II. Earlier statistics. 1. Results-gave low mentality to delinquents. 2. Reasons for this. (a) Standards too high. (b) Parole and suspended sentence not given to subnormals. (c) Intelligent criminals usually not caught. III. Later Statistics. 1. Juvenile Courts. 2. Criminal Courts. 3. Correctional Institutions. IV. Comparison with Statistics for non-delinquents. 1. Among army men. 2. School children. V. Results. 1. Low mentality not a high causative factor of crime. 2. Criminals of low mentality tend to commit certain types of crime. 3. Sub-normal delinquents are harder to reform. 4. Psychopathic cases have a tendency toward delin quency. 5. Persons suffering from mental conflicts have a tendency toward delinquency. VI. Remedial measures. 1. Clinics. 2. Schools for defectives. 3. Vocational guidance for borderline cases. VII. Recommendations. 1. Compulsory tests. 2. More clinics. 3. Extensive vocational guidance. 4. State control of defectives. 5. Religious training. BIBLIOGRAPHY. References Used: (1) Malzburg, Benjamin: On the relation of Mental Defects to Delinquency, A Study of cases before the Voluntary Defenders' Committee of New York City. Journal of Criminal Law, Vol. 10, Northwestern Univ. Press. (2) Anderson, Victor V.: The Psychiatric Clinic in the Treatment of Conduct Disorders of Children and the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency. Journal of Criminal Law, Vol. 14, Northwestern Univ. Press. (3) Pollock, Horatio M.: Statistical System for Use in Institutions for Criminals and Delinquents. Journal of Criminal Law, Vol. II, Northwestern Univ. Press. (4) Purcell-Guild, June: Study of One Hundred and ThirtyOne Delinquent Girls Held at the Juvenile Detention Home in Chicago, 1917.-Journal of Criminal Law, Vol. 10, Northwestern Univ. Press. (5) Arnold, Victor O.: Insanity and Criminal Responsibility. Journal of Criminal Law, Vol. 10, Northwestern Univ. Press. (6) Doll, Edgar A.: A Study of Multiple Criminal Factors. —Journal of Criminal Law, Vol. 11, Northwestern Univ. Press. (7) Goddard, Henry H.: Article in vol. 11, Journal Criminal Law. (8) Bingham, Annie T.: A Study of Five Hundred Delinquent Girls. Journal of Criminal Law, Vol. 13, Northwestern Univ. Press. (9) Hodson, William: What Minnesota Has Done and Is Doing for the Feeble-Minded.-Journal of Criminal Law, Vol. 10. (10) Salmon, Thomas W.: Some New Problems for Psychiatric Research in Delinquency.-Journal of Criminal Law, Vol. 12, N. U. Press. (11) Miner: Deficiency and Delinquency, Warwick and York, Baltimore. (12) Healy, William: Conflicts and Misconduct.-Little, Brown and Co., Boston. (13) Hollingsworth, Letta S.: Psychology of Subnormal Children, 1920.-Macmillan, N. Y. (14) Healy, William, and Fernald, Grace M.: Tests for Practical Mental Classification.-Psychological Monographs, Vol. 13. (15) Pintner: Intelligence Testing.-Henry Holt and Co. References Recommended for Further Reading: Pintner: Bibliography, page 301. Davis, Jesse B.: Vocational and Moral Guidance.-Ginn & Co. Downey: Will Temperament Test.-World Book Co. Hollingworth, H. L. and L. S.: Vocational Psychology.—Appleton & Co. Chapman, J. Crossby: Trade Tests.-Henry Holt & Co. The Negro Child's Interest in Writing Poetry HARVEY C. LEHMAN AND PAUL A. WITTY, OHIO UNIVERSITY, ATHENS, O., AND THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, LAWRENCE, KANSAS AKERS of curricula have recognized the need of utilizing the interests of children in determina M tion of content. Investigations by Uhl, Dunn, and others have yielded salient data in regard to children's interests in reading materials. The results of these investigations have been utilized in planning reading activities and in devising materials. Most curricula investigations have been confined to a discovery and utilization of the interests of white children. Scant data are available in reference to the interests of Negro children. Present practice in teaching reading to Negroes posits the assumption that the materials and methods which utilize the interests of white children are likewise applicable to Negro children. The present status of the Negro in reading is deplorable. Witty and Decker report that the poorest attainment of Negro elementary pupils is manifested in reading. (1) It may be that materials which yield satisfactory results with white children are not suited to the needs and interests of Negro pupils. Scruggs in a Master's thesis attempted to ascertain accurately the interests of Negro children in various types of reading. (2) Scruggs points out that the nearest approach to unanimity of interest among Negro children was elicited in response to Bible stories. "Among the kinds of stories chosen, Bible stories first demand attention, not because of sentiment, but because more pupils evince an interest in this type of reading matter than any other type." (3) "In expressing their best-liked types of stories, boys at 9 years prefer, first, funny stories; second, Bible stories; third, bedtime stories. At age 10 years, preference is shown for Bible stories first, bedtime stories second, and funny stories third. At age 11 to 14 years, inclusive, Bible stories are first, adventure second, and How to Make Things, third. At ages 15 and 16 years, inclusive, Bible stories lead, adventure ranks second, and information third." (4) The writers have shown further that Negro children demonstrate conspicuous interest in activities of a religious nature. (5) It seems logical that serious attempts be made to ascertain quantitatively the actual differences between whites and Negroes in other fields of interest. The following paper reports the frequency with which representative white and Negro children engage in writing poems "just for fun." METHOD Over 5,000 children were asked to check from a comprehensive and catholic list of 200 play activities only those activities in which they had voluntarily participated during the preceding week. The directions were specific, the teachers were instructed in giving the tests, and the data were obtained from unselected pupils in order that the results of the investigation might be reliable. Data were secured from children in the following Kansas towns:- Kansas City, Lawrence, Bonner Springs, and Moran. In order that seasonal differences might be taken into account the list of activities was checked by the above groups on each of three different dates, Nov. 7, 1923, Feb. 20, 1924, and Apr. 30, 1924. The same list of activities was checked on each of these dates and the same procedure in administering the test was used at each testing. In order to discover such differences as might exist between rural children and city children the list was similarly checked in certain one-teacher, rural schools, each having an average attendance of less than twenty-five pupils. These rural schools were located in Shawnee, Douglass, and Franklin counties, (Kansas). Owing to the difficulties involved in |