"(in 1904) The French Ministry of Education asked these researchers to develop a test that would allow for distinguishing mentally retarded children from normal

"(in 1904) The French Ministry of Education asked these researchers to develop a test that would allow for distinguishing mentally retarded children from normally intelligent, but lazy children." -- Binet developed it out of an earlier concept of 'mental age', the average ability level of a child aged so many years and months.