The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-10

In Great Britain there are fifteen thousand imbs.
Giles, the greater portion Of whom are not utterly
vsueless % helpers In performing the work of the
world, but actually deiract largely from the work
OF others, insomuch as they require 30 be watched
and taken care Of. 1t Is evident that any attempt
to make this unfortunate class even partially in
dependent and sefsupportng should be watched
with interest, not only on humanitarian but on
politico- economical grounds. Two such expert
ments have been tried In England, institutions for
training imbecies in manual labor ofvarious kinds
having been started, namely: Earlswood Asylum
and Essex Hall The former Of these writer In
Cassell's Magazine describes quite intimstely.
II Ia estimated that little over third Thirty
per cent? OF imbecies are capable Of certain
degree Of culture In some direction, and Il Is only
those who are thought to belong to this class who
are received at Far lswood. Thus the institution
Is hospital, any not q mere receptacle for hope
The nsjOrityIo f the children reared here are
simply specimens Of what ID termed ARRESTED de.
veopment." Il very early age, the functions
of the brain-at least In regard to its intellectual
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TO have stopped; hence we
see school full OF grown mp boys and girls some
times OF the age Of eighteen or twenty, no more
capable of taking care Of themselves than children
of three or four. They cannot use their hands in
any operation sometimes they don't know the
way TO eat with knife and fork, and as q rule,
the new corners are utterly incapable Of dressing
those OF little children; their emotions and fears,
their Joys and sorrows remind rs most forcibly of
those we witness In q nursery Of little ones. The
faculty OF Imitation. which Is common to the mon
key and TO the child, 10 the great instrument by
which these poor little ones are taught to -ex.
ercise their senses, iand to acquire the ordinary
habits Of civilized beings. They are grouped In
classes, few OF, those already instructed being
mixed with those who have TO learn. Finger les
sons are the fret chat are taught.
Most OF the children, for instance, on first adj
mission, can not button button, tie string, nor
do the commonesf act which requires any sdroIt
81. 4 L. s-sa-. L. laLa-
be learned. 1t is certainly an odd sight to see
group OF girls all actively engaged in but,onng
and unbuttoning their clothes, In pinnng them,
and In tying and untying strings. In short time,
simple arts, they become adopts, and are able to
dress themselves with perfect ease. While wit
Messing the mechanical manner and the earnest
expression with which these lessons were per-
formed, we c;nfess we were reminded Of the
performing monkey the Italian organ-grinder
carries about with him, who sweeps with broom,
plays the drum, shoulders and lets off q musket,
and does half 4 score Of tricks with equal adroit
ness.
Various handscrafts are taught here, and there
fore many preliminary lessons Of similar chsrao.
ter have to bt required before the boys are in
trusted with t0t2s. ALI the tailoring is done by
the inmates, segular teacher presiding, and in ]
strueting the more advanced in cutting out, sew.
ing and fitting. The workmen give the spectator,
however, the idka OF being boys ct play, for they
come up to him, and eagerly show their work, as
the youngest children show their drawings on a
slste, delishteds at the smallest praise. Besides
the hsndicraftss the boys are taught agricultural
pursuits they cultivate the garden and feed the
stock-the faverite occupation; they milk the
cows, and do IL well too. The routine instruction
of the asylum lifts all Of these poor shildren,
more or less, into the scale of rational beings,
able to help themselves and others but in some
instances the most encouraging results are OBJ.
tanned. Thus some of the lads are able to COPY
engrsvings in asurprising manner. 1t is done in
purely spirit u Is true. and this very fact affords
proof Of the small intellectual merit of the
merely copying capacity; but are there not many
persons earning their bread in the world, and
considered to be very clever, by means Of the
same limited powers?
The great benefit arsed from the enabling of
idiots 70 perform any useful work cannot be
doubted. similar enterprise has been started by
DIT. Parrish, in Media, near Philadelphia, which |
has been quite as successful in its operations as
those in England. The London Daily News, q
short time since, in noticing the annual fete at
Eariswood Asylum, speaks as follows of the in
mates
Zone idiot has special power as q copyist OF
the finest engravings, and his limitations of Land
hung about the walls. One of the inmates we |
saw on Thursdsy-a smart, active man Of thirty |
years, in nautical uniform-hss constructed a |
model ship, and has developed mechanical genius |
OF no mean order. He was wearing an ivory |
cravat ornament, manufactured by HIMSELF, which /
would have done credit to any West.End shop,
and appeared to be exercising an intelligent super.
vision over the pastimes Of the day. Ask him
question, however, and he starss vacantly and in
silence. Try to rouse him by your admiration of
the vessel he has fashioned with such exquisite
care and skill. and he gibbers uninteligently, or
tells you that, Angels are good-devils bad
Angels put top Of mast, devils down below Boots
IRE made by one idiot which have challenged CON-
parson at the English and French exhibitions for
lestness and beauty; and In what ia called the
work-shop-block.' The inmates may be seen at
york, except on such festivals as that of Thurs.
lay, upon variety Of trades. Household and
aundry work, rnst-weaving, farming, gardening,
'arpentering, tailoring. shoemsking, plumbing and
are all carried on by idiots"