The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-02-20
school for IdIots-Coauuu.d,

Tr+-T--vSTra<-S5s
school for ldIots-CoAtinasd,
The idea that idiots Asd mind. and
that they Fere not beyond +he resoh Of
eauoations was induigeds iDy the osie,,
btated Itatd 9e Paris, a lar baok.ss the
year 1880. cannot help Femarking
that the first movement for, tho humane
and benevolent treatment OF the insane
was made in Paris. during the period of
the memorable revolution under Robes
pierre, Dsnton and Marat, when the
streets of that celebrated city were run.
ming with blood. have already spoken
Of Mr.. Richards, but it is due to him
to add, that he devoted himself With
singular zeal to this work, that in its
prosecution he visited Europe, and that
after an experimental school in Massa-
chusetts. he removed to Pennsylvania
and established private one. without
aid from any. source. His sucoess was
! most gratifying, and whatever may be
| the happy results among us, to him
must be accorded all the honors belouR-
ing to pioneer in this noble field of be-
| nevoience. Under former management,
these miserable beings were sent to an
They were but moping, muttering, gro.
| Yelling idiots, and the possession Of O
| soul was practically denied them. DR..
Howe gives an account of twenty eight
Idiots received into the experimental
school, near Boston, and refer to it
| with the view of exhibiting their misera-
ble condition and the wonderful power
OF system which can bring them into
full communion with mankind. OF
these twenty-eight, twenty-one could not
feed themselves, twenty-five could not
| dress themselves, several could not walk,
and several were, in effect, dumb. Geo.
Sumner visited Paris, and has given. in
very interesting report, the result of
his energies and observations. l watched
for six months. says he, the progress
which many young idiots made under
the direction Of Messrs. Seguin and
| others. He testifies to the restoration of
about 100 "human brutes'' to condi-
tion OF intelligence and conscious
ness. Let me give in substance
his graphic picture. They wero shut
| out from all communion with man.
kind; many rejected every article
OF clothing; many were unable to
ners, gave signs Of life only by piteous
|
and indisoriminate gluttony, eating
whatever they could lay their hands
upon, even the garbage thrown to swine.
Now, let us look at the other side OF the
picture. He says that he has seen these
same unfortunate beings standing erect,
walking, speaking. eating in an orderly
manner at common table, working
quietly as carpenters and farmers, gain-
ing by their own labor the means OF ex-
istence, storing their awakened intelli-
gence by reading to each other. exorcis.
ing towards their teachers and among
themselves the generous feelings OF
mars nature. and singing in unison
songs Of Thanksgiving. Let me refer to
a case reported by Mr.. Richards, which,
he remarks, was the lowest which could
be found, and which on.all hands must
be accepted as one Of the severest tests
to which. the question of the education
of the idiot can be subjected. It was q
case of congenital idiooy, which was
much aggravated by ignorance and
neglect. He was five and half years
old when he came under the care of Mr..
+. He was even unable to creep; was to
be seen lying upon the floor in his filth,
without the power to roll himself when
laid upon it. Ho had paralysis of the
| lo"CI tnobS duu uuhDlo W LuhSt1CdLo, W A5
fed with milk from spoon. He had no
more knowledge of things, their names
and uses than new born infant. Herr
ing seemed to be the only sense that was
awake. To undertake such q case as
this, Mr.. Richards we'll remarks. looked
more like work of creation than of
education, and the most sanRuine friends
Of the cause were in despair. But it was
undertaken, and let US see the resnit,
which will be given in the words of Mr.
r. himself: "By patient and perscver-
ing system of we'll directed effort, he
has been so far developed that at the
present time he walks about the house
or in the yard without any assistance,
takes care of himself. attends to his
own immediate wants. sits at the table
with the family. feeds himself as we'll as
children ordinarily do, talks perfectly
we'll, and is acquainted with the things
around him. In short. he has learned to
read, and does not differ materially from
a fonr-ycar old lad" Dir. r. cuncludes,
from the result in this case aud numerous
others that have fallen under his observa-
tion during the past few years. TINT pro-
badly "none eau be found so low as to
| be beyond tho reach of Improvement.