The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-07-14

mental meeting of the association. She
advocated the teaching of the dignity
and heroism Of peace-proposed an or
ganization of school boy friends" to
replace the boy scout" movement and
suggested in the making of peace
picturesque"
| This she explained could be done by
decorating the members of the new or
ganization with a national tri-color,
brilliant with gold.
I'VE are far enough along on the
road to civilization to realize that rob-
berry and murder are not respectable,
even when wholesale, and to dare to
teach this to our children" said Miss
Blake
Feeble Mindsdness Increasing.
Backwardness and mental deficiency
in children was discussed at today's
meeting of the national Education
association by Henry II. Goddard OF
the school for feeble minded, Vineland,
N. J., who declared that the birth of
feeble minded children was ever in
creasing and that action was imper-
alive.
The feeble rnindedness that is due
to heredity," said the speaker, "can
only be prevented by preventing the
birth of such children. That is to say.
by preventing the marriage Of feeble
minded persons or by preventing the
possibility of procreation through
surgical interference. Both of these
methods must be resorted to in order
to stop this terrible evil which is ever
increasing.
'Backwardness and mentaI difici-
ency have become especially prominent
of late years, because Of the change in
our school conditions. The curricula
are much more crowded and elaborate.
can only be gone through by those of
good ability. The social and industri-
al world has changed to only tn ,.e
who have passed through a reasonable
course of education and can secure
such positions as will enable them TO
earn a living. The backward child
who is not feeble minded can be dis
covered and conditions provided in the
form of a special class by when he
shall be brought up to normal and
prepared to earn an honest living.
Those who are truly backward, are
incurable and they only train along
certain lines so as to be happy and itss
of a burden on the community. The
cause of mere backwardness is local
and temporary and may in most cases
be removed If discovered.
I'VE must soon come to the point
in our public school administration
where we have special classes for the
A
for the feeble minded"
Father Of Tomorrow.
"The child Of today is Of greatest
economic interest when considered as
father OF the man OF tomorrow" said
Miss Winnie G. Hicks, special psychol-
ogist in the public schools, In an ad-
dress before the department OF spec
ial education OF the National Educa-
ton association. TT follows then that
the definition Of any type of child such
as the 'subnormai' must depend on the
probable conditions in adult life. We
expect tho normal child to become an
adult who will be producing factor
in the community. We know that the
idiot viii always be financially de-
pendent. Between these two, lies an
underlined group which we dub sub
normal secretly wondering just what
we mean. 81
We may group them according to
school retardation. We may give them
a pyscho- physical examination and de-
eide that those who fall a certain dis
tance below the established form are
'subnormal' These and other methods
Of grouping, are helpful because they
study OF the case. But
none of them are based on adult pos
sibilities. though that is the phase Of
the subject in which we are most Wit
ally interested, and the one which
must Be the practical basis for the
.subnormals' training.
MY own working d1ainition is this: