MENTAL TESTS FOR CHILDREN

Shannon News, 4 June 1926, Page 4

MENTAL TESTS FOR CHILDREN

Six years ago the authorities in charge of schools in the County of Northumberland, finding that the winners of secondary school scholarships were all coming from town and city schools, asked Professor Godfrey Thomson, o loading- English psychologist, 10 devise a series of mental tests "to discover gifted children worthy of tree secondary education among elementary schools in the county," which did not present scholarship candidates. Twenty scholarships were awarded on this basis, and among the 3,000 children tested so that the tests would be standardised it was found that the most intelligent children in that county hailed, not from the cities and towns, or even villages, but from remote country places.

Last year an interesting examination was carried out in Victoria by the trained psychologist attached by the psychologist laboratory of the Teachers' College ' (says the 'Age'). Some 1,911 children were included in those mental tests, 1,18 5- in the primary schools of Melbourne and 607 in country schools situated in dairying districts, the remainder being in private schools. The results have recently been published, and, contrary to the Northumberland experience, our city children exhibit an appreciably higher average intelligence than those of the country districts named.

<n' course, this does not indicate that ail country children are' less intelligent than city children—it will take a Statewide examination to give a deiinite result on that score —but it does show that children of dairying districts on an average display retarded mental development. Not all of > them, certainly, for the testers discovered different cases of very hibh mental ability. One country lad, whose chronological age was nine years and nine months, had a mental age of thirteen, and two others won junior scholarship at the December examination. But it is the average that counts.

Now, why shoiuld the average mental ability be iow in the dairying' districts? The fact has always been patient to keen observers long before these tests weer carried out. It is because such children are so frequently slaves to the cow-goddess? Dairymen aver that it is impossible to make the industry pay without recourse to family labor. If that is the case, then it is a matter for the citizens of the State to find a remedy for when mothers and children are forced to go into the cow yards at all hours and in all weathers the general psysical and mental calibre must degenerate. The mothers never ■■jet a chance, and neither do the babies; and when they grow old enough to milk their intellects are further and further handicapped by the continual toil and moil. In their turn, their intellectual capabilities atrophied, they marry and have children, who are sure to be. slightly less intelligent than the parents. And so the vicious circle goes on widening and deepening. But perhaps, the foundation stock is weak. Maybe parents of keen intellect refuse to take part in the drudgery of milking cows, and prefer the freer life of the wheat and sheep farmer; and it is only those of average and below normal intelligence who "take on milkin'." These arc not statements of factjust surmises, which may or may not be true. Only'the closest of investigations will give the proof. The main thing is remedy the ills of the industry, so that the children will be freed from cow slavery.

But in what direction must the cure be sought? There are enthusiasts who at the present time pin their faith to an involved system \Vherebv the Australian consumer pays more for local butter than people in London, or even Java, pay for the same article. Expert stockmen—shall it be said more sensibly? —advocate Government measures to ensure the use of only purebred stock of high mi!kins - strains. Perhaps an educationist would suggest the Danish system of adult hig-h chools during the winter.months, together with classes of farmers and their wives at set seasons- of the year. In this direction the better- fanning train hould exert a powerful influence for ivood. It is •to be hoped that it is oniy the forerunner of other schemes to'fvo-Q children from the drudgery of milking, so that they may have an equal chance of reaching as high ;i level of intelligence as ther brothers and sisters of the city.