OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR RETARDATION. By Cakkie R. Principal of Training Dept., That there is
Squire, Ph.D.,
State Normal
waste, terrific
School, Superior, Wis.
waste in
our
public
schools
through retardation has been proven beyond a doubt by the studies of Ayres. and Thorndike. Ayres estimates that the cost of the in 55 of our repeater largest cities is equal to 14 per cent of the cost
of maintenance for whole system.
community mental
ous
repeat.
Yet the financial loss to the with the loss in time, in vigor-
is small in
comparison development, and in will
The
of such
dumping community
is
failures upon the in dollars.
a a
to succeed in the children who
large percentage
of confessed
loss that cannot be estimated
responsible ? The valuable statistical studies of Thorndike and Ayres give us tlie broad general outline of the situation. They give us facts. But special studies, such as A. E. Wagner's Who is
"Retardation and Elimination in Schools of Mauch Chunk Townpersons who are familiar with the children, their home
ship,"1 by
and school
a
State
study.
will
causes
The school of
give so far as they go a truer answer underlying retardation. of which I am principal?the training department
environment,
the real
as to
Normal?presents
an
We know each other
excellent field for such
an
intimate
pretty thoroughly, children, parents
and teachers. There are those Our pupils represent three general classes. whose parents have sought the most hygienic school environment in the community from the beginning of the school life of their Then there are children who have failed in the public children.
schools. Their parents, weary of ineffectual prodding, have followed some neighbor's prescription and sent them to the Normal to be cured. Finally there is a small class of boys and girls who have shown tendencies that have interfered with the harmony of a system planned to handle masses of children. These are the so-
unmanageable boys and girls. These are, with scarcely an exception, children who are strongly individualized and respond in a perfectly normal and wholesome way to individual treatcalled
ment.
The last two classes
represent the children
who would
1The Psychological Clinic, Vol. Ill, No. 6, November 15, 1909, p. 164.
(46)
soon
47
RESPONSIBILITY FOR RETARDATION.
be eliminated were they compelled to attend a public school. It has been our policy to accept these children when they apply if there is a vacant seat. We, therefore, undoubtedly show a greater
proportion
of retardation than the average
public
Our
school.
school accommodates 200 pupils through the first eight grades. In this study I have omitted the kindergarten. Our pupils were asked to fill out the 1.
Name.
2.
Nationality
3.
Where
4.
Date of your birth? How long have you attended the Normal ?
5.
6.
were
8.
Have you ever been out of school for long have you been out 1 Why ?
9.
What studies do you like best ? Why do you like them ?
10. 11. 13. 15.
Have you ever repeated the work of any If so, which grade?
16.
Why
17.
Have you
were
what The was
How
Have you ever had any teachers you did not like? Why did you not like them ?
14.
obliged
you ever
had
a
repeat? promotion?
to
double
grade ?
If
so
in
grades?
answers were
thoroughly
frank.
The children felt that history and in many
interested to know their whole school
volunteered additional data after
they had talked with their replies were supplemented by knowledge which previously obtained in conversation with the parents and Their
parents. I had
data
?
a term
Are there any studies you do not like? Why did you not like them?
12.
cases
of parents. you born ?
What other schools have you attended ? Why did you change ?
7.
I
following questionaire:
on
file in the office.
The and took
answers to us
so
questions 9, 10, 11,
and 12
were so
suggestive
far afield that I have reserved them for another
paper and will only refer to them The results of the inquiry bear
incidentally. us
out in the
presumption that Taking six years
have our full share of retarded children. the standard age for the first grade we find 76 retarded children; this is 38 per cent of our total enrolment. The following table shows the amount of retardation:
we as
48
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC. Retarded. 1 2 3 4
It will be When are even
36 25 8 7
seen at a
which looked at with the
Total number.
year years years years
glance
superficially
that there
would
cause
are
only
fifteen
cases
apprehension.
the consideration of the individual cases for the retardation, we find the problematic cases fewer than this table would indicate. That retardation we come to
causes
is not
necessarily an indication of inferior mental ability is shown following table. I have taken the average standings of the retarded children in all their school work, using the terms excellent, very good, good, fair, poor and very poor in their usual significance. These standings are compared with the number of
by
the
years
or
retardation.
Standing. 1 11 6 10 8 1
Excellent
Very good Good Fair Poor
Very
Retardation in Years. 2.3 6 5 10 1 3
poor
..
..
..
3 2 1 2
..
4
..
