LARGE V. SMALL FAMILIES

Hokitika Guardian, 11 September 1924, Page 2

LARGE V. SMALL FAMILIES

FFFFCTS ON CHILDREN. Do not pity the only child. He has more brains than children with many brothers and sisters, according to conclusions reached by Dr Horndl Hart as a result of a study of Odd families in a typical lowa ctiy. The results have ii:m been reported to the lowa City (says “Science Service"). Children from large families are handicapped mentally, morally, and socially. Dr Han declares. In a representative sample of children from practically completed families in I) ivcnpoi t. lowa, tic.* ability ot the children as determined by mental tests Mas found generally to run higher the foMer the number of surviving children. Children with no living brothers or sisters tend to have mental test quotients about II points higher than children with II living brothers and sisters, and the avcinge mental test ability decreases fairly steadily as the size ol lie families increases.

"School progress, in excess or defect of the amount to he expected from mental test ability, is at a maximum in families of Id children or over.” Dr Hart says. “The difference lietwoon the progress in school ol these two groups i- such that the average child in the verv large family loses about one- third of a year through conditions other than mental test ability associated Mitli large families. s' "T he larger the family the greater the tendency is for the children to > leave school’ at the earliest possible "Of families aith seven or more living children I I per rent, arc chronically dependent, as compared with li per .cut. among families with six children or h-s. “As fill as call lie ascertained from teacher--’ ratings, children in large families arc less energetic, less kind, less sincere. and less holiest than children from small families. Tins ( (inclusion is fairly certain for energy, but not -o decisive for the other (li:irjM toristics. “Contra! v to general impression, children Million! brothers and sisters compare v. rv favourably with children having bin!her- or sisters. Birth order, a- far as il na- studied in this lII- * . I>•• v«» vtM'V llttlO ijiiny. npjM'ats n.i\« - ill i * i«Hint*.*