Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-02-06
HEALING MENTAL DEFECTS.
A Remarkable Machine That Tests
and Records Physical Processes.

Psychology promises to do wonder
ful things for the army of backward
and mentally deficient children who in
the past have been the despair of par
ents and school teachers. Some re-
markabe discoveries have been made
and admirable changes effected among
children whose minds had been dark
since birth.
One of the foremost of the pioneers
in this comparatively new field is DR..
Lightner Wilmer, of the psychological
department of the University of
Pennsylvania. In corner of the
college hall, where the depart
ment has its rooms, the light has
dawned in the minds of numerous
children WHO otherwise would have
been doomed to live in mental dark
ness and in all probability become
burdens on the community, or perhaps
be placed beyond the power of doing
further harm only after some crime
has shown the true condition of af-
fairs.
Before referring to the machinery
that has been installed for the purpose
OF testing the condition of the child
to describe some of the cases that
have been treated at this new depart
ment of science
The teacher in one of the classes in
a Philadelphia public school was an
noyed by a constant drumming in the
street outside the classroom. She was
accustomed to noises of all kinds
caused by the traffic passing the
Il
but the incessant drumming that con-
tinued all day and apparently came
from the same spot was distracting.
So she desided to investigate 1t
turned cut that the noise was due to
the assidueus efforts of one small ur
chin. He had a fancy for drumming
on trolley pole and he KEPT it up
with untiring zeal. Investigating fur
Their the school teacher ascertained
that this drumming on the trolley pole
was the only recreation the boy had.
So he kept it up all the time. There
was no room for him at home, where
his mother had the care of eight chill
dren, the survivors of a flock of thir
teen, and only two poor rooms in q
tenement to house the eight, so the
drummer put in all his spare time at
his favorite trolley pole and drummed
all day.
This boy was eighte years old and
had been taken to school, but his APP
parently hopeless stupidity and gen
eral intractability had caused his re-
lection. AS his mother was only too
glad to have one less to worry her, the
boy had been left to find what rec
reation ne could in the street, with
the result as told.
The forlorn condition of the young
ster touched the teacher and she
brought him to the psychological clin-
ic During the examination of the boy
he spoke only once. That was to say
"candy." He never smiled. Tickling
brought only a whimper. His mouth
retained its melancholy fdroop. His
eyelids fell halfway over dull pupils,
except when some movement of the
examiner caused him to start with
terror. No marked sign of degenera-
ton could be found, but it was quick
ly discovered that the secret of his
constant enjoyment of the unearthly
pole pounding. The boy was deaf. An
adenoid growth explained this HIS
teeth were decaYed. some were lacking
and others distorted.
This boy. growing up to citizenship,
could not read. write. count or tell the
difference between colors. He showed
no affection, receiving candy without
a word of thanks or sign of gratitude,
held on TO his cap and bag of peanuts
as if fearful of losing them, and was
DESTROYS OF only one thing-to gel
away from the room.
The boy was taken to the hospi-
| tai and operated on for adnolds'
| A few days later, he was like young
savage. the operation having maze
| him additionally distrustful and sus-
| picious. Ar Improvement, however
| was instantly marked. He breatheo
| better and could hear in at least one
ear He also spoke a few WORDS. A
| week later he even smiled He alse
PLAYED with his toys, called many OF
| them by name, learned to string beads
and after repeated instruction was
| finally able to select and string yeho"
! ones.
| The whole life prospects OF the pos
| had completely changed within a tort-
night from intellectual and socia
! hopelessness to a promise OF useful
ness and good citizenship. me BOY
| astonished his mother by using Tor tn'
first time in his life two or three WORDS
| together This first sentence was
| mon, my shoe hurts me. lie ceased
to be vicious after the operation, M
longer pulling his brothers hair, spit
ting in their faces, lighting matches
and setting fire to paper in the mouse
as he had been in the habit OF oolhs
He developed craze for using u nam
mer and nails. and succeeoeu on
morning i'm mailing up the front GOO
so that it could not be opened. III
| case continues to show a steauV oc
| yelopment Of mentality.
For the boy described and chlidrei
like him the hope of escape from nj
I of inefficiency. with possiDllty
7 constant naiinarism and crime, lie