Page 4
The RAM’S HORN
May, 1967
l»»T /
Raise Those Test Scores
Preparing For The Tesl
When a test is assigned, be
attentive to all the details such
as what material is to be
covered, what type test you can
expect, and the length of time
given to do the test. Do not
risk your memory, but lake
notes on all Instructions pertin
ent to the test. Ask any ques
tions necessary to eliminate
uneasy doubts about the nature
of the test. This wDl give you
direction and confidence as you
prepare.
The daily and weekly reviews
of notes, lecture materials, and
underlined passages in your
textbook are Indispensable to
your preparation for a good test
response. This frequent re
freshing of your memory of
facts and details will gradually
fix them in your mind so that
frantic, Intensive cramming at
the last minute will not t>e
necessary. The reviews will
also help you organize the mat
erial coverea and get a compre
hensive view of its relationship
to the whole course. Try to
anticipate the manner in which
the questions will be asked so
that you can sum up and “men
tally word* your answers in ad
vance. If there are to be defin
itions of certain topics, a‘dress
rehearsal* will get you off well-
prepared. Practice writing your
discussion or your definitions.
This precomposition will usual
ly come to mind when you be
gin the questions on test day.
Recall all points wiilch the in
structor emphasized in lecture
and drill sessions, since he will
ask questions upon those topics
he considers most important.
Then on the day before your
test, a general review can be
done with little sense of cram
ming. It helps to review with
one or two students whose
scholarship you respect. Each
can formulate questions that
others may not think of. Ob
serving different approaches to
both questions and answers will
broaden your experience and
strengthen your preparation.
Alxjve all, get a good night’s
rest so that you can go to the
test next day relaxed and ready
to concentrate at your highest
power.
There are three major reas
ons for falling a test after you
Books! Books! Where Are You ?
Books! Books! Where are
you? is the constant cry of Mr.
Ray Dunmlre, librarian. Count
less numbers of books are never
returned to the library. They join
the ranks of the long list of lost
library volumes.
Mr. Dunmlre indicated recent
ly that the loss of books Is due
primarily to carelessness on the
part of college students. He
stated that books are kept for
days past the return date with
no thou^t on the part of the bor
rower that some other student
may be urgently waiting for that
particular book. Since a fine
of five cents a day is levied,
It can be quite costly to the
borrower.
He further emphasized the
monetary value of replacing
them. As all students should
know from experience, books are
not very inexpensive. Think of
the cost of those freshman and
sophomore books we all had to
buy. Library books are no dif
ferent.
How does one feel when a book
Is needed badly and can’t be
found? An answer to that ques
tion Is In order for all students
reading this article. Also having
to wait for a new book to arrive
after It Is ordered Is Inconvenient
to the students. A little more
considerations for the other
students Is needed!
The value of a good book can
never be measured. Ask any
student that uses books wisely.
Books! Books! Where are
you? Only those who have them
can answer that question.
A new course, Education 202—
Social Foundations of Education
—has been offered this quarter
under tlie Instruction of Mrs.
Sandra Nobles. It has been the
purpose of this course to convey
to the future teachers the true
aspects of the teaching profes
sion.
The students enrolled In this
course have gone to special edu
cation classes under the guidance
of ' Mr. Jenkins, principal of
Chadbourn Elementary. Mr.
Jenkins and his teaching staff
liave been both cooperative and
appreciative In assisting these
students.
I’he students have participated
as practicing teachers In tlie
elementary school for the past
eight weeks. For one hour each
day they have Instructed class and
assisted the teachers. This pro
ject was proposed for observa
tion and experience.
When the students were asked
of their comments concerning
this course and their many ex
periences, they replied that this
experimental project had given
them a better perspective of what
to expect in facing a teaching ca
reer. Through practical experi
ence, Instead of just book learn
ing, the students doubts in real
ity had become profitable experi
ences.
have adequately prepared:
frustration uiider pressure,
carelessness, and failure to ap
ply the appropriate techniques
and procedures indicated by the
test directions.
Little can be done about
momentary frustration. Most
students ft*el a llt'le apprehen
sive on test d::y. Eut being in
good physical condition, having
had a restful nigVt and a sub
stantial breakfast to start the
day, and knowing that you are
well prepared s^-ould prevent
most of the nervous panic and
tension known as “test Jitters.'
Many of the mistakes in ex
amination papers result from
carelessness in thinking and
writing, rather than by ignor
ance of subject matter. Before
beginning to write, scan the en
tire test. This Is not preclouf
time wasted; you will gain com
posure while you Inform your
self about the test as a whole
If the test Is objective, give
special attention to the in
structions for recording an
swers and for scoring. A fore
knowledge of basic objective
type tests will enable you to
save time luid confusion. Most
teachers keep on hand sample
copies of objective tests that
you may borrow and study, untU
you are familiar with the meth
ods. since the objective test is
a test of power to recall alarge
body of Information, the test will
usually be divided into sections,
each having its own set of
directions. Be sure to mark an
swers in the manner asked for.
