The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-01-29
Frederic Haskin's Lette,
Special Schools for Gifted Children.
4Sesaal oseFsspooAsso & n Asvusl

S0SC10l SCHOOLS I
Washington. D. c., Jan. 2S.-That
the gifted child needs . special
kind of schooling, just as much as
the detective child, II he u to reach
his full usefulness. is an idea which
is gaining recognition in this coun-
try. s.
In Germany. 1t 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 . 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 percentage who are high
ly and specifically gifted. They are
the children who will, or at least
may, become artists. writer's. COM
posers, original scientific, investi-
gators, leaders in various lines.
They represent nothing less than
the future creative. power Of the
race and Of the nation. 1t is the
work OF such people that makes a
civilization. The rest merely car
ry out what the creators start.
Surely, then, these children are
worthy Of special attention. Surely
an intelligent nation will make
every effort to find them out and
help them along. Yet this has
never been done in this country.
1t is useless to pretend that the
regular 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 plodding
routine of it, and in the second
place he gets no adequate training
in his special line. The boy with
gift for drawing. for instance, is
punished for making cartoon of
the teacher in the back of his book
when he should be studying alge-
bra. But if school system knew
how to use its human material,
this boy would at once be out in
an art class, and he would not be.
forced to take a great deal of math-
ematics, which perhaps he could
neither use nor comprehend.
Underfed and tubercular children
are placed in outdoor schools in
many cities, and given suitable at
tention. The abnormally 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 school room these
types are unable to conform to
conditions. and are constant wor-
nv to the teacher. So they are pro-
vided for in most city schools. But
the bright child. who is just as
much in need of special attention.
and so much better worth it, is
usually disregarded.
The German idea is to have the
children who seem brightest to
their teachers observed and given
tests by a board OF examiners 9nd
school superintendent. Those Who
do not seem promising during the
trial years are dropped from the
competition and put back with the
regular pupils. The survivors are
then sent to a school for gifted pu-
pills and divided into classes, those
who wish a classical cour3e and
those who are more interested in
a course with modern language as
a basis.
All this is purely academic. The
pupils are taught the usual high
school subjects. but the course is
enriched, and adapted to their SUI
perior mentality. Many Of them.
presumably. will use the training
as foundation for university work
and become writer's. Scientists and
statesmen.
This plan has been tried out in
Berlin now for three years. In the
main it is considered successful.
and it is being extended to differ
ent parts Of the country. The diff
culties are in details-the basis on
which candidates should be select
ed and the character Of the train
ing to be given them.
II is interesting to note that the
desirables are chosen by intelli-
gence and psychological tests. Ger
many has always been a country
where education progressed from
one examination to another exam
ination-all fact tests. The new
measurement is entirely different.
The various cities have their own
tests, but in one city which is prob
ably typical the candidate is gaug-
ed according to such points as at
tention memory, imagination. think
ing ability, expression through Ian
guage. susceptibility to fatigue. dis
position and will, and power of OBJ
servation.
Developing Talents.
The schools for the all-round
bright children have suggested
need for a similar system Of seq
those who are particular
~ good at one thing-mathematics,
or drawing, or physics. This type
is now being provided for in some