The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-12-26
The Charity Organization society.

of Baltimore has just published a
number of its quarterly paper, the
Charities Record, which is devoted
to the subject of the State care of the
feeble-minded and epileptic. In an
editorial which states that in every
part of the State of Maryland there
is felt to be the need for more ade-
quate provision for the feeble minded
and epileptic, it is urged that a Wig
orous effort be made ~ to secure
segregation in proper asylums of the
i adult feeble in mind who are plainly
harmful to society (2) to arouse pub
lie sentiment at once to see that suit
able care, with separation of sexes. is
given in all almshouses 81 to obtain
adequate support for the enlargement
of the Asylum and Training School
for the Feeble Minded of the State of
Maryland, situated at Owings Mills,
Baltimore county.
The secretary of the State Lunacy
Commission, DR.. George J. Preston,
says in an article which follows that
excellent work is being done at the
State School, that the location is an
ideal one, and the buildings and
equipment are adequate as far as they
go; but because the State is not gen
erous enough to enlarge and properly
equip this plant, the length of the
waiting list is appalling and constant
ly grows larger. At present but 50
feeble minded children are being cared
for by the State in spite of the fact
that hundreds of these unfortunates
are in homes where they can receive
no training and are becoming a men
ace to the community at large as well
as drag on the members of their
own families.
From one of the almshouses, where
the provision for keeping the sexes
separate is very inadequate, the re-
port comes of feeble minded woman
who brings into the world every year
or so an infant. The state of affairs
at the almshouse caused by this wo-
mans conduct is said to be simply
fearful. Just year ago the six year
old daughter of this woman was COM
United to a children's institution in
Baltimore, but being found to be a
hopeless idiot she was returned to the
county by the institution. She could
not be placed in the State School be-
cause of lack of room. From Queen
Anne, Cecil, Garrett, Hartford, Balti-
more, Frederick and other counties
comes the cry for some institution in
which to place their feeble-minded
and epileptic charges. Many of these
afflicted persons are being shamefully
abused, as for instance in the case of a
child of Is years in Hartford county,
who is reported to be treated badly
and sadly neglected in every way and
to be seen frequently without suffi-
cient clothing for either comfort or
decency.
AS DIR. Preston says, 1.-The State of
Maryland is not doing its duty. Is
there any subject that should appeal
more strongly to the hearts of we'll
thinking men and women than the
pitiable case of these unfortunate
children? Let us present this subject
to the members of the Legislature
and urge for the honor of the State
and the cause of humanity that some
thing more and something better be
done for our afflicted children" DR..
John 5. Fulton, secretary of the State
| Board of Health, adds his testimony
to that of Others to emphasize the
fact that as State we are generally
neglecting to care for these detectives
| and that as a result of our negligence
and short-sightedness the defective
children are, when grown old enough
to leave the family circle, usually ad-
vanced to the almshouse or the Jail.
That the leaving of imbeciles to live
how and where they please means
that there will be a constant increase
in the number of the defective, de-
pendent and delinquent classes is
urged by one of the great authorities
in the care of the feeble-minded, Mr..
Alexander johnson, superintendent
of the Indiana State School for the
Feeble Minded. Ticking the United
States as whole, he claims that 70
per cent. of imbeciles owe their affiic-
ton to HEREDITARY causes, but 80 per
cent. to accident or disease. To care
for all now and stop the increase
would mean that the stream of which
idiotic parentage is the source would
be diminished by two-thirds of its
volume in 50 years. Can you sug-
gest," he says, "a more profitable in
yestment for the State than that -
Let us see to it that the State realizes
its duty and that it does it's part in