of the Hillsboro Convention." The political, social, and economic conditions which caused the convention to defeat ratifi- cation of the federal constitution are discussed in it. The second chapter deals with the drafting and adop- tion of forty-six amendments by the Hillsboro convention. The convention decided that North Carolina should stay out of the federal union until these amendments were added to the constitution. One of them provided that no commercial treaty should be ratified without the con- currence of two-thirds of the whole number of the mem- bers of the United States Senate. Another one stated that no law regulating commerce should be passed with- out the consent of two-thirds of the members present in both houses. The convention decided that these amend- ments would safeguard the agricultural interests of the southern states from injury by the mercantile class of New York and New England. Other proposed amend- ments reveal a jealous desire of the state to retain control of her militia as a check against the power of the standing army of the United States. The convention also wished to insert an amendment which would have prohibited any person from being president of the United States for more than eight years in any period of fifteen. Like many of their compatriots in other states, delegates of the Hills- boro convention showed a wholesome fear of executive tyranny. ### 38 REt'ENT Studies by Faculty and Advaxcko Students The third chapter is entitled "The Aftermath of the Hillsboro Convention." It is an account of the reaction of the state to the decision of the convention, and for the growing demand for ratification without amendments. The causes of the change in the public's attitude are explained. The heading of the fourth chapter is "Final Ratifica- tion." The influence of the course of North Carolina upon the adoption of the first ten amendments of the consti- tution is analyzed and evaluated. The final chapter consists of "Suggestions for Teaching the Material in This Thesis." Plans are oflfered for vitalizing the study of government by beginning with local things that are within the experience-range of the average pupil of the public schools of North Carolina. One table furnishes, by counties, the names of delegates to the Hillsboro convention; the number of slaves each owned, if any ; and how he voted on ratification. Another table gives information on the division of the delegates in the second convention. Maps show the geographical alignment on ratification. In the preparation of this thesis Mrs. Sellers consulted a number of manuscripts in the archives of the North Carolina Historical Commission, the usual printed docu- mentary sources, and nine different newspapers of the period from 1787 to 1790. She also used private con- temporary writings by important leaders in the formation of the new federal government and a number of secondary works. She compiled a reading list she believed would be helpful to teachers who are explaining the formation of the constitution of the United States, and another reading list suitable for pupils of the public schools of North Carolina. BEHIND RED VELVET Clifton J. Britton Reported by Lucile Turner The subtitle of this thesis, "A Handbook of Dramatics for Teachers of High School English," indicates its pur- ### Recent Studies by Faculty axd Advaxced Students 39 pose. Mr. Britton produced plays here for six years — four years as an undergraduate and two years as a fellow in English; and during those years he was asked many questions by alumni who, in addition to teaching the subjects in which they had majored, were expected to coach dramatics. The questions convinced the young director that there was real need for a handbook for teachers who are interested in dramatics and glad to work with it but who have had only limited experience on the stage and few or no courses in play production. The introduction gives the writer's estimate of educa- tional dramatics in high school, and the chapters are on the selection of plays, the prompt book, directing, scenery, lighting, make-up, and sound effects. Specimen sheets of his own prompt books, photographs, and charts supple- ment the text. These chapters and the appendixes show the result of preserving, analyzing, and using the records of years of work as a student-producter just as truly as they show thorough study of the writings of profes- sionals. When examining the appendixes, one member of the faculty declared that they constitute a second thesis. Certainly they contain much illustrative and bibliograph- ical