"PROBLEM" CHILDREN

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 137, 11 June 1937, Page 14

"PROBLEM" CHILDREN

ENGLISHWOMAN'S STUDY

Miss Grace* Rawlings, who for the past six months has been studying Bradford's "problem" children, appeared before tho town's education "chiefs" recently and told them how she- proposes to miike' the ''naughty" child "nice" and the "backward" child "brainy," states an English exchange.

The meeting was called to discuss her 40-page report, in which she suggests that the city should install an educational psychologist. Miss Rawlings attended to , answer questions. There was a barrage—for most of her hearers are parents. ;

At the end the Education Committee came to the conclusion that she really did know how to make naughty children nice.

Mr.,D. H. Waterhouse, the chairman, said: "Miss Rawlings's recommendations have been received with considerable favour, and the Director of Education has been instructed to draw up a scheme."

Later- Miss Rawlings said: "In the main, boys and girls are not 'difficult' because they want to be. It is some deep-seated sense of frustration or inferiority which is finding its way out in general bad behaviour or inability to assimilate what is being taught. Often general bad behaviour is due to a child wanting to become a hero in the eyes of his fellows when he is dull at lessons."

Miss Rawlings now moves on to study "naughty" children in Somerset. "The problems of the country are different.from those of. the city," she said, "and whether the basic causes are the same remains 'to be discovered."