The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-29
STATE CARE BEST
FOR DETECTIVES
Statistics Show How Feeble
Minded Continue as Public
Charges.
OUGHT TO BE EMPLOYED
Startling Figures as to Moral
and Financial Burdens on
Public.

Segregation and employment of the
feeblc-minded of Virginia under state
care is II proposition which will before
long be put up TO the Legislature.
Aside from the philanthropic feature
OF the situation, tho legislators Will
be shown how n proper policy Of SUI
perrision and neutrality-suspicious. work
VIII make to the Commonwealth lard
dollars and cents in the present and in
the generations to como
Now. the advantage Of state care in
stead Of county care OF the feeble
minded has been demonstrated in the
experiences OF other States. The
difference Hes In the fact that feeble
minded women in atmsllouscs produce
children who often, perhaps always in
a generation or two. are themselves
mentally defective. There arc in vir~
GINA not lss tlIln 300 rcebIc-minded
women OF child-bcari7g age who should
have custodial care.
Ecayy Cont 10 Public.
n portion of the Forthcoming annual
report CT the state Board OF
Charities and Corrections deals with
this subject at some length. I; is
figured tina the average cost of main
tenancc for fccble-inindcl women in
Virginia almshousrs FOR the year end
ms September so, 1910, Was Si8.4s, not
counting superiHtendents' salaries. y
conservative estimate would be $50.
per pauper per year. On that basis,
200 women would cost s3o0.00Q Tor
twenty years. With an average of
three children each. the expenses for
maintenance would be increased S9u0.-
600. making IL total expense to the
people of the State for tho care OF
mothers and children OF SI,cQ0, 600.
The loss to the community other
wise In the spread OF disease and
q. extension OF feeble In~indedness.
M WI IA / I O. II r.!n - 4 90 tn f.t - Z '. a.I ,k,.t L
lie, cannot. Of course, be expressed in
dollars and cents.
Under custodial care these women
would not hear children. and the ma
ing.
How II Grows.
The group III the cut herewith re-
produced illustrates "a fccblc-minded
rauper family in the state OF Indiana,
none or the members OF which. so FAR
as is known, has been u public charge
Three generations are shown. The wo-
man at the left. sitting, is the feeble
minded daughter OF n fceble-mindd
man. Her daughter. standing next 10
her. inherited the mothers mental de-
feet. and in turn transmitted it to her.
seven children. She bore one Height
mate child before her marriage to The
man standing at the right. The eldest
daughter has also borne an iIlcgitimata
child. The little two-room shanty has
sheltered at one time eleven members
OF this family, constituting four gem
ora;ions.
The advantage OF State over county
care OF these feeble-mindan women. so
far as ii can be shown by figures. is
indicated by tho following facts con
corning five inmates OF county aims
houses. selected at random by the
Board Of Charities or indiana:
Cont OF County Cure.
Number OF fecble-mindcd mothers. ..
Number OF children of above, II
Number or these children who have
been Inmates of public institutions. Is.
Number OF years sbent In Institutions
by these fifteen children. 15G.
Cost OF their maintenance, estimated
at 500 per mum Sl5,600.
OF the fifteen children. there are now
In public institutions SCHOOLS for fee
ble-mtnded YOUTH. Z.
Cost Of their maintenance in 1909,
1904.
Their avarage age in 1909, 20.
II they live twcnty years longer they