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ven to some easy questions。 Her positive responses graded her as 6 2/5 years； but undoubtedly she could have done much better had she so wished。
In her talkative way she used English very graphically； but with curious misuse of pronouns and a few other words。 Considering the fact that her family spoke a foreign language at home and she had been but a short time in school this was not strange。 Her lack of veracity was shown even in her assertions about her inability to understand English。 At the first approach she denied her ability to do so； but later showed that she understood very well。 This behavior was of a piece with her attitude shown in doing the Binet tests。
‘‘Police bringed me。 Don't know why。 Cause my father run away； she don't want to stay with my mother。 My father Austrian。 Sometime my father talk Italian。 Then God make him sick cause she talk Italian。 My neck is sick。 I go to Italian church and I talk Italian and God makes me sick。
‘‘They bringed me home to…day； then they bringed me back here； then I stay here all along。'' （What is the matter with you？） ‘‘A big boyup in schoolupstairsdon't know his name。 I came Saturday。 She came Saturday。 She came Sunday； too。 When we come to listen to music then she gave to me that disease。
‘‘Papa is bad。 She run away。 She run away。 She take from my mama 12all the clothes。 She got another lady。 Is that your lady？ Why do you write？ I could write better than you because I go to school all the time。 I never take money。 I Catholic and Catholic can't tell lie。 Well； I going to tell the truth now。 I found it in bed； in paper inside。 Then I give it to teacher and then I give it to nurse。 I never tell lies。''
Before we had seen her this child had given some sort of description of a big boy in the institution who she said had assaulted her。 There was no such person there； but her vehement statements caused much disturbance。 Later she denied this to us and accused somebody at her own home。 She came from miserable environment； as may be surmised from the fact that her father was a deserter and probably immoral。 On account of her unreliability nothing could be done in the way of prosecuting the offender。 We always felt it a possibility that some member of her own family was guilty and that was the reason she had told so many different tales about it。 An owner was not found for the money which she had stolen。 The person from whom she said she had taken it had not lost it。 She took it under conditions when she had no chance to spend it。 Her excessive lying was a continual source of trouble as long as she was kept in this institution。 She was long treated in a public hospital for her gonorrhea。 Since then she has been lost track of。 It is interesting in this case to note that the child maintained that she belonged to a church； which made it impossible for her to tell lies。 We have heard almost exactly this same assertion on numerous occasions。 It is clearly made by way of affirmation when the offender covertly feels the need of bolstering up false statements。
… Early sex experiences。 Case 18。 Bad companions。 Girl； age 7。 Physical conditions： Local irritation。 Home conditions： Father immoral and deserter。 Heredity（？）： Father as above。 Delinquencies： Mentality： Stealing。 Fair ability。 Sex。 Lying。 False accusations。 …
CASE 19
Summary： Girl of 18 made accusations to officials that a lawyer for whom she worked had been immoral with her。 About the same time it was found that she herself had been stealing and lying about other matters。 Later； when there was reiteration of the charges； a physician's examination showed that she had not been immoral。 Some months afterward she went to other officials and insisted she ought to go to a reform school。 A year still later she did have sex experiences and contracted venereal disease。 Her succeeding record is totally different。 For several years now she has been a young woman of thoroughly good character。
In its progress； after extended exhibition of exceedingly erratic conduct； to complete stability now long observed； this case is of considerable interest。 It was after some months of effort on the case by experienced social workers that we were asked to study this girl。 We found no difficulty in rapidly becoming intimately acquainted with her conditions and troubles。
Physically she was a normally developed young woman of distinctly good strength； but slouchy attitude。 In expression rather dull and pleasant； laughs much in rather childish way for her age。 Weight； 110 lbs。； height； 5 ft。 2 1/2 in。 No sensory defect。 Good color。
Mentally we gave her a wide variety of tests with the result； in general； that she did well on them。 She had left school at 14 years when in the 7th grade； but had not forgotten what she had learned。 Her arithmetic was done very well indeed and she wrote a very good hand。 The tests； which brought her abilities in many directions into play； were done almost uniformly well。 Her memory processes were distinctly good and showed her capacity by her remembering logical connections as well as details。 Her casuistic responses which were asked for in two moral situations； verbally presented； Test XXI； were rather vacillating； but evidently sound。 It was easy for her to appreciate the intricacy of the situation。
On the ‘‘Aussage'' experiment； Test VI； out of 15 details given as remembered from the picture just seen two were imaginary； and of 9 more items given on cross…examination two were erroneous。 Her account as given was functional； not at all enumerative as in the usual childish fashion。 Out of 6 suggestions proffered she accepted 4。 This was a poor result for a person of her age。 Her range of information was normal。 Her interests while at home had been very simple； for instance； she had not been allowed to read novels nor go to theatres。 In all our work on tests and in our several interviews with her we never discovered any signs of aberrational tendencies。 Her social conduct furnished the only evidence of erraticism。
This young woman's mother； who is said to have been a normal person； died a few months before we knew her daughter。 She had long been ill and consequently had had very imperfect control over her daughter all through adolescence。 The father had been dead for several years previously； he was a storekeeper in a small way； fairly educated and non…alcoholic。 No other family history of importance was ever forthcoming。 There was only one other child in the family； a younger brother； who was quite normal。 Outside of bronchitis during infancy it was said this girl had never had any serious disease。 In the last few months there had been much complaint about suffering at the menstrual period。 Menstruation began at 13 years of age and was said to have been regular until seven months or so prior to the time when we first saw her。 However； this latter statement was made by the girl herself and at this stage her word was not particularly reliable。
When we began study of this case we were put in possession of the following notes made by an unusually competent social worker； extending over the previous nine months。 Attention was first drawn to her when she was living with someone who had offered to give her a home while her mother was mortally ill in a hospital。 She then had clothing and trinkets the possession of which she could not satisfactorily explain。 It was discovered that she was lying。 It was about this time that the girl told her friends that she had been immoral； and accused a man for whom she had worked of being responsible for her downfall。 She had also been flirting with a married man who had been talking to her about eloping with him。 It was learned that she stayed all one night at a downtown hotel； but probably alone。 Further investigation showed she had stolen a considerable sum of money from an acquaintance and also a watch。 Then a physical examination was made and a certificate given that the girl had not been immoral。
Much trouble was taken about the case in the ensuing year； the notes naively say； ‘‘object being to see if the girl could not be reclaimed。'' She was given an unusually good opportunity with a sterling family。 She made much trouble for them and others who were interested in her。 Her mother died early in the period。 On a number of occasions she left her place and stayed away all night； sometimes walking the streets。 On one occasion she is reported to have gone to a certain agency； looking as if she had been recently intoxicated； and appealed to be sent to a reform school。 She was taken in by the police on one occasion。 We first saw her after she had been living in this good home for several months。
At the same time we studied her physical and mental conditions we attempted to make some analysis of her self…orientation。 She maintained then that her main trouble was because she had got mixed up w