The criticism is often made that parents object to having their children placed in these classes. Experience shows that parents prefer the change provided that the selection is carefully made, the teacher specially trained, the course of study and equipment suited to the individual needs of the child, and above all that the school room is at least up to the average standard for other school children, and care taken to see that no uneducable or dangerous psychopathic child is admitted to the class. It is conceded that the School Principal should always be "Master of his own quarterdeck.'' However, the proper classification of a subnormal child is such an important and difficult matter that the Principal should take into full consideration all available information from parents, teacher, nurse, and specialist before assigning such a pupil to or removing him from an Auxiliary Class. It should be kept in mind that the examination of pupils for Auxiliary Classes is only a means to an end, which is not to differentiate the child from other children, but to take him from the Public School class where he has remained for several years, marking time, and to place him on the educational highway, which his natural equipment has best fitted him to travel, where he will make the most rapid progress possible toward the goal of efficient social service. This advance can be made only under the care of a specially trained teacher. At the Summer School of 1921, fifty-two teachers (of whom eighteen were from Toronto) took the Auxiliary Class training. They were all recommended by their Public School Inspectors as specially fitted for Auxiliary Class teaching. Twenty-one of these teachers are now engaged in teaching Auxiliary Classes. It is well to keep training classes up to the maximum of sixteen pupils, even though it is necessary to pay the cost of transportation of distant pupils. It is desirable that all Training Class rooms be provided with adjustable desks. The Government Grant covers the entire excess of the cost over that of the ordinary desk. The time has come when to secure the best results from the expenditure on these classes, attention should be paid to "follow up work" for pupils after they have taken the course. When a subnormal pupil has attended an Auxiliary Class for several years and has attained the age of twelve or thirteen, there is need of several years of further manual training, before undertaking work with an employer. If two training classes were established-a trade class for older boys and a homemaker's class for older girls-this training could be provided at minimum cost. 8. B. SINCLAIR, Inspector Auxiliary Classes. THE UNGRADED CLASS ROOM By MABEL F. BOGART The location, equipment, arrangement, decoration and cleanliness of an ungraded class room are of prime importance. A room with a southwestern exposure is to be preferred, as the children in an ungraded class need even more sunshine than normal children. It is well, if the room be on the first floor, making it easy of access at all times. It may be of advantage to have the room apart from others, to lessen possible annoyance from the noise of shop work. A well equipped room furnishes a chair and table space for each individual. A round table for group work is a fine addition to any ungraded class room. At least three work benches, fully equipped with tools, are necessary. Since the physical training of the children is of great importance, the room should, to serve its purpose well, contain a set of stall bars, dumb bells, Indian clubs, horizontal bar, wands, and balance beam. The community spirit is established and strengthened by the use of a sand table. It is an asset in an ungraded class room. Many uses will be found for a gas plate, properly installed. A cabinet for the display of work, the ever-useful blackboard, charts, and chart holders may well be added to our list. The ungraded class room serves many purposes. It is used as assembly room, gymnasium, shop, and for academic training. Therefore, there can be no permanent arrangement of furniture. The teacher's desk should occupy an inconspicuous place, and should have nothing on it but necessities. The best arrangement of tables and chairs is in the form of a hollow square. The work benches are well placed at one side of the room. If necessary the furniture may be pushed aside during opening exercises, physical training periods, and reading by the teacher. Select ungraded class room decorations with care. The permanent decorations include large pictures, curtains, casts, flower containers, growing plants, and an aquarium. Choose pictures suitable to children, preferably those of universal appeal, as nature, children, or animals. Frame them in simple frames. In a dark room use brilliant pictures in yellows, green and orange. In a sunny room use neutral tones. Curtains of simple material, not of sufficient weight to exclude the light, add to the attractiveness of the room. As one little child has expressed it, "They make this room seem like a home." Plaster casts, also of universal appeal, and some form of vase which will make for unity and simplicity may