Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-02

IN particular, JunlOT uleH u
tension of economic and cultural
by overcrowding. officials said
in an 85-page report on school
conditions released yesterday.
These children are hostile,
sensitive, resentful of authority
and poorly equipped intellec-
tually and culturally to cope
with the school situation" the
report said in q section detail
ing the subtle and dangerous
effects Of overcrowding.
Magnitude Of Task
"a teacher who has to con-
tend with problems of such
children in an diversified class,
no matter how competant and
willing she may be, must even
tually be worn down by the
sheer magnitude of her task"
the report warned.
A teacher will reach a point
at which "the best she can do
is to be an overseer, and the
worst she can do is become dis
illusioned and frustrated"
Sput, Carl F. Hansen termed
school lacks shocking" in the
study. prepared by his executive
assistant, Norman w. Nickens,
and Harry B. Merican, a Wash
ington attorney and authority
on school problems.
Tells Of Effects
The report sale of over
crowding effects on discipline;
The pupil who comes from an
underprivileged com m unity
brings all of his social, emo
tional and cultural deprivations
to school with him. His behavior
at school is a manifestation OF
the total forces Of the COM
munity brought to bear upon
him and his reactions to these
forces, whether good or bad.
The school environment in
which a child Of this kind finds
himself is vitality important to
his behavior. If his intellectual
and psychological malnutrition
Is to be remedied at all, this
will have to be accomplished in
school. In overcrowded class
rooms this child is very apt to
exhibit antisocial tendencies
more quickly than in a class
room situation which conforms
to accepted class size.
AS of October 1862 1t could
safely be said that virtually no
regular junior high school pu-
pills were in classrooms which
conformed to the Board Of Edu-
cations standard pupil-teacher
ratio Of Is to /; in schools that
met professional standards Of
educational adequacy, and in
buildings that were populated
within the limits of their Off
cial capacity.
Most Difficult Levels
In Analysing the behavior Of
junior high school pupils. 1t
should be remembered that this
is perhaps the most difficult
Of all levels. Children who are
emotionally stable and who
come from stable homes and
who have few academic handi-
caps find this a difficult age at
which to conform to the rules
society has set up. The child
who comes from an environ
ment which Is not geared to
lower middle and middle class
mores is doubly handicapped.
These children are basically
hostile to middle class culture
because 1t is alien to them.
These children are hostile, SEN
sitive, resentful of authority
and poorly equipped intellectu-
ally and culturally TO cope with
the school situation.
Not very often do children
Of this type reach the junior
high school except after SPEND
ing most OF their time with
teachers who were too burd-
ened to be able TO show them
that someone does care what
becomes OF them: and who
could not overcome the dis
trust Of and dislike for middle
class people and their customs.
Trivial Events
In many Junior high schools.
fights begin over such triviah-
ties ito the middle class culture)
as accidently stepping on
ones foot; tearing or dirtying
ones clothes; insulting one an
other: not being invited TO a.
specific party; horseplay. which
accepts blows as affection 10
a degree but erupts into a
fight when this intangible line
is preached; resentment toward
pupils who succeed In school
and who come from better
homes. real or imagined
wrongs 10 relatives or friends;
and references 10 ones physical
Il A.