The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-11-26
LOCAL COUNCIL
or WOMEN.
lContInued From Page E,ourl !

Continued From Page Four.
faithful officer Of the council Mrs Les
ter s I'M. For a number of years Mrs
llll aled the office OF treagurc~ but IN
health compelled her resignation. during
ths past year.
Tho treasurers report was presented by
the newly elected treasurer, Mrs. II. Il.
Thornton. OF rawtucket
The report showed the following hnan-
cial condition of the treasury Receipts,
s62.Is; expenses, $5i.9s; balance, sio.7S.
At this point the report OF the nominal
ing committee was presented by Mrs SID
ney X. Burieigh. In the absence. i'm Texas.
Of the chairman OF that committee. Mrs.
Mary A. Babcock
The fOllOwine were presented as officers
for the ensuing year and they were unan-
imously elected President Rev Anna
Gariin Spencer; vice presidents. Mrs Fred
erick H. Jackson and Mrs. George II.
Corey; recording secretary. Miss Ruth
Haskall; corresponding secretary Mrs,
James $. Kenyon; treasurer, Mrs. r. y.
Thornton; assistant treasurer. Mrs. sid
ncy II. Burlcigh.
Following the election of officers Mrs
Spencer arose aud said that IL had been
the custom for the Women's CoEncil, in
It's scheduled work 10 deal with bne sub
Ject at a time; for instance. during the
past year the council had taken upon IT.
self the work OF the estab-
lishment OF the Consumers league
In this state. We are now-al.elit- ready
To begin that work IL is already estab-
ished she said and on the afternoon of
the 9Th OF December there will be held
meeting az the Woman's college when the
Rhode Island branch OF the Consumers
league VIII be formally organized and
Mrs. Frederick Nathan. OF New York
will speak Of the work I'm a general way.
Continuing. Mrs. Spencer said that the
time had arrived for the local council
or the women of Rhode Island 10 take up
another great devotion, namely, The
Better Caro- of the Feeble Minded IN
Rhode Island"
Taking this as the general subject for
the afternoon Mrs Spencer introduced as
the first exponent OF the subject one who
from wide experience, could speak most
intcllieently on the same. Hon. Thomas
B. Stockwell, commissioner OF public
schools Of Rhode Island, after expressing
his great interest in the subject, Mr.
stockweli said that he needed not TO bring
any facts proving the necessity of the
care OF the tecble minded. for that fact
must have been potent long ago.
The better and more thorough educa-
ton or the feeble minded is not a new
problem. he declared. for each year the
attention of the legislature 10 the sub
iect
Continuing Mr.. stockwcll told of the
institution for the feeble minded at
Waverly. Mass. where the board of edu-
cation OF this state had placed a number
Of children. The fact was dilated upon of
the wonderful Improvement OF these
children after prolonged stay at Waver-
ly and similar institutions.
In f1a laa 80
great variety or feeble minded children
and declared that they are not feeble
minded. but rather, born short" A class
especially demanding attention, he said.
were the epieptics, but these should be
separated from other cases as they can
best be treated by themselves.
An institution OF this kind Is sadly
needed i'm This state and its location.
should he decidedly I'm the country.
Mrs. Spencer followed Mr.. Stockwell with
Interesting statistics, which showed from
a wide investigation OF the subject. that
inheritance is largely the cause of feeble
mindedness. but of 2is pauper families,
she said. including SS7 per sons, $500 per-
cent were feeble minded.
OF these 24S families 50 per cent were
feeble minded in more than one gener-
alton: s. families were feeble minded in
two generations; u In three generations;
two in four generations, and one In FIVE
generations.
In l0l Of these families which had fee
bleminded descent Is per cent OF the
whole number I'm the families were fee
ble-minded or these SS7 persons studied.
nearly three per cent were epileptic. three
per cent insane, eight per cent blind and
narly two per cent deaf mutes.
Conservative estimate placed the num-
ber OF detectives I'm a normal population
OF 10000 persons as follows Twenty in
aa 10 CfN
while IN a population OF iO000 IN which
there IS a strain OF feeble -mindedness
YOU will find 300 insane, SIS blind and i70
deaf mutes and more than all this. 81
legitimacy finds its highest note in this
country i'm the fceble-minded furnishing
Il per cent.
Mrs Spencer urged these indisputable
facts as the strongest argument I'm favor
OF the immediate establishments Of an iu-
stitution for the feeble-mindod in this
state
Mrs Ciapp, formerly connected with
the Elevyn Institution for the feeble
minded. was the next speaker, and told
in a most interesting way of the wonder
full results accomplished there.
Professor J. q. Dcaley. Of Brown uni
versity, Was the final speaker and his
remarks were along tho line OF the Fed |
Grafton Of Moral Forces" He dwelt upon
tifr- -frrfr-Httort ot rrtiriu--~ tabor |
NpiNENs AtInffflNN'F ihiffN lil A4liN CITY dilN |
the greater good which could be accom- |
plishcd thereby
He then touched upon the social evil.
as II exists In this city. which is said |
TO I've as immoral as any city in the |
United states with the exception. per-
haps OF San Francisco and New Orleans |
In giving startling statistics which |
proved the strength of the social evil in /
this city. Professor Dealcy declared that |
information should he given through the |
press and I'm other ways of this condition 1
of things that tho public conscience might |,
he aroused and these evils suppressed. 4,
In closing ne alluded 90 the recent an |
pointment OF a police commission and |
urged that their hands be SO strengthened |
by public opinion that they may enforce |
the laws and thus bring about n better |
condition of things In the moral life OF |
this city
During the meeting brief remarks were |
made by Mr.. George r. Baker. az the |
state hoard W education.
The meeting adjourned az $50 O'Clock
------a-----------.-a.
One Queens Philanthropy.