RETARDATE CHILDREN

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 940, 5 April 1930, Page 10

RETARDATE CHILDREN

SUCCESS OF SPECIAL CLASSES MANY PARENTS PLEASED From Our Resident Reporter WELLINGTON, Friday. Claiming that the application of objectionable names to the classes bold by the Education Department for backward children was not only unfortunate but was quite unjustified by the facts Mr. T. B. Strong, director of education, explained the purposes of the classes and dealt with the complaints made at a recent meeting of the Auckland Education Board. “Special classes for backward children have been established in the Dominion for the benefit of those children who, though not able to keep pace with children of their own age in the ordinary academic subjects, are nevertheless well worth educating along manual lines with a view to making them self-supporting citizens,” said Mr. Strong. “If left in the ordinary classes these children become thoroughly discouraged by frequent failures, and are so emotionally upset that further progress is impossible for them.

“Many parents have testified to the fact that, after being placed in a special class, irritable children have become contented, poor appetites have become good, sounder sleep ha.s been induced, and general naughtiness has been eradicated. In short, the nervous systems of children in special classes tend to become stabilised. It is not claimed that all naughtiness is cured, but there is no doubt that the benefit of a smaller class and a suitable curriculum, with freedom from the constant humiliation of failure, is most marked.

“Before a child is placed in a special class it is customary to notify the parents of the proposed transfer, giving them an opportunity. to state their objections if they have any. If objections are made and seem reasonable, no pressure is brought to bear on them. Indeed, there are so many parents asking to have their children admitted that few difficulties are experienced in this direction.

“Owing to pressure of work on the department’s officers at the beginning of this year, the headmasters of the Hamilton schools were notified regarding the children considered by experts to be suitable, and it was assumed that they would discuss the matter with the parents before advising them as to the transfer. This apparently was not done in every case. The department’s special officer was in Hamilton for a week when the class opened and most parents took the opportunity of seeing her.

“The nature of the class was fully explained by the officer at a public meeting arranged by the Hamilton West Parents’ Association. The report of this meeting, which appeared in the newspapers, should have left no room for doubt as to the nature of the class.”