The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-11-03
RETARDATION OF PUPILS
DISCUSSED BY W. +. LORIN

speaking on Hetardation Of Pupils
at the meeting or the department q,
superintend ence this morning gupt w
=. Lorfn Of Morton county said:
When one begins TO examine the
causes for the retardation OF prnils
attending the public schools. he IL. 49,,
by an array OF facts that il botf. an
teresting and surprising
But when the remedies are sought
few agree Just how 10 70 about ~
secure TO the pupils in the grades that
elementary learning which ali agree
~ their due and which the laws az
our state expressly state they shall
receive.
BE our boys and girls OF SOUND nina
and PHYSIQUE. deaf. dumb, blind, feeble
MINDED or inccrrigable. the wisdom Of
the FEDERAL government, and our state
law makers Is shown In providing for
them ample facilities for fitting then,
to become good and useful rneubers az
society.
Ignorance, seifiahness and indiffar.
ence on the part of parents mainly
and school officers in part, are burden
ing one-sixth Of our population with
handicap that will prevent tbem
from securing that preparation for lifa
which is the right OF every child ~
the commonwealth.
Let US be broad minded enough 10
get outside OF our own limited expert
ences. and Judge the causes and rerne.
dies OF retardation, as viewed through
the experiences Of others. have given
the subject some thought and study,
and find that revolutionary changes in
the course of study. and In methods
or teaching have been lauded OF late,
as the panacea for ali the ills OF re-
tardation, yet I still believe that at
tendance and punctuality are the main
factors. and the largest by far in scfv-
ing the problem.
Combining myself TO the city schools,
will say: OF fifty school systems
investigated, approximately one out OF
every six Of those attending were re-
peaters, who had to take two years
to do one years work Think of the
waste of the pupils time, as well as
that OF the teacher. III retardation
could have been eliminated in the fif-
ty school systems referred TO. one
sixth OF the time OF the pupils would
have been saved, one teacher In every
six would be dispensed with. and one
sixth of the money spent for schools,
could be devoted to some other good
purpose. Finally let me say on this
point. that the economic Importance
Of regularity and punctualitv is EVIL
dent when one remembers that the
schools showing the smallest proper |
ton OF promotions, also showed the
lowest per cent of attendance.
Causes Of Rabarda4;ar
SINE OF the caurea OF ~eta- $50.
aside from attendance. are: Teach-
ers' health. pupils nealtn, )uD. 80
knowing how to study, indefiniteness. /
lack of medical inspection, outside in
terests 1t Is said that we no longer
separate mind and body in our en-
deavor to educate. We realize that the
body acts upon the mind, and the mind
reacts upon the body. A sound well
mind in weak body is an
anomaly. The human mind and body
are co-existent and so far as we know.
10 not exist apart from each other.
The old Grecian ideal OF q beautiful
mind in beautiful body is a condi-l
ion that any teacher might endeayorI
70 realize. In civics and health. Mrs.
Allen puts 1t well when he saws.
Without protest and without notice Il
until too late. teachers often neglect
heir own health, at home and atl
'chool, carelessly overwork, under
'leep, and undernourish, ruin their
yes, ruin their digestion, and ruin
heir nerves. Many teachers do not
eaaize that vitality and exercise are
omplements OF each other In the
chool room. That teacher who ex-
the joy OF a cheerful. happy
md interested in her work. Is in a |
arge degree solving the problem OF
etardation in her department. Il
Poor Health Responsible.
School records show that much az
he irregular attendance on the part
( the pupils is due to poor health.
nd their retardation in the grades Is | /,
ue to similar causes Medical in !,
pection OF schools is one of the live /,
objects which Is receiving the at
ention Of educators and school ON
ers, but more especially in the cities.
Is now nearly twenty Ave years !.
lnce medical inspection first began In
ne United States, and up to the pres
Mt, about 500 towns and cities have
dopted this method OF combating in
art the evil consequences of retarda- /
on. r
The death rate In the city of New !