way
demands considerable thought.

=Method.= Distribute the test-sheets and turn them face down on the desks.
Allow ten minutes in all the tests. Give the following instructions:

On the sheets which have been distributed is printed a story which
has certain words omitted. You are to put in the blanks the words
that are omitted. The words which you write in must give the proper
meaning so that the story reads correctly. Each word filled in must
not only give the proper meaning to the sentence but to the story as
a whole.

=Material.= Use the completion test-sheets, "Joe and the Fourth of July,"
for grades three, four, and five; "The Trout" for grades, six, seven,
and eight; and "Dr. Goldsmith's Medicine" for the high school.

=Results.= In scoring the papers, allow one credit for each blank
correctly filled. The norms are shown in Figures XVI, XVII, and XVIII.
It will be noticed that the boys excel in the "Trout" story. This is
doubtless because the story is better suited to them on the ground of
their experience and interest.

[Illustration: FIGURE XVI--COMPLETION TEST--"JOE AND THE FOURTH OF
JULY"]

* * * * *

JOE AND THE FOURTH OF JULY

Joe {ran}[6] errands for {his} mother and {took} care of the {baby}
until by the Fourth of July his penny {grew} to be a dime. The day
before the Fourth, he {went} down town all by {himself} to get his fire
{works}. There were so {many} kinds he hardly knew which to {buy}. The
clerk knew that it takes a {long} time to decide, for he had been a
{boy} himself not very {long} ago. So he helped Joe to {select} the very
best kinds. "When are you going to {fire} them off?" asked the clerk. "I
will fire {them} very {early} to-morrow," said the boy. So that night
Joe set the {alarm} clock, and the next {morning} got up {early} to fire
his firecrackers.

[6] The italicized words and letters are left blank in the test sheets.

THE TROUT

The trout is a fine fish. Once a big trout {lived} in a pool {close} by
a spring. He used to {stay} under the bank with {only} his head showing.
His wide-open {eyes} shone like jewels. I tried to {catch} him. I would
{creep} up to the {edge} of the pool {where} I could see his {bright}
eyes looking up.

I {caught} a grasshopper and {threw} it over {to} him. Then there was a
{splash} in the water and the grasshopper {was gone}. I {did} this {two}
or three times. Each time I {saw} the rush and splash