The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-11-19
Fe,ble- e-NIindedness Increasing.

FGsDle-MindcttneSS increasing.
In the October American Magazine
Arnold L. Gesell writes most inter-
esting article entitled THE Village of
a Thousand Souls" 1t contains the
results Of a thorough investigation Of
the 22O families that make up Il cer
tain real village located in 4 prosper
GUS farming district in the Middle
West. The name OF the village is
withheld from publication for OBJ
vious reasons, but the author Of the
article, who Is Yale teacher, assures
the reader that the village described
Is not exceptional or unusual in any
way. On the other hand it is typical.
The investigation was carried clear
back through, a whole generation
tthirty-three years) Out of a total
OF 20 families. thirty-seven families
show feeble-mindedness in one, two,
three or four individuals. This is q
proportion OF sixteen per cent. Thir-
ty-six families reveal alcoholism "a
proportion OF sixteen per cent. There
Is found definite insanity in twenty
two families--ten per cent. In thir-
ty-four families are found eccentrics.
Toward the end of his report the
author makes the following COM
ment
only the rankest pessimists and
believers in noninterference will con-
done the increase OF feeble -mided-
ness and insanity which is occur
ring everywhere in the villages Of the
land. We need not wait for the per-
lection OF the infant science of
eugenlcs before proceeding upon
course OF supervision and segrega-
ton which will prevent the horrible
renewal Of this defective protoplasm
that is communicating the stream OF
village life.
The social reformers have all these
years accepted the stream OF life as
they found 1t, and, as Havelock FL
lis says, while working to cleanse
the banks OF the stream made no at
tempt to purify the stream ITSELF
The solemn facts Of heredity must
now be respected. Environment Is
the lesser half. The Village Of q
Thousand Souls has no factories: is in
region OF surprising beauty. with
ample air. space, sunshine. The Op-
portunities for play and physical de-
velopment OF children are almost
ideal; educational facilities are free.
Even with the large number OF sa-
looms, the conditions Of life are i'm
measurably superior to those Of the
tenement districts of crowded cities;
and yet. in spite OF these environ
mental advantages. 26 per cent Of
series of 220 local families show the
taint of either insanity or feeble
mindedness
"A good high school principal can
by his influence elevate the tone of
tho whole town; but no principal or
teacher can by patient work after
school save, restore, or make over a
feebls-mindcd scholar. A philan-
thropist by founding library or
clubhouse may add greatly to the hap
piness Of this village. No one who
has lived long in one village has failed
to notice the strong environmental in
iuences both OF educational institu-
tions and inspiring individuals. Yet
heredity remains tho greater half.
The banks of the racial river of
life should be beautiiied and cnnoblcd
by all that the willing hands of man
can rear and contrivc; but those
bcnefactors who labor now through
science and wise legislation 10 purify
the very springs of the dying and liv-
ing stream will be thrice blessed bv
tho generations unborn"