The evening times., 1899-03-08
MACHINE TO TEST PUPILS.
ErgOgraph Said to Indicate Mental
Abilities of Children.

AD1l1f1es OF Children.
Chicago, H., March S-Tests psycholog-
ical in their nature are being made in the
public schools here for the purpose of de-
termining the comparative ability of the
younger pupils to stand the fatigues of
study.
These tests have for their ultimate OBJ
ject the reduction of the ordinary common
school or public school education to a sci
entifc basis, and are made through the
medium of the ergograph, an invention OF
Prof. A. Mosso, of Italy, which has never
been tried, it is understood in this coun-
try before.
The experiments are under the direction
of Prof. Frederick w. Smedley, lecturer on
pedagogy at the University of Chicago,
and Mr.. Victor Campbell, the principal of
the Brighton evening school. AS not more
than 100 children have been examined,
while it is the intention to experiment with
fully 1000. it is too early to speak of re-
suits. Both Prof. Smedley and Mr.. Camp
bell argue that If child is backward In
his studies there is some cause for 1t that
the instructor should determine and foI
which he should find remedy.
The ergograph consists of two main
parts, one of which is sylinder, revolved
by means OF clockwork, about which pa
per strip is pasted, on which the records
are made. The working portion of the sec
ond part is a small sliding carriage tO
which Is attached a stylographic pen, the
point of which rests upon the paper COW
cred cylinder. To one end of this carriage
is attached weight. and to the other a
cord made of twisted wire
The arm of the child to be examined Is
strapped into rest-that has no connec-
ton with the ergograph, however-so that
| II Is possible to move only the fingers.
The second finger is then hooked into a
| loop in the end of the wire cord spoken
OF, and the pupil is required to work the
| finger back and forth in time with a met
ranome, which is a contrivance for mark
ing time.
This moves the carriage and the pea at
tached back and forth, and on the paper
of the cylinder, which has been set into G
| barely perceptible motion, the pen rec
| ords an unbroken line that weayes from
| side 10 side on the paper, forming an out
line something like the teeth OF saw.
Naturally, as the finger of the pupil
weakens from fatigue, the distance ne is
able to pull the carriage forward grows
| shorter and shorter, until he cannot move
it at all Correspondingly, the teeth o
the saw made by the pen grow shorter
! until lNS JdSStu line DGCOLllSS dllDO5l psI
, fectly straight.
| The physiological principle upon which
the operation of the ergograph Is based i:
/ that one set of muscles is an index to tht
! general condition OF the body. II ii
agreed that in the majority OF cases there
| is physical cause for the bad standing o
child at school. If he grows thin anC
| saIlow ii is probable he is not cared TO
! properly and that some tonic or pAysica
remedy is necessary. Possibly the cause
/ of the failing health of child is over
work.
! This does not necessarily cause a break
/ down, but it certainly proves menace t,
I health. The stupid boy or girl in schoo
/ is, no doubt, crowded with work, and de
/ rives no benefit whatever from any OF tht
( studies. 1t is for the purpose of combin
+ ing physical with mental training tha
these tests have been inaugurated in th'
public schools OF Chicago, under the au
: spices OF the Board of Education.
! AS 10 the test on the ergograph. tht
. regularity of the saw teeth, as these ma!
be called, recorded on the paper indicate
the nervous condition OF the pupil, and tn
( length of time the child can continue pull
/ ing the carriage with his finger is an in
dex to his physica! condition.
From this record the length OF time tn
child can work TO advantage and the pc
riod of fatigue. and the period when tn
child is ar its best mentally. can be learn
ed. When these are found out the teache
is in position TO instruct the pupil to tn
best possible advantage.
In addition to the ergograph record, tn
height weight, and lung capacity OF eacl
pupil was noted.