1 2 2 1
Total No. 17 12 24 13 7 3
special classes for the weak and special classes for the exceptionally strong who may be able to go faster than the average of the class, with daily physical training in a thoroughly equipped gymnasium, with considerable emphasis upon the manual arts, together with an attempt to bring both material and method of instruction into accord with the children's needs and aptitudes, we have succeeded in securing a very fair standard of achieveAll but ten of the retarded ment in the formal work of the grades. children carry the formal work of their grades with an average of seventy-five or above. Only four of these ten cases are discouraging. Three of these four are entered as very poor in the table. With
None of the three has been with us a full year. One entered but This is a child of ten who has attended school regua month ago. larly since he was six years of age. His ability to read and write
grade pupils. He is listless defect other than a physical inert, yet has corrected been vision which of defect by glasses. In slight fact he seems rather above the average child of ten in physical development. Until within a week ago we were inclined to beis
scarcely equal
and
to that of
there is
no
our
first
trace of
RESPONSIBILITY FOR RETARDATION. lieve that he
special
defective mentally, although we had made no He is now showing signs of a mental awakening made considerable progress under individual instruc-
was
tests.
and has
lately Every success
tion. case
49
bids fair
may do in the
This has become an added spur to effort. a another of what school instance merely
to prove case
interest, impede
of
a
mental
normal but rather slow child to deaden and blight the future.
growth
Another of the failures is
a young lad who entered our eighth few weeks' trial it was found necessary to place him in the seventh grade. Even here his average standing is very poor. He has bad habits, is indifferent to all appeals that a school
grade.
After
a
make. We are certain that the rather than mental. can
difficulty here is moral, though,
The third
case is that of a girl who has a bad heredity and The report of her teachers is unienvironment. home poor wills to that when she apply herself she is capable of good formly a
work.
There is
no
mental defect here, but a defect of will which fatal in its consequences.
even more
may prove The fourth case which I have cited as discouraging is a child in our first grade. She is the only pupil in the grade who is a repeater. This child has been graded poor. While she has
to read and will undoubtedly be able to do regular school work within certain limits, she shows signs of mental defect, chiefly in flighty attention, poor motor control and general per-
learned
versity of conduct. Referring to
the table
the best work is done two years.
There is
four years has a member of dreaded
by
above,
it is
children who
one case
apparent
are not
in which
a
at once
retarded
girl
more
that than
who is retarded
standing of very good. This girl is yet She came to us because she our seventh grade. classed with younger children in an ordinary public received
a
being In maturity
of judgment and ability to express herself, rank well if classed with those of her own age. this girl would The years of school lost have not meant any real arrest of development. There is another case of four years' retardation in our school.
seventh grade with an average standing of good. The history is very similar to the preceding one. A young girl was kept out of school on account of her own illness and that of her mother until she found her former schoolmates far beyond her. Another fact is brought out strongly in this table. Twentyour very best pupils belong to the retarded class. Sixtysix of those whose work ranks considerably above passable, evi-
nine of
50
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC.
power to grapple with school problems, are retarded. In about eighty-seven per cent of our retarded pupils considerable possess ability when given an opportunity for individual expression and initiative. If we follow Cornell's classifition of the defective children in the public schools, these eightyseven per cent would necessarily fall in his first class as children who have not reached their own best development because of poor
dencing other
words,
health and other disabling factors. The rest, with the of the one would fall into his second class. These exception child, he calls the dull children who are slow mentally and in school
general
in behavior and ordinary conversation. He finds about ten per cent of the younger school children belong to this class. We have only one pupil who could be placed in his
work, though intelligent
third class of backward children and none who would belong to his fourth group of feeble minded. Retardation, so far as this study goes, cannot be taken as an index of inferior mental ability. It is much more likely to be due to an unfortunate combination of circumstances in which
society
it is
as
seems to
have
progress. If it studies of
represented in the home and the average school conspired with other factors, as ill health, to hinder
were
possible
retardation,
Classifying
causes
individual histories,
to
we
at individual histories in other
get
undoubtedly find similar results. of retardation after a detailed study of find the following factors operative:
we
would
1. Late entrance into school. 2. An additional grade called the between the
kindergarten
and first
connecting class inserted grade, now abolished in our
school. 3. A
change
in school with
imperfect adjustment
at time of
change. 4. Inefficient schools.
This is
necessarily
a
general
term
which includes several specific causes as, overcrowded classes, poor systems of promotion, lack of sympathy with and comprehension of the pupils on part of teacher, poor methods of instruction, and matter poorly adapted to children's needs and interests. This includes
5. Illness. as
those of
briefer term,
a
of
cases
in
resulting
prolonged illness as well irregular and interrupted
attendance. 6. thus
Physical
present 7.
defects which
were
imperfectly
remedied and
constant sources of loss.
the home and
difficulties due to
of
foreign language consequent imperfect mastery of English.
Language
use
a
in
RESPONSIBILITY FOR RETARDATION.
51
8. Slow mental
development. following table shows these factors as they appeared, we could estimate, according to years of retardation.
The far
as
?
?
