THE INSTITUTIONAL GENESIS OF SPECIAL-EDUCATION - THE AMERICAN CASE

This article explores the historical context and institutional linkage s that contributed to the genesis of special education during the earl y decades of this century. At the heart was the antinomy between a man date for compulsory attendance and the practical interests for efficie nt school organization. The dilemma faced by city and state school sys tems was resolved by the successful anchoring of vocational education within public education and the scientific surety of intelligence test ing. Yet key to the genesis of special education was the role of perce ived gender differences. Early special education categories of backwar d pupils and truant and incorrigible pupils were defined by the concep tion of the ''bad boy,'' which linked special education to the male re formatory.