The Washington times., 1914-11-04
Experts TO Discuss
Child Mental Test
Special Child Club Believes That Education Should
Be Prefaced by Examination to Determine
Whether or Not The Are Exceptional.

The psychology of the backward
or retarded pupil in the Washing
ton schools is given exhaustive at
tention by members of the Special
Child Club.
This organization, composed
mainly of the teachers of the "un-
graded" and "atypicaP schools of
the city subscribes to the belief
that the education of every child
| should be prefaced by a mental
test, to discover whether he is ex-
ceptional.
They have arranged for series
of public meetings this Winter at
which the problem WiH be dis
cussed by experts.
By KENDRICK SCoFIELD.
Every childfs education should be
prefaced by mental examination.
Just as prospective pupils in the
Washington schools today are re-
quired to present a certificate Of vac
cination, SO should they undergo a
series Of brain tests before they are
assigned to any general grade, so
2 that provision may be made for any
/ l.>f1 fhA IND; I;xy;I,
| may possess.
Rather a large order for the Wash
ington school officials to fill? 1t is.
| And the folk who advocate the plan,
| admit it. They even agree that in a
! city SO large as Washington, the es-
7, tablishment of such a departure
! would be well nigh impossible. And
yet, they argue, that with such a
| basis as the mental examination
| would give them, a great deal might
| be made possible of accomplishment
children than can now be done; for
+, they are the members of the Special
! Child Club" an organization made up
principally of instructors in the city's
| .'ungraded," and 'atypicar' schools,
together with medical men and wom-
en-, as we'll as others who are interest
ed in charities and corrections.
Organization of Club.
| The origin of the Special Child Club
dates back to the time when the pub
| lie school officials of Washington
| discovered the since widely accepted
! fact that children are not construc-
ted by a standard rule and line. Be-
fore that every grade had it's dull
ard and it's pupils who were kept
back. But when it became apparent
l,,ll
ards were suffering from some defi-
mite mental defect, the schools made
some especial provision for their
education. and the ungraded and su-
called "atypicar' schools came into
being, to the end and aim that the
odds and ends among the pupils who
entered the schools might be given
! corrective courses. and also in cases
| where there could be no correction.
| lines of study by which they might
| be benefited.
Supervising Principal Walter B.
Patterson was one of the pioneers in
the work among the exceptional
| children. and it was through his er-
forts that the Special Child Club was
formed, among the teachers of the
ungraded and atypical schools and
| others who realized that the child
who does not conform to any special
| standard is a heavy problem to the
educators.
Has Membership of Forty.
Today the club has a membership
| of about forty, and plans this year
to hold four meetings at the Public
! Library, and a fifth monster meet
| ing, to which all of the teaching
corps of the schools will be invited
| to listen to a lecture to be delivered
by one of the experts from Vineland,
| n. j.. where is located, perhaps. the
largest institution in the country en-
! gagged in the education of defective
| children.
Since its establishment several
] years ago. the club has invited many
lecturers here 10 discuss the treat
ment of exceptional children. DR.. f.
| r. Johnston and DR.. Henry Goddard,
| of Vineland: DR.. A. E. Winship, of
the Boston School Journal: DR.. Maxi
| -millian Grossman, also an authority,
! ana many other men of note. have
appeared before the organization
At a recent election of the club. Miss
Mabel A. RObey. who. in addition to
| her duties as teacher. conducts the
! psychological laboratory of the un-
/ graded schools, was elected presi-
! dent; Miss Mabel Peabody, vice presi-
| dent. and Mrs. Slarrow, secretary
! and treasurer.
| Miss Robev has already collected
| the nucleus of q psychological labora-
tory, equipped at present with Il
spirometer, for measuring lung ca
| pacity. n stadiometer TO measure
height dinamometer to show the
strength of child, as We'll as the
machinery for giving purely mental
| tests.
Explains Clubs Aims.
In speaking of the aims of the club.
Miss Robey said: This winter we
| want to do all we can to gain a
better understanding of the psychol-
ogy of the retarded or defective
child. Most retarded children stand
still for two and sometimes three
years. They can be studied.
"If child shows a defect during