The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-11
A DISTINGUISHED WOMAN
RECOLLECTIONs OF DOROTHEA DIN.
THE PHILANTHROPIsT.
She Brought About an Great Reform.
ers i'm other Fields OF Labor.

Boston transcript.
1t 'acks five years Of century since there
was born into the world a woman who. as
the founder OF vast and enduring institu-
tons of mercy in America and in Europe,
has simply peer in the annals OF Protest.
antism. Scarcely ten years ago this woman
died. but her magnificent work still lives
Dorothea Lynde Dix was 4 revolutionist
whose long struggle TO lessen neglect and
misery and degradati among the suffer-
ing insane were crowned with the success
which they deserve. She lived. too, to
see the fruits of her labors. and died
blessed in the certainty that they had not
been in vain
Miss Dix. like so many OF New Englands
great women, began life as a school teach
er. For years she studied and strove to fit
for this profession TO which she felt herself
called. In her grandmothers home. Dix
mansion, situated in what is now Dix place.
a select boarding and day school was start
ed. over which the self-reliant young mis-
tress presided. Here she bent herself SIREN
uously to the work OF making her school
a model which should satisfy the high
wrought ideal which possessed her soul. In
this school. where the main stress was laid
on the formation of moral and religious
character, and a kind OF Protestant version
of the Roman Catholic system OF the con-
fessional was introduced. the strain put
upon the sensibilities and conscience Of the
more earnest children was appalling. Miss
Dix introduced shell postoffce system.
"a kind of ear of God" into which. daily
If possible letters were TO be dropped. re-
cording the results OF the searching intro
spection inculcated by her. The pressure
put upon pupil and teacher by this moral
tension was so tremendous that after five
years Miss Dix broke down utterly.
At thirty-three she was forced 10 relin-
quish her work. DIR. Claiming had warned
her that the intensity OF the moral and
religious rngic ardor of her her temperament was
l warn you. though one OF good minds, Is
an infirmity," he wrote her once. Eighteen
months rest IN England were necessary TO
neutralize the physical results of this in
trinity After this-the only real rest in
her long life-she was TO discover her true
We Of to-day can but remotely grasp and
dimly appreciate the unspeakably horrible
before Miss Dix's life work began. Up TO
so late a date as 1!70 Bethlehem Hospital.
in London, popularity known as odd Bed
lam, was regarded as the prime show or
the city. superior. even. in the attractions
IL offered the pleasure seeker TO bull bait
ing or dog fight. Country cousins OF the
average citizen were taken for hearty
laugh to Bedlam to see the madmen ours
ing, raving and fighting. The annual fees
derived from this public entertainment
amounted to several hundred pounds. A
madhouse was a menagerie-nothing more.
Against the cruelties Of the place Sydney
writes: Even in the new building the
| windows Of the patients bedrooms were
net Sazed NOR t one e xesims
| but let US look nearer home, and that too,
| twenty-five years later
FOUND HER MISSION.
| One pleasant Sunday morning. as Miss
Dix coming out of Dr. Loweiis church.
| such terms Of indignation and horror OF
| the treatment to which the prisoners and
lunatics in the East Cambridge, Mass. Jail
were subjected that she forthwith deter
mined to go there and look into matters
| herself She was comparatively well.
and through the will Of her grandmother
| she had come into sufficient competency
to enable her to live comfortably and in a
leisureIy fashion. At this time it was her
| intention to enjoy quiet. lady-like life.
devoting herself TO literature and study and
| to the social intercourse which was always
| so delightful TO her. Tho visit TO Cam
| bridge was the turning point Of her life.
She found among the prisoners few in
| sane persons, with whom she talked. She
noticed that there was no stove In their
room and no means ofproper warmth She
| saw that only by reSorting 10 legal meas
/ ures could this be righted, so. without de-
up before the court. then in session. Her
request was granted; the cold rooms were
| warmed. Thus her great work COM
/ menced.
Casting about her for help, she soon sue
| ceeded in enlsting the aid OF that ever
| loyal friend Of humanity. DR.. S. G. Howe.
who. at Miss Dix's solicitation. made a
careful examination, the result OF which
was printed in the Boston Daily Advertiser
| of Sept s. 1S41. The article was. OF course,
| ferceiy attacked but the statements made
therein were found TO be only too true.
Whether the state OF things In East Cam
! bridge was exceptional or horribly common
/ was the question which Miss Dix now re-
| solved TO answer to herself Accordingly,
notebook in hand. she visited every jail
| and almshouse in Massachusetts with the
| result that her first memorial was present.
| ed TO the State Legislature. In this docu-
ment she called attention TO specific cases
| of insane persons confined in cages clos
| cts cellars, stalls, pens; chained, naked,
beaten With rods and dashed int. INTO ooeai-
| over. scantily clothed and horribly enact
ated were exposed 10 the jeers and vulgar
| Jokes of all who cared TO indulge In so vie
| a form of amusement. The demoraliZing
/ effect of this state of things upon the COM
| munity at large was a phase of the ques-
| ton not 10 be disregarded- In the aims
| houses were found many OF the worst pos
| sible cases of indescribaDle moral degrada-
ton. as we'll as Of awful physical suffer-
| ings All these the memorial stated accu-
| ratey and clearly.
As was expected. Miss Dix's revelations
| were holly contradicted. Though IL was
| the system and not individuals which she
| attacked the people concerned felt them
| selves pillOried before the public gaze as
! fiends in human shape The wise philan-
| thropists, however. were not slow 10 recog-
nize that a prophet had come among them.
Il have felt. in reading your memorial.
| wrote Horace Mann. "as i used TO feel
| when formerly | endeavored TO do some
/ thing for the welfare of the same class-as
| though all personal enjoyments were GRIM
| iaal until they were relieved" Perhaps all
| really great reformers feel like that. Ger
I tain IL is that Dorothea Dix. having taken.
| UP her cross. never for one moment laid IL
down To the honor of Massachusetts. too.
will il ever remain that having discovered
the fostering sores IL set itself TO the task
OF healing them. Its prompt action spurred
| Miss Dix on. Now first broke upon her the
| length and breadth Of the mission TO which
she felt herself divinely called. Resolutely
and untiringly, State by State would she
take up the work Far more than simply
| a good and merciful woman was here. Here
| was a woman brave enough to put her hand
| to the plow and persevering enough. having
| done So To go on without looking back.
ONE FAILURE.
The task of besieging all the State ieTis-
latures was that which she next set for
herself Firmly, resolutely she stuck to
49, ,-orl For nine wears she ira yelled east