Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-24

Legislation to compel the State to care
for all children found to be feeble.minded,
instead of a law to force parents to
place their children in institutions was
advocated today at the exhibit on feeble
mindedness by DIR. LiEhtner Wilmer, eX.
pert from the psychological clinic of the
University of Pennsylvania in the Wide.
ner. Building, Chestnut and Juniper
streets.
eve find in our work" said Doctor
Wilmer, that there are comparatively
few parents who would fight against Civ
ing UP their children. They are anxious
to have them as happy as they can pos
sibly be, Then, too. we find that often the
parents are sacrificing the normal chill
dren i'm their fruitless effort to care for
the feeble.mnded children.
THAT is why I do not advocate a law
compelling the parents to put the feeble
minded children in institutions. on the
contrary, l think that the Commonwealth
ought to be compelled to provide for cases,
when the parents ask that care be given
and doctors declare that the children are
in need of institutional care"
Doctor Wilmer showed slides of chill
dren who have been at the clinic at the
University of Pennsylvania and told
briefly of their histories.
One case which especially showed the
economic value of caring for the feeble
minded in institutions was that of a girl
who has been the charge of Is different
charitable organizations for years, not to
mention the care given her by numerous
private individuals.
If that girl had been cared for In an
institution for feeble-mnded ii would have
cost a maximum of $500 year. AS it
Is, she is now Il. just the dangerous age,
and no one knows how much has been
spent or how much will be spent on her.
She is still at large.
Actual count of the number attending
the exhibit is neing kept. During two
and a quarter hours today 400 people
saw the exhibit.
The first lap of the 100000 signature
petition started at the exhibit on feeble
mindedness has been made. 1t contains
several thousand signatures as the result
of the activities of the women at the
exhibit yesterday and today.
Women handling the petition are hav-
ing trouble keeping the crowds in line as
the men and women wait to sign the
paper, which will go throughout the State,
backed by the Public Charities AssoCla-
tion. II will then be sent to the Legisla-
tuTe with the request that money he ap-
proprlated so that the village for feeble
minded women of Child-bearng age may
be used. The 1913 Legislature made an
appropriation for the village, which is
partly built, The 1915 Legislature did
not make an appropriation for the main
tenance of the village
Several thousand persons attended the
exhibit yesterday
one OF the most potent factors for edu-
catioual effect in the exhibit Is the play,
"The Woman Unaware" which is being
presented each afternoon at 1880 o'clock
in the lecture room at the rear of the eH,
hblt hall
This play deals with a feeble-minded
girl who murdered her own baby and
then constructed doll to take it's place,
1t centres about a case I'm one of tie
local courts, aud was written in play form
by Fullerton l., Waldo Mrs Charles ii,
Frazier told Mr.. Waldo about the case
The characters for the first performance
were: Judge Johnson, of the Juvenile
Court, Edward b. Latmer; Mary Muir
dock. feeble-minded girl, Miss Madeline
Hurlock: Ira Simmons, a 10-year-old boy
Teddy" Norton; Mrs Simmons, Iras /.
mother, Miss Florence Berstein; mr. Alice !
Porter. Mlns. W. p. Du Boise Mrs Slidell, .
probation officer, Mrs NJ, u. Griffith, and
Patrolman James Donaghy, Henry l.. Fox.
Mr.. Fox directs the play, which Is
given through the courtesy of the stage
Society