380 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.—J. 
His main value to the system is as a psycho-therapist, treating difficult, 
neurotic and delinquent children who are far more numerous and much 
more neglected than is commonly supposed. He is also needed to grade 
normal children, to select defective children and those with special educa- 
tional disabilities. Thirdly, his services are required in designing schemes 
of vocational guidance. Fourthly, experience shows that the psychologist’s 
evidence will be sought in a great variety of matters pertaining to curriculum 
and school organisation. 
Among the unforeseen consequences ‘of such a ramification of function 
is the necessity that arises for training a nucleus of teachers in routine 
mental testing. 
The plan of organising the psychologist with an assistant and a trained 
social worker in a Psychological Clinic within the school system (after the 
pattern proposed by Professor Burt) compares very favourably with the 
American pattern of Child Guidance Clinic, both with regard to the effective 
treatment of large numbers of children and from the broader standpoint 
of furthering research. The university training of the psychologist, how- 
ever, is not yet adapted adequately to the needs of the practising psychologist. 
The education authorities that realise what extensive services the psycholo- 
gist can offer in the improvement of educational technique are still in a 
minority. 
Dr. O. A. OzsER.—Some psychological aspects of laissez-faire in education : 
the cult of pure reason (3.30). 
Psychologically, the doctrine that children should be allowed free 
expression for all their impulses is preferable to the older methods of severe 
discipline, provided it is not carried to extremes. Unfortunately many 
logical and psychological fallacies, such as the confusion between repression 
and inhibition and the psychology of habit, underlie the practical applica- 
tions of this doctrine in modern schools. Of these fallacies the most 
interesting are “ Retrospective Idealism ’ and the ‘ Transcendental Idealism 
of Pure Reason.’ The former involves lack of training in responsibility, 
and lecturing instead of teaching the technique of acquiring knowledge. 
The latter leads to the attempt to force children under all circumstances to 
adopt a reasonable attitude. But the effort to formulate impulses in logical 
terms is often exhausting for the child, particularly during the negative 
phases of puberty. ‘The teacher who adopts the purely reasonable attitude 
furthermore forces the child’s aggressive impulses to recoil upon itself. 
Finally, this attitude implies a lack of insight into the psychology of types. 
That is, the teacher attempts to enforce disintegrate adult modes of response 
on integrate youth. What is needed is greater insight into the positive 
psychological value of leadership and the necessity of insisting on action 
once reasons have been given. 
Tuesday, September 11. 
Joint Discussion with Section D (Zoology, g.v.) on The interpreta- 
tion of animal behaviour (10.0). 
AFTERNOON. 
Dr. B. P. WiesNer.—Analysis of the maternal drives in the rat (2.0). 
Maternal behaviour in the rat cannot be reduced to a simple motivating 
factor since dissociation of the components is observed. The constituent 
