Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-05-13

TIE Desf. ne Btfsla sBd the WeAk
Minded 81 WashfRxfsn Terriisry.
Hog maeh l. knspsn by ths avsraee
essizsu Of Wsshinz.on Territory about
ihsse unfortunate eiassesg Mach less.
doabsless, than tksii: situation deserves
Pssass 10 note carefully fev facts:
Ihs popuiatisn at Washington Terri
tory IL nos 10000. md rapidly incrsAs-
ing. Ia the most favored community
there i eeTsafE 20 be one deaf mate IN
every LEO Of the population. By deaf
mute u meant a rsfsOu Who - either
born deaf. or Who loss hezrinR AZ 80
early an are that no knOgiedge Of Ian
guA9s Is gained through the ear. In
many eommunities be percentage Is
much higher: nowhere does u fall be-
low one IN 100. On th4t basis the Ter
Fitory has at least 10 deaf mutes OF all
ages. The number il increasing every
year, and will increasss as long as the
population Increases: ans as wealth IN
creases and iuxarisr1s living becomes
more general the ratio 10 sure to rise
with the consequent increase Of ner-
vous and ere ptige diseases. sucb as men
nights, scarlet fever, measles and other
similar diseases, which produce I'VE
seventies Of all cases of deaf muteness.
The namber Of blind persons is
greater than that of deaf m1ses. The
ratio Of blind is one In 100 at the lea {;
often more. Thai basis would give the
Territory rs blind persons. And the
number of blind 70 also increasing as
surely and steadily az the population
increases, the same causes operating TO
accelerate the rate Of increase az IN the
case Of deaf mates.
As to the third elass-feeble minded
il IL extremely difficult % ascertain the
exact facts. The excessive reticenoe,
and sometinaes the brutal selfishuEss
and cruelty of guardians and even pa
rents, greatly hinder research 10 that
direction. The census of 1880 gave
over 1886 imbeciIe and idiotio 10 the
United States. That is one IN every us
of the population Reducing the ratio
to one IN 800 there would be over IS7 IN
the Territory.
These figures will doubtless be sur
prisipR 10 many. fhe community at
large knows little or nothing of these
glasses. Deaf mutes are best known,
since, being least afisieted, they move
more freely In toe community. The
blind are naturally secluded and the
feeble minded In most cases carefully
seeresed. Some Of these last find their
way into the retreats for the insane, TO
the manifest disadvantage of both
Glasses thus brought In contact, siEce
nothing San be done in an Insane esy-
lum toward educating weak mind.
OF the whole number of deaf mntes
y
ARE Of school age, :. e., under 81. That
at the least possible estimate between
20 and 25--of school age.
OF the blind less proportion are of
school age since large percentage of
blindness o3tnes on in old age. 1hers
are, without doubt, 10 biind under n.
The proportion Of weak minded vino
are under n Is somewhat greater than
thai OF the blind, and less than that of
deaf mutes. Bat on ths other hand
their peculiar condition requires not
only, in every case, the MOST difficult
and protrectod educational work, but
also more or less permanent asylum,
where they will be kindly and wisely
treated, taught as far as possible. and
above all secure from the abuse of sell
fish, cruel and sensual persons whs prey
upon their defeuceless condition. fhe
larger part of this GLASS should Ia
under skilled management for 9 Ion,,
time, II not permanently.
Nov, what is the duty of Washington,
Territory 20 these leo 10 $50 detectives
Obvic usly they have the same claims
TO education that other children have;
and their misfortune gives them an
added claim inasmueh as they are 30
hopelessly crippled ami handicapped ia
the struggle for existence. No person
With heart enough to read this article,
needs more than to be reminded of this
aspect Of the case. Others, of course,
would not be reached by the most ur.
gent and lengthy appeal.
What 10 the Territory doing for these
classes I For tbs feeble minded, SIM
ply nothing, in tho way Of education.
Possibly few cases may be clothed and
fed IN insane asylums, but very small
number at most. For the blind, the
same as for the wsak-ininded
One or txo, from families able to bear
the heavy cost, are sent away TO Cali.
foxnia or Minnesota. The rest remain al
home, largely neglected and untaught.
For tbs deaf mntes something is done.
A recent Law provides that they may Re
sent 10 the Oregon school for the period
Of three terms, the annual tuition for a
term of months beiag 500, which il
paid emily by special appropriation hy
the Legislature after 3. special appeal 10
back the presentation OF the bill for
payment. The most charitable inter.
pretation of she time ,,iause Ia the pres.
ent law Is the supposition that whoever
inserted the clause never saw a d<,af
mute nor q deaf NUTS school. During
The thirteen or fourteen years since the
Oregon school was established. not more
than an average Of one q yaar has h.,en
scent there, asd until The passage of the
recent Law such easea were obliged 20
run their chances, nc, provision being
made for them by the Territory.
The deaf mutes deserve s0mefhinQ
better, and the blind and weak minded
deserve something adequate TO their
conditions and needs. To neglect these
CLASSES 10 nos only cruel injustice to
them, bat reproach to an intelligent
community and q dansgeFoas neglect OF
the future welfare Of the community
itself. The difference between an edu-
cased and an anedacated deaf mute. for
exams le, L. exactly thu differences be-
tween q self supporting. respectable,
peaceahle, intelligent producer and q
lawiess, Ill tempered. WORTHLESS and
dangerous panper running at large. II
would be eaey to cite Q multitude OF
cases Of high crimes and-almost inevi
tabia--iioentious vice, kg both deaf
rputes and imbeciles left ancdueated.
Such cases are known today In wash
ineton Territory.
What improvement can he made upon
the present conditions Ia the hrst
plaus. Il il high time for the Territory
10 take mp this whole problem Ut the
defectiee eiaesos, and make 4 Suitable
and adequate provision for them. In
s. states and two Territories there are
mere than 100 Of these special schools,
With over y, 600 inmates.
Duuhtitsa the best course for this
Territory In the present circumstances
woaId be 10 pass law Incorporating and
pnovidfnn tor the regular nlRinteiaance,
BY annual appropriations, uf q school
which would provide for all threa classes
--deaf. blind and feeble minded. under
The management al an expart supsrsn
tendenf, and one SET Of ufficers assd eur
ployees for the general houshold, and
expsrt specialists for the work Of In
ssruclion IN eaoh OF the three separate
ana distinct departments. Ono lo0A-
tion, one 81 81 enildinos, ons sxeca-
tive management. pFoviainx fer all the