material — series of pictures showing make-up and historic costumes, a glossary of stage terms, specimen programs of plays directed here by Mr. Britton, names and addresses of dealers in equipment for dramatics, bibliography not only of material used but of other sources, and classified lists of plays recommended. Mr. Britton acknowledges his indebtedness to fellow students — Miss Mary T. Bailey and Messrs. Fenly Spear, Matt Phillips, and William Harris — for help with the illustrative material. All in all, this thesis seems to promise to teacher- directors in high schools help in the solution of many of their problems. ### 40 Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students NORTH CAROLINA WRITERS OF LITERARY PROSE from 1900 to 1940: biographies and bibliographies Katherine Wilkins Hinson Reported by Lucile Tubner This biographical dictionary, with bibliographies, brings together information, hitherto widely scattered, about thirty-four North Carolina authors who were writ- ing between 1900 and 1940; who have published two or more books which appeal to general adult readers, and who have been recognized by one or more of the fourteen books used in checking, among them Boynton's America in Current Fiction, Mantle's Contemporary American Playwrights, Millet's Co7itemporary American Litera- ture, O'Neill's History of American Biography, and Who's Who among Am^erican Authors. In determining who should be considered North Carolinians, Miss Hinson de- cided that an author "must have been born in the State, or, if elsewhere, he must have lived and written in North Carolina for at least five years or have a North Carolina address in Who's Who in America or in Who's Who among American Authors." The thesis begins with a survey of North Carolina prose during the first forty years of the century and closes with a list of authors classified according to the types of prose : novelists; short story writers; dramatists; biographers; essayists; and writers of social studies, nature studies, travel, and history. Numerically novelists are ahead ; short story writers, biographers, and dramatists tie for the second place. North Carolina writers have been versatile. Struthers Burt has written in six types and Thomas Wolfe and Gerald Johnson in four; a number have excelled in two. Several have gained national repu- tation. Paul Green and Hatcher Hughes have won the Pulitzer Prize ; Wilbur Daniel Steele has won the 0. Henry Memorial Award four times ; Paul Green, Thomas Wolfe, and Jonathan Daniels have been awarded Guggenheim Fellowships. A few — chief among them Thomas Wolfe ### Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students 41 and Paul Green — have been the subjects of much critical writing. In the body of the thesis, each biographical sketch is followed by lists of the author's books, of the studies and sketches about him in books and in periodicals, and of the portraits in periodicals. Here it should be noted that although "those authors who have written only such works as appeal to specialists are not included, the factual books of those who are both creative writers and scholars are included." Miss Hinson, in the preparation of her thesis, particu- larly of the bibliographies, obviously the most valuable parts of such a study, used not only the materials here but those made available by the Extension Department of the Library of the University of North Carolina and the North Carolina Historical Commission, and informa- tion furnished by several of the authors. The Preface includes the writer's statement of her belief that a handbook of this kind is needed by teachers of senior high school English in the State and that it might prove helpful for women's literary clubs and for English clubs in colleges. ### TITLES OF THESES AND DISSERTATIONS Written by Members of the Faculty The following list gives some idea of the range of sub- jects in which teachers have made investigations. A number took the master's degree where these were not required; therefore the list does not include the entire faculty. Titles taken at random suggest the variety and value of these studies: Development of the Federal Con- trol Program 07i the Mississippi River, Parasites of Certain North Carolina Salientia, The Professional Treat- ment of Differential Equations, and Festus Ex Paulus: Restoration of Parts of a Charred Copy Partially De- stroyed in the Alexandrine Library. Adams, Carl L. — M.A., Kentucky's Ability to Finance Public Education. Ph.D., A Study in Variability and Grade Progress. Austin, Marguerite — M.A., Alfred de Musset