THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AN IMPROVED CALENDAR IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH

Abstract

The calendar is a basic tool in the field of child development. Calendar dates are used to compute the chronological age of a subject at the time of a given test or observation. Calendar dates are also used to compute the interval which has elapsed between two tests, a point of special importance in cumulative studies of development. Thus an essential item in almost every record is the date upon which the test or observation was made. The investigator may wish to control the time element by testing the child when he is of a specified chronological age, or by retesting him at regular intervals of, for example, one month, six months, or one year. In this case, the arrangement of individual appointments for a group of subjects is a practical administrative task in which the calendar must be consulted constantly. The confusing irregularities of the present Gregorian calendar are thus of significance to workers in the field of child development. An improved calendar is now proposed. This World Calendar, with a summary of its chief characteristics, is printed on the next page. The World Calendar is in the hands of a special committee of the League of Nations, but war conditions have postponed the negotiations necessary to its adoption. Iieanwhile workers in the field of child development should give careful consideration to this proposed calendar from the point of view of their own interests and needs. It appears to offer the following advantages: 1. The initial recording of a correct date would be easier with a systematic, perpetual calendar. 2. The planning and making of appointments should be greatly simplified. Notice that a birthdate will always recur on the same day of the week year after year.