Pedagogical Anthropology

by Maria Montessori

SITTING STATURE

Age in years	Males, white	Females, white	Males, coloured	Females, coloured
3	—	—	476	476
4	—	—	—	534
5	551	576	597	571
6	595	608	616	607
7	631	621	630	625
8	644	635	659	671
9	672	663	679	680
10	684	687	697	695
11	711	718	718	703
12	728	734	797	792
13	751	770	737	767
14	764	809	787	808
15	777	825	753	819
16	839	824	795	—
17	864	850	—	—

TOTAL STATURE

Age in years	Males, white	Females, white	Males, coloured	Females, coloured
3	—	—	783	839
4	—	—	—	906
5	961	1004	1044	985
6	1051	1060	1101	1091
7	1120	1086	1147	1127
8	1152	1130	1196	1260
9	1212	1187	1251	1257
10	1248	1267	1271	1295
11	1315	1304	1360	1307
12	1362	1357	1381	1467
13	1420	1431	1392	1477
14	1449	1495	1505	1559
15	1462	1535	1455	1545
16	1615	1498	1500	—
17	1654	—	—	—
18	—	1554	—	—

The following chart, prepared by MacDonald, on the growth of the total stature and the sitting stature of male white children, born in America, gives a very clear idea of the rhythm of each of the two statures. The sitting stature increases quite slowly, and its greatest rate of growth is immediately after puberty (from 15 to 17 years) (Fig. 15)

Mac Donald.

Fig. 15.

Lastly, in order to make this phenomenon still more clear, I have reproduced an illustration given by Stratz, consisting of a series of outlined bodies of children representing the proportions of the body at different stages of growth; and not only the proportions between the bust and the lower limbs, but also between the various component parts of the bust, as for instance the head and trunk. The transverse lines indicate the changes in the principal levels: the head, the mammary glands, and the bust (Fig. 16).