New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-24
Mrs. Hollingworth Shows
Menace to Public of
Feeble Minded.
MANY FEEBLE MINDED
PUPILS IN SCHOOLS
Segregation Plan Advocated to
Prevent Future Crime and
Check Idi0Cy.
b. HENRIETTA RODMAN.

DO YOU know that it is estimated
tina. there are more than 1000 feeble
minded children in the public schools
Of the city?
There are three grades Of defec-
tivcs." Mrs. Lcta Hollingworth told me.
Mrs. Holliugworth is a psychologist
who gives the Binet tests &c discover
The mental age of the children who
are ~eut to the Clearing House for
Mental Detectives, at tn; Post-Gradu-
otc Hospital.
Idiots have menta. age OF less
than three. There are probably none
in re public schools, because they
rcauIre so much care. TheI cannot
as 4 rule. take care Of themselves at
all. and they are practically I'M
teacheble
"Inbeciles have the mentality OF
children from three to SIX. They can
learr what normal children of that
age can learn, bu: no more.
at is absolutely essential TO the wei
earc Ct society that all imbeci'es should
be discovered and segregated that,
above all, they should no; be permitted
20 reproduce themselves.
"T1e vast number of defecc YES now
At large in society is appalling. We
have tested 1000 in the past two years
in this one institution. Ever day the
clinic is filled. They seem to De drawn
in from an exhaustless sea. All our
,forts to drain it are futile. It IS
rising higher and higher every year
1T will continue to rise, threatening
our civilization, until the stete com
p,ebends its peril and builds adequate
Jeferces. The only defence q society
against the degeneracy is TO segregate
the dcgencrates in institutions where
thov are taught to care for themselves
IS far as possible.
"Our world offers constant choice be
tween good and evil We protect our
children from it in families, IN spe-
ciallv organized child world. the
school. So We must protect detectives
I'D their lives.
unless wc do this We can never
hone to clear society from poverty
crime and misery.
The morons are the largest. the
most dangerous and 'hc most hopeful
class of detectives the most hopeful
because in right environment they
can be made happy and self-support-
ing. .
"Thoy form large proportion OF me
o5o ooo detectives which are estimated
- be +, This state az the present time.
Trey are not recognized rs feeble
,,-,dod They can reach the fifth or
.;xtb grade in school and get working
,apcrs. and then. Imagine setting
Girl or boy Of ten or twelve unable
70 grow up. adrift 70 earn his own liy-
;~o 70 make his own way in the
world! Shouldn't We expect trouble?
"The trouble comes -ineficiency, ter
rible poverty, crime and disease, IN the
case Of the individual, multiplied IN his
family.
Then when i is too late We put the
founder Of a family in an institution
usually a penal institution. where ms
chances Of beng happy and effective
are infinitely less than in a well OF
gan.zcd colony for detectives. And we
leave his children to repeat the e1-
2ericnccs Of his life"
Tell US what We ought 70 do"
urged
Have the children who fail to do
the regular school work tested 20 dis
cover their mental age. Give the tests
repeatedly 20 find out whether or not
these children are capable OF develop
ment II they are incapable Of de
yeloping beyond a normal child Of