The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-09
SPECIAL CLASSES
DEBATED BY SCHOOL HEADS
AT ROUND TABLE SESSION.
DR.. Poland and others Favor Individual
instruction for Backward
Pupils.

Principals and supervisors Of the
local schools, with superintendent
Addison B. Poland, assembled in the
lecture room of the Board of Educa-
ton yesterday afternoon to discuss the
project of instituting a number of
special classes for individual instruc-
ton of pupils who, while not mentally
unbalanced or imbecile, were yet so
mentally deficient as to be unable to
profit by ordinary school instruction.
Several principals told of cases existing
in their schools where pupils were so
backward that they never advanced
beyond the first or second grade, and all
agreed that the forming of such classes,
to be known as "~ciasses for individual
instruction" would be of benefit, both to
the children and to the community. In
opening the discussion DIR. Poland said.
With these children, who are not
imbeciles, but only mentally deficient, IL
you can provide the right stimulus it
VIII produce some growth. For cases of
this sort you would be surprised to learn
how little is known. Specialists cannot
always tell why these children are lack
ing. The most probable cause is that
they have good brains, but the brains do
not go. And we car do much to make
them 60" DR.. Poland added h a city
of 100000 persons was a large enough
community to maintain a sufficient num-
Der of such classes.
Remarks as to conditions in their schools
were made by Principals Elmer X. Sex
ton, Thomas j. Bissell, Robert A. Nc
Donald, 70, K. Blake, DIR. William ].
Eckhoff and Edward Hoeneman.
DR.. Poland placed emphasis on the fact
mai these classes would be for children
who could be helped, and not for those
VINO were beyond assistance, and who be-
longed in Institutions. The crowded con-
ditions at the Vineland Institution were
discussed, and Principal Bissell told of
efforts which had been made to get a
little Belmont avenue boy admitted there.
He said that he had received a letter from
the superintendent, stating that there were
10 names on the waiting list. He told OF
a case where a boys application papers
were forwarded two years ago, and who
is in his own home. Mr.. Bissell Their told
of a boy who did succeed in getting
in. and who was wonderfully changed
after a years attendance; a fine example
of what could be done by Individual Ia.
struction.
Mr.. Bissell then spoke of the crowded
conditions In his school, saying the half
day classes impaired the progress Of pu.
E NN1 VI 0tANh h0iu pupils III III
Charlton Street School can be laid to tn,
Board of Education said he. II ma,
have one or two mentally deficient chill
dren In my school. but the rest, who are
kept back by halliday classes, do no
count. ! don't want to hear the moss
grown argument that short sessions are
good for Them DR.. Eckhoff, who was tn,
original starter OF the subject, prior t,
the State Teachers Association meeting
in Atlantic City, gave a number of figures
taken about three years ago, as to thu
number of mentally deficient children II
the city. The numbers greatly differed
owing to the difference in the standard
of the principals.
1t was stated that all of the children
institutions In the State were overcrowded
Edgar s. Pitkin. Of the State Street School
told OF a letter which he had received a
one time from the superintendent Of tn.
State School for the Deaf and Dumb, ii
which he said that the school was Sc
crowded that children were sleeping in tn,
corridors, n that there were eighteer
on the waiting list