Evening star., 1924-09-28

below the grades in which they are
found With children in every school
thus far tested SO misplaced that on
the average 25 per cent are in
grades too low, and 16 per cent in
grades too high. The need for a
continuance Of intelligence and
standardized achievement tests until
all schools are reclassified is an
| urgent need"
Miss La Sales report is doubly in
teresting in view of the action last
week of the Board of Education in
reaffirming its approval of the psy-
chology tests. AS the department of
educational measurement and re-
| search Is expanded under the present
plan, every pupil in the schools will
be given an intelligence test and re-
has approved the expansion of the
mental testing as far as finances will
permit
10000 Given Tests.
The tests were first introduced on
a large scale in selected group of
schools last year and were admin
lstered to more than 10000 children.
preliminary work in scientific educa-
tlonal measurement had been carried
on in the schools for several years
previous. under the direction of Rob
ert L. Haycock and J. c. Bruce. No
steps were taken to group the chill
dren homogeneously as the result of
these tests, however, until Miss La
Sale undertook the work as a per-
manent part of the school program.
Inc three classes in which the chill
oren are grouped as a result Of the
mental tests are rapid, normal and
slow. The slow children are placed
IN opportunity classes, smaller in size
than the usual classes, so that more
individual attention can be given by
the teacher and an adoption of cur
riculum made. Two such classes were
organized at the Dennison School last
year, one at the Eaton and another
at the Wheatley.
Says CAasseS Prove Boon.
The formation Of these classes has
proved a boon to all concerned. ac-
cording to Miss La Sale. These chill
dren who have suffered the discour-
agement and humiliation that came
from stand failure" she said, are
gaining confidence in themselves and
are taking prominent parts in school
room exercise. For the first time in
their school career they are knowing
the joy of success.
The District schools are pretty we'll
taking care of the average or nor
mai ChllC, MISS La Sale continued in
her report, but little is being done
for the rarely gifted talented chill
dren and for the dull. surely" re-
marks Miss La Sale, "a democratic
education should provide for all it's
children according to their capaci-
ties and needs instead of attempting
TO make all conform to the type and
pace of the middle average group"
The prevalent policy of classify
ing as atypical those children who
are only dull and placing them with
distinctly feeble minded children,
Miss La Sale said, would better be
replaced by policy of keeping the
atypical schools enrolment limited
to its present lower range and max
ing provision for those who now fall
In the upper quartile within build
inss in their own districts.
Objection. Raised.
Parents of dull children and chill
dren themselves object to the place
ment in atypical schools, not only
because a stigma has come to be
tinues, but because of distance to
them and the placement of such
classes in old buildings in undesir-
able locations.
'-Three hundred of these dull chill
dren are found in the Cooke Ross,
Morgan and Dennison Schools,
enough to fill an entire building,
whereas conditions in such schools
as Smaliwood Bowen show even
greater numbers of these children