Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09

intellectual stimulation to make them
normal.
x
An instance of this kind was OF boy
who had ability but after an illness,
an atypical school, where he was eager
to do each OF the different things the
children about him were doing. and he
wished to do everything at once. The
teacher gave him material and instruc-
tons about making d basket. lie sat
idle for "A long while and when asked
why he did not measure off his spokes
said he couldn't, as they must be fourteen
inches and his ruler was but twelve
inches. little patience and directing
on the teachers part helped him to speed
lily overcome his weakness and he was
returned to his class In the graded
schools.
Other children who are defective physi-
cally need the attention Of physician
and psychologist before il is possible to
get at their intelligence. And still
others are so defective morally that it
is a moot question whether IL would not
be better to segregate them In home
school where they would spend more
time with their teachers and where there
would be less opportunity of their habits
being initiated
No sharp line can be drawn between
the dullard and the genius. There is a
slow graduation in intellect. from the
normal to either extreme. While investi-
CATION shows that at birth one-half OF
one per cent OF human beings are aside
from the normal type. the majority nave
normal capacty. Necessity or incina-
ton usually leads to development along
special lines to the neglect of others.
For example, most adults know less OF
botany or rawing than the average ten
year-old child in the graded schools.
rrl. hn naf.ifN these
studies, but time or inclination Is lack
ing and along these lines their develop
ment Is retarded.
Among children the cause of retarded
development is often slight and disas-
trous only because it is not discovered.
defect III hearing or seeing, which 10
one suspects, may brand a boy or girl
a dullard. Even if the defect is distov-
cred by ,hc medical examiner the teach
~ has no authority To have II corrected
and tie child drops behind in his studies.
An Interesting case iii point is on record
os "a boy W 10 could not be taught to spell
He was ii iSht and industrious, yet was
obliged IL spend two or more years IN
each grade because of his poor spelling.
Wher lie was abou' fourteen years of age
a teacher who was very fond of him took
him to a psychologist for an eXamina-
ton. defect of vision was found. At
a distance of a few feet the boy saw
everything d. uble, and he could not di
rect both eyes to the same point at the
same time. the one looking little lower
,l.an the other In consequence print
ed l,a.r was blur to him. lie was fitted
" it'll glasses and later operated upon.
liter whIcl, he progressed rapidly in his
studies bat his spelling was not i'm
proved. The psychologist. however. was
able 10 explain the cause and to sug-
gest the ,medy.
There IS & whole class of defects. which
il is difficult for even Il trained psycholo-
ciSt to trace to their causes. These de-
fects, usually arise from nerve LESSONS
which affect the motor, senSory or asso-
ciative areas of the brain and produce
the extreme subnormal type of child.
This. child. whose development is retard-
ed along many lines through incapacity,
whose Nous system Is sluggish. who
exerts himself mentally or physically only
under strong external stimulus, is not