Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-10-15
GIVES DEFECTIVE
PUPILS NORMAL
UNDERSTANDING
Wonderful Work of Miss Ander.
son, Who Succeeds in Cases
Considered Hopeless.

Miss Meta Louise Anderson, super
visor of the classes for defective chill
dren in the Newark schools, is un-
usually well equipped to assume charge
of this important work, and her ex-
perience has been such as to insure
the best possible results in the forma-
ton and maintenance of these new
classes in this city.
Miss Anderson was graduated from
the Babylon High School in 1896 and
took a course at the Jamaica State
Normal School, graduating in 1902. She
followed this up with a postgraduate
course at the Summer School at Nine-
land in this State finished the
work in 1908.
It was at this time that she de-
termined to devote her attention espe-
cially to children who were in the de-
fective class, and she accordingly took
a special course in the education OF
backward ohildren al the New York
University. She remained here from
1908 until 1910. In the meantime she
had been teaching for three years IN
the elementary classes for defective
children. and upon leaving the New
York University she Immediately 0
up the work in its advanced courses
and for seven years she followed this
special work with the greatest sue
cess.
She Formerly Taught in New York.
She had charge of classes at West
Babylon and in New oYrk city, and
her last position before coming to New
ark was at Public School No. %, which
was regarded as the most difficult
situation in the field of'defeetiVe classes
in the entire city.
When the oBard of Education decided
to establish the classes for defective
children in this city it became a dill
cult problem to determine just who was
the best suited to take hold of the
work. Miss Anderson's success with
such classes was known to the board,
but it was a difficult matter to persuade
her to come to this city, as she was
devoted to her classes in New YORK
and disliked to leave them. She hnally
consented to assume charge of the for-
nation of the classes in this city, and
the board has been congratulated from
all sides upon being able to secure her
services. Several other cities have tried
from time to time to get her 10 DO
similar work. but she has been loath
to leave the field of her operations.
Henry Herbert Goddard, Phi. D., di-
rector of the New Jersey Training
School for Predetermined Girls and
Bows, at Vineland, said in a letter to
the board that he knew of no n who
was so well qualified to undertake the
work as Miss Anderson, and that her
success in the teaching of backward
children had been remarkable.
The Board of Education of New York
! wrote a letter to Superintendent Poland
that was equally as positive in its as
sertions, and the statement was made
that Miss Anderson had accomplished
more than probably any other teacher
could in handling certain classes OF
backward children in that city. Chill
dren who had been given up as almost
hopeless were. under her system of
training, brought up to a standard that
had not been thought possible, and
many of them were ultimately able to
take a place in the ordinary classes.
Her work thus rar in Newark indicates
that the classes that were recently
formed here will doubtless solve the
problem of defective children that has
so long been a stumbling block in our
local schools,
Many VIII TO 10 heEuihr Siasses.
The first of the classes for backward
children was started this week and by
the latter part of next week all of the
five classes will be opened. AS fast as
necessary additional glasses Will be es-
| tablished and under the direction of
Miss Anderson it is expected that by
next spring many of the children will
he qualified to go into the regular
classes and continue their studies on
the same footing as other children of
their age.
The Board of Education is very much
gratihed at the progress that has al
ready been made, and it has been made
very apparent that Newark was eX-
tremely fortunate in being able to Sc
cure the services of Miss Anderson in
organizing these classes and in re-
tanning her to supervise them.