Review of: The education of handicapped children

Reviews the book, The education of handicapped children by J. E. W. Wallin (1924). Dr. Wallin has divided his book into three parts, the history of the education of handicapped children and psychological theories and definitions of feeblemindedness; public school questions relating to the education of handicapped children; and the social menace of the feebleminded, and the program of constructive endeavor in their behalf, with an appendix giving various classifications of mentally deficient children. Although primarily concerned with feebleminded children, the book touches briefly on some other forms of handicaps. The author advocates two types of classes in the public schools for those who are mentally deficient; special classes segregated in a separate building for the definitely feebleminded; and other ungraded classes centralized in the usual grade buildings for borderline, backward and restoration cases. The curriculum advocated allows for much latitude and adaptation to the individual, laying much stress on physical and health training and instruction in industrial arts but not ignoring the literary branches except with low grade cases. Suggestions as to vocational guidance, adaptations of methods of teaching applicable to mental deficients, and the qualifications of the teacher of such children are discussed.