MENTAL
H. G. STEAD,
By
113
WELFARE
ph.D.(Lond.), M.sc.(B'ham.),
f.c.p.
Education Officer, Chesterfield.
of a national system of education is a complex process which involves the consideration of a number of problems. In the solution of these, other problems, hitherto hidden or only suspected, are often The
and
re-organisation
one
brought to light and demand consideration. The re-organisation which has been undergone by the English Education System began in the experiments of a number of pioneers and was systematised by the reports of the Hadow Committees.
It
can
organisation
be considered from
and re-construction of
number of aspects. There has been a rebuildings, a re-classification of children, a
a
consideration of methods, and the use of new techniques. Of these, a number may be classified as physical re-organisation, while the others are more rightly termed
psychological re-organisation. Generally speaking the former came prior a very real danger that it may be considered as comprising the whole of what is meant by re-organisation. Its progress can be judged from statistics, while the latter is a factor which can be judged only by and through the spirit of those engaged in educational work and the atmosphere within the
to
the latter and there is
school. Of the various
problems
by the progress of for backward and retarded
which have been clarified
that of the educational
provision important. In the older type of all-age school, using in the main mass methods of instruction, little could be done for those children who could not keep up the normal pace. They hovered about the middle of the school and their welfare was neglected in the attention given to the promise of the entrants and the needs of those about to leave. Almost all they acquired was an inferiority complex which they took with them into the world when they became of leaving age. re-organisation, children is
But
one
of the
most
the Heads of Senior Schools scrutinize carefully the School. And they find amongst them children who for
now
Junior
product one
of the
reason
or
They have to find some method of dealing with! such problem has been largely brought to a focus by the transfer at plus, which has had the effect of making children of that age of real
another
are
backward.
children and the eleven
importance. one result is, or should be, a recognition of the small amount we about retardation and its real causes, and the need that exists for know really experimental and investigatory work. It is common to hear it stated He can't even read "; it is much more rare to hear the reason for the inability given. Too often it is assumed that retardation is due to innate mental defect. This
And
"
/
114
MENTAL
WELFARE
diagnosis serves the dual purpose of making it impossible for the teacher to anything about fhe matter, and of placing the entire blame on the shoulders
do of
the Creator. Now retardation may be due to one or all of Educational Authority which claims
the
duty of any tion to provide
in the first
place
for sound
causes
"
as
quack
medicines.
Merely
to
or
miss
"
a
"
a
special
"
"
or
a
slow-moving
confession of weakness. The classification of these children must upon the reasons for their retardation, for only under these conditions a
appropriate
remedial
measures
It is
remedies are as useless child is retarded will be useless unless he is retarded is taken. To place all retarded
know that
the further step of discovering why children in one class and term it either is
number of factors. have effected
re-organisaand into, investigation diagnosis of, under its control. This is obviously
of retardation amongst children the first and most important step. Mere hit the
a
to
"
class
depend can
the
be taken.
means that an Education Authority should have on its staff, or have the services of, a psychiatrist, a psychologist and a social worker. From the information obtained by these, together with the school record, some attempt at accurate diagnosis can be made. It is perhaps an increasing recognition of this
This
access
to
fact that has led
recently to the movement towards setting up Child Guidance Psychological Centres. There is undoubtedly a movement in favour of the development of such work?the first step towards a right treatment of the whole problem of retardation.
Clinics and
investigation comes a realisation of the various kinds of factors which affect the development of a child, and which, through faulty conditions may of growth, may lead to retardation. Undoubtedly some retardation is due to innate mental defect, but some is due to physical defects, some to general debility and its With
absence from school, some to emotional mal-adjustment, some to environmental conditions, etc. It is essential that the multi-sidedness of the problem should be realised. Again, we are still only possessed of very slight knowledge
resulting
as to
the
manner
And
we
are
physical and psychical factors react upon one another. being able to set up a general children's centre growth and development of children can be co-ordinated.
in which
remote
still from
where all aspects of the Some tentative steps towards such
development
an
ideal have, however, been taken and their by all those interested in he
will be watched with real interest
welfare of children.
Upon the groundwork of the considerations set forth above it is possible to indicate in very vague outline what should be the educational provision for retarded children. There should be a central Children's Psychological Centre cases are thoroughly investigated and diagnosed. diagnosis comes treatment. Some types of physical defects in which retardation has originated can be dealt with in groups?eye cases in one group,
or
Child Guidance Clinic where all
After
MENTAL ear
cases
in another and
mental defect
again
can
so
on.
be classed
115
WELFARE
Those whose retardation is due but
together, physical
require
a
different
to
inherent
technique
and
curriculum to those applicable defects. Again, those who are emotionally mal-adjusted require another kind of treatment, of which play therapy is an example. And here one value of this provision becomes obvious. The investigations of the centre should help to discover weak and wrong steps in present teaching method. By and through these investigations suggestions for an improved technique may be brought to light. It is this constant action and reaction between the schools and the centre which is the vital thing in this work. For the ultimate aim of the work is not to cure cases which have already developed wrongly. It is to attain such knowledge of the real laws of the development of the child and to set up such environmental conditions as will enable the children to groiv healthily and normally and to avoid all retardation due to remedial causes. It has to be realised that much retardation is due to the faulty methods employed in our schools. It is the duty of all connected with the educational system to strive, through sound investigation and experiment, to remove all such causes of retardation as are capable of being removed. to
H. G. STEAD,
By
113
WELFARE
ph.D.(Lond.), M.sc.(B'ham.),
f.c.p.
