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SATHMT. BECtMEI 2», IM3
■ EDUCATION
IN
THE NEWS
By Mabli Sasfirß Livis
Last week this column told of ^e remarkable phenomena on the
American scene in the past decade of the rapid growth of public
interest in educational problems of the gifted child. Equally true
interest scope and attention is being given to the school-age
educable mentally retarded. The majority of these children con
tinue to get their education in regular classrooms.
Experts have made a report
that only one in four retard
ates is currently in four re
tardates currently in a special
class. This estimate is for the
entire country and varies great
ly from state to state. Grow
ing interest in retarded child
ren suggests that we might
be optimistic about the chances
of future generations of these
children for receiving the type
of education that they require.
Many communities, regions,
and states hitherto without spe
cial classes are activating new
programs as rapidly as they can
find staff, space, and funds.
These children require an edu
cational program of top quality
and effectiveness in order that
they may have a good chance
of assimilation in society at
maturity.
Herbert Goldstein, of the In
stitute of Research on Excep
tional Children has written a
pamphlet in which he answers
the question, WHO IS AN EDU
CABLE MENTALLY RETARD
ED CHILD? "The educable
mentally retarded child in the
regular grades is a low achiev
er. Not all low achievers,
however, are mentally retard
ed. This distinction is of ut
most importance because low
achievement is not the primary
factor in identifying the retard
ed; it is only one symptom of
a more profound and usually
more complex set of conditions.
In some cases, low achieve
ment is an outcome of emo
tional problems. In others, it
may be due to sensory impair
ment, cultural deprivation, and
or learning disabilities. In the
case of the retarded child, low
achievement is almost exclu
sively the result of intellectual
subnormality. This is not to say
that retarded children are un
affected by the aforementioned
conditons. On the contrary, they
are at least as vulnerable as
their normal or gifted peers.
For the retarded child, how
ever, these conditions tend to
further repress already re
pressed ability. Counteracting
the condition that compound in
tellectual subnormality helps
to upgrade the achievement of
the retarded just as it helps
his normal and gifted class
mates.
This accomplishment was
dramatically illustrated in a
study of pre-school children
from seriously deprived and
in some cases, TRAUMATIC
environments. The major goal
of this study was to see if
the negative effects of poor
environment could be counter
acted through stimulating pre
school experiences in a class
room setting. At the end of
the study, it was found that a
significantly large number of
children were upgraded re
mained normal, while those
of lower status moved up com
mensurely. In this study, one
of the important factors was the
age of the children. They were
treated early and Intensively.
This fact must be taken into
account in working with school
age retardates.
The unique characteristic of
the mentally retarded is intel
lectual subnormality and all
that this implies in classroom
performance and behaivior. In
this respect, there is an un
eveness in the achievement of
these children. The ingredients
of intellectual subnormality (li
mited ability to reason, to cope
with abstract concepts, and to
perceive essential facts and ef
fect relevant relationships) help
to emphasize low achievement
as classroom tasks invoke more
and more of these abilities in
the solution of learning pro
blems.
This, the BORDERLINE re
tarded child in the first grade
will be more nearly like his
peers than his more retarded
classmates. The borderline
child might not become obvious
as a low achiever until he is
well into the third grade. His
less-endowed classmate maybe
detected by the end of his first
grade experience and may veri
fy his status clearly during
the second grade. Again, it is
worth repeating that the class
room teacher would not be justi
fied, however, in initiating the
steps that would differentiate
the RETARDED low achiever
from the others so that ap
propriate measures in remed
iation might be taken.
Among the most important
facts to remember about the
characteristics of the educable
mentally retarded are (a) they
are shared with both normal and
gifted peers - difference are a
matter of degree and not of
kind: ( b ) few children will
exhibit all of the characteris
tics to be discussed; and (c)
many of the characteristics are
subject to positive change if the
right combination of under
standing and treatment is em
ployed.
A large proportion of edu
cable mentally retarded child
ren come from near or on the
"wrong side ” of the tracks.
The effects of subaverage liv
ing conditions are seen in their
living conditions are seen in
their physical and cultural un
dernourishment. Many of them
are prone to illness and lacking
in physical stamina. Their lan
guage is often impoverished, if
not very late in developing, and
laden with colloquialisms.
In a sizable number of cases,
lack of motivation in school
work is a complicating factor
that arises from the family’s
apathy or lack of understanding
of the purpose of education. In
some families, the presence of
more than one retarded child is
not uncommon. A lesser pro
portion of these children have
been found in middle and upper
class families. A sizable
proportion of these are retarded
TNE ATLANTA MIKI
Spelman College
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3)
minoring in secondary edu
cation. She was highly recom
mended by many members of
the faculty who have taught her.
