SUB-NORMAL CHILDREN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 163, 9 January 1914, Page 8

SUB-NORMAL CHILDREN.

sunn for special tuition. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night; .Some pertinent remarks were made ul, Hie New Zealand Educational Institute meeting to-day, when a remit suggesting thu establishment of special schools in the large centres, for the education of sub-normal children was under discussion. Both the Auckland and the North Canterbury Institutes had forwarded similar remits on the question. A feature of the discussion was the keen interest shown in the subject by the lady delegates. On account of the limited time available 1)r Consideration of this and other reiinits, a suggestion was made that it should be allowed to stand over until l!\e July meetin,/, but this course waj strenuously opposed by .Mrs. Shrewsbury (Auckland), who said that the medical congress was to be held in February, and it 'was most important tlmt something should he done to enlist tile support of that body. She jnoved that tho Auckland Institute should lie deputed to make an endeavor to secure this support in bringing the matter before the Oovcniment. An objection to the suggested adiemn of establishing special schools was raised by Mr. 0. I). Flamank (Diiiiedin), who said that sending children to those schools would brand them as sub-normal and therefore the opposition of parents would be roused. His idea was that a special teacher should be appointed to the stuff of each large school to train these defective children.

Mr. I'. T. livans (North Canterbury) remarked that though under th> Education Act parents were liable to punishment if they did not provide education for their sub-normal children, it was hardly possible under the pre lent system.

''Two per cent, of the children atllip. Auol.land .schools nri» subnormal," said Miss X'cwnian (Auckland) •'By sub-normal I moan that they are suflering from some physical or mental defect which makes it impossible for them to acquire instruction in the oi'din«:'y w-iy, and it is necessary that special training should he given to' them." "If," she added, "they were to do anvthin'" lowa ids securing this special traiui'ii"- for these children they should enlist" the support of medical men and collect evidence to hack up their statements." Miss K. Chaplin, B.A. (NTorth Canterbury), supported her confrere. U was finally agreed to hold over the remit, but it was decided to ask the ■ head mnsters to supply the evidence required, ii lid also to ask for the co-oper-ation of the medical coii"read in the matter.