Education Officer, Chesterfield.
of a national system of education is a complex process which involves the consideration of a number of problems. In the solution of these, other problems, hitherto hidden or only suspected, are often The
and
re-organisation
one
brought to light and demand consideration. The re-organisation which has been undergone by the English Education System began in the experiments of a number of pioneers and was systematised by the reports of the Hadow Committees.
It
can
organisation
be considered from
and re-construction of
number of aspects. There has been a rebuildings, a re-classification of children, a
a
consideration of methods, and the use of new techniques. Of these, a number may be classified as physical re-organisation, while the others are more rightly termed
psychological re-organisation. Generally speaking the former came prior a very real danger that it may be considered as comprising the whole of what is meant by re-organisation. Its progress can be judged from statistics, while the latter is a factor which can be judged only by and through the spirit of those engaged in educational work and the atmosphere within the
to
the latter and there is
school. Of the various
problems
by the progress of for backward and retarded
which have been clarified
that of the educational
provision important. In the older type of all-age school, using in the main mass methods of instruction, little could be done for those children who could not keep up the normal pace. They hovered about the middle of the school and their welfare was neglected in the attention given to the promise of the entrants and the needs of those about to leave. Almost all they acquired was an inferiority complex which they took with them into the world when they became of leaving age. re-organisation, children is
But
one
of the
most
the Heads of Senior Schools scrutinize carefully the School. And they find amongst them children who for
now
Junior
product one
of the
reason
or
They have to find some method of dealing with! such problem has been largely brought to a focus by the transfer at plus, which has had the effect of making children of that age of real
another
are
backward.
children and the eleven
importance. one result is, or should be, a recognition of the small amount we about retardation and its real causes, and the need that exists for know really experimental and investigatory work. It is common to hear it stated He can't even read "; it is much more rare to hear the reason for the inability given. Too often it is assumed that retardation is due to innate mental defect. This
And
"
/
114
MENTAL
WELFARE
diagnosis serves the dual purpose of making it impossible for the teacher to anything about fhe matter, and of placing the entire blame on the shoulders
do of
the Creator. Now retardation may be due to one or all of Educational Authority which claims
the
duty of any tion to provide
in the first
place
for sound
causes
"
as
quack
medicines.
Merely
to
or
miss
"
a
"
a
special
"
"
or
a
slow-moving
confession of weakness. The classification of these children must upon the reasons for their retardation, for only under these conditions a
appropriate
remedial
measures
It is
remedies are as useless child is retarded will be useless unless he is retarded is taken. To place all retarded
know that
the further step of discovering why children in one class and term it either is
number of factors. have effected
re-organisaand into, investigation diagnosis of, under its control. This is obviously
of retardation amongst children the first and most important step. Mere hit the
a
to
"
class
depend can
the
be taken.
means that an Education Authority should have on its staff, or have the services of, a psychiatrist, a psychologist and a social worker. From the information obtained by these, together with the school record, some attempt at accurate diagnosis can be made. It is perhaps an increasing recognition of this
This
access
to
fact that has led
recently to the movement towards setting up Child Guidance Psychological Centres. There is undoubtedly a movement in favour of the development of such work?the first step towards a right treatment of the whole problem of retardation.
Clinics and
investigation comes a realisation of the various kinds of factors which affect the development of a child, and which, through faulty conditions may of growth, may lead to retardation. Undoubtedly some retardation is due to innate mental defect, but some is due to physical defects, some to general debility and its With
absence from school, some to emotional mal-adjustment, some to environmental conditions, etc. It is essential that the multi-sidedness of the problem should be realised. Again, we are still only possessed of very slight knowledge
resulting
as to
the
manner
And
we
are
physical and psychical factors react upon one another. being able to set up a general children's centre growth and development of children can be co-ordinated.
in which
remote
still from
where all aspects of the Some tentative steps towards such
development
an
ideal have, however, been taken and their by all those interested in he
will be watched with real interest
welfare of children.
Upon the groundwork of the considerations set forth above it is possible to indicate in very vague outline what should be the educational provision for retarded children. There should be a central Children's Psychological Centre cases are thoroughly investigated and diagnosed. diagnosis comes treatment. Some types of physical defects in which retardation has originated can be dealt with in groups?eye cases in one group,
or
Child Guidance Clinic where all
After
MENTAL ear
cases
in another and
mental defect
again
can
so
on.
be classed
115
WELFARE
Those whose retardation is due but
together, physical
require
a
different
to
inherent
technique
and
curriculum to those applicable defects. Again, those who are emotionally mal-adjusted require another kind of treatment, of which play therapy is an example. And here one value of this provision becomes obvious. The investigations of the centre should help to discover weak and wrong steps in present teaching method. By and through these investigations suggestions for an improved technique may be brought to light. It is this constant action and reaction between the schools and the centre which is the vital thing in this work. For the ultimate aim of the work is not to cure cases which have already developed wrongly. It is to attain such knowledge of the real laws of the development of the child and to set up such environmental conditions as will enable the children to groiv healthily and normally and to avoid all retardation due to remedial causes. It has to be realised that much retardation is due to the faulty methods employed in our schools. It is the duty of all connected with the educational system to strive, through sound investigation and experiment, to remove all such causes of retardation as are capable of being removed. to