Josepine Dunbar, a mathema
tics major with a minor in
secondary education, ranks se
cond in her class. She is active
in leadership and extracurricu
lar activities on the campus.
Miss Dunbar was one of the
participants in the 1962 "Cross
roads Africa” program.
Just recently, Miss Holt and
Miss Dunbar were elected to
be listed in Who’s Who Among
Students In American Univer
sities and Colleges.
Leronia Stokes who ranked
third in her senior class in high
school, has maintained a high
scholarship record while at
Spelman. She is a political
science major. Very active in
extracurricular activities, Miss
Stokes has been a member of
several campus organizations;
has represented the college at
several conferences; for sev
eral campus organizations; has
represented the college at se-
Stokes has been a member of
the Judiciary Board of Spelman
College; has served as chair
man of various committees for
several campus organizations;
has represented the college at
several conferences; and was an
exchange student to Smith Col
lege for a period during the se
cond semester of the 1961-62
academic year.
Misses Holt, Davis, Dunbar
and Stokes were chosen from
nominations made by a faculty
and staff committee on the basis
of scholastic ability, intellec
tual curiosity, personality, ma
turity ot judgement, emotional
stability, health, and service to
the college. Their travel and
study will be done under the
guidance of Mrs. Clare L. Haac
of the department of French
of Spelman College.
because of accident and or ill
ness at birth or in early child
hood. The existence of retarded
children in well-to-do families
reminds us that retardation is
not limited to the poor and the
unfortunate.
In fact, as the public’s attitude
toward the retarded child im
proves and as diagnostic tech
niques become more percep
tive, we shall find more of these
children at all socioeconomic
levels. This is not to say that
retardation is necessarily on
the increase, but rather that
children once missed in testing
programs are now identified.
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What’s What
♦
Cot^ lately .Speaking
ALABAMA A&M - Last week William E. Green a former star
with the Boston Celtics was appointed by head basketball coach
Frank E. Lewis. Green is from Gadsen Alabama and a graduate
of Colorado State University.
A&T - Thirty-six student leaders in academic achievement and
extracurricular activities are to oe listed in the 1963-64 Who s
Who in American Universities and Colleges.
BENNETT. — The Bennett choir presented its annual Christmas
candlelight service, Sunday night at Pfeiffer Chapel under the
direction of Mrs. Mary J. Crawford.
FLORIDA MEMORIAL, —Sixty-four students earned scholastic
places on the Dean’s List and Honor Roll. Twenty-four made
the Dean’s List with grades ranging from 3.50 to 4.00, and the
other forty had grades from 3.00 to 3.46.
FLORIDA STATE. — A petition by 116 faculty members appeared
in the school newspaper "The Flambeau’*, Thursday as a full
page ad asking desegregation of off-campus restaurants.
HAMPTON INSTITUTE. — Independence of Africa’s newest
free nation, Kenya, was celebrated at a dinner sponsored by the
African Students* Union with faculty and staff members attending
the affair in Holly Tree Inn.
JACKSON STATE. — Roderick Paige, a 1955 graduate has been
installed a Head Football Coach announced by Pres. Jacob
L. Reddix.
LIVINGSTONE. — Six students are attending the 19th Ecumeni
cal Student Conference at Ohio University, Athen, Ohio and two
other students are at the Mid-Winter Beach Conference spon
sored by the Southern Area Council of the Young Men’s Christian
Association at Meami Beach, Florida both events held during
the Christmas vacation.
MILES - President Dr. L. H. Pitts spent the last two weeks
of November engaged in a series of conferences with many of the
notable New York City foundations in an effort to gain necessary
financial aid for an expansion program.
(( ))
SAVANNAH STATE ■ President Howard Jordon, Jr. is happy
to announce that the directors of the Newspaper Fund Inc.,
have authorized a grant of $2,000 ^r a 1964 journalism workshop.
UNIV. MIAMI- More than 90 competitors from 11 universities
are expected to participate in the first annual Orange Bowl In
vitational Track and Field Meet Dec. 30 according to John Sullivan
co-chairman ot the event. John Pennel, world pole vault record
holder from Northeast Louisiana State, Bob Hayes, 100-yard
dash champion from Fla. A&M and Gary Gubner, collegiate
shot put record holder from NYU will be a few out of many out
standing athletes.
IN DAYS OF OLD
Researchers say that early
Greeks and Romans were quite
particular about New Year
toasts- who made them, who
pmired, and what was said. The
righl to make a I oast at some
gathering or ceremony was re
served for an official or other
important personage.
A toast to one's lover was pop
ular in Rome, and it was cus
tom to drink one glass for each
letter of a sweetheart’s name.
PAGE 13
Happy
- I t /
IO
We look ahead
to serving you.
Good luck all.
81 WHITEHALL ST., S.W.
