Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1867-05-15


with worsted upon perforated paper and
canvass borders, letters, words. names and
sentences In very creditable manner.
Six are having daily duties in household
matters, &c.
1t is important to observe that these
changes have been produced on pupils in
an institution which has been in opera
tlon less than two years, and as is claim.
ed, with worse than an average class, and
ought TO establish beyond dispute that
the Improvement and developement of
imbeciLe youth is no longer an expert
meot, but that children in the lowest
forms of idioey, under special training in
institutions for the purpose, can be re-
deemed from a condition of degraded
helplessness. in which they are tax up.
on community, to add their share of pro.
ductive industry to the common stock, or
at least can be improved sufficient to fuls
ly reward the effort and means employed
In their behalf.
Your committee are Of opinion that
economy would dictate the Importance Of
instl uctlng this class, If there was ne
higher motive for SO doing. It cannob
be denied that they are all consumers,
and always will be, if left unaided in theit
present condition; for all past experience
has shown that not one in hundred IN
their present made OF l;fa, ever changes,
except to plunge into deeper degl ladation.
We have estimated their numder at eight
hundred in this state, and the averages
costs OF board cannot be less than one
hundred and fifty dollars per annurii +,
This will amount to one hundred and
twenty thousand dollars annually. Add
to this the amount paid for attendance,
which st least one-half of them require,
estimating this labor at the very low
figure of three dollars a week, and we
have, as the annual cost of supporting
idiocy in this state, taoo hundred thousand
dollors One fourth of this sum paid an
nualjy for the education of this class will.
In time, make producers of one half the
number, to the extent, at least, of self
sustenance. The effect on the other half
is such as to obviate the necessity of an
attendant, prove glutony, render them
cleanly in their habits, thereby reducing
the expense OF maintenance one-half; ma
AluS u UdlduCG III IdVtI VI EuuCdGlOu VI
one huLdred thousand dollars annually,
or one half the present cost Cf support.
That the benefits Of these institutions
are commensurate at least with the means
necessary for their successful operation,
may be fairly inferred from the tact that
no state having once establishing such an
institution has ever been known to abau.
don tho od
pendi, urs Of the peoples money. On the
| contrary, in every case where small exper
mental schools were first established, sups
ported principally by private charity and
the lndomtable energies of a few philan-
thropists, the results were such as to con-
vince those more directly interested first,
and gradually the people, that the objects
sought to be attained were IN the range Of
probabilities; the necessary legislation
soon followed, and these small beginnings
have ali given way to large and flourish
ing state institutions, co-extensive in some
of the states with the necessities Of tha
class sought to be benefited
We believe that this subject addresses
itself to your favorable consideration on
| the ground that. in common with other
children, they have right to such an
education as they are susceptible OF re-
ceiving, and we believe that it is not only
the duty of the state to furnish the means,
but to require the education Of all its e1ii-
dren.
Upon this point the governor, in hfs
| last annual message, says :,
"ln this age of intellectual improve
ment, it is admitted by all that no one
thing conduces more to national security
and prosperity than the education of the
masses While this is undeniably true ia
its application to governments generally,
it is recognized as fundamental axiom in
| the peculiar one under which we live,
and as such, it is the first duty of our leg.
islature to foster and encourage popular
education
Tho education of the masses, as refer
red to by his excellency, is az well settled
and OF general y acted upon as any prin-
ciple connected with our republican form
Of government, and is unquestionably
necessary to its perpetuity. The general
government has acknowledged its necessi-
! ty by munifcent grants Of land for edu-
tional purposes; it is principle which has
been acknowledged by most of the states
by the establishment of free schools; it is
principle particularly of our own state,
corporated in its organic law and rendered
operative by legislative enactment, SO fer
as the children of ordinary capacity are
concerned, by the establishment of public
district schools, as nearly uniform as prsc-
! l.. a. II. Il