CONTENTS. Page I. Introduction... 989 II. Washington school children; Washington school teachers; conclusions as to Washington school children........ 996 A. A special study of 1,071 school children. 999 B. Anthropometrical measurements of 16,473 white children and 5,457 1013 C. Children with abnormalities.... 1029 D. Comparative ability in different studies, with relation to sex, 1041 V. Psycho-physical instruments of precision in the Laboratory of the Bureau of Education.... 1141 987 The general reader may not be interested in all portions of this work. The following references may be of service: EXPERIMENTAL CHAPTER XXI. STUDY OF CHILDREN, INCLUDING ANTHROPOMETRICAL AND PSYCHO-PHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS OF WASHINGTON SCHOOL CHILDREN. I. INTRODUCTION. Before entering upon the introduction proper, the author may be allowed a few remarks. The original part of this work is chiefly a study of Washington school children; the rest is, in the main, an endeavor to present results of the principal investigations on school children up to the present time. As to the original part of this study the reader will remember that all such work is in its infancy and must therefore be necessarily incomplete. Many seemingly unimportant details are given, but, as remarked later on, to present too many details is less of a mistake than to present too few. It is hoped that this, with the work of others, may aid in a more thorough study of children, on whom the future civilization depends. ANTHROPOMETRY. Anatomical measurement of children is one of the chief branches of anthropometry. Anthropometry is the measurement of the human body in general. It is a branch of anthropology, but independent in its purpose and methods. ARTISTS THE FIRST ANTHROPOMETRISTS. In early times measurements of the body were made in the service of art. It is in comparatively recent times that anthropometry has taken a scientific direction. The artist was interested almost wholly in the form and proportion of the human body, and so measured those only who were well-formed. The empirical investigator is interested in the measurements of all persons. The founder of this latter branch of study is the Belgian statistician, Quetelet. His purpose was to find what is typical in man, at the same time making note of the variations due to sex, age, race, and social position. PRACTICAL NATURE OF ANTHROPOMETRY. One of the practical aims of measurements of living men is to identify personality. It is to give to each individual a "positive, permanent, and invariable personality." Thus when a life insurance policy or a certificate of death is to be drawn up, or when it is desired to identify some insane person or some one disfigured by sudden or violent death, by shipwreck or combat, it would be serviceable had those persons had their measurements recorded so that they could be identified with certainty. Banks and associations for mutual benefit could not be so easily swindled by the assertion of the death of a policy holder; impersonation of a pensioner or of an heir would be difficult, and "those who died in battle would not have a nameless grave." BERTILLON SYSTEM OF MEASUREMENT.' This is an extension of the idea of the Bertillon system of measurements for criminals-a system which aids in lessening crime. Crime is encouraged from the difficulty of distinguishing one person from another, so that habitual and professional criminals escape punishment. This system, although intended primarily for a practical end, can be made of scientific value as far as it goes. Its measurements are length and width of head, distance between zygomatic arches, length of left foot, of left middle finger, left little finger, left forearm, and length and width of ear. There is a descriptive part including observation of the bodily shape and movements. Deformities, peculiar marks on the surface of the body resulting from disease or accident, and other signs, as moles, warts, scars, tattooings, etc., are noted. Experience has shown that absolute certainty of identity is possible by the Bertillon system. But the full benefits of a practical system of identification can not be reached unless applied to all individuals. There might be at first senti mental objections, as has happened in things subsequently of great utility to society. No one who intended to be an honorable citizen would have anything to fear; but, on the contrary, it would afford protection to humanity in enabling society to find its enemies. This certainty of identification would discourage dishonest voting, assist in recognizing deserters from the Army, in enforcing laws, and in facilitating many business matters. IMPORTANCE OF MEASUREMENTS OF CHILDREN. In the investigation of normal modern civilized man, the most important branch is probably the study of children. The importance of taking physical measurements of children in school lies in the fact that such measurements may be considered as a test for systems of physical culture. As pupils are examined periodically to test their See Part V, Instruments of Precision, page 1141. mental growth and improvement, it is just as necessary for their wel fare that their physical condition and development be ascertained, so that progress may be gained in body as well as in mind. But there must be some standard by which we can measure physical development and growth. This can only be ascertained by taking measurements of a large number of children of all school ages. Although the physical conditions upon which the activity of mind depends are so complex, and so much is still unknown, yet it can be said with almost a certainty that at those ages in which children grow rapidly there should be a corresponding reduction in the amount of study required, and this should be done even if the pupil is mentally capable of doing more, for no pupil should be developed in mind to the detriment of bodily conditions. The bright scholar, whom parents are too often inclined to push, needs it the least, especially if his physical condition is inferior to his mental. The saying that apples which ripen slowest last the longest is as true as it is homely. The systematic collection, then, of physical statistics in the public schools will furnish valuable facts for the hygienist and the educator. NORMAL MAN SHOULD BE STUDIED. Students of anthropology have confined their attention largely to uncivilized and prehistoric man, and consequently there is very little knowledge of modern civilized man, as compared with his less-worthy predecessors or contemporaries. We know more about rocks and brutes than about modern man. We have made sciences of the two former, but a science of the latter hardly exists. The men who have begun lately to study modern man have given the abnormal types, such as criminals, the insane, inebriates, paupers, etc., the advantage of their investigations. It is time that similar investigations should be made. upon average normal men, who are the foundation of every community. Also men of talent, great talent or genius, should be studied; for if it is important to study the criminal in order to find the causes of crime, and thereby prevent or lessen it, it is perhaps more needful to investigate the man of talent or genius, in order to learn those conditions and characteristics that lead to success in life.' OBJECTIONS TO PSYCHO-PHYSICAL METHODS. Objections are frequently made to the present psycho physical methods of studying man. It is said that too much importance is attached to the physical side of man, as though the soul and mind could be measured by an instrument of precision. It is not intended here to enter upon a special discussion of this subject, about which there may be difference of opinion. The measurements made are measurements of the body or of physical effects in the body arising from either physical or mental causes or from both causes. When, for instance, an instrument to measure pain, as a temporal See article on "Emile Zola" by author, Open Court, Aug., 1898. |