The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-11-24
GUTHRIE SPEAKS
FOR GOVERNOR
TAKES PLACE OF EXECUTIVE AT
CHARITIES AND cORREc-
TON MEETING.
Hesds Paper on state Care o. oefee.
uNes-oUotes Figures inter
estins to Delegates.

Dr. l. V. Guthrie. of HUNTINGTON.
appeared at the session OF the West
Nlrginia Charities and Correction con
ference being held i'm the Mcclure no
Tel. last evening. and spoke for Gov
ernor IA. ID. Hatfield. who was unable
10 De present. DR.. Guthrie read a pa
per on the subject State Care OF De
iectves.' His remarks. in part. fol
low:
SO Tar as we know the mental defec-
tive mas existed since the creation OF
IAN 40 age In the history OF the world.
empt.
ancient ancestors regarded the
lulot hs an object TO be avoided or per
the custom 20 permit the mentally de-
lectiNe TO perish. and by some races
TINS class was deliberately murdered.
rms particular method is quite in
contrast with our present day methods
ana accounts 10 some extent FOR the in
crease IN this class OF unfortunates.
carrier times. our constant effort is to
promote their welfare and lengthen their
days.
Nearly twenty centuries aFo the
Great Physician comforted sorrowfng
mothers with demoni children aud gave
the nr~t substantial COMMUNICATION and
ulNine AID. and SEQ years later. we have
perhaps the first instance in which the
strohg minded gave up their usual pur-
suits TO care FOR tho feeble mlnded
II was al this time that Euphrasia
reign OF Constantine Magnus retired to
a convent 10 care Tor his unfortunate
class However. II - sad to relate that
later the pendulum swung backward AMI
persecution ana superstitution reiEned
ana even a. late ~ the day Of Martin
Lulhtr and calvin. the defective was de-
hounced a. filled with satan
The first organized effort on record
!" care Tor the mental defective was in
the middle OF the seventeenth century.
Mhen the present large asylum known as
iic'rtre was founded in Paris. but little
progress was made in France until 1S46
when John Bost founded "A colony near
nordeauA During period, from
organized ten institutions for idiots epi-
leptics, ~rphans. etc.
between the years 1850 and 1900
lhcre seemed TO b. an awakening OF the
public throughout the civilized world
on behalf Of these DETECTIVES. However
mere are a rev exceptions. as in Turkey
Armenia and Greece. there ar. no pro-
n lslohs Tor TINS class, outside of the hos
pltais FOR the insane.
1t was In 1889 W. find Dr. samuel G..
Hove OF Boston, giving special atten-
ton 10 feeble minded children and la
$50 he made a fun report OF the conci-
lions and treatment OF slt idiots.
Slmultanvously with Massachusetts.
m lN4t New York appointed n commits
SION Of tdtocy. but little was done in
New York az this time. In October.
ln5l. an experimental school was found
ed IN Albany. and a little later perma-
ntnt quarters were secured at syracuse.
where was erected the first building in
America Tor the specific purpose OF car
ing FOR the feeble minded.
View York has made rapid progress
IN the founding of other institutions Tor
TINS class. Anon gother states doing
Iionecr and progressive work should
De- mentioned Pennsylvania. ohio. Com
nrcttcutt and New Jersey.
Until recently IN" mental defective
IA West Virginia wee cared for exclu-
siNelN. when 2 public charge. la the var
ious county iufirmariee OF the Stat.witb
me exception % g. Few who have been
improperly and Illegally committed %
the hospitals for the insane.
The legislature o. 1897 founded the
asylum Tor iucurables at Huntington
ana directed that the idiot and imbecUa
should be admitted 60 that Institution.
out such "a large class Of Sthe- iucura-
bl's and persons suffering with chronic
diseases were maze eligible. that ~ was
found impracticnbl- tH that time ro pra-
coed with tho Institution az oriEinally
Intended. 1hl" ir~utution was tho first
organized effort made on behalf Of the
mental detective by West Virginia. and