The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-11-01
IDEAL SCHOOL LIFE.
WONDERFUL REVELATIONS OF THE
SCIENCE OF "PAIDoLocY"
Studying Childrens Peculiarities- Delicate
Instruments EmpIoysd-Fifty Thousand
Children Examiued--Ths Work ef Miss
y. Toleman Smith.


Children Examinsd--Ths Work ef Miss
=. Toleman Smith.
Those who come in contact with small
children will be interested to learn Of
some wonderful revelations which are
being made through q new science
known as pathology, or more literal
ly child study. All Of the large colleges
and universities in the United States
have now provided courses in what is
known as "the new psychology. Con-
ped laboratories for studying the mi
nutest details Of the great mental system.
The principal investigations now being
made in these workshops are upon chill
dren.
Reports upon the work done thus far
in all Of these laboratories have lately
been collected at the bureau Of educa-
ton in Washington by Miss E. Toleman
Smith, an educational specialist. /, 1t
would appear that the child Of the very
near future is to enjoy an ideal school
life. 1t is the opinion of most child
students that our boys and girls are edu-
Gated too much according to the average
child's ability. Inthe model experiment
tai laboratory for child study is found
apparatus for studying the motor abili-
ties, rapidity of actions, powers of at
tention, perception, memory, will, sem
sitiveness to fatigue, pain and hundreds
of other conditions, both of children and
matured persons. They are made TO
sleep on balances graduated to such fine
points that the slightest irregularity of
pulse, respiration, circulation, temper
allure, ETC., may be detected. Mild doses
of narcotics and nervines are given.
The patient is put under an Cir pump
and the effect of varying plessures of
atmosphere against the entire surface of
the body is observed. Certain muscles
are worked until tired. The effects Of
hypnotism, electricity, varying degrees
of light, heat and sound, and also of
chemicals, both tasted and smelied, are
also tested All of these investigations
are made without pain.
After examining 10000 school chill
dren, some of these specialists have found
that defects in eyesight continue to in
crease the higher the grade or class. In
other words, vision becomes poorer from
grade to grade, with increase of studies
The hearing Of 90, 600 others was exam
ined One specialist found that Of por-
tion of these per cent had defective
hearing. The relative motor abilities of
children are also estimated. They are
told to write a certain figure or letter as
rapidly as possible for ten seconds.
Those who can write the most in the
given time have the greatest motor abil-
ity. The handwriting is examined, and
it is noted whether the fastest are neces-
sarily the most awkward writers
To determine the relative sensitive
ness of the skin the Chi is told to close
his eyes, and the back of his hand is
touched with the point of pencil. He
is afterward told to touch the same spot
with the point Of his pencil, and tho
error is noted by measurement. A SINH
lar test is made with an instrument
resembling shoemaker's scale. On
this there are two ivory points at right
angles to a graduated ruler, one being
ldob dt tilc Cnu uHu tuC Othoi w
and down. When the child's eyes are
closed, the two points are brought to-
gether and afterward placed farther and
farther apart on the back of his hand,
until it can be distinguished that there
are two points rather than one. The
distance on the scale between the two
points gives the record.
An algometer, or plain measure, is
another of these instruments. The han
die of this is spring balance. Protrud-
ing from it like piston is rod capped
at the end with fat plate the size OF
quarter. This is pressed against the
temporal muscle until the child says il
feels the least bit uncomfortable. If, fol
instance, / 400 grams can be borne
without discomfort OH the right side
and 1 300 grams on the left, the left
side is the more sensitive to pain. A
similar continuance. more pointed at the
end, is used in the palm of either hand.
New York Herald.
V,~U~cvS.~ N~c.