Most frequently your first
answer is correct, so beware
of going lack over the test
and changing answers. It is bet
ter to skip those questions you
are unsure of and return to
them later.
If the test is an essay type,
note the different kinds of ques
tions and their evaluations if
they differ. Try to roughly es
timate the time necessary for
each section. Give special at
tention to instructions heading
each section. Be sure you ac
curately interpret each question
before you begin your answer.
The approach to your answer
wUl depend upon whether you
are to describe, discuss, list,
define, or analyze. Note the
use of key words indicating the
“slant* your answer should
take.
Introduce your discussion an
swers with a good topic sen
tence. Be specific with infor
mation — say something in each
sentence. Do not ramble and
“sound off.* Write as carefully
and as grammatically as yot
know how, but do not lose time
worrying alx)ut the turning of a
pretty phrase. Clarity and brev
ity rre prized above rhetoric
and euphony on test day. Answer
specifically, then move on to the
next question.
Save space for questions you
are unsure of. Often a question
further down the page will re
mind you of the answer you
skipped. Jot down the reminder;
then answer that question next.
When you have finished,
proofread for errors, omis
sions, or needed revisions. See
that all data such as your name,
date, course name and num
ber, and numl)er of pages are
all in the proper places.
The Clincher
The thoughtful student will
write his test with a good pen
filled with dark ink — not the
pale, anemic kind — and he
will have an eraser in his pock
et. He will write neatly and as
legibly as he can; he will use
care in spacing ot the page;
he will Identify each page. He
will write on one side of the
paper only and will avoid crowd
ing the pages. Teachers who
read those papers will not over
look the fact of a student’s
thoughtfulness to the little de-
taUs.
Blue berry Festival
Slated May 25-27
The plans for activities and
awards of the Blueberry Festi
val will reach a height unexpected
by everyone during May 25-27.
The festivities will be held at
Elizabethtown and white Lake.
Tours of several of the larger
blueberry farms will begin the
three days of events. There will
be a luncheon held Friday after
noon followed by a dinner with
Governor Moore. The pageant
on Friday night will feature thir
teen contestants, each from a
surrounding county. Friday
night’s events will conclude with
a teen-age dance,
Saturday events will begin with
a parade at White Lake featuring
some eighty units. The climax
of the day will spotlight the
world’s largest frying pan. This
gigantic pan has 400 gas burners
and holds 200 gallons of oil to
cook the most delicious chicken
ever tasted, and for free!
Glenn Miller’s world famous
orchestra will present a con
cert Saturday afternoon and will
play for the ball Saturday night.
The queen of the pageant will
begin her reign Sunday with a
trip to New York to appear on
the Today Show Monday morning.
This is only a small portion of
the prizes the queen will receive.
She will travel extensively
throughout the U. S. and Canada,
A week will be spent in Florida
as the guestofColonel Lee Price.
Colonel Price Is a distinguished
judge In well known pageants,
and Is the donor of several schol
arships in this pageant.
The queen also will visit
California and Alaska along with
the majority of the remaining
states In the union. Other prizes
Include a $1,000 scholarship, the
use of a Ford convertible for a
year, and a complete wardrobe.
The most important fact for
students of SCC is that one of
SCC’s students Is Columbus
County’s representative In the
pageant. This young lady Is Ann
Plgott of Shallotte.
Second Annual Concert
The Second Annual Spring Con
cert was presented at the First
Presbyterian Church in Whlte-
vllle. May 2, 1967. The director,
Mr. Zeller, said he was pleased
with the concert. Everyone put
forth a great effort and many hard
hours to make the program a suc
cess. It shows that the students of
SCC can do a good job.
Mr. Zeller has already started
making plans for the second an
nual Christmas concert. The
program will consist of sacred
music and popular Christmas
songs. There is a possibility that
the chorus will do George F, Han
del’s “Masslah”. He hopes to
tour and sing at the local high
schools, PTA’s and several
clubs,
A week prior to the concert a
radio tape was made of the
chorus. They sang three songs;
“Tom Dooley”, "Five Hundred
Miles”, and “Marching to Pre
toria”. This tape was heard on
“College Talk” on several of
the local radio stations. The
Chorus sang these same songs at
the first annual Strawberry Fol
lies at the whltevllle High audi
torium.
Faculty and student opinions:
Presented By SCC Chorus
Miss Lambdin said, “1 am
pleased that the chorus has ac
complished such a great deal In
so short a time. I enjoyed the
secular portion better than the
sacred.
Miss King replied “I am
really proud of the group. It
was a magnificent performance.
Judy Avery said “It was a
very good program,”
Sherry Potter said “I really
enjoyed the program, especially
the selections from “Oklahoma”.