Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-18
AS ONE WOMAN SEES IT
Physical Indications Are Not Always
Conclusive as to Mental and Moral
Qualifications, as Many Illus
trations Prove
Ry SARAH u, IONRIE

Y
BY SARAH u. LOWRIE
rr,IIp nr;nc;no, ~ ono of Tho big pnblic
.ahnain 10 go, ,ras roio.;na an orneri-
cncs With an ~ eTnnrt who had been allowed
enee VIII an eAperS wnS % %uau r,n,arv chill
- . i IT,; In SUI Va ,h H. ~ nhvs-
ursh ,oL long see N.Y. a.ons 'ne I'ues asrittod 70
ii @ ain,ssls. SIS L,,5Aay "as dhi,dren and
Fun, 'ts. tt sum Int r;nh at 80 onns that he
tho tbo,n ,he 10. pitn o9' .hg 5Wy IT signs OF
Delhs mentally uhng shGnorna, h,s rnn,,,s nort,v by
measurement nsrtly nv classification Of
features sbanes of head size Of hands,
manner of walking and tests az TO reaction
of muscles. etc. He had IL all in a book and
illustrated with outline drawings, marked
A, r, c.
He picked ont as stunid some very stupid
children and some vcrv bright ones and some
neither bright nor stupid and placed them
70 the teachers; vast bnt secret amagement
in a class npart for further testing on yet
another dny.
The other cbildrcn Immediately caught on
and dubbed them ''the lummies,i' greatly to
the indirnation Of The smart ones among
them. and greatly 70 the wrath Of their par
ents when tbev Arrived home 70 tell their
tale. On raacbinp bis dosk tho next day the
principal was met by score or more Of ex-
cited mothers demandino that tbcir offsprine
be released from the ignominy of the dun
class instanter TbcS nrodmcod marks and
testimonials from adm;rino tcachers 70 nroyc
their cnse that their children we're in most
instances ahead. not behind in their grades.
and In spite OF the cxpcrt's Testimony as 70
craniuns and set of nves or tilt Of nose or
fap of oars. tho nr;nc;no, fe,t The mothers
had a good case and forthwith pursed the
dun class of some Of it's most perfect
ing them to shine as heads Of their classes
in their various rooms. The theoretical ex-
pert left disgruntled.
pUT things are not always what they
- SEEM even 70 the more experl-
enced eye of an old practitioner. | once saw
a doctor hurriedly jotting down notes on
what l supposed was the sermon in church.
I asked him about il later. for had not
thought the sermon worth listening to, much
less jotting down. He said he had been
picking out the persons Mi about him who
were physically degenerate or had nil the
face marks of a psychosis Of some kind or
other or had marked criminal characteristics
| in the shane of their heads or the relation
! Of their features. He remarked that they
were not degenerate mentaIly-probably or
| criminals or insane. But IL he had been
treating patients In an insane asylum or in
| psycopathic ward or in the police courts
| pIete outward witness of their inward plight
than the perfectly sane persons showed here
| ana there IN that congregation in church.
| All OF which went to prove, he concluded.
| that persons who had marks of degeneracy
| were NOT OF necessity degenerate, or persons
| VINO showed signs or a psychosis were not
| therefore, psychopathlc. But Il did look. he
thought, as though we were all buit in pat.
| terms, so that II man with criminal skull
| or hand or face characteristics went insane
| " would be along the line Of his pattern.
|
| TT is all very relieving to those Of us who
| / have ewes set close topotber that We need
| not be liars any more than those who hive
| little mouths need TO be stippv. especialIy n
| we are taken Young enough and our action
| so 10 speak-is reversed
was very much interested. "a we're some
| twelve or so other women M Mrs Arthur
Sewall's the other morning listening n the
| report of the clinic for backward md sub-
i r.. ] .nia' w, WI arTlng.oh oinic,
etaff have bsen oord,ot,ns ''"'''i' anu MS
| The;r thaorr IN ot srhnnrn,,, ,;, No.. H.
{, ,nany casns - bra;oaI aa,ae S.s"' ~ ".e y:
rerv ynnng cb;Idran 80 ,.;naI HnI" II. u.
Ienst nsrtiellv bv nh va;coi ror,ed;ns '' has as
49, t"LoI ~ ~ reLneuleS. mas mas
teachers IN The nnhi;c sohool" ,,t y a.ia at
tba narents nf tbaIr hanSUord "o nr nave so1
children n take Them % tbe c,in;c Co. "H;,' a;
ognosia ond for troatnno,t ~'N'S ''' Va
"s"o''' anu LUZ 'ca.nIen''
| -r,,, .,
IniE cases rePor'eu on the othcr morning
70 me women interested in supporting
the clinic came under hve distinct heads. al
| though to the ordinary observer the back
| wnrdness or the children did not materially
differ in any one Of the five classes.
That IS, the child that was being poisoned
by an intestinal st0ppag" and the child that
was not secreting the proper alkalis or acids
or the child whose glands were not function
ing or were functioning too rapidly. the
child with too large heart for his body o,
| with TOO small heart, ana the child Will
poor chest development and poor breathing
capacity might all be backward children ant
II not rescued from their physical handcaps
might in time be hopeesSly retarded men
tally; but to the tests OF the laboratory ant
the clinic doctors. the signs Of the plight o.
each little body might be as different az th,
color of their eyes and the shape Of thei
nose.
,D,,, ,.,,
TNiEhE shouiu pe Such "nnic in ever!
i school, or rather thrr" should he thor
ongh physical examination of every chill