Four years after the organization of these classes, 11 more were begun.

Since that time a change has been made in the method of dealing with these children. Only 15 classes are at present conducted in the different schools. To accommodate other backward children one large school is set aside. With a desire to accomplish what was really necessary, without accurate information as to the needs, the authorities set aside Longwood School. This school was too large for the number of backward children found within a sufficiently limited

area.

In order to make use of the entire plant, first and second grade children of normal mentality are also sent to the school. Thus we have the unusual condition of normal children attending a school for backward pupils. The 15 classes in the different schools contain 330 children. Longwood School has 472 backward children in 17 classes.

CLASSES FOR DEFECTIVES

It was realized that the backward were not the lowest grade of children. As a result four classes were organized in 1905 for "defective pupils." Because of the satisfactory results, this number was doubled in the following year. Since that time several others have been organized, and there are now 18 classes for 240 subnormal children.

"STEAMER" CLASSES

Foreigners who did not succeed in the regular grades because they did not know the English language were

first given special instruction in 1901. In that year, according to one of the assistant superintendents, the principal of Harmon School began the experiment of the "Steamer" classes. Other schools took up the work, and during the past year 404 foreign pupils in 18 different classes had the opportunity of special instruction.

CLASSES FOR EPILEPTICS

A class for epileptics was organized in 1907 and 10 children were sent to it. The number has varied during the interval, and in 1914-15, only four epileptics were enrolled. The number of pupils in the class was increased to 11 by the addition of other children, the majority of whom were recent immigrants. The class for epileptics is thus composed of four epileptics and seven "unclassified."

SCHOOL FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN

The instruction of crippled children was undertaken by the public school authorities in 1908. The school was located in a frame structure from which it has not been moved, but to which additions have been made in order to accommodate the increasing number of candidates. Seven teachers were employed and 90 children attended during the past school year.

ELEMENTARY INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL

The Elementary Industrial School was established in 1909. A child who had taken eight or more years to

reach the sixth grade was offered the opportunity of attending a school in which one-half of the time would be spent in industrial work. The school proved popular, and many children not retarded have applied for admission. The number of retarded children has always been sufficient to tax the capacity of the school. Last year there were 232 children in the industrial school under the direction of 11 teachers.

TRAINING CENTERS (INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS) The efforts of the Elementary Industrial School were so well received that three more industrial schools were established. These schools have recently been named "training centers" and have admitted children who would never be able to reach the higher grades. In these centers there were last year 134 children for whom 11 teachers had been provided.

CLASSES FOR THE BLIND

The initial year for the instruction of the blind in classes specially organized for them was 1909. Only one class was opened and the children were sent to the regular grades for as much instruction as could possibly be given in this way. There were last year six of these classes for a total of 48 children. Three classes are for the totally blind and the others are for those children whose vision is so defective that it is impossible for them to work satisfactorily in the regular grades.

OPEN AIR CLASSES

Open air classes have been in existence for four years. The majority of the classes are in rooms of the regular schools. In the newest buildings special accommodations of the most approved type are provided. Altogether there were in the spring of 1915 eight classes in which 218 children were taught.

IRREGULARITY IN THE ORGANIZATION OF THE

CLASSES

In this brief review it has been impossible to show in detail the development of each type of class. Various reorganizations have taken place. A number of similar classes have been organized under different names, and the same kind of children have been placed in classes with different names. The first industrial school was for pupils who had completed the fifth grade. The later industrial schools contain a very large proportion of pupils who could not succeed in carrying on the work of the fifth grade. Many of the latter children are feebleminded. The recent change of name to "training centers" shows that the difference in the children has been recognized. In addition to these industrial schools there is the Mound Industrial School, which differs from regular grade schools only in that after the fifth grade each child spends a considerable portion of his time in manual training and in allied branches. Any child who does not wish to take up this work is transferred to a nearby school. The children in this school are

not in the least subnormal. They are listed, however, as attending the same type of school as many who will never be able to make their own living. The table on this page shows the enrollment in each sort of school and class in the spring of 1915.

The first special class in America was established in Cleveland. The development has been rapid but irregular. There are now 12 kinds of special schools and classes, enrolling more than 2,500 children and cared for by 140 teachers.