Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-09


dull, Nothing much could be
done about 1t.
AS a result, millions of chill
dren were tabled with an in
tellectual label when they en-
tered the first grade. Millions
OF dollars have been spent to
test, grade and examine school
children.
And for years the parents,
and teachers, too, have meekly
accepted the verdict of the test
makers. Through a series Of
pen and pencil answers the
psychologists attempted to
categorize, often for life, the
intelligence Of youngsters from
age 6 to 16 and above.
Last week several leading
educators hit back. They gavd
hope to many parents who felt
that their children were below
average, or had 10 scores that
might keep them out of college.
Artificial Label
The 10 is an artificial label,
to begin with. 1t is essentially
a performance on a test. The
tests are geared to the "aver-
age" child. Anything above the
average results in a high" 10
score. Anything below gives a
child 'low" score.
This concept of static intel
ligence is challenged by Prof.
Arthur w. Combs of the Uni
versity Of Florida. His findings
are contained in a newly pub
lished report by the Associa-
ton for Supervision and Cur
riculum development, a depart
ment of the National Education
Association.
Prof. Combs maintains that
the right kind Of teacher may
actually be able to create in
telligence in a student. The
teacher, or the parent, need
not be limited by the intelli-
gence with which the student
was endowed at birth.
The concept that intelligence
cannot be modified does not
jibe with certain findings dur
ing recent years. 1t was found,
for example, that the longer a
child went to school or college,
the higher his 10 became in
relationship to youngsters his
own age who dropped out OF
school.
Just as you can develop leg
muscles by playing tennis or
hand muscles by joining a
weight-lifting team, so you can
develop your brains by using
them. Sounds simple enough.
But for too long this concept
was not accepted.
Learning, in DR.. Combs
view, becomes a problem OF
helping people to perceive
things differently. The Florida
psychologist urges a method of
teaching which emphasizes
growth and development from
within, rather than force and
coercion from without.
Creating Intelligence
"This means" Prof. Combs
observes, that perhaps we are
not so much the victim Of cir
cumStanceS as we have been
led to believe. Education may
not just be the victim of the
child's intelligence, but the Gre
ator of intelligence. 1t means
that we teachers need not feel
defeated, that there are many
things we can do, even with
the most limited child"
Other prominent psycnolo-
giStS and educators agree with
Prof. Combs conclusions.
One of the Nations leading
mental hygiene authorities. DR..
Robert Felix, director of the
National Institute for Mental
Health, has seen dramatic
changes in children's 10 scores.
In an interview with this
writer, DR.. Felix gave hope to
parents who fear the score re-
ceived by their child when he
enters the first grade will re-
main with him the rest of his
life.
81 have seen shifts of as
much as so 10 points" DR..
Felix declared. 1T is not I'M
usual to find increases from
10 to 20 points"
What Can Be Done
How can you give your
child the best conditions in
which to raise his 10?
The psychologists and edu-
Gators interviewed by this
writer were in remarkable
agreement as to what can be
done. This is what they said: