PHYSICAL DEFECTS AND SCHOOL PROGRESS 



and bright children. In this generalization defective vision must 

 be excepted. 



Moreover, the investigation gives us quantitative measures 

 of the retarding forces of the different kinds of defects. I n general, 

 children suffering from physical defects are found to make about 

 9 per cent less progress than children having no physical defects. 

 The figures do not really show the retarding influence of each sort 

 of defect separately for the reason that the same child is often 

 suffering from several sorts of defects. 



Because of the reasons that have been mentioned, the 

 figures may be accepted as having distinct value in revealing 

 general tendencies, but must not be interpreted as showing with 

 precision the relative retarding force of each separate sort of defect, 

 or even of physical defectiveness in general. 



Before the attempt to draw detailed and final conclusions 

 on this subject is made, a series of similar investigations covering 

 large numbers of children in different cities should be conducted, 

 and the results carefully analyzed and compared. Until some 

 such program has been carried out, dogmatic statements making 

 general application of partial results should be avoided, and the 

 tentative character of all conclusions thus far formulated, clearly 

 recognized. 



.63 



