New-York daily tribune., 1854-09-06
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
IDrocY IN MASSACHUSETTS,.

[nO o.
Tn :, reeent article on the subject Of " Idiots
and their instruction. 4" we gave brief summary
Of the measures that have been adopted by sew
ersl States in the Union for the improvement OF
this unfortunate, and hitherto, almost entirely
neglected class. The Report before US BY DR..
Samuel G.. Howe, President Of the Massachusetts,
School for Idiotic Youth, ia valuable document
presenting not only variety of interesting facts,
but many important general views, 10 which the
experience and sagscity Of the writer accord an
eminent authority.
Az we have already stated, the number Of pupils
in this Institution in January, 1853, was thirty
seven. Fourteen have been since admitted and
nine discharged, making the present number
forty-two, Of which thirty.One are benefciaries
Of the State, and eleven are private pupils. Two
out Of the nine discharged were greatly i'm
proved, but the others did not receive any con-
siderable benefit These gave little hope of i'm
proyement when admitted into the School, aud
were retained only long enough to show the des-
perate character Of their case. Still the princi-
pie is adopted, never to rely upon first appear
ances-sOme cases which promise most at the
commencement do not improve at sll-while
others that seemed hopeless turn out remarkably
well at last.
II is worthy Of notice that most Of the dis
charged pupils had for years been subject to Sc
we're and oft-recurrDg fits. This symptom, bow.
ever, does not preclude all hope Of Improvement,
as several unaffected in this way have obtained
permanent cure while others are decidedly bet
ter than they were. Although the pupils are all
young they do not show the characteristic
strength and activity Of youth. Their general
standard Of health is low. This is easily ac-
counted for. Tiey usually come Of "poor stock, "
and that which s deeply tainted with scrof1la.
For the most part, one at least of their parents
was Of feebl structure in unhealthy condition
either Of body or mind Formed Of such imperfect
materials, many of them cannot resist ordinary ex-
posure after birth and die either in infan'y or in
early childhood. Numbers while yet in tender years
are destroyed by epilepsy aud kindred disorders.
Others are 30 weakened by fits by glutony, by self
abuse, by drugs and other pernicious influences that
they cannot resist an ordinary attack Of disease and
die young FeS reach maturity fewer SIN survive
to old age.
In an investigation made by DR.. Howe few years
since of the antecedents Of three hundred and fifty
which we'll deserve the attention Of intelligent phi
lanthropsts. II was found that almest all these
of very poor AMI feeble stock such as in ami
mails farmers would never breed from. II fouad
in every case except fOur-thai is in three hundred
and fifty FIVE out of the three hundred and fty-nine
casee-that the parents closely related by
blood; or that one or the other of them had de-
eided hereditary tendency TO mental arrangement;
or was Of a marked scroiulous habit Of body; was
impaired in health by disease, or by intemperance,
or by sentua that the idiocy OF the child
was clearly eIpliceble upon physiological principles
In the matter Of internarriage Of relatives, says
DIR. Howe, "my experience with various classes ofin-
children goes to show that nature protests against IT,
and sometimes with terrible yehemence. Where
both parties are of sound constitutions, and without
marked tendency TO any particular form of disease,
the liability TO innnity among the immediate offspring
s small. Where party is Of unsound constitution,
the liability is greater. Where both unsound it
is very great. Where party has constitutional
tendency particular form Of disease, and the other
either he's no such tendency, or tendency to some
other form of disease, the dverging tendencies
TO correct each other, that the liability is not great;
but where both have the constitutional tendency
then the danger is so great that kind of inrmty
is almost sure to appear in some Of the offspring"
In regard to the general principles on which the
School is conducted Dr. Howe gives the following
iudicous statement;
When we find child whose mind is not developed
at the usual period, or Is developed very mperfecty,
that is child who seems to be or less diotc,
infer that there must be structural and radical de-
feet in part OF bs: ,hilds bodily organization,
OF else Obsiructta to the performance of its |
functions. We infer this just as matchmaker, who
finds watch keeping time badly, infers that it
not made right, or else that its works are out Of or
der. II there is any important malconstrucon de-
fect the difficulty IL IN the very organization OF the
child, and We cannot remove II can but partially
remedy it, We cannot, ike the matchmaker, put in
anew spring or cog for We have no creative power.
IT, however, the parts are all well formed, aud all in
their places then it is only the functional operation
that Ia deranged and we may hope, as the watch
maker does in respect 70 dirty, but wellmade watch
TO remedy the evil. We must not shun finch this
materalistc view. IL is the only sound one and those
who would treat idiotic children successfully must
act upon il trustfuly and fearlessy. They are weak
who deny il. They kick against the pricks who op-
pose IT, IL stands manifest. Ii is an ordinance of ma
ture and il is characterized, like every other ord-
panca, by divine wisdom and beneyOlence.
Nor Is IL important that teachers alone should admit
this principle. Parents in the true interest of their
children, should understand IT, and act accordingly.
II has already been remarked that parents are usually
slower than others to see and when they see slower
TO admit the idioey of child. Sometimes, when the
fact is too manifest to be concealed from the
partial eyes Of affection they keep the little ones
Of the way, and lose precious years nacton There
is reluctance admit that ii sick or puny or
subject to fits; but any mental deficiency is blinked
out of sight. Among the numerous cases where
parents come to consult about child, there is
rarely where they sdmit frankly, at the outset,
that |, is idiotc. They always begin great way of
and approach the subject gradually, saying that
the child cannot do this or that; cannot under
stand one thing OF another but then they
state eagerly something else that 1t can do or can
cay they apologize for what cannot They bogus
not TO suppose the poor thing IDIOT but especially
not to suppose il was born So We know what they