New-York tribune., 1907-10-24
THE 4TYPTCAL CHILD.
Treatment of DefectiUes at PennsyI-
rama University.

few DAYS ago happy. animated and aprar-
,--Iy healthy child Of nine years brought be
- ,be psychological clinic OF the University of
1+enns,lvaua and put through few tests 10 show
- i,rnroyernent, physical and mental which she
IS undergone during the three months in which
- has been under the lmiversity's care Then
[asrissing the child Or. Lightner Wilmer the
he'd Of this department. turned TO the teachers
nd students assembled before him and explained
q a few words her condition when brought TO his
attention.
He. father Is russian Jew, = teacher, and he.
9TH his wife and seven out of eleven children who
fa,e survived the struggle for existence inhabits
,Uo rooms about nine feet square in one Of the
last desirable sections of the city II you should
enter these apartments at any time YOU would
observe bread and tea. the staple articles Of the
family diet, set out on 4 table, TO be shared with
.be flies and dog. who must also share the linz
,tsd amount Of oxygen This child vas sent 10 the
vrbljc school with her brothers and sisters but
49, found 90 lie so backward that she attracted
the attention Of the visiting Of the district
vho brought her, stupid sulen. inert little crea-
tEe, 10 Dr. Wilmer
T-non examination she was found 10 have about
oae-fourJh normal vision, she was either deaf or
Ter other iEfTmities made her unresponsive that
she had the appearance Of deafness. her tonsils
enlarged and she vas afflicted with aaenoids.
All OF these troubles were promptly treated by
gpecialisIs. her sub-9ormal vision corrected by
rssses the enlarged tonsils and adenod eTov-fbs
removed. The child was put under the care Of DR..
winners assistants and provided with wholesome
exercise ana nOurishing food. Then her mental
raining began. The result at this date is
enormous Improvement IN health and mentality.
snd now, in another public school. where she can
sll De lfGer Ut. " tuner s observation, SDe Is
happy and well and appears 10 be rapidly growing
into a normal child
DETECTIVES IN SCHOOLS.
This IS by no means an unusual case It has
tesn variOusy estimated that from / TO per cent
d the children attending the public schools of
Philadelphia suffer from decided physical and men,
isl defects and the proportion Of less seriously af-
fscted backward children is placed high as 30
per cent William ]. Shearer Superintendent Of
Schools Of Elizabeth. y j. III a recent article in
The Worlds Work quotes from The Philadel-
phia Public Ledger: There IS IN the United
States city only y per cent Of whose children
attend the public schools. OF these only seven
tenths of l per cent pass through the high school:
only 4.3 per cent reach it The city in
question IS facing a future in which there is
assurance that one-Guarter Of its population Will
be able 10 write their names. That city is
Philadelphia
Mr sLearer refers 10 the conditions prevailing IN
New York in tie following words: ''In late re-
port the Superintendent Of the Schools Of New
York City acknowledged that 900 pupils were
frcm two TO seven years behind the proper grade
for their age. Another authority undertakes TO
show thai seven out Of ten were from to seven
years behind and were. therefore. considered back
ward pupils James Z Bryan, Superintendent Of
Schools of Camden. y. J., finds that - per cent OF
the children ia the Camden schools are behind the
grade Of normal children OF their years. and that
more than Il per cent Of the children in the New
York schools similarly retarded.
About ten years ago DR.. Wilmer began his work
II child psychology at Pennsylvania University,
sad undertook the task Of ascertaining and treat
ing the causes Of this effectiveness, and assisting
the public schools in developing these hitherto
hopeless little beings who have been such onus
rhen committed to their care. Out Of this work
has grown training school and home for the
children Walnut street, school at the univer-
aty and The Psychological Clinic the only mag
zine devoted 10 the psychology, training and treat
#nt OF the defective child
In 1896 DR.. Wilmer outlined the following plan
o. organization:
'Ftrst-The investigation Of the phenomena OF
mental development in school children. as mani
tested more particularly in mental and moral re-
tardation by means Of the statistical and clinical
methods.
=. A psychological clinic supplemented by a
training school in the nature Of hospital school,
for the treatment OF all classes Of children suffer
ing from retardation or physical defects interfering
with school progress.
gagged in the professions OF teaching and medicine
and 70 those Interested IN social work IN the OBJ
seTYation and training OF normal and retarded
children.
. The training OF students for = new profession
that Of psychological expert-who should find his
career in connection with the school system,
through the examination and treatment Of mentally
End morally retarded children, or in connection
with the practice OF medicine"
A DAILY CLINIC.
The greater par; Of this plan has been in opera
.ion for the last ten years, and in the summer Of
1907 the training school was started and daily
clinic conducted. where cases studied Of chill
dren suffering from eye and defects, deficiency
g. memory and attention. stammering. other speech
and language defects and motor defects This
school has had 10 contend with ignorance and in
difference on the part OF many of the parents OF
y
which IS q prolific source Of 50 many Of these
and with the poor quality OF the home train
Ing and discipline Of most OF the children.
Homes IN which regular hours for meals arc
observed but cooked food Is purchased and set
out & the living room, consumed by the vari-
Gus Members OF the family whenever the instinct
hunger prompts the POOR and uunutritious
quality and ofttines insufficient quantity of the
food itself and the fact that tea coffee and beer
are freely given even TO the youngest children, IL
lustrate some the difficulties Of the work which
las been undertaken and the inadequacy OF a few
special schools in city Of this size to counteract
sgeh Overwhelming conditions In one Of the public
schools small children have been reported as hav
ing Frequently come school intoxicated, owing TO
TIE quantities Of beer that they were allowed TO
Consume ~ home.
The removal Of some Of these children for a
short time from their unfavorable surroundings
end tie placing Of them under normal. healthful
conditions have resulted I'm an encouraging re-
Eponse on the part of the children TO the con-
oiaons, both as to physical and mental improve
iaent. give ground for belief that many Of
hen may be expected. after or two years
eselal training, 10 make moderate progress IN the
regular grades and develop into useful citizens.
tp 70 this time the lack Of special training for
lts sort Of teaching and Of a thorough knowledge
o. psychology on the part Of many Of the teachers
q The public schools has made It extremely diff
cut for them TO do anything with pupils Of this
A4ad, and. the other hand, the professional
4esen9tog!st Is generally hampered Dy lack OF the
practical experience Of children which the
az teacher must acquire. Add to this the fact
nat the student Of defective children has not the
saFanage Of the experience of other Investigators,
.at must the child his only textbook. and It
!. evident that the difficulties In his path are nu-
,,.sfous and viii have 10 be gradually surmounted.
:. - IoT these reasons that DR. Wilmer purposes
.. - Hain teachers who shall be especially equipped
'ot work IN this field.
.Aot alone the schools but also the streets and
,s Juvenile court. furnish patients for the psyche
slcal clinic, and the doctors and visiting nurses
- - ne poorer sections % The city have unlimited
spportuniues to discover cases for training and ,
''heht' slight charge is made for treatment