Six years ago this spring, a daring experiment was tried by the Grady faculty and administration.
It was decided to try taking a group of students who had done well on standardized tests 'given in elementary schools and to put them together in classes for advanced work.
Many people had wanted to try this, even before Sputniks and the subsequent speedup of work. Then, under a financial grant from the Ford Foundation it was feasible.
X-CLASS
The participants for this accelerated class, commonly called the X-class,
were carefully chosen by Mr. Nell Baxter, assistant principal, and Miss
Dorothy Morrisson, then his assistant. The scores of three tests, one I.Q.
(potential ability), two achievement (arithmetic and reading). All upcoming
eighth grade students were arranged by order of score and the top 35 were
chosen.
The next fall, they were placed together for four classes--ninth grade general science, algebra, English, and social studies. Since then, they have been kept together and today remain in only math and English classes as a unit. Only on exceptional occasions has anyone else been put into these classes. Only 22 of the original thirty five remain at Grady.
PLEASED
"I have been pleased for the most part," says Miss Morrison, now
Registrar, "particularly with the intense inner relationships that
have developed." This feeling of pride is echoed by Principal Roger
Derthick and by Mr. Baxter, who remains interested in this group.
Miss Morrison notes that members of the class have participated fully in other school activities. "It might have happened anyway," she says. "I just don't know."
The class includes eight National Merit finalists, the copresidents, both SOUTHERNER and ORATOR editors, two military officers, one varsity cheerleader, one girls' varsity basketball player, one varsity football player, one Science Congress finalist, winners of many other contests, the graduation speakers, and many other outstanding seniors and school leaders.
Although the administrations is convinced that this experiment has been successful, the same program has not been repeated; students are now placed individually in accelerated classes.