Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-02-16

senator's could see the thorough man.
| ner in which DIR. Fernald, whom | see
here. today, manages that institution,
they would not hesitate in voting some
sum for the feeble minded.
1t is enough to draw tears from the
eyes of anybody to go through that in
stitution and see those little feeble
minded children. But they are brought
up to higher point of manhood and
WomanhoOd. If you could see the para
phanalia of that institution. If you
could see them guarded and taken care
of. Many of them are made Self-suS-
tanning by the tuition they receive. 1t
| is wonderful institution. 1t has now
some 500 inmates. The generosity of
| Massachusetts in this regard surpasseS
that of any state in the Union. L am
informed that they cannot build cot
tages fast enough in Waverley-nOt so
| fast as Massachusetts appropriates
money for the purpose. People there
understand the great need of an lnsti-
| tuition of this kind. 1t is just what we
want in Maine.
In New Hampshire. three years ago.
| they raised $4,000 for such an instltu-
| ton, which | had the pleasure OF VS.
| iting.
The great trouble to society Is IN
| their reproduction. There is Il town
| in one county where there are 10, 1ali-
| ing through three generations, That are
| Predetermined. They marry among
neutrality-suspicious. and generate
paupers and feeble-mindCd, yet con-
time to exist and that town had to
give up its charter and revert to a
pIantation on account of the impov-
ished condition of the town and its
feeble minded. 1t is an evil that pol
lutes society in every town.
If you should visit Waverley and eX-
anime that institution you would not
hesitate for moment. 1t is an object
of such a school to put Il stop to such
reproduction in the towns of the State.
There is not a town in a county of this
State free of these unfortunateS and
they are, today, a drain upon the tax
payers of the State, ST, 900 in 10 years
some years more, some years less.
Their are many families today in the
State of Maine having one or two chill
demonstrations in the closets of such
households. Sometimes they are in the
best families of the State If such Il
iiiIi II ltNtil taiit VI ny Sutll an lliStl-
tuition it has better care than can be
given even by the mother or anyone
in it's home, and this you would agree
to if you could see the contentment of
the little ones at Waverley. If left to
the care of their homes they do not
develop. The mind, even of this class.
needs food just as much as the body.
The weaker the mind the more deem OF
proper food.
These little minds at Waverley by
culture and discipline have been fitted
when they have arrived at the age of
manhood to become self-sustaining.
Young men in that institution have
been taught the use of tools and have
thus become self-sustaining. Talk
about dollars and cents. Is it possible
that the tax payers of the State of
Maine are not willing that those I'M
fortunateS should be taken care of?
Sc the incumbrance they are in their
| homes to other members of their fam
| lilies. In the schools they are a detri-
| ment to other pupils. I cannot con-
ceive of the agony and distress of the
| parent who has an unfortunate child
of this kind. They can be better taken
|
sought 1t is time we did something.
| Maine is behind other states in her
| charitable institutions. 1t is not a mat
| ter of dollars and cents. Give this mat
| ter the people, today-let them under
stand it from investigation and do
you doubt what the result will be?
| They will vote four to one and it would
| be the gr1ndest thing that ever hap
pened to the State of Maine. If we can
| take that class and put it in an insti-
| tuition where it can be Self-sustaining
| is it not our duty to do it? Is it not our
| duty to mankind-our duty to these
unfortunates as we'll? 1t is our duty to
start an institution of this kind in the
| State of Maine.
l asked myself the question: whether
these little ones taken from their homes
| and their mothers We're cOntented for
| I thought to myself it is 4 hardship. /
| found everyone of them pleased with
their rroundings-Everyo of them
| trying to do his best. The little minds
under competent teachers were grow
| ing stronger and stronger. The mind
| needs discipline az much as the body.
| The weaker t il the more it needs the
| discipline educated IS they may be in
an institution of this character five out
OF every ten may become self-sustain-
| ing.
| find no fault with the committee on
appropriations and financial affairs.
| They have, l apnrehend done what they
considered to be their duty: but they
have not voiced the sentiment of the
| State of Maine. which l believe is to
| take care of these unfortunate ones,
and rid society of the pest. And if we