The Pensacola journal., 1913-02-10
BIRMINGHAM TO ESTABLISH
A SCHOOL FOR BACKWARD
EHfL 0HEN.

educational movements of the country
and the following report of the work
for backward children in Birmingham
viii be read with interest:
Every citizen interested in the well
fare and we'll being of children will
be gratified to learn that at an early
date it Is proposed to establish school
for backward children in Birmingham.
where these unfortunate boys and girls
can receive especial care, and indi-
vidual training. For several years,
such a school has been contemplated
by the board of education and by DR..
j. H. Phillips, superintendent of the
Birmingham public schools and as soon
as certain essential arrangements can
be made, this school win be formally
opened for the reception Of pupils.
During his absence north last sum-
mer, DR.. Philips made an especial
study of the necessary methods and
equipment for such a school, which
has been one OF his cherished hopes
and plans for the board of education,
lead by DR.. John L. Parker, are en-
thusiastic in their endorsement of the
proposed school and assert that Bir-
mingham can no longer afford to ne
glect her less fortunate children. They
viii soon make ample provision for the
instruction of backward children.
While SO much of the machinery of
the state has been employed of late
years to improve educational methods
and the beneficent results accruing
from this activity are source of pro-
found qualification to the citizens gen.
orally, Alabama has not been very
mindful Of the condition of a certain
class Of children to whom the state
owes an obligation which sooner Or
later must be cancelled.
This class Of children, known to
teachers and school statisticians, as
backward. until a comparatively re-
cent period, were not provided with
that individual mental training requis-
ite to improve their status, and to de-
velop them in a helpful way. Mothers
of backward children have with sem
sitive. but hopeful hearts waited and
watched for the development of these
little boys and girls, many believing
that some day. as the years crept by
nature would right matters, and they
would be as other children Many
brave women in the isolation of the
darkness OF night. have prayed for pa
tience and submission to what seemed
an inscrutable dispensation. The ten
derness of motherhood has always en-
veloped the weaker child with the
keenest solicittude and most protec-
tive devotion.
But, a number Of years ago, in 1878.
few men and women who realized
that much may be accomplished for
backward children by properly direct
81 AfF0Tf 1GSoh1fChA6 - nn.
troit for their benefit, which was the
first institution of its kind in Ameri-
ca. The idea has since grown and ex-
panded--encouraged by results obtain
ed--until at present twenty-five states
have inaugurated similar schools;
there are sixteen private institutions
which provide in many ways for the
helpful training and instruction of this
class of little boys and girls, who, If
neglected might become a great and
problematicai burden upon their fami-
lies. It has been proven that this in
dividual systematic treatment of back
ward children has very serious eco
nonic side, which humanitarians are
beginning to realize. If neglected,
many such children. as they attain TO
manhood and womanhood, find their
ways to homes of correction, and to
refornaatories. or worse still. they often
become parents. There are numerous
cases on record. of backward women,
becoming mothers of equally backward
children. who incidentally are sooner
or later a charge upon the state or the
community in which they live. Chris
tianity demands that the strong must
help the weak. and that they must
n0f ha T1ary,a iffod 70 hannYaa a Y,oo-oJ ~.
economic burden.
Investigation of this problem has be-
come very general and in Birmingham
especially has much interest been
aroused in behalf of backward chill
dren. Several of the prominent organ
izations OF the city are manifesting a
most helpful concern. in this move
ment. foremost among the number be-
ing the Edgewood club. which devoted
its last meeting to a discussion of this
subject. The Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union, and the Associated
Charities have long been interested in
the Inauguration OF certain education
al work for these children. and viii
place In the school to be opened by
the city board of education a number
of pupils who have come under OBJ
servation.
In the forty-one institutions caring
for backward children in various states
there are 1850 boys and girls, and
there yet remains a vast number not
in these training schools. According
to the United States government re-
port for 1911, one-half of one per cent
Of the school POPULATION of the country
Is backward. This is 6 startling and
surprising statement of conditions, but
1t cannot be controverted
The school census for Alabama is
675.S1S children. and accepting the
national government report as a basis
OF computation, there are about 1879
backward children in this state who
need institutional care and hundreds
Of others who should have special
training and who can never become
independent members Of society.
There are about $4,000 children in
the public schools Of the Birmingham
district, and according to the govern
ment statistics one hundred and twen-
ty.ive of this number need individual
care and individual training.
This fact, so serious n its import
naturally compels the question. what
VIII Alabama do for its backward chill
dr6n? What will the state do for this