?s
ell5
?
a
?-3^3 12 14
1 2
a-s
J-s Sfio
-flu
Ocq
cu i-hcQ
9 5
8 10
3 7
So
-
Squire, Ph.D.,
State Normal
waste, terrific
School, Superior, Wis.
waste in
our
public
schools
through retardation has been proven beyond a doubt by the studies of Ayres. and Thorndike. Ayres estimates that the cost of the in 55 of our repeater largest cities is equal to 14 per cent of the cost
of maintenance for whole system.
community mental
ous
repeat.
Yet the financial loss to the with the loss in time, in vigor-
is small in
comparison development, and in will
The
of such
dumping community
is
failures upon the in dollars.
a a
to succeed in the children who
large percentage
of confessed
loss that cannot be estimated
responsible ? The valuable statistical studies of Thorndike and Ayres give us tlie broad general outline of the situation. They give us facts. But special studies, such as A. E. Wagner's Who is
"Retardation and Elimination in Schools of Mauch Chunk Townpersons who are familiar with the children, their home
ship,"1 by
and school
a
State
study.
will
causes
The school of
give so far as they go a truer answer underlying retardation. of which I am principal?the training department
environment,
the real
as to
Normal?presents
an
We know each other
excellent field for such
an
intimate
pretty thoroughly, children, parents
and teachers. There are those Our pupils represent three general classes. whose parents have sought the most hygienic school environment in the community from the beginning of the school life of their Then there are children who have failed in the public children.
schools. Their parents, weary of ineffectual prodding, have followed some neighbor's prescription and sent them to the Normal to be cured. Finally there is a small class of boys and girls who have shown tendencies that have interfered with the harmony of a system planned to handle masses of children. These are the so-
unmanageable boys and girls. These are, with scarcely an exception, children who are strongly individualized and respond in a perfectly normal and wholesome way to individual treatcalled
ment.
The last two classes
represent the children
who would
1The Psychological Clinic, Vol. Ill, No. 6, November 15, 1909, p. 164.
(46)
soon
47
RESPONSIBILITY FOR RETARDATION.
be eliminated were they compelled to attend a public school. It has been our policy to accept these children when they apply if there is a vacant seat. We, therefore, undoubtedly show a greater
proportion
of retardation than the average
public
Our
school.
school accommodates 200 pupils through the first eight grades. In this study I have omitted the kindergarten. Our pupils were asked to fill out the 1.
Name.
2.
Nationality
3.
Where
4.
Date of your birth? How long have you attended the Normal ?
5.
6.
were
8.
Have you ever been out of school for long have you been out 1 Why ?
9.
What studies do you like best ? Why do you like them ?
10. 11. 13. 15.
Have you ever repeated the work of any If so, which grade?
16.
Why
17.
Have you
were
what The was
How
Have you ever had any teachers you did not like? Why did you not like them ?
14.
obliged
you ever
had
a
repeat? promotion?
to
double
grade ?
If
so
in
grades?
answers were
thoroughly
frank.
The children felt that history and in many
interested to know their whole school
volunteered additional data after
they had talked with their replies were supplemented by knowledge which previously obtained in conversation with the parents and Their
parents. I had
data
?
a term
Are there any studies you do not like? Why did you not like them?
12.
cases
of parents. you born ?
What other schools have you attended ? Why did you change ?
7.
I
following questionaire:
on
file in the office.
The and took
answers to us
so
questions 9, 10, 11,
and 12
were so
suggestive
far afield that I have reserved them for another
paper and will only refer to them The results of the inquiry bear
incidentally. us
out in the
presumption that Taking six years
have our full share of retarded children. the standard age for the first grade we find 76 retarded children; this is 38 per cent of our total enrolment. The following table shows the amount of retardation:
we as
48
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC. Retarded. 1 2 3 4
It will be When are even
36 25 8 7
seen at a
which looked at with the
Total number.
year years years years
glance
superficially
that there
would
cause
are
only
fifteen
cases
apprehension.
the consideration of the individual cases for the retardation, we find the problematic cases fewer than this table would indicate. That retardation we come to
causes
is not
necessarily an indication of inferior mental ability is shown following table. I have taken the average standings of the retarded children in all their school work, using the terms excellent, very good, good, fair, poor and very poor in their usual significance. These standings are compared with the number of
by
the
years
or
retardation.
Standing. 1 11 6 10 8 1
Excellent
Very good Good Fair Poor
Very
Retardation in Years. 2.3 6 5 10 1 3
poor
..
..
..
3 2 1 2
..
4
..
