, 1865-12-30
OI1R STATE INSTITUTIONS.
The School for Idiots and In
beetles,


tlone Abroad-ProZress III ahts Coun. |
try-A Small but Successful Be-in- |
uine-The School at Jacksonville and 4
itH management.
fcortcepondence OF the Chicago rdbuae,l
JACKSONVILLE, H., De- Is. 1865.
Prior to the year 1857, idiocy was pro-
nounced incurable by tho highest medical au-
thority. We have no account Of any system
attic attempt ever having been maze prior to |
that date torcdeem this unfortunae class of
human beings from their hopeless fnbecility,
Not only were they neglected in ills respect,
but their utter helplessucss occasoncd their
becoming victims TO the most ehmeiul and
inbuman treatment as to their phgacal wants.
Until recently tho insant were generally sub-
iect to treatment 60 cruel that thc bare men,
tlon Of 1t now would ~stnck the most
csllous-hearted yet the natI1al idiots and
31nbaciles fAred still worse. Ne speak row
with reference to our Own coggsry: for in
thosn distrit.s In the south r where
c.etinikm .l,s 80 long been pr these
unfortuna1, creatures are regs.aea With a
peculiar rcyereaee as the most saVo!cd Of
Gods children, and dseT hencrsalssa!I1 With
more consideration and care than Is bestowed
upon the less unfortunate. Sill we should
perhaps qualify this statement, since from the
indolent, hlthy md slnEgash habiss, IT, a1a MA.
where this 1nalaly prevails, the best treat-
ment atpountH only 10 the absence Of positive
rrnenT. In 1857, Itard, Gucrsant and Eseui-
roi. In France, advised the tlrst trial Of meth
odical treatment Of idiots. These gentlemen
had but little faith In the treatment them
selves, and especially Esqnirol, notHtthstand.
~ In 4hn s>f
insane persons against railing opposition. But
Tho experiment was inanguratea, aud after
nine years Of incubation was pronounced a
succcss, and the results published. Having
Demonstrated the durability Of iliocy, Europe
sce,ns to have been satisfied with her work,
and have since almost neglected to carry It
on. There arc few exceptions. France has
done little; England, Prussia, Belgium and
Switzerland are at work, but oil Europe has
been unable to keep pace with our. young Re-
public, and to-day we haye more Institutions
devoted exclusi1ely to the training and edu-
cation Of idiots and feeble-1ninded children
than all the nations Of Europe together.
In this country the States Of Massachusetts
and New York were the first to establish
last seventeen years, institutions havo sprung
No in nearly every State in tho Union, many
IT them. II is true, only private enterprises,
Int nevertheless successful. The New York
state Asylum for Idiots has been In operation
for fourteen ycars; the Massachusetts State
school, located nj sonth Boston, has existed
over sixteen yenrs, and private Institution
al Barre, IN the same State, about the same
time: in Connecticut an asylum has been In
pperatiou about four years, and recently .
fire building has been erected and dedicated
to the use Of the asylum at Media, In Penn
sylvansa, q school for tdiots occupies fine
edlfice, and now numbers over one hun
}yy. tyt,S1a n{ 1hrya
after several years Of expericnce in buildings
leased for the purpose, the Legislature has
authorized the erection Of building especial
" for the use Of the IDIOT school; and so ws
might proceed to show that systematic and
methodica1 course for the care of this class OF
our population has become matter OF neces:.
stty with all our States. Had we lime and
room VIC would Like 10 speak Of the results ol
| the experiments nlfeady tried, but we can
onlv refer to the well-eafned fame of Doctor.
| DacLus, Wilbur, Home, Brown, Richards,
| Parrish, Patterson, Knight, Brockett and
| others hare achieved By their success in this
| field of labor. And now We come to our OWE
State, where d most auspicio1s beginning has
been made. Dr.. Glllett, The efficient and able
| Superintendent Of the Institute for the Dea
| and Dumb, for several years had his attention
called to the Importance Of solne State PRO
vision for idiots and imbeciles, and last win
ter addressed an able memorial on tht
| suG1ect to The Legislature, and ther
went to Springfield and spent sevcra
weeks urging The appropriation, whicl
was finally made, Of ten Thousand dollars, t.
he devoted, during two years, in support o
an governmental school, under the care OF thI
TT,,stces of the Deaf aad Dumb Institution
~ Giilett was appolotetl temporary Snperjn
tondcri oni4 ren'iIred to orranize nnd ssaT
~ n,tarnri<c s' ''''% s'3N
0 ssn,rinw the residence of the late Eoyay
fr1 nh IN
ha1 ~, ~ Eil,est yisitsi tka Eas
snoo. ,o,.ra enStnb,c teachcrs an,
70 see"I ,ros ..,ah1o ~ 49, - sooX,sa ~
essht.t - u4-u ~. cart,.rsta ~ - aas,
SEpeItenui, 9Mrs S ma1 n,,;ea pnsI ~ Ioto
rug tnI s,tnt; " anr Pbi,sJoirh1s ,rha Inas
o. ne ansttT a,tod l ner adm;rah{v T. "nys ~
e1peanScet nctb,s W LEV srboo1 % mi ~ cou,,,nn w n
~ IHtiaa "a ~ Assistant snnerinte1fent Nat
lne uulies reae:n.nar " ~ araan,zo euS al AM
ron ana oetinn houseAcefef' ~ 'fsuolN' ane 'es
IN 1pesaIon' x,,.. ,s n 7r.,..n
WY taS ast and nsost ,,.ss.iea, ~