Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-31

WHICH TeVedl6Q u CURIOUS SET OF menGhl
Below the 7-year level of intelligence
the tests gave a wide variation In results,
such as would be found in a normal
population, but up to Is years of age
non went above this except one boy
who had had greatly superior home sur
roundingS.
THE situation in these hollows,"
DR.. Sherman concludes, offers a unique
opportunity to investigate the theories
Of mental development, to study the
influence Of diet and hygienic habits on
physical growth and to investigate the
conditions influencing Reorganization
Of home and society,""
Sordid Picture Presented.
In describing the background Of the
study. DR.. Sherman presents a rather
sordid picture of the conditions under
which these children live and which he
believes to be responsible. ct least in
part. for their apparently arrested men
tai development.
can the houses but one" he says,
were constructed of logs Allied in with
mud. In all cases there were two
rooms. one small entrance room and one
larger main room used for sleeping pur-
poses. Dimensions of the smaller room
we're about 7 by 10 and the larger
room about 8 by II. In ne case
we're the people adequately protected
against wind or rain. Many aper.
lures could be seen in the walls and the
flooring.
I'm only two Of the houses were chairs
found and in three others rough
benches. Families containing six and
eve children had at most two small
beds and usually contained only one
large bed. In three houses cut-outS Of
tolls and a rough crayon drawing were
hung on the walls. These had been
made bv the children during the Sum-
mer school. The only plaything found
M eli the homes was a small wooden
block which was held by a 14-month-
old baby. There were no dolls or wood
en- toys or pictures of any kills.
."Gennrsllv they had no domestic ami
mails. Only dog and m cat were
seen in the entire hollow. When the
group rode up to the first house on
horseback 1t was noticed that three OF
the children were running toward the
woods and the house appeared deserted.
The teacher went after them and finally
brought them back. The children APP
peared very stolid, answered in mono
eviiabIes and spoke only when ques-
toned. The Oldest boy was l9 years Of
age. His only replies were Yes, SIR
and NO, sir
He was asked where the next family
lived and his replv was over there a
piece Two families lived at different
distances, one about a mile and the
other about a quarter of a mile, but he
could not d~ifferentiate the distance in
definite terms. The same lack Of con-
cept of distance was found in all OF the
children.
Wear Cast-off Clothing.
"Most of the children were dressed In
cast-off clothing Of adults. Trouser
legs of adult clothes were cut on TO mt
the small children. In every case the
clothing was dirty and torn. On only
of IS children was there any under
clothing and in this case 1t was cast-on
adult underwear. In most instances
they sleep in their clothes and change
them only when they become too torn
to wear. The children rarely wash.
except a little of their faces. One Of
their few privileges Is Q chew Of tobacco.
I asked a boy of seven: What do your
parents give you?' He answered: One
chew a day
"All but two of the children asked for
money, but they did not differentiate
the values. A group of four children
congregated around an examiner. One
boy wa given q nickel, another a dime