Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1908-03-18
MEDICAL INSPECTION
OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS
1tracts From The Address of Dr. c. F
YOunt, Recently Delivered Before
The Monday Club in This City.
(From Sundays DAILY

Of the child, no pleasure can exceed il,
and hence II does not seem to be an ex.
euSe for permitting toe school ex.
perience Of the child to be either grind.
ing or monotonous
In a class Of forty children. we NAV
collect the same age and physical con.
ditiops, bat We will not esther together
that many possessing the same mental
aptitude. Many may be deficient in
vocabulary, possessing the knowledge,
but not the power Of expressing III;
Others may be deficient in writing or
arithmetic, and yet excelling in some
other branches. This metnod Of pro.
ducing mashine.made students is very
destructive Of true education. II 1. TO
avoid this maehine'making process that
the psychologist teacher, or the iufiu.
enee Of the trained physician, is no nee.
essary 70 prevent the blnrring or dis.
tortins OF the unfolded mentality.
The true standard Of grading should
be the power Of toe pupil TO FIX and
hold attention on given subject. This
recognition Of attention a. q process Of
mental development seems TO be a zee.
ohdary part Of classification in our
schools. The power Of holding atten.
ton IL very slight In young children
and should, therefore, be the basis Of
their grading. The psychologist tells
us that q child Of ten years can rivet
the attention for no longer than ten
minutes. IL this effect il continued
longer, roe mind wearies and wavsries;
IL persisted in, IL fails TO record the
mental impression. The recognition Of
the limited power OF attention In the
Young child should be, therefore, the
true unit Of school classification, and
this regardless Of the age.of the child
This varying power Of attention Is
associated with such intimate rela
tions, with the beredity OF toe child
aud its environment, that as physicians
We must emphasize the necessity Of re
moving In life the mental and physical
defects found in school children, sc
that they may fall into the proper
sphere for the development Of the very
best power in them. IL ~ only in re-
cent years tina, tne physician had an,
influence in moulding the classification
Of the school child. We should i'm
prove and extend our opportunity.
A trained observer can general,
select the defective children in schoo
after a brief period Of observation
Their mental, physical and nervous In
feriority is usually evident ans unmis
taxable. They are now recognized
type of lesser mental defect or back
wardness, differing from the trnl.
feeble.ninded only in degree OF defee'
The mental dullness in these eases
not sign OF mere arrested develop
ment, but IN caused by some abnormal
i,y of the brain itself. have neve
seen an experienced primary teaehe
who, in practice was not familiar wit
this type of backward eaild. The aver
age teachcr does not fully interpre
the lack Of intellectual development
II il that she may shrink from the III
nal parental indignation and prote'
at the suggestion that the child ma
be defective mentally. The teacher
ant 10 believe tnat the school faliuf
of the pupil is enused by the voluntar
and wilful lack Of attention and ehor
One prominent. symptom may owe
shadow the other characteristic ment'
and physical signs Of the condition; ~
unhappy and bewildered child IS 10
tunate if he does not receive repea'f
reproaeh. and even punishment
school and nj home for failure to a
eomplish that which he is entirely u
capable Of doing. John Spargo sa'
. in "Tbe Bitter Cry Of the Cnildren'
"They become discouraged by the
failures. and, hardened by constant :
buke and taunts Of their brighter col
! panions. finally careless, defiant alt
= pether incorrigible. In many ea'
: they leave school before they are
,eyol age, their leaving welcomed al
I often suggested by the teachers WI
not unnaturally tire of the hindran
70 their work. Yet taey are the We
, children who can least of oil AFFORD
I. miss whatever education they are c"
$ able Of. They, more than Others me-
Z the training Of their minds TO h' 'he
for the battle of life. How can 'n'
a otherwise be expected to earn 'n'
daily bread in the competl"'f '"o
. market. where dullness OF brain mu