ON MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FACTORS INVOLVED IN EDUCATION. 195 



The opinion is pretty generally expressed that it is advisable to 

 separate children of similar defects. 



Question 7. — The replies to this range from ' none ' to ' all.' 



1. All except those irregular in attendance and imbeciles are ex- 



pected to reach this standard. 



2. None — children may improve greatly, but, as a rule, there is 



always one weak subject; should they reach the required 

 standard they perform with difficulty what a normal child 

 does with ease. 

 The mean is apparently about 30 per cent., but there is too much 

 variation to admit any importance to this figure. 



One return draws attention to the fact that there is a variation 

 from year to year of some 30 per cent. 



Another says that only those children admitted at an early age 

 attain the required standard. 



In the few cases where separate returns are given for each sub- 

 ject there is considerable diversity of opinion as to the illative diffi- 

 culty of the three subjects. A few returns show that in the case of 

 Arithmetic and Writing the percentage varies according to what the 

 subject is meant to include, thus : — 



(1) Arithmetic, on paper, nil; mental, 30 to 40 per cent.— 



problems are very difficult. 



(2) Writing, 80 per cent., or, including Dictation, 10 per cent. 



(3) Writing, 90 per cent., or, with Spelling, 50 per cent. 



Question 8. — (a) Average, from six to eight hours; and, in case 

 of elder boys' schools, half or two-thirds of the total time spent in 

 school. 



(b) Many forms of handwork are given, from kindergarten and 

 paper-folding to 'laundry, cookery, and woodwork, bootmaking, and 

 tailoring. 



(c) With the exception of the domestic subjects and woodwork 

 (and in the elder schools, often these subjects, too), the handwork 

 appears to be under the control of the head teacher of the Special 

 School. 



APPENDIX III. 



Detailed Report on Methods of Testing Mental Deficiency. 

 (The Committee is indebted to Dr. Shrubsall for this Report.) 



The methods employed in arriving at a diagnosis involve medical, 

 psychological, and pedagogical elements. It is not possible to draw 

 a hard and fast line between these, and it will probably be clearer to 

 describe the examination without at first distinguishing between the 

 elements. 



Before the child is seen by the medical officer a nomination form is 

 usually filled up by the teacher of the school, if any, the child has 

 attended. In the case of children nominated by the Attendance Officers' 

 Departments, there is usually no information at all available. 



The first items, name, age, and address, call for no comment ; 



o 2 



