Studies in development and learning : contributions from the Department of Psychology and Child Study in the Fitchburg Normal School / made by the advanced class of 1907, and edited by Edwin A. Kirkptrick.

Date:: 1909

Credit: Studies in development and learning : contributions from the Department of Psychology and Child Study in the Fitchburg Normal School / made by the advanced class of 1907, and edited by Edwin A. Kirkptrick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$A seventh grade boy: ‘ ‘ The curtains were drawn and the electric lights lighted.” A sixth grade girl: “The lights were put out.” A fifth grade girl: ‘ ‘ Sometimes it was dark, at other times light. ’ ’ A fifth grade boy: “Darkened.” The girl who answered that it changed from red to green must have been thinking of something entirely different. It was noticeable that the normal school pupils had a knowledge of the order in the changes made in the lighting. This knowledge was not contained in the answers from the lower grades, but almost everyone knew that the hall was darkened during the time when the pictures were shown. The seventh question was: “Tell anything you can about Mr. Thompson (principal of the normal school) during the lecture.” The normal school pupils: “Mr. Thompson introduced the speaker, going upon the platform: He also helped to pull the curtains.” “Mr. Thompson helped lower the curtains and introduced Mr. Kempton. After it was over, he raised some of the curtains. He asked ]\Ir. Alexander if he had anything to say to the Edgerly pupils. ’ ’ An eighth grade boy: “He pronounced the name of Hiawatha.” Another: “Mr. Thompson was quiet and sat near the stage.” Eighth grade girl: “Mr. Thompson introduced Mr. Kempton.” A seventh grade boy: “He spoke.” The eighth question was: “Tell me anything you can about Mr. Alexander during the lecture.” The normal school pupils: “Mr. Alexander had charge of the pupils from the Edgerly. He gave an announcement to the Edgerly School children at the close that school would begin again after the Christmas vacation.” “Mr. Alexander stood in the back of the room watching the ■children and when they were making a disturbance he spoke to them quietly. I remember that he watched a particular group of boys and spoke to them.” A girl in the eighth grade: “He placed the people in their seats.” Eighth grade boys: “Mr. Alexander was at the head of it all.” “Mr. Alexander was a chairman.” A seventh grade girl: “ He saw that nobody was rude. ’ ’ A sixth grade boy: “He helped run the machine.” The children seemed better able to answer this question than the previous one. They are more familiar with Mr. Alexander and$