The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-08
CLINIC COMES TO END
 OF FIRST YEAR
4,QO0 Children Are Exam ined During Initial
 Test Period


 The first year of the Psychological, or ''Child Study clinic in Birming- hams public schools has been com pleted.
 During the initial period of its oper= ation approximately 4,0O0 children have been examined with group or in- dividual tests, some with both, and classified into sections of more home geneous capacity for school work. This work has proved highly successful, ac- cording to educational heads here, and next year it is planned to enlarge the scope of the branch with the employ ment of an expert psychiatrist.
 Achievements of the child clinic have been largely due to the efforts of Miss Elizabeth V. Dickinson, graduate of the educational clinic of teachers col lege at Columbia university. Appointed as head when the clinic was first or ganized under the department of medi- cal inspection, with Dr. J. s. McLester in charge, she has brought it from vir- tually an unknown venture to where it fills an extremely important niche in the Birmingham educational facilities. Associated with Miss Dickinson in the department is 1. R. Obenchain. She has also been assisted in various phases of thA-work by Dr. John w. Simpson, pediatrician, and Miss Betty Gross, school nurse and social investigator.
 Functions Explained
 In explaining the functions of the clinic, Miss Dickinson says:
 The purpose is to help the child who is maladjusted in the school system in any manner whatever by investigat tion into the causes and history of his diff culties and by cooperation with par ents, psychiatrists, teachers, patients, social workers, or any persons inter- ested in placing him in a more suitable situation for happy, useful living.
 ''The usual procedure for handling cases is somewhat after the following plan. A child is reported by instructor or parent for special study because of certain difficulties arising in his ad- justment to his school environment. The child may be afflicted with rest lessness, apathy or quarrelsome tenden- cies. Most of these brought in for ex- animation are laggards in the class. room, pupils who have repeated semes- ter after semester of the same grade with little improvement in their school work
 The child is first given an. indi- vidual intelligence examination by means of Binet and supplementary tests. Next he is placed in the hands of pediatrician for observation as to his physical condition. In cases of obvious mental disorder, the services of psychiatrist are sought. At pres- ent this service is donated by various private practitioners of the city, be- cause of lack of funds to employ a psychiatrist especial for sckool chil- dren. Children suffering from malnu- triton are placed in nutrition classes fostered by the Anti-Tuberculosis asso- citation. When parents are unable to afford extra portions of milk and school lunches, the child is provided these by the Parent-Teacher~ association and other benevolent agencies.
 Visits Home -.>-s
 After the mental and physIcaI ex animation, the social investigator visits the home and ascertains as well as she can the emotional, hygienic and econ omic conditions of the family. One school, with the aid of the Common wealth Fund of America, employs a wis ltlng teacher to do this service.
 "The school history of the child is also investigated and his principal and teachers consulted about his habits. at titudes and general behavior. From these facts gained in the intelligence. physical. educational and social exam nations a tentative diagnosis is made by the director of instruction for ex ceptlonal children, and a plan of read lustment to his environment begun un- der her supervision.
 At present there are three sneciol classes for exceptional children. two for very gifted and one for very slow. One school has tested all children and di- vlded the pupils into groups moving at various rates. according to mental abil- lty m a multiple track system"
 Miss Dickinson says that persons responsible for the child study clinic would like to have developed something after the fashion of similar Organiza. tions functioning effectively in many progressive school systems of this country. A supervisor of special classes for exceptional children, vocational counsellor. additional social investigat- ors and psychiatrist should be added to the staff as soon as funds can he had for this purpose, she declared,