Professor Martin's report says that children who attend a number of schools, because their parents have to move around the country, probably make slow progress in their studies. There are also signs, says Professor Martin, that an unusually large number of such children are mentally affected.
The professor says, "It's true, my personal feeling is that children should stay in one school. Our feelings are based on research and not on any personal feeling that I or many assistants may have on the subject."
Captain Thomas James, an army lecturer for the past 20 years and himself a father of two, said, "I've never heard such rubbish. Taking me for example, no harm is done to the education of my children who change school regularly—if they keep to the same system, as in our Army school. In my experience—and I've known quite a few of them—Army children are as well-adjusted (适应) as any others, if not better. What the professor doesn't appear to appreciate is the fact that in such situations children will adapt (适应) much better than grown-ups."
When this was put to Professor Martin, he said that at no time has his team suggested that all such children were backward or mentally affected in some way, but simply that in their experience there was a clear tendency (倾向).
"Our findings show that while the very bright child can deal with regular changes without harming his or her general progress in studies, the majority (大多数) of children suffer from constantly (不断地) having to enter a new learning situation."
