New-York tribune., 1902-06-10
FOR DEFECTIVE CHILDREN.
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIMENT IN THIS
CITY-AN UNGRADED CLASS OF
NINETEEN BOYS

The interest awakened long ago in other cities
and countries the educational needs of defective
children has at last been aroused in this city and
if the energetic efforts OF the members of the
Mothers Club and women who are Identified with
educational affairs avail such classes will be
feature of the public school system here at no re-
mote day.
Providence. P / is said to have led with the
work il this country: already Boston has several
classes for backward children, and Chicago. al
though still in the experimental stage. is doing
good deal. London has had such system for sew
e-al years and so also have Berlin and Vienna In
London children Of such schools and classes are
conveyed from and TO their homes in stages pro
4jded for the purpose. About per cent Of the
school children Of London il is said. are backward
or defective and persons who have studied the sub
5ect state that the proportion is not smaller here
New-York has one such department, known as
the 'ungraded class which was started eighteen
months ago il Vandewater-st-, but removed later
n Plbli, School No. ]. in Henry-st- There are
nineteen bows ranging in age from eleven TO six
teen years at present in the class, and, altnoueh
the charge Of truancy made against most OF It's
members upon their admission, comparison of its
attendance with that Of the other classes OF the
school would be 10 the advantage OF 'he Oach-
ward children
whe. the class was visited by a Tribune reporter
Yesterday only two boys had been absent during
the morning and all were present in the afternoon
one Of the absentees had had TO help his mother
Al bat three of the boys in the class are news
iesr OF "shiners'-that is. they add TO the family
incomes by selling newspapers and blacking shoes
after school hours and Saturdays. One little
fellow who cannot keep up with the regular classes
satd that he could earn 30 cents day selling
raners and sometimes on Saturdays he had made
as much as 81 80.
The room used for the class is sunny and bright,
having windows on both the south and east sides
As 2 rule the sills are filled with window boxes.
but just now the boxes receiving a fresh coat
or paint In place Of them were vase or gold
fish q plaster Of paris cast, q wooden weatherVane
one Of the BOYS latest achievements Qts wheel was
whirring in the breeze). and variety of things
attractive TO the youthful eye. Another side Of the
room was lined with bookcases. filled with books
suited simple tastes, They are circulated among
the boys Across the front of the room were the
closets containing the manual training equipment,
and in the rear shelves and table filled with tools,
carpenter work and dumbbells About third Of
the width Of the room is occupied with the usual
school desks and seats The rest OF the space Is
taken up by long, low table and chairs There Is
an entire lack of the stiff conventionality of the
regular classroom Much Of the work individual.
since two Of the pupils have seldom attained 10 the
same degree Of scholarship One boy, for example,
who made two-inch bent iron triangle in an in
crediblv short time and a most intelligent man
rer was brought to the school few months ago
fv his grandfather. grandmother. father mother
and the truant officer. all Of whom had secured the
reighborhood TO find him. While the boy stood by
and listened the mother said Il don't s'pose you
school" The teacher said. What is your naune?'
and the youngster replied obediently Joey" We'll
Joey" she said she led him to seat. Il guess
we'll get along all right joey" has never been
absent from the class, and there has been
trouble TO keep him there.
Another boy. of thirteen years, who has dstin-
euished himself in manual training work since
being in the class had the reputation of being
inCorrigible truant when he entered the ungraded
class, but has beer punctual in attendance ever
since. The trouble with him had been that he
very backward in reading, although he is unusually
quick in Eratheuaa tics and geography He objected
10 being kept back with smaller boys because of
his deficiency He will enter the regular class next
September and Will finish the grammar school In
Two years, only year behind boys OF his age.
One Of the pupils. Italian boy OF sixteen,
hibts unmistakable signs Of idiocy. Eighteen
months ago. upon mis- entrance, he could neither
read write. and could hardly speak He
reads IN the Second Reader and writes intelli-
Site letter. and his manual training work is
usually good a knife box just completed by him
shows better workmanship than many carpenters
efforts. You'd ind ii hard 10 believe how much
mat boy has improved in the year and half
said Miss Farrell.
Miss Farrell has some radical ideas in regard to
the training girls and boys When she first took
the class she told that the children would
steal everything they could lay their hands on,
nut nothing has been taken from the room,
aIthough the key is never turned In her desk, and
tne toois and implements locked up.
! 90 not expect 10 steal their things, and / do
not expect they will steal mine she says in
Then. too. there is an air of freedom about the