Evening star., 1915-12-26

older child comes to the atypical school
the tests are begun at the three-year
class and continued as far as he is able
to answer intelligently. He is credited
all of the tests and a year is added for
each five tests passed at a higher level.
If twelve-year-old child cannot go be-
yond the seven-year tests his mental
the work of the seven-year normal
child he will continue at that age level,
though he should live to be fifty.
The most frequent mental age seems
to be nine years. though quite a num-
Der belong to the twelve-year group.
This Is the highest grade of atypical
children. They can go no higher. If they
are .ia able to pass the tests for thirteen
that they are not atypical, but only
slow or backward. and there is hope
of helping them to catch up to their
The pupils Of the twelve-year mental
level do the best work Their physical
age runs from fourteen to twenty, and
under direction these pupils may go
out from the schools and do many
things with their hands by which they
may maintain themselves, but they can
not act independently. Their reasoning
powers are insufficient to allow them
to look after their business affairs
properly.
While 1t is impossible to supply miss
ing mentality through any course of
training. many individuals who are de-
ncaens tsat.,,,en mentally may be made useful to
trained under conditions that are diff
cult to procure at home or in the regu-.
lar schools. They may be taught to
care for themselves properly and to
feel an interest in sharing the work
Of the community. The training must
be largely manual, fitting them for
household duties and shop work. This
turns their energies into useful, happy
fh1
ful ones into which they slip through
idleness.
Blackboards and desks are the only
evidences of kinship these schools bear
toward the ordinary ones, for in all
else they most resemble a combination
OF shops and playrooms. They are all
most attractive. Flowers and plants
abound: beautiful pictures and working
materials Of every description give
the classrooms their cozy appearance
Typewriters, carpet looms, work
benches. baskets of every imaginable
shape and sile. pottery, needlework,
knitting and crocheting are mixed in
with globes, charts and maps, and all
may be found in one room, along with
wood carving, metal work. embroidery.
sewing and millinery. In fact, there is
almost every form Of handwork that
the teachers interest and ingenuity can
devise to keep the children happy and
busy
Dissected maps. puzzles, cut-outs
blocks, worsteds and kindergarten pa
per work all have their place in the
odd curriculum. Basketry. cobbling,
chair Gaming, copper and brass work.
domestic science (for both boys and
girls il they want IT., dramatization,
drawing, school gardens, geography.
history. languages English for for
eigners), exercises for defective speech,
spelling. leither work, millinery, music,
nature study, number work, nurses
school, raffia work. penmanship, physi-
cal training. physical and psychological
tests, reading, sense training, sewing,
shop work, toys, typewriting, weaving,
wood carving anu Venetian iron work.
etc.
ALI Of these schools have remarkable
exhibits of work made by the children,
and 1t was a noticeable fact that the
finest school exhibit Of handwork sent
to the San Francisco exposition was
that made by the atypc schools.
and their array o. p.iskcts, sleds,
benches. stools, boxes, shelves. cabi-
nets. rugs. mats, lace, copper work and
pottery is well worth seeing They
can likewise make garments and pre-
pare good meals. yet they would not
know how to make an estimate of a
simple order or make out bill for
work done without aid. But within
their. limitations their capacity for
useful service is great, since the con-
slant repetition gives a sort of auto
matte precision.
Though in every one of the schools a
little bed Is kept in readiness for an
emergency, it is simply an emergency
precaution. for the care of sick children
is not included in the school plan. Most
of the schools use these beds, as they
do at the Morse. for the instruction Of