OF THE INTELLIGENCE OF YOUNG CHILDREN 39 



presupposes some little instruction ; but it has so great a prac- 

 tical value that we use it.* We think it well to make the test 

 under the guise of a game ; we thus amuse the child and put 

 him at his ease. Some money is spread out on the table ; the 

 nine pieces of current money (0 fr. 05 — fr. 10 — fr. 25 — fr. 

 50—1 fr.— 2 fr.— 5 fr.— 10 fr.— 20 fr.)— and in addition a sum 

 of fr. 65 ; fr. 30 in fr. 10 pieces and the rest in fr. 05 

 pieces. We say to the subject: "Would you like to play 

 store with me? You be the storekeeper." Then show him 

 the money: "Here is the money which you will use to make 

 change for your customers." Then, showing him some boxes: 

 "These are the articles which you will sell. They are boxes. 

 I will buy this box. I will pay you four sous for it. Would 

 you like to play?" The subject always consents, smilingly; 

 the proposal pleases him. We then hand him a 1 fr. piece, 

 saying: "I wish to spend four sous. Now, you give me the 

 change." Then the hand is held out to receive the money. 

 The only correct response is the following: The subject takes 

 from the money fr. 80, offering it as change. Sometimes 

 the child responds, "I should give you 16 sous," but does 

 not give the exact number, giving instead 15 or 17 perhaps; 

 this is counted an error. Of course, still graver mistakes, 

 such as returning 2 fr. or 4 fr., are also considered failures. 

 We had one subject, a school child of ten years of age, give 

 us back 35 fr.; this, however, is quite exceptional. It will be 

 noticed that in this simple act of making change many varia- 

 tions occur. The quickest and most adroit at once pick out 

 a 10 sou piece and add to it 6 sous. Sometimes, like real 

 storekeepers, they say, "4 sous and 10, that makes 14 sous, 

 plus 6 sous, that makes 20 sous;" sometimes they count by 

 centimes. These are the bright ones. The others follow the 

 suggestion of the 13 sous on the table; they begin by gath- 



*TRANSLATOR'S NOTE.— As nearly an equivalent a test as 

 can be made with United States Money is the problem of giving change 

 from a quarter when four cents are spent. The change pile should 

 consist of ten pennies, two nickels, two dimes, one quarter, one half 

 dollar. 



