Evening journal., 1914-01-31
URGE TRAINING
SCHOOL FOR
DETECTIVES

benedcient work in behalf Of blind
and feeble minded persons in Della
ware:
At meeting Of a committee of the
State Federation of WOmens Clubs.
held at the New Century Club, Janu-
airy 2lst, the problem of the feeble
minded and its bearing upon our so
ciety was deeply considered by rep
resentatives OF each club throughout
the State A census taken all over
the State, records nearly four hun
dred cases and the representatives
of each club volunteered to follow
up the record Of the cases in their
several neighborhoods. A paper read
by Mrs. Jackson. Of the Delaware In
dustrial School for Girls. on What
Can Be Done for the Mental Defec-
tive; and Results II Nothing is Done
was listened 10 with marked atten-
tiOn. Mrs Jackson said: THE re-
cent principles Of preventive medi-
cine. early careful diagnosis and
quarantine. If applied to the mental
defective Quarantine not for forty
days, but for life-will prevent
more misery. pauperism, degeneracy
and crime. and do more for the up
building of our race, than any other
measure within the power of man.
To those who have studied the ques-
tion carefully, whether from the
standpoint OF the individual, the
family. the community or the race
present or future-whether from the
standpoint Of philanthropy or econ
omy. the Importance of this question
cannot be over-estimated, yet there
is not a single place in Delaware
where a mental defective may be
placed for care and training If
adequate provision we're now made
for the feeble-minded children of the
State. and for the care and protec-
tion of all feeble-minded women and
girls the rate Of feeble-mindedness
would never increase. We pay the
bill now. not only for the mainten-
ance of the feeble-minded and their
children. hut for the crimes they
perpetrate and the idleness and worse
in which they live We put them in
institutions now but too often at the
wrong time and at the wrong place.
All metal detectives may be di-
verted into three classes, each a men
ace TO society because Of the danger
Of producing more Of its kind. Glass
A. the high grade defective, may be
made self-supporting under proper
care but never self-directing; Glass
B. who can only be governed and
cared far and taught with the object
OF making them happy and comfort
able; Glass c. the imbecile. requir-
ing merely custOdial care. All
mental detectives would be deljn-
quent In the very nature Of the case.
did not some one exercise care over
them. What is to be done with the
defective who has become delinquent?
He must be cared for in a place pro-
vided for irresponsibles, not in a Jail.
prison or reformatory. nor should
he be turned loose on the streets. nor
sent beck to home or environment,
in which he has already become a
delinquent The most important step
TO be taken by the State OF Delaware,
| is to establish a training school for
mental detectives.
In committing feeble-minded delin
I quents TO the ordinary reformatory, the
state is sowing continuous crop ol
habitual criminals and paupers. The,
cannot be taught the range OF subjects
Of the average mind They peculiarly
! TT into certain kinds Of agriculture
and household work and may be parolet
under careful guardianship and super.
! vision. A typical ease is that of young
/ girl under the care of the Delaware In
/ dustrial School for Girls committed al
the age OF l3 The father and brother
We're in the insane department at Farm
hurst. When she had been in schoo
three years az tho age of sixteen. sh,
tested about the age Of 10 wears mental
/ lv. She was paroled. did well for hv,
months. returned TO the school for eight
months paroled was out six months
ne urned. was in school nine months
parolcd. has N out one year and tw,
months. is earning two and onc-hal
dollars a week has saved twonty-on
dollars in bank and is well clothed. On
authority ceases in few months whcl
she is twentyonc. n is not hard &
forcsee the result of that discharge
Now. it authority and supervision coul,
be given that girl il would az least pre-
vent her from adding more links TO tn
great chain Of mental detectives. Thes
detectives amid evil surroundings or nm
deg tho influence of INSCRIPTIONS pcopl
are most dangerous; unhcsitatinglv an,
without knowing il they become In
tool of the vicious After a careful
diagnosis the child or man or woman
found 10 be- ieeblc-minded for his owl
sake. for tho sake Of his family and III
community lprescnt and futurel shoull
be- set apart where he may associat
with congenial companions. working an
PLAYING an their days. children To th
end, but happy harmless children, no
dangerous and DEGRADED onrs