Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-10
GIFTED CHILD
NEEDS SPECIAL
SCHOOL COURSE
Talented Children Suffer From
Lack of Adequate Training
Along Natural Lines.
NEW SYSTEM IS NEEDED
BY FREDERIC j. HAsKIN

idea which is gaining recognition in this
country.
In Germany, it appears, it has been
fully recognized. American educators
are studying the German system of
schools for gifted pupils. The Bureau
Of Education is giving special attention
to the problem In a few American cities
tentative efforts have been made to
establish special schools or classes for
the gifted.
The argument for such schools is this
Among school children is a certain per-
centage who are highly and specifically
gifted. They are the children who will,
or at least may, become artists, writers,
composers. original scientific investiga
tors, leaders in various lines. They rep
resent nothing less than the future ere
alive power Of the race and of the nation.
1t is the work Of such people that makes
a civilization. The rest merely carry on
what the creators start.
Surely, then, these children are worthy
Of special attention. Surely an intelli-
gent nation will make every effort to
find them out and help them along. Yet
this has never been done in this coun-
try.
1t is useless to pretend that the reg
ular school course is suited to the gifted
child. 1t is necessarily adapted to the
average child. The gifted child usually
suffers in two ways. In the first place
he does not take to the slow and plod-
ding routine Of it, and in the second
place be gets no adequate training in
his special line. The boy with a gift for
drawing, for instance. is punished for
making a cartoon of the teacher In the
hack Cf hts hapE v-bnp 40 should "a
studying algebra. But If a school sys-
tenn knew how to use its human mate
rial, this boy would at once to be put
in an art class, and he would not be
forced to take a great deal Of mathemat-
les. which perhaps he could neither use
nor comprehend.
Underfed and tubercular children are
placed IN outdoor schools in many cities,
and given suitable attention. The alb
normally dull child Is cared for In a
special class. where his case is studied
and he is taught as an individual, so
that what powers he has may develop
In an ordinary schoOlroom these types
are unable 10 conform TO conditions, and
are a constant worry to the teacher.
SO they are provided for in most city
schools But the bright child. who is
just as much In need Of special atten-
rion. and so much better worth 1t, is
usually disregarded.
The German Idea IS to have the chill
dren who seem brightest TO their teach
ers observed for two years and given
tests by a board Of examiners and school
uperlntendeuts. Those who do no.
seem promising during the trial years
are dropped from the competition and
put back with the regular pupils. The
survivors are then sent 10 O school for
gifted pupils and divided into classes,
those who wish a classical course. ana
those who are more Interested in a course
with modern languages as a basis.
All this is purely academic. The
pupils are taught the usual high schooi
subjects. but the course Is enriched, and
adapted TO their superior mentality.
Many OF them, presumably, Will use the
training as a foundation for university
work and become writers, scientists and
statesmen.
This plan has been tried out In Berlin
now for three years. In the main 1t is
considered successful. and 1t is being ex-
tended to different parts OF the country.
The difficulties are in details-the basis
on which candidates should be selected,
and the character Of the training to be
given them.
1t Is interesting to note that the de-
slrables are chosen by intelligence ana
psychological tests. Germany has al
ways been n country where education
progressed from one examination to an
other examination-all fact tests. The
new measurement is entirely different.
The various cities have their own tests,
but in one city which is'probably typical
such points az attention, memory, imagI-
nation. thinking ability. expression
through languages, susceptibility to IA
t!gue, disposition end will ana power OF
observation.
GOOD IN ONE LINE
SHOULD BE SEPARATED.
The schools for the all-around bright
children have suggested a need for a
similar system OF segregatlng those who
are particularly good at one thing
or drawing, or physics. This
type is now being provided for in some
German cities with the idea of develop
ing talents of those who may distinguish
themselves in artistic or scientific pur-
suits
Such children may not be accounted
good students, but II they show soma
talent they are given examination in their
line OF interest by board of school Off
cials and specialists in art, electricity,
or whatever the subject may be. II the
result warrants training, they are sent
to a school for gifted pupils and given
every opportunity to blossom out
This certainly looks like conservation
Of brains, but it is too soon to tell
whether It will prove a good Investment
for the State. That viii depend partly
on the method Of conducting the schools
and partly on the pupils themselves. If
the candidates are selected fairly and
by sensible tests it should be possible to
sort out the best pupils. And II the
schools do fit the course to the individual
Instead Of following the accepted rule
Of shaping the childs mind to at the
course, the graduates turned out should
be superior to the usual standard product
Of modern school system.
1t is well known, however, that not
all promising children develop into bril-
liant men and women, even when advan-
tages are given them. What is taken
for unusual intelligence in a child of IL
may be an extra good memory with
little sense of reasoning or judgment
back Of 1t. This has been shown again
and again in the child prodigies who
are always being exploited. At years
they recite Latin odes and talk half a
dozen languages. At II they are ready
for college and confound gray-haired
professors with their erudition. But at
% you do not hear Of their being elected
to Congress or startling the world with
new theories, or writing the great Ameri-
can novel. This difficulty should be