History of Reading News. Vol.XXI No.2 (1998:Spring)
by Cecile Barchas

She put us at our ease as she explained to us her kin-esthetic method of teaching spelling and reading--tracing in the air with the finger those words that were giving difficulty. Since from early childhood Jack had always im-pressed us with his keen intelligence, we knew we had to consult with someone for guidance when he was having diffculty in reading and spelling.

Why did we seek out Dr. Fernald? It was because Jack's teacher in his public school in the second-grade in Los Angeles was a holy terror. Miss Potter was very stern with the children in contrast with the other second grade teacher, Miss Wendell, whom Potter referred to disparagingly as "a softie." Potter had a very forbidding, intimidating manner with children. I may have tried to get Jack out of her class half-heartedly, but was afraid she would take it out on the other siblings to follow. The teacher, Miss Wendell, was as kind as Potter was forbidding.

Miss Potter complained about Jack. Her manner was such that he was repelled by her and didn't even make the required effort. I think he was afraid of her. I know her manner had the same effect on our third child Judy when it was her turn to be in Miss Potter's class. Potter tried to force Judy, who was left-handed, to write with her right hand instead of her left, which caused her to start stuttering. Concerned, I put a stop to that by telling Potter that I would prefer the child be able to use whatever hand Judy herself preferred to use.

With a great sense of relief, we brought Jack to Dr. Fernald whom we heard about from the School of Education at UCLA. We liked her manner of helpfulness and had the feeling that her competence was beyond question. She took a personal interest in each individual child. She also explained that different children learn differently. Not all children learn in the same way. We never had occasion to be disappointed because Jack took to the kinesthetic method immediately.

Under Dr. Fernald's instruction, the change in Jack's reading and spelling competence was nothing short of dramatic. He learned to spell long, multisyllabic words without apparent difficulty. Dr. Fernald's method was exactly the right match for Jack. With Dr. Fernald's help (and mine in reinforcing it), Jack showed distinct improvement to his reading and writing skills. We couldn't have been more pleased with the result.

On another visit it gave us a considerable boost to know that in our own small way we had contributed to Dr. Fernald's health and safety, repaying in small part the favor she had done for us in taking Jack on as a student. It was a cold winter day and the fire was burning cheerily in her fireplace. All of a sudden, our attention was attracted to the sight of a black widow spider nestled among the pile of logs on the side of the fireplace. We dispatched the poisonous arachnid promptly, and it gave us a happy glow to know that we had possibly saved Dr. Fernald, Jack's benefactor, from potential injury!

I remember Dr. Fernald issued a brochure showing pictures of other children--all of them intent and smiling and learning. I particularly remember a picture of a boy named Kelly tracing in the air the spelling of his name.

Dr. Fernald made learning fun. She created a technique, in the kinesthetic method, that worked. And she gave all of her students a feeling of satisfaction and a sense of purpose and accomplishment that came from believing in themselves and their ability to learn.

(Dictated by Cecile Barchas at age 85.)

Editors' Note: For Fernald's own account of her teaching techniques, see Grace M. Fernald, Remedial Techniques in Basic School Subjects (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1943).