2018 Volume 42 Issue 1 Pages 55-68
The purpose of this study is to clarify the process of the exteriorization of feeble-minded children in the reformatory of Ishikawa prefecture during the pre-war period, and also to clarify the process by which these children began to be provided special education. The existence of such children came to light during the latter Taisho era. Children then began to be given intelligence measurements starting in the Showa era. Special education was first offered to the feeble-minded children comparatively late in Ishikawa, with the establishment of "Special Class for the Feeble-minded" in 1935. This is most likely due to the fact that there were few children recognized as feeble-minded. Although it took some time for the children to begin receiving special education, classes were actually split by academic ability during the Taisho era in an attempt to provide education suitable to each level of ability, for the benefit of children who were unable to keep up in class.
