Extension of School Luncheons in Philadelphia
News and Comments.
Through the co-operation of the Alumnae of St. Timothy’s School, Catonsville, Maryland, the Committee on School Luncheons of the Home and School League has begun serving a light luncheon to the children in ten of the seventy-five special classes in the public schools. The luncheon is served just before the early morning recess, and consists of a cup of milk with a cracker or a shredded wheat biscuit. Under the direction of the teacher the children do all the work connected with the serving and clearing away of the luncheons.
Each child pays one cent, which covers the cost of the food served, so that the only expense is for the equipment. The average cost of this, for a class of twenty, is about twelve dollars.
An Elusive Case in the Public Schools.
A public school in a large city has a child problem that it is unable to solve. The child, Rose, is always playing a part. She plays a different part for each teacher, adapting her pose to what each expects of her. She acts with the greatest abandon before those teachers whose feeling is strong, either for or against her. Her poses aro very spontaneous in appearance, very convincing; so that her teachers differ fundamentally in their opinions of her, and cannot act unitedly on this account. She is nearly fourteen years old, a girl of strong physique and vitality, and all teachers grant her a bright mind.
Rose shows, to the writer’s careful observation, no realization of what she is doing, but instantly grasps the teacher’s attitudo or the classroom atmosphere, and responds accordingly, with a high-spirited, unselfconscious air. Even when she is brought to tears, her weeping has no flaw and exactly fits the situation. I have known her, both in and out of school, for the past two years, and am convinced that she is seldom deliberate in her actions, that suggestion comes to her subconsciously* and that her response has become habitual and involuntary. She shirks* whenever possible, attempts to force her to be self-conscious responsible, to accept consequences and punishment, and she alway9 fails to carry out a promised line of conduct.
I have seen Rose only once or twice genuinely downcast. This when I sat down with her and put before her, in a commonplace, uncm? tional tone, the facts of her behavior, but left entirely to her whether she should respond or not. That is, I asked nothing of her, and I n1^0 no definite suggestion. She had nothing whatever to sny, seemed some what dazed, and sat huddled and limp, like a pricked bubble. I met her in the street when she appeared in a dream, out of which s pulled herself, and adopted quickly tho attitudo my greeting called f?r*
She suggests, at such times, a bird poised in flight, waiting for the impulse that shall direct him.
She does not like to be left long unnoticed, but when a teacher succeeds in letting her alone, refusing either to praise or to be annoyed or to blame, she settles down to good work. As she grows older, however, this habit is growing stronger, and the teachers less tolerant and less willing to ignore the constant bids for recognition. The days she spends in school become more and more useless. She less and less often uses her will to act deliberately, to face and put through an unpleasant situation, or an unstimulating task.
The mother sees only the obvious faults and deceits, declares that “It’s just plain lying”; and she is unwilling to admit that the girl’s graphic and plausible stories to excuse school deficiencies and absences indicate a condition more serious than mere lying. She is far from guessing that Rose’s vivid imagination, sensitive reading of other people’s minds, comprehensive grasp of a situation, and acute response might indicate genius if rightly directed. Her teachers, even those who see her as a strong power going to waste, cannot give her the personal care, nor provide the special opportunities, that alone will guide this imagination and intelligence along a healthful path. Her dreaming, self-indulgent absorption is having no wholesome, constructive outlet. Mary S. Marot.
International Red Cross Competitions.
The American Red Cross desires again to invite attention to the exhibition in connection with the Ninth International Red Cross Con ference, which will be held in Washington, D. C., from May 7 to 1*, 1912.
The exhibition will be divided into two sections, which be styled Marie Feodorovna and General. The former is a prize competition, with prizes aggregating 18,000 rubles, or approximately $9000, divide into nine prizes, one of 6000 rubles, approximately $3000; two of 3000 rubles each, and six of 1000 rubles each.
The subjects of this competition are as follows: 1. A scheme for the removal of wounded from the battle e wi the minimum number of stretcher bearers. 2. Portable (surgeons’) washstands, for use in the field. 3. The best method of packing dressings for use at first aid and dressing stations. 4. Wheeled stretchers. 5. Transport of stretchers on mule back. 6. Easily folding portable stretchers. f. Transport of the wounded between warships and hospitals ships and the coast. . ,
8- The best method of heating railway cars by a system independen ?f steam from the locomotive.
9. The best model of portable Roentgen apparatus, permitting utilization of X-rays on the battlefield and at first aid stations. The maximum prize will be awarded to the best exhibit, irrespective of the subject, and so on.
The General Exhibit is again divided into two parts; the first will be an exhibition by the various Red Cross Associations of the world. The second will be devoted to exhibits by individuals or business houses of any articles having to do with the amelioration of the sufferings of sick and wounded in war, which are not covered by the Marie Eeodorovna Prize Competition for the year. While the American Red Cross will be glad to have any articles pertaining to medical and surgical practice in the field, it is especially anxious to secure a full exhibit relating to preventive measures in campaign. Such articles will be classified as follows:
Apparatus for furnishing good water in the field.
Field apparatus for the disposal of wastes.
3. Shelter, such as portable huts, tents and the like, for hospital purposes. 4. Transport apparatus (to prevent the suffering of sick and wounded) exclusive of such apparatus as specified for the Marie Feodorovna Prize Competition. As with the Marie Feodorovna Prize Competition, for this country only articles having the approval of the Central Committee of the American Eed Cross will be accepted.
Diplomas will be awarded for exhibits in this section of the exhibition as approved and recommended by the Jury. Further information may be obtained from the Chairman, Exhibition Committee, American Red Cross, Washington, D. C. It is perhaps to apparatus having to do with prevention of disease in armies that the energies of Americans have been specially directed since the Spanish-American War. Therefore, the last mentioned section of the Exhibition should make an appeal to them.
Errata.
The following errors which occurred in my Binet-Simon guide (The Psychological Clinic, December 15, 1911) require correction: Page 221. Strike out the second line from the bottom, and substitute the following: 17a. Repeat: “In the winter time wo skate on the ice.” Or:
Test 21. Strike out the second we in the second memory sentence. Page 224, second line. Insert a comma before 3. Test 29. Use a plain, clearly-written pen copy with a less ornamental P. Test Gl. In order to fit the instructions in the text, interchange the letters B and C in the figure. J. E. Wallace Wallin.
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