The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-24
RECOMMENO A|O
FOR FEEBLE ONES
STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES AND
CORRECTIONS PREPARES
REPORT.
THOUSANDS IN NE D
OBJECT OF RECOMMENDATION TO
PREVENT CONTINUANCE OF
Ia.
IDIOCY. CRIME AND
OTHER EVIL.

OTHER EVIL.
The most striking feature OF the |
forthcoming report OF the State Board |
of Charities and Corrections Is It's
treatment of the many questions reiat-
ing to the feeble minded population of
the State.
The report shows the greatest care
in the collection Of data. recommends
that the law should prohibit the mar
riage of imbeciles, calls for their segre-
CATION. and demands, as to certain
dangerous class of them. sterilization.
The secretary of the board, Rev. j.
T. Mastin, sent out $500 letters OF In
quiry to physicians and ministers ask
ing for information as to feeble mind
ed people, Replies were received from
1850, reporting 1857 cases.
Nearly Five Thousand.
From this information and other
data at hand the board approximates
! the number OK distinctly feeble minded
people in the State at $500. In addi-
| ton to these the report says there
are at least fifteen hundred high grade
| imbeciles in the State whose mental
| condition can only be ascerta1ned by
experts, making a total feeble-minded
population OF six thousand for the
State.
| The report quotes a number of the
| leading authorities in giving Il defini-
| ton Of imbecility, saying "A child Is
| born an imbecile and neither the best
nutrition, the most serupulous eleanli-
ness the purest air and sunshine, nor
the best mental and physical train
ing will make anything else out of him.
| 1T follows" says the report, shat to
| undertake to cure the feeble-minded,
,tvu nf fhny, q
| we do Of those who are normal. to
| lay down the same rules for their
training, to require them to obey the
| laws enacted for the government of
the people, Is unreasonable"
Figures are given showing that in
the entire United States there are
| 1915 weak-minded persons receiving
institutional training.
"a very important study" says the
| report, "in connection with feeble
mindedness Is the defective delinquent,
one born so lacking In mental equip
ment that he Is irresistibly impeled
to criminalistic career"
The Principal Causes.
The heredity of e-mindedness
IS treated of by the report in scien-
tiflc terms, and so conyincingly that
few will question the Righteousness
or the propriety OF the recomm enda-
u
the children of feeble-minded par
ents are always feeble minded, and
the offsprings OF marriages where one
OF the parties thereto is feeble-mind-
ed average more than 90 per cent.
feeble minded.
Cases to show the cause and scope
of imbecility are described by the
board. Charts are furnished by the
board showing the family histories Of
| eff 70 md 6afeCffva
. pie on the rural sections OF the State
} The charts are necessarily conserva-
tive in what they show. However
they prove conclusively the danger
! Of the feeble-minded child being
brought up In the homo with the
: normal child, the normal child be-
ing In great danger from the I'M
: controlled acts of the abnormal one.
Many feeble-minded children could
be trained in an institution, as they
: cannot be in their own homes. to be
\ happy and useful citizens This much
Is due them-due them just as truly
. as a public school education 1s due
: the normal child."s argues the report
No Institution In Virginia.
There is no institution in Virginia
: for the care OF the feeble minded ex-
cept the alrnshouses, where the COST
OF maintenance Is $50 per aHnunl.
placing the loss to the community.
therefore, at $50 a year. these would
q cost in twenty years 100000.
u I'm a State institution where they
: could be trained, q large proportion
4 Of these people would become self
J supporting. And If given eustodial
;. care" urges the report. this grea'
K drain upon the State would In a great
= measure cease.
t The board then rec.tes a we'll
known local case whore inmates Of
the almshouse, botn feeble-minded
were married some years ago. Using
7 the local case to show the futility
: Of dealing with the feeble minded In
almshouses, where they are exposed
d to temptations, permitted to go and
: come at will. the board strongly rec
K ommends that there should be a law
9 lforbidding the marriage or the feeble.
y minded.
: tho care, training and segregation o.
q tho feeble minded. ana Virginis
:. needs a marriage law" emphatical'
;. Iy urges the board.
: The board takes a firm stand fol
the ssta blishment OF q proper insu'
tuition where the feeble-minded may
!, be cared for, taught how TO perform
useful work, and thereby make them
self-supporttng.
/, The board closes its appeal by de.
& scribing the Indiana institution where
d rood results have been obtained. ant
/, says: 1T Is the thing to do for the
II feeble minded-get them out OF tho
}. big world where they nave such q
It hard time because they are not like
|, other folks. They are ignorant anc
r irresponsible"