as a Critic of Romanticism. Baughan, Denver Ewing — M.A., The Arming of the Com- batants in Chaucer's "Knight's Tale." Ph.D., Sir Philip Sidney and the Two Versions of the Arcadia. Blaine, Eva Lee — M.A., Trends in Education as Shown by Topics Discussed in National Education Associa- tion. Brandt, B. B. — M.A., Salientia of Eastern North Caro- lina. Ph.D., Parasites of Certain North Carolina Salientia. Brooks, Frederick P. — Ph.D., Nitration of 2-Amino-para- cymene. Browne, W. A. — M.A., History and Development of the Joplin Mining Industry. Ph.D., The Llano Estacado; A Geographic Interpretation. Browning, Alma — M.A., A Study of Standard Reading Tests. Browning, E. R. — M.A., A Cumulative Record System for West Virginia High Schools. Ph.D., Legal Aid ### Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students 43 Work in the United States, Its Implications to the Busi- ness Education Curriculum. Biddle, Mrs. Jessica T.— M.A., The Study of Vitamin A Content of Diets of College Women as Measured by Readings on the Hecht Adaptometer. Charlton, Lucile — M.A., Questions on Progressive Edu- cation Practices in Elementary Schools — Progressive Education— Years 1924-1929. Dempsey, Audrey V. — M.A., A Comparative Study of Training Methods Used by Commerce Teachers in Training Students for Commercial Contests. DeLoach, W. S. M.A., Effect of Certain Foods on the pH of the Urine. Ph.D., The Preparation and Proper- ties of N-Derivatives of l-Amino-2-Methyl-6-Phenyl- Hexatriene-1,3,5. Ellis, Lena C. — M.A., Mrs. Alice Hegan Rice. Flanagan, Beecher — M.A., Arable Land in the United States Available for Settlement. Ph.D., A History of State Banking in North Carolina to 1866. Frank, A. D. — M.A., History of Labor Legislation in Tennessee. Ph.D., Development of the Federal Flood Control Program on the Mississippi River. Galphin, Louise — M.A., A Suggested Revision of the Bus- well-John Diagnostic Chart for Individual Difficulties in Multiplication. Greene, Mary H. — M.A., The Learned William Camden. Grigsby, Lois — M.A., The Influences of the Changing Science and Philosophy of the Nineteenth Century on George Eliot. Hankner, 0. A. — M.A., A Comparative Study of Phys- ically Normal and Physically Handicapped Men Stu- dents. Henderson, E. L. — Ph.D., Student Teaching in State Teachers Colleges. Hooper, Emma L. — M.A., Symbolism in the Modern Eng- lish Novel. Haynes, Hubert C. — M.A., History of Educational Legis- lation in Georgia. Ph.D., Relation of Teacher Intelli- gence, Experience, and Type of School to Type of Questions. ### 44 Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students Hollar, E. Cleveland — M.A., A Study of the Educational Writings of John Locke. Holtzclaw, Katharine — M.A., Attitudes Towards Home Economics in the Women's Liberal Arts Colleges. Hilldrup, R. L. — M.A., Governmental Regulation of Cor- porations vi^ith Emphasis on Regulation in Virginia. Ph.D., The Virginia Convention of 1776. Jenkins, Mamie E. — M.M., "Paulus Ex Festus" : Restora- tion of parts of the charred copy partially destroyed in the Alexandrine fire. McGinnis, Howard J. — M.A., A Brief History of Teacher Training in West Virginia. Ph.D., The Teachers Col- lege President. McHenry, William H. — M.A., An Industrial Arts Educa- tion Curriculum for East Carolina Teachers College. Meadows, Leon R. — Ph.D., A Study of the Teaching of English Composition in the Teachers Colleges of the United States. Picklesimer, P. W. — M.A., Navigation on the Ohio River. Ph.D., The New Bright Tobacco Belt of North Caro- lina : A Study in Human Geography. Posey, M. N. — M.A., A Critical Analysis of the Litera- ture of Psychological Types. Ph.D., Whitman's Debt to the Bible with Special Reference to the Origins of His Rhythm. ReBarker, Herbert R. — M.A., The Relationship Between Intelligence and Achievement. Ph.D., The Simple Integral Processes of Arithmetic. Reynolds, Charles W. — M.A., The Professional Treat- ment of Differential Equations. Ph.D., The Develop- ment of Generalized Science in State Teachers Colleges. Snider, Felix Eugene — M.A., Literary Awards and Prizes. Slay, Ronald J. — Ph.D., The Teaching of Agriculture in Mississippi. Turner, Lucile — M.A., The Socialized Recitation in High School Literature. Ph.D., A Study of the Content of the Sewanee Review, with Historical Introduction. ### Recent Studies by Faculty and Advanced Students 46 Walker, Elizabeth S. — M.A., History of North Carolina Railroads from 1825 to 1860. Watters, Ethel R.— M.A., Methods Used by Student Teachers in Arousing and Maintaining Interest. ### $$$ ### $$$ ### $$$ ###