The herald., 1895-08-18
The Defective Class Is the
Proper Word to
Use Now
A TRIP THROUGH ONE OF
New York's Big Institutions and the
Conclusions Drawn From
the Conditions as
Observed
By Dorothea Lummi-

The defective class"-that is the
proper word now, and it includes the
geniuses also; for it means the people
who for some reason or any reason, in
herited or otherwise, are abnormal-above
or below the sane. reliable, useful, COM
monplace average.
In the rage Of our so-called humanitar-
ianlsm and our rampant executive in
stinct. we have reared countless piles OF
masonry for the cure of these defective
classes" though, owing to their appar-
ent harmlessness, we have so far allowed
the genuises to run at large even more
than sane folk. Having thus herded
these unfortunates. we usually complac-
emily forget all about them. and let What is
out of disagreeable sight, out of mind. On
some bit of useless land they live, their
individuality lost forever in the routine
OF paupers living death.
One such place-the largest OF this
city's great groups-Blackwells Island,
was my destination on one of the rarely
sunny days OF the early winter. My
sponsor and chaperOn was quiet little
woman from the west-a state commi is
sioner of charities and corrections-who
knew the inside and outside, the schemes
and jobs. dark ways and vain tricks OF
balf the isils, asylums and workho ouses
in the country. Accom- panied by large
official permit, we boarded the steam
launch at the bottom of Sixty fourth
street, which snorted across the East
river to midway between the various big
buildings on the thin slip of island, on
whose further side one could see the
winged sloops passing ghostlike in the
afternoon haze.
It was mixed group that sat in a
solemn row along the narrow edge OF the
boat rather than bake in the little cabin.
There was the usual tall, shiny police
man, young woman with bit of a
mussy baby, three or four shapeless
elderlies, with a basket of supplies for
friends at the island. far too pretty at
tendant in her holiday best returning g
sician who frowned at delays, two young
boys seemingly out on curiosity lark
and morose young man who com
mented cynically upon all things and all
men. All these we're evidently well
known to the severe captain, for he let
them pass permtless. Us. however. and
the boys, too. he scrutinized and let us
go with scowl. The sail was q lovely
one, and all too short. On one shore the
long terraced lawn. still hardly green; !;
on the other high buildings broken by bits
of survival in old houses, and ON the
waters edga the creaking cranes of the
wood sawyers and leaders. The water
glittering red gold in the sun and loom
ing out of the soft mist craft of all
shapes and hues. And like the fauna of
this water forest, the gaily painted tug
boats darting and screeching and splat-
One could not but wonder whether the
passengers to whom this is sort Of
Styx-like ferry, rejoice or rage at its
beauty; whether it is last bright soften
ing touch of kind Mother Nature before
they are finally turned over to Step
reminder simply Of all they are about to
lose.
A moment after landing our queer
group had dispersed as if by magic com.
mand. The surgeon was whirling off in
a carriage; the rest slipping away around
the corners Of the nearest buildings.
The cold medieval pile in the center.
with its hundreds of white barred win
dows. IS pointed out to us as the work.
house by the old man grubbing roots in
the garden, and here we enter. The
secretary refers us to a neat maiL in a
dress and cap. and she sends for the
matron. who proves to be a large boned,
highly colored individual with brusque
speech and diamonds In her ears as big
as hazelnuts- -pre-eminently the wrong
woman IN the wrong place, and evidently
purely O political appOintee.
Personally conducted we enter the long
corridor with it's greenish- white walls two
feet thick and its rows of spotess cells
opening out. Each one has two beds,
the mattress consisting of duck cloth
with eyelets ana ropes for keeping 1t
taunt. Four big warm, clean blan kets.
almost numerous enough to suggest
JOB" make up the funiture. On the op-
posite side are the dark cells for the
recalctrant. These are simply brick
paralleograms with solid door. Here
the inmates are put to reflect until they
are willing to behave, as the naughty
child is shut into the closet. Darkness
and silence and unanswering walls have
their effect. and bye and bye the culprit
is let out a wiser and madder woman.
This great room from which lead the
cells is warm, and as the cells have ample
gratings the torments of cold are saved
them. Pairs of airy open stairs lead nigh
aloft to the bath, dining and sewing
rooms. The bath room is long, luxurious
shower and out of it are rows of tiny
stalls. where hangs the simple costume.
always clean, of the women-a formless
single under garment of coarse unbleach-
ed cotton. a grey pettiooat and striped
ticking gown.
1t was only in the workIoom-a pleas
ant. warm room looking out on the river
that We saw the inmates themselves,
seated on the long benches under the
<,to of foc