The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-10-19
CAT HOL|C SCHOOL
FOR FEEBLE-M N D Ed
Only Institution of Its Kind in the
United States-conducted BY the
Sisters of St. Joseph at Kalamazoo,
Mich.

Nestled along the wooded banks of
picturesque Kalamazoo River, in the
midst of forty acres of the most beauti-
full land which this county affords, is
an institution, the only one of it's kind
in the United States, yet practically
unsung. 1t has as it's object, says the
Kalamazoo Gazette, the furnishing of
improvement to those unfortunate
youths who are deficient in mind, or
of such marked peculiarities and
eccentricities of intellect as to de-
prive them of the benefits of other in
stitutions of education and the Gus
tomary usage of channels of instruc-
ton. The institution is St. Anthony's S
School for the Feeble Minded. With
the approval of Right Rev. Bishop
Foley, the Sisters of St. Joseph of the
Diocese of Detroit established the
school in 1898.
Nearly 100000 has been expended
in making thel school the best ap-
pointed in the world of the kind, and
interested persons have swelled the
amount actually expended on the
structures and grounds to a far
greater total.
Sister Colette, superior of the insti-
tuition, is assisted in her work by ten
other Sisters. In explaining the work
carried on she said:
"A mistaken idea oftentimes at
taches itself to an institution of this
kind, many people believing that to
subdue the eccentricities of the feeble
minded it is oftentimes necessary to
use corporal punishment as correc-
tive method. This means of punish
ment has never been exercised, and
has been found altogether unneces-
sary. Children's minds, especially
mentally unbalanced ones, are easily
moulded, and kindness in every case,
coupled with firmness, has been found
iquite adequate.
THE more practical matters of
every day life, the simple elements of
instruction, cultivation of habits of
cleanliness, propriety and self-manage-
ment are developed, and many times
result in pupils being discharged capa-
BILE of useful occupation.
Little niceties are rewarded, and
private dining tables are afforded
students whose conduct warrants,
while many other privileges help to
make the student feel desire to do
right
.Not only are the students urged to
develop these qualities, but are made
to feel the need of correcting their
muscular and nervous powers, the
slow gait and voluntary movements so
generally present in the inactive i'm
beetle. Gymnastic and calisthenic
exercises are therefore a large part
of the daily routine.
Tt takes much time to- develop the
reciprocal influence of the mind over
the body and the body over the mind,
one or the other lying in every case
dormant. The very feeble power of
attention must be cultivated and
nursed, vicious habits must be cor
rected and the idea of obedience and
moral obligation instilled.
1--WE have found some feeble-minded
youth merely backward and un-
developed through misunderstanding
in their treatment, which if arrested
in the downward course in time re-
suits in the youth being reclaimed to
useful existence. Nearly all can be
materially improved"
A beautiful building has been
erected of brick and frame, and ex-
tends 800 feet along the Michigan
United Traction right of way, few
hundred feet east of the village of
Comstock.
Enshrined in the chapel is portion
of bone of st. Anthony, the great
wonder worker of Padua. Also there
is here a portion of the bone of st.
Vitus, secured for the institution by
His Eminence Cardinal Martinelli. It
is believed that the shrine dedicated
to st. Vitus at st. Anthonys is the
only one of its kind in America.