The Washington times., 1920-09-04
Rather Cooks
Than Culture

onions without making an
odor all over the neiohbor-
hood 10 really more important than
teaching her how. when and where
Washington crossed the Delaware,
according to DR.. Gladys q. Ide, the
new associate superintendent OF the
board OF education OF Philadelphia,
in charge OF special classes.
Dr. Ide is connected with the psy-
choIogi zeal clinic OF the University
OF Pennsylvania. which Is doing ex-
perlmentsl work with the children
Of the Newton School OF Practice
conducted by the board OF education
of Philadelphia.
1t Is a fsllscy. DR.. Ide explained.
that psychologists do not want chill
dren taught to read and write, but
there are some children who will
never be able to read and write.
"If a child does not learn these
things before he is ten years old the
chances are he will not learn at all.
and yet he must be kept In school
untif he is sixteen. How much bet
ter to teach him things that Will
help make his life happier and more
useful! BY useful do not mean
only from a money pofnt OF view.
The Job of the psychologist In edu-
cation Is to discover the abnormal
child. either unusually bright or un-
usually dull. and after careful In
vestigation discover what Is the
best way to train that child for life.
BEST OPPORTUNITY TO EACH.
"Of course, II 10 well for every
body to know how to write. spell
and figure enough to enable them to
able TO write a love letter even if
they spell love. l-u-v. But aside
from this, it is better to understand
the needs of the Individual child.
1t is not a question OF giving each
child the same opportunity. but Civ
ing each the best opportunity. This
is the true spirit of democracy"
As a demonstration of the work
of the clinic. Doctor Ide introduced
two little chaps who were found In
the first grade. Neither can speak
English. They came from Jeru-
salem three months ago and are
suffering from malnutrition. One
Is aged nine and Is the size of the
average seven-year-old boy; the
other, who is the size of a Ave year
old boy, is really seven. These
children were houndering around
in the class of children getting no.
where, because they could not un-
derstand what was required OF
them.
INHERENTLY INTELLIGENT.
Doctor Ide had tried to induce
one to drink glass Of milk, and
almost had a pitched battle as
result. With the patient work OF
the psychologist 1t was discovered
that the only difficulty was the
children did not have their hats
on. They belong to an obscure
Jewish sect who never eat with
glass of milk every day now with
his ragged cap perched on his head
These two children were discovered
to be inherently intelligent only
suffering from circumstances. They
can accomplish the tests which do
not require spoken directions. In
other words they Mt blocks into
different shaped holes with speed
and understanding.
Psychological methods Will un-
doubtedly be used in connection
with school work more and more in
the future" said Doctor lde.
The teacher does not have time to
give attention to the minority or
the individual. That is the psychol-
ogIsts business. We aim to put
everything into the school to make
life worth while for this minority.
to make them not only good citi-
zens, but happy ones" said Doctor
lido