Library Collections: Document: Full Text

In Boston, the movement for the care of mentally deficient children in special day classes began late in 1898. At that time, Mr. Seaver, superintendent of schools, sent circulars to the masters of the different school districts, asking them to report the number of very feeble-minded children in their respective districts, together with the teacher's report of each case. Two hundred children were reported, varying in age from five to seventeen, the majority being betwen the ages of eight and twelve. Even though only extreme cases were asked for, it was considered that the estimate was too conservative; in some school districts containing over a thousand pupils, no children were reported. The first teacher appointed had had practical experience with feebleminded children, so she spent two months in examining the cases recorded by the masters. Most of them she found to be distinctly feeble-minded. (6)

The first class began its work in January, 1899. At present, there are seven in operation. They are designated only as "Special Classes," are held, as a rule, in the public school buildings, their sessions being from nine to one. They are limited to fifteen on roll.

Teachers of the first four classes were well fitted for their positions, having had previous experience in similar work. And the city provided a training for the last three appointed. They were carefully selected by the superintendent of schools from the ordinary grades, and after observing methods in the special classes in Boston, they spent some three months in studying the work of the schools for the feeble-minded at Waverly, Mass., and at Elwyn, Penn. During this time of preparation both salaries and expenses were paid by the city. The aim is to have the teachers appointed to the special classes feel that they have been promoted.

The teaching in the special classes is based on the theory that the physiological training of the hand arouses some action in the brain. Stress is, therefore, laid on manual work which includes sloyd, clay modeling, basket weaving, sewing, and raffia work. The instruction in the usual school branches is largely a modified form of the kindergarten, with work of the primary grades for those who need it. Emphasis is placed on games, and the children are taught to play.

The plan in Boston is to have the true imbecile cared for in institutions, the mentally deficient in special classes, and the normal, but very dull children, in ungraded classes in connection with the regular schools. There are without question some of the first type in the special classes, but the authorities are naturally unwilling "to exclude from school any child for whom suitable provision cannot be made elsewhere." The institution at Waverly is so crowded that admission cannot be obtained for many who need its care.

The last three classes formed were selected by Dr. Arthur C. Jelly, after examination of a large number of cases reported by the teachers.

Philadelphia. The work for mentally deficient children in Philadelphia began in July, 1899, under the auspices of the Civic Club and the Public Education Association. It was taken over by the Board of Public Education in the summer of 1901. There are at present six or seven classes. They receive children, with speech, sight, hearing or nervous defects that make them unfit for "the pace of a large, graded class." They are not all mentally deficient. Emphasis is placed on manual training, such as sloyd, raffia work, and basket weaving. Regular school instruction is given to suit the needs of the individual. The teachers, so far as I know, have received no special preparation for their work.

The classes for mentally deficient children are held in the same buildings with those for the wayward. The aim is to have different centers with at least three classes, for those most interested in the work feel that to obtain the best results, there must be proper grading of the pupils. The children are sent to these classes on the advice of the principals of the elementary schools.

The City of New York. The City of New York has a serious problem to face in the care of her mentally deficient children. A beginning was made some time ago along this line, but it is only during the past year that active steps have been taken to form classes throughout the city. In November, 1902, Superintendent Maxwell sent a letter to the principals of the schools in the city asking for the number of pupils in the regular grades whom they considered mentally deficient. They were requested not to give the names of those who were merely dull or who were physically defective. About 1,200 children were reported. As I have said, the most conservative estimate places the number of such children at one per cent of the regular school population, so that the situation in New York was similar to that in Boston when the same question was asked there a few years ago. Now, children of this class in New York were either not known to be mentally defective or they were not in school at all. In some instances, the teachers are unable to recognize mental deficiency; in others, they are unwilling to do so. They seem to think they are attaching some stigma to a child to call him mentally defective when they are actually injuring him by trying to educate him with the normal.