The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-10-11
FEEBLE MINDED GIRLS.
Movement Tor the Establishment Of a Home
In Vermont.

4
In Vermont.
A lady interested In the effort that
Is being made to establish house for
feebe.mInded girls In this state, hands
the Banner the following extracts from
an address by Hon. VIM. b. Stewart,
! president Of the New York state board
OF charities;
''lnlo the public institutions and In
deed into some Of the private ones,
find admission, from time To time. in
sane persons, feeble.mipded, idiots,
epilepllcs, aud the defo'med, for
whom. NO separate asylum has been
provided aud Who have become a
source OF disturbances 10 the inmates
for whose care these Institutions we're
opened, while tae uuiortunates them.
selves are condemned 10 needless sui.
ierlng for want OF the special care aud
attention their condition requires.
Heuce arises az intelligent demand for
State care Tor the insane, the criminal,
the idiot aud for other uniortunates.
Tue organic law Of every state
should explicitly acknowledge the Oh.
legation vi It's people TO make provis.
ion for the destitute insane, idiotic,
ieeble.minded, deformed and eplleptlc
aud for the delinquent or criminal. The
state owes no higher duty than the
protection OF Its citizenship from the
dangers aud pollution Incidental 70
her restrained commlngling OF these
defectlons with people generally, nor
is there greater evil than increase
OF their kind. Wise public policy re-
quires that for these unfortunates uni.
form and suitable custodian care or
restraint should be- provided by the
state.
There should be no delay until abus.
es 10 private, municipal or county
administration enforce the extension
OF state care. Before the need has
arisen, the duty should be acknowl-
edged and the promising mean that
the state will assume the care OF all
the classes OF unfortunate or defective
people named, whose relations are I'M
able TO make suitable provision for
them.
In June, 1900, there were reported in
the United States log, 000 insane, 10000
deaf and dumb, $4,000 blind in both
eyes. $1,000 blind 10 one eye, 1900
paupers In almshouses and between
90, 900 and 100, 900 tramps. How many
OF these are either mentally feeble, or,
the progeny OF feeble minded parents?
The reports of the Infamous Jokes fam
lily, OF Margaret, the Mother OF Grim
inals, and others will answer this
question pointedly.
II is obvious then that something In
the nature OF prevention is a duty OF
paramount Importance TO the welfare
OF society and the state. A study OF
the records OF our institutions will cor
vince the most skeptical that direct
heredity Is one OF the greatest sources
II not the greatest source OF supply TO
this increasing number of degenerates.
Among many similar instances DR.
Carson gave the following:
Some years ago aphilanthropic geo.
tleman brought US two imbecile girls
from an orphan asylum. Upon their
admission he said TO me with consid
cradle feeling aud emphasis, doctor,
I hope you willtake care of these girls
and keep them in custody as long as
they live. Each of them has relatives !
in nearly every town of our county,
not one OF whom but is imbecile, in.
sane, epileptic, acriminal, drunkard |
or prostitute"
With reference TO the wide spread |
army Of degenerates, scattered here |
and there throughout the land, who axe
constantly addin to the general pie.
thora Of .mindedness, we believe I
that humanity, economy, the protec-
tion OF society and the prevention OF /
degeneracy, demand the permanent Sc
questration of the emit bcdy OF the !
feetle-minded within our borders in
institutions. Especially, should safe
custody and state guardianship apply /
to every feeble-minded girl and woman
of collaborating age.
A large part, perhaps one half of the |
misery and Indebtedness we see about
us is, we believe avertible. In the near
future we believe an educated public
and ensuing prohibitory legislation
must aud will strike at the sources
whence these evils spring and prevent
them.