New Britain herald., 1926-10-12

pital because Of behavior disorders with the conduct of children of Philadelphia elite who played in Rit- tenhoUse Square and awarded the more favorable opinion to those in the mental hospital.
 Factors in Mental Health
 Dr. Streckcr has analysed tho fac tors that constitute the mental health of a child. The environment or surroundings in which the child is being reared must naturally be considered in relation 10 it's conduct
 Sometimes the limitations of these surroundings are such that abnor- mality is the only logical response. Certainly he conduct Of the child under such circumstances cannot be considered other than normal. since it has made the natural reply 10 the stimuli that have been placed upon it.
 A child who is not doomed by reason of a badly tainted ancestry. and who is placed in q satisfactory environment, will respond first of all by motion in is play and in it's work. A child who is too quiet and too unlikely 10 move around should be studied as to it's mental health.
 Initiative Faculty
 The normal child also exercises the initiative faculty 10 a reat cX- tent. Through this faculty it learns 10 speak and to repeat the activities of its elders. Curiosity, as Dr. S'rcckcr points out, is common and essential trait of all children. with the possible exception of the idiot.
 Almost every male parent" he says, "whcn he is the subject Of m"rci"ss barrago Of questions from his offspring. believes that the child is abuormalIy curious. Almost never is he right"
 Dr. Streckcr has never seen a child whose curiosity was so excess sive as 10 be abnormal, but is certain that the child who does not pass through the questioning phase. and apparently cannot he stimulated 10 want 10 know. is probably not well LaIanced in his growth.
 Curiosity about Sex, and even a study of the sex organs. is not an abnormal phenomenon. The absence of any sex interest is a dangerous characteristic. Sex curiosity, be- cause of the fundamental character of sex in relation 10 life, may be- come excessive and concentrated and thus pass out of the bounds Of reason. This, however, is most often due not 10 the child but to his environment.
 Love of Power
 Among other factors on which Dr. Streckcr lays special emphasis is the love of power. which normal children exercise, showing that they like 10 hold the center of the stage.
 There are, of course, times when the child cannot have it's own way. and the adjustment between the child and his parents in this mat ter is sometimes responsible for anti social conduct in later life.
 SaVagery, romanclng and the tcll- ing of romantic stories are normal stages in childhood development. Dr. StrcCker regards romancing as evi- dence that the imagination is begin ming 10 grow and that it must not be regarded as proof of mental i'll health unless it persists long beyond the usual period.
 Finally. the capacity 10 learn must be considered important Absolute mental defect is hopeless and is evil dcnce of failure Of the brain to grow.
 The life of the child like that of the adult, thas constantly become more complex and more subject to all sorts of features in it's surround in=s that are difficult 10 control. The fact that it is able 10 adjust itself to these exceedingly complicated de- nands is in itself evidence of the rliIJ'S aIif,.