The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1857-05-21
Letter from Hon. A. Cook.

BARRE Mass. May IL, 1857.
EDlToR OF THE JoURNAL-Dear Sir IL think
| informed you in my former communication,
that the first school for the education and train.
ing of idiotic and imbecie youth in the United
States, was established at this place by DR.. II.
B. Wilbur.
The school is now under the supernien-
dence of DR.. Brown, who is devoting the whole
energies of his active mind to the interest OF
those poor unfortuhates.
He has about thirty-five scholars under bis
care, embracing all grades. Those in the most ad-
vanced class, have received sufficient training TO
be able to discharge n,nyof the more common
or ordinary duties of life. and appprehend they
will find but little difficulty in providing for
themselves il they can obtain employment in
the rural districts.
But this has not been accomplished without
great pains many Of them have been here from
four to six years. But when saw those per-
sons who, without these schools, woulj have been
confirm ID liots, performing arithm ,tical exam
pies upon the blackboard. answer questions in
geography and parsing sentences which they
had written, thought it hadnot been purchased
with too great price.
These schools are not, as m1ny suppose, asy-
lums for III, custody Of thi pupils. They are
not intended as hom,s. bat as schools they are
to this class of unfortunate persons what our
common schools are 20 the more gifted.
Here they are to be instructed in the rudi-
lnents of an education, connected with such
! physical training as is n:cessory to fit them for
the ordinary business Of life Should they indeed
give evidences Of sufficient m.ntal ability they
may be removed TO the com non schools: this,
however, will rarely happen.
Tnesa Institutions are emphatically training
institutions The pupils are here TO be trained
physically, morally and mentally.
Many OF th3 pupils wh'n thy enter The
school, are in.leed imb.cil.; and batwaen the
ages OF five anil ifte'n years, are as helpless as
infants in the cradle, r,qurin5 assistancs to
discharge the simplest wants of nature.
Their training requires no ordinary care, the
teacher having iii miny respects to supply a
mothers place, an assist the feeble intellect to
struggle out TO the light.
The first obj'ct to Go attained in giving in
struction, is to secure the attention. This, in
minds so far bslow the point where teachers are
accustomed to fad it in ordinary pupils, is,
apprehenl, what mikes the commencement SO
difficult, and the great source of failure on the
part Of parents and Others, in theh unaided at
tempts to give to thes1 unfortunate persons an
education, without the gymnasium and 9th r
apparatus, the usa Of which has produced such
happy results in the education Of these per-
sons.
The lower grade Of pupils are al first attended
as children in the nursery, where they are taught
regularity in their habits, and bathed and washed
from the frlh in which they are too often suffer
ed to pass their time at home.
This cleansing process is the grand desidera-
,um which should constantly BE- borne in mind,
and the instructor shouIi never suiT.r himself
to lose sigh. of it even for mom!nt for q
filthy person is intoerAble, be his intellect ever
SO bright, Will. clean and tidy person will be
caress,d, although his mental misforuncs have
placed him far below the m,liocrity. This in,
deed is in accor lanes with the law of our
nature.
Therefor, to keep clean anil stand erect are the
first things taught the imbacile on entering these
schools AMI il in these the teacher fail he may
consider all further progress hopeless but il
! he succeeds in this, he may be sure of the pres
ence of intellect, and though feeble. with prop.
er training, it will struggle into life and vigor.
After the pupils have undergone sufficient
I training in this particular, they eFe taken to the
gymnasium. where they are Fl st trained in the
/ most simple Muscular or manual exercises, and
pass gradually from these to the more compi-
Gated. Here the patience Of the teacher is put
TO the severest test, and would advise no one
to un lartak. it unless he has strong sympathy
for those whom he is about to instruct, for theil
minds are so feeble that in most cases il requires
patient process of training to get than to en-
sage in the simplest movem 'nts. From thi:
strict physical elementary training. they are re-
moved to the school room, where the prOiessed
teacher III, m)st prolii: in Imagination, has
constant employment in attracting tie atten
liion IN another direction manly, in the more
immediate development of the min |, where they
seldom or ever fail to make some impression
for un Ter judicious Management, many OF ~
pupils acquire the rudpents OF an elementary
education. By this DO not mean that the,
become bright Scholars for it must not be ex
pecte,l that teachers can call forth intellect from
those dark recesses in which the God OF Natur,
has not planted it. Inleedr it is not expecte,
that tn Sc most unfortunate beings are to b
made accomplished scholars; the only object o
all this patient toll. is to enable them to pro
4 vide for themselves.
From these schools they are usually graduate,
by instruction in some branch of manual labo
by means Of which ghry may support then
], selves, and render the evils OF life toerable.
Respectfully yours,
ASHER CooE.
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