This paper on special education in the early 20th century examines: the status of special education before World War I; changes in social philosophy that arose as a result of the war and their impact on education; the care and treatment of individuals traumatized by World War I; and the results of the war in improved theory and expanded knowledge of physical, psychological, and social problems. The paper determines that, despite changing attitudes and improved methods for training the handicapped, the lot of handicapped children did not significantly improve in the years immediately following World War I. The number of children in special education classes grew steadily throughout the 1920s, but not every handicapped child had the opportunity to attend public school, especially the more severely handicapped and those in rural areas of the United States. The paper concludes that it is likely that the battle for the rights of handicapped children would have been more difficult if World War I had not changed social opinions and demonstrated that the disabled could be productive. (Includes 21 references) (JDD)