1 2 2 1
Total No. 17 12 24 13 7 3
special classes for the weak and special classes for the exceptionally strong who may be able to go faster than the average of the class, with daily physical training in a thoroughly equipped gymnasium, with considerable emphasis upon the manual arts, together with an attempt to bring both material and method of instruction into accord with the children's needs and aptitudes, we have succeeded in securing a very fair standard of achieveAll but ten of the retarded ment in the formal work of the grades. children carry the formal work of their grades with an average of seventy-five or above. Only four of these ten cases are discouraging. Three of these four are entered as very poor in the table. With
None of the three has been with us a full year. One entered but This is a child of ten who has attended school regua month ago. larly since he was six years of age. His ability to read and write
grade pupils. He is listless defect other than a physical inert, yet has corrected been vision which of defect by glasses. In slight fact he seems rather above the average child of ten in physical development. Until within a week ago we were inclined to beis
scarcely equal
and
to that of
there is
no
our
first
trace of
RESPONSIBILITY FOR RETARDATION. lieve that he
special
defective mentally, although we had made no He is now showing signs of a mental awakening made considerable progress under individual instruc-
was
tests.
and has
lately Every success
tion. case
49
bids fair
may do in the
This has become an added spur to effort. a another of what school instance merely
to prove case
interest, impede
of
a
mental
normal but rather slow child to deaden and blight the future.
growth
Another of the failures is
a young lad who entered our eighth few weeks' trial it was found necessary to place him in the seventh grade. Even here his average standing is very poor. He has bad habits, is indifferent to all appeals that a school
grade.
After
a
make. We are certain that the rather than mental. can
difficulty here is moral, though,
The third
case is that of a girl who has a bad heredity and The report of her teachers is unienvironment. home poor wills to that when she apply herself she is capable of good formly a
work.
There is
no
mental defect here, but a defect of will which fatal in its consequences.
even more
may prove The fourth case which I have cited as discouraging is a child in our first grade. She is the only pupil in the grade who is a repeater. This child has been graded poor. While she has
to read and will undoubtedly be able to do regular school work within certain limits, she shows signs of mental defect, chiefly in flighty attention, poor motor control and general per-
learned
versity of conduct. Referring to
the table
the best work is done two years.
There is
four years has a member of dreaded
by
above,
it is
children who
one case
apparent
are not
in which
a
at once
retarded
girl
more
that than
who is retarded
standing of very good. This girl is yet She came to us because she our seventh grade. classed with younger children in an ordinary public received
a
being In maturity
of judgment and ability to express herself, rank well if classed with those of her own age. this girl would The years of school lost have not meant any real arrest of development. There is another case of four years' retardation in our school.
seventh grade with an average standing of good. The history is very similar to the preceding one. A young girl was kept out of school on account of her own illness and that of her mother until she found her former schoolmates far beyond her. Another fact is brought out strongly in this table. Twentyour very best pupils belong to the retarded class. Sixtysix of those whose work ranks considerably above passable, evi-
nine of
50
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC.
power to grapple with school problems, are retarded. In about eighty-seven per cent of our retarded pupils considerable possess ability when given an opportunity for individual expression and initiative. If we follow Cornell's classifition of the defective children in the public schools, these eightyseven per cent would necessarily fall in his first class as children who have not reached their own best development because of poor
dencing other
words,
health and other disabling factors. The rest, with the of the one would fall into his second class. These exception child, he calls the dull children who are slow mentally and in school
general
in behavior and ordinary conversation. He finds about ten per cent of the younger school children belong to this class. We have only one pupil who could be placed in his
work, though intelligent
third class of backward children and none who would belong to his fourth group of feeble minded. Retardation, so far as this study goes, cannot be taken as an index of inferior mental ability. It is much more likely to be due to an unfortunate combination of circumstances in which
society
it is
as
seems to
have
progress. If it studies of
represented in the home and the average school conspired with other factors, as ill health, to hinder
were
possible
retardation,
Classifying
causes
individual histories,
to
we
at individual histories in other
get
undoubtedly find similar results. of retardation after a detailed study of find the following factors operative:
we
would
1. Late entrance into school. 2. An additional grade called the between the
kindergarten
and first
connecting class inserted grade, now abolished in our
school. 3. A
change
in school with
imperfect adjustment
at time of
change. 4. Inefficient schools.
This is
necessarily
a
general
term
which includes several specific causes as, overcrowded classes, poor systems of promotion, lack of sympathy with and comprehension of the pupils on part of teacher, poor methods of instruction, and matter poorly adapted to children's needs and interests. This includes
5. Illness. as
those of
briefer term,
a
of
cases
in
resulting
prolonged illness as well irregular and interrupted
attendance. 6. thus
Physical
present 7.
defects which
were
imperfectly
remedied and
constant sources of loss.
the home and
difficulties due to
of
foreign language consequent imperfect mastery of English.
Language
use
a
in
RESPONSIBILITY FOR RETARDATION.
51
8. Slow mental
development. following table shows these factors as they appeared, we could estimate, according to years of retardation.
The far
as
?
?
?s
ell5
?
a
?-3^3 12 14
1 2
a-s
J-s Sfio
-flu
Ocq
cu i-hcQ
9 5
8 10
3 7
So
-