be added. Very attractive flower vases may be made by painting glass jars. Who will not appreciate the addition of growing plants? Window boxes filled with plants, bulbs, early spring seeds, planted and cared for by the children. If the room has no sun and "plants simply won't grow," try a basket of bittersweet, a bunch of bayberry, or a spray of pine and notice the effect. The children will learn much from an aquarium well cared for. The temporary decorations of the room are small pictures, nature study materials, blackboard frieze and exhibition board. Small pictures which are of interest at the moment, seasonal pictures, etc., may be framed and the frames arranged for changing pictures. Nature study material should be neatly kept and placed in the room in regard to space and balance. It should be thrown away when its purpose is served. A blackboard or wall frieze is enjoyed by the children. If paper is used care should be taken of loose ends. The kindergarten or drawing department may be of help where necessary. An exhibition board of beaver board or some material of neutral tint will always be found useful for temporary exhibition purposes. Keep decorations simple. Have a "place for everything, and everything in its place," for it makes for that neatness which is absolutely necessary to decorations. In speaking of cleanliness we come to the last, but a very important factor. The tables in the room can be kept in very good order by being sand papered and washed once a week. The blackboards should be washed daily. Many children in an ungraded class room receive their first ideas on this subject from the teacher. As they learn to keep the room neat, they become more careful of their personal appearance and gradually the idea carries over into the home. EXCHANGES AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED The Elementary School Journal. November, 1921. Hoefer. Journal of the National Education Association. December, 1921. The True Teacher, by Raymond E. Manchester. Some Moral Aspects of Psychical Education, by Arthur Holmes. Education. November, 1921. Beginnings of the Commercial School, by C. G. Reigner. The Relation of Physical Education to a National Health Program, by W. H. Thaler. Bulletin of the First Pan-Pacific Educational Conference, Honolulu, The Housing and Equipment of Kindergartens. Present Status of Music Instruction in Colleges and High Schools, 1919-20. Opportunities for Study at American Graduate Schools. Higher Education, 1918-1920, by George F. Zook. SONGS FOR EACH SEASON EVELYN B. BARRY January Hymn-Morning Hymn No. 6-Smith. Action Song-Little New Year-Blue Jenks. Flag Song-Our Flag-Green Gaynor, p. 30. Seasonal Songs— Cuckoo Clock-William H. Gardner (Published in Ladies Home Journal, 1916). New Year's Greeting-Poulsson, p. 2. Bed-time, Poulsson, p. 103. Merry Little Snow Flakes-Hill, p. 28. There's a Little Old Man Made of Snow-Neidlinger. Old Year and New Year-Poulsson, p. 3. Snow Clouds-Hill, p. 29. BOOK REVIEWS Here and Now Story Book. By Mrs. Lucy Sprague Mitchell. E. P. Dutton and Co., New York, 1921. $2.00. Many a thoughtful teacher of the young has expressed deep dissatisfaction with the available literature at their command. Mrs. Mitchell after many years of teaching, has become convinced that the average modern story written by adults for children tends to excite or confuse them instead of amusing or interesting them. The stories of this volume are written for the children of the City and County School, formerly the Play School, and the Nursery School of the Bureau of Educational Experiments. These children vary in age from two to seven years. As to content, she assumes that anything to which a child gives its spontaneous attention, anything which he questions as he moves around the world, holds appropriate material about which to talk to him either in speech or in writing. A child should never be asked to go beyond his own experiences no matter how narrow they may be. With regard to form, every child story worthy of the name must have a pattern at once pleasing and comprehensible. To choose suitable patterns for little children we have two sources of help both of which come straight from the children themselves. The first are the children's own spontaneous art forms; the second are the story and verse patterns which make an almost universal appeal to little children. We know that this interesting story book will afford both teachers and parents a new method of approach to literature for little children. A Treasury of Plays for Children. Edited by Montrose J. Moses. Illus trations by Tony Sarg. Little, Brown and Co., Boston, 1921. Net $3.00. Mr. Montrose J. Moses is an expert in the subject of children's literature. His well-selected anthology of plays for young folks-the first of its kind-gives us a collection of fourteen dramas, some of which have never been published before in this country. The best in the volume are The Three Wishes by Mrs. Hamilton Williamson; The Toy Maker of Nuremberg by Austin Strong; The Forest Ring by William C. DeMille; The Silver Thread by Constance D'Arcy Mackay, and The Months by Christina G. Rossetti. |