A Study in School Children.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 98, 22 October 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

A Study in School Children.

« Miss Catherine Dodd, of Owens College, Manchester, recently tried to find out how many children of average intelligence attach a reasonable meaning to ordinary words in common use. She put the following question to 105 primary school children between the ages of ten and fourteen : ' What iB a policeman, a postman, a soldier, a king-, a professor, a member of Parliament, a negro, a School Board ?' and gives the result in the National Review. The policeman, postman, soldier, and king were almost universally answered rightly ; but the professor, member of Parliament, negro, and School Board received very inadequate treatment. The majority of the papers came from large town Board schools and a smaller proportion from a little village Church school in Lincolnshire. The office of the policeman was fairly understood — 73 per cent, were convinced that he was concerned with wrong-doers. The definitions from the town children were bri«f — ' A policeman is what takes up murderers,' 'A policeman keeps burglars away,' and so on. But the country children had more ideas ( about the guardian of the law. One* boy of twelve gave this answer : *jA policeman is a man that will take you to . prison if you do anything rong, and lock you up for a long time and a bit of dry bread and cold water and give you the birch rod if you are a. boy or a girl and if it is a man ho will make him pay a lot of money, and every time he gives you the birch, rod it fetches blood and men has to work hard to.' The leading ideas respecting the member of Parliament were that he makes laws for his country, and that he has something to do with the Queen. One child stated simply, 'A member of Parliament is a gentleman who tries to make laws. 7 Other answers were: 'A man what belongs to Parliament.' 'A man what you has to vote for in elections.' ' He is a gentleman and people voat for him.' ' A member of Parliament keeps things straight for the Queen.' 'He is a man who lives in the Queen's house.' These children are in the upper classes of our primary schools, and many of them are on the point of leaving school for ever. The negro hardly fared so well as the M.P. The ideas most frequently expressed concerning him are that he is black, and a foreigner. ' A black man who lives in India.' (Is this an echo of Lord Salisbury ?) ' A dark man who comes from America.' ' A negro is a slave we read of them in "Uncle Tom's Cabin.'" 'A gentleman who lives in a foreign country. 7 'A negro is a man and they live in a very hot country and they have little huts to live in. 7 < A negro is a black man who acts in a | circus.' * A negro is, a man whose skin is always black, they are strong and they live in huts, and do not wear clothes and they shoot with a bow.' One child made answer : ' A negro is a man what eats missionarys !'