The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-25
A COLONY OF MERCY.
The wonderful G.rmas Prototype OF Eag-
iasds First EpiIsptie Settisnsat.

Prom ~ Loadoa Daily Hss.
Skirping's farm is to be the site Of the nrst
English eplleptic settlements settleme emit.
that Is whose patients will ind In work OF
some sort the main cure. or alienation at
least. for their ailments Of mind and body.
The idea OF such q settlement Is by no means
new. The first settlement or colony OF the
kind in Europe. and suppose In the world.
was founded at Gadderbaum. near Bielefeld,
IN Westphalia. more than twenty years ago.
skippIng's farm colony will be established to
some extent on the German model The
general purpose OF the National Society
may be described. In Sir James Crichton
Brownies words. as the establishment OF col
onies which will be busy little hives OF indus
try. with two sorts Of products-the fruits OF
tho earth aud manufactured articles for sale
and mental contentment and improved health.
which are beyond all price" II will be I'M
necessary to begin the colony on q grand
scale. A colony Of this kind to be at all sue
esssful. should grow mainly by its own re-
sourees-should be nearly seli-supporting
The Bielefeld colony began with twenty pa
tients, and IS now a large we'll built. pros per-
did workshops. gardens aud farms
In the Bislefeld colony. of which SkippinR's
farm colony is to be a Kind OF copy ali tho
snilsptic patients do something or other;
Those who are tit for nothing else collect and
assert postage stamps. from the sale OF which
the colony derives a considerable revenue.
The head OF the stamp ONCE is acknowledged
values in Germany. He showed me some OF
his rare.t treasures; their prices were simply
FED /, a s.Ii.supportiRs eoSmSHipy Of .pii.S o.
tic farmers. epileptic tailuTs. spileptio BAKERS.
carpenters. shoemakers. blacksmiths. washer
women, dressmakers. printers, &c. There 10
no liner bakery 10 London than the epileptio
bakerJ 10 Bieleield- In eyery Workshop. school
colony. and 10 is large church as well. the
eouehes are ready Tor the reception OF any
Inmate. who may drop down 10 the midst 0t
his or her duty. OF course. those who are
subject to IRE luent and violent hts are MT put
watc6Si. The GieleieId :oioa aS Is one o. The
most pathetic sights in the world. And ret
is! 1t mArvelious And the secret OF Il l.
worE, the kind OF work that each can do best
him or Ter. Some who are good for nothing
An old baTon acts as colonial postmIn. lie
never severe He knows when they are com
ing. aud he has knaek OF clutchlng his letter
up again. In half minute or So. he may hnd
his trust unlnluIsd These epllspties bulld
their own flowers bale their own bread Clsek
their own boots. 10 their own washinE msnding
darping Ironing clip each other Aair shave
each others hts In other words, they save
tens Of thousands OF pounds which otherwise
by doing their own work hey are follow ng the
VERY best msanS Of snsctlng their Own cure
secret OF ths marvellous success OF that unil 10
colony a. Bislefsld. The TOO cOmmos practice
Ia England Of sending spisptie patients 10
An spispttc patient 10 not nscsssaTly =
mAdnlan. But many an epilsptic patisnt has
been driven thto insanity bY enforced Associa-
ton with lnnAtieL The nambsI Of eplsptics
In England Is estimated at about loo. 600;
but cannot lust nov youeh for il accuFaeT.
In any case the total % ust be very great. The
eolony e skipPing's tAI9. sysA n ever be
phAliAn ooIonT. can oAly shelter . snail iTge-
tea Of that immsh8s maltitudA