The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-04-11
MEETING HELD AT THE HIGH
SCHOOL AUDITORIUM
LAST EVENING.
AUSPICES CIVIC LEAGUE
STARTLING FIGURES REVEALED
BY MRS. KUTNEWSKY. OF
STATE SCHOOL.

Il ibFA itEhA ny us Lttd NuAit W ~ > .
of Redfield. DR.. Kutnewsky is the
superintendent of the state institu-
ton for the care of this class of men
tai deficients, and Mrs. Kutnewsky
talked in support Of the necessity for
care OF those at large in the state.
There was a good audience present.
who followed her remarks with in
terest.
Startling conditions were revealed
by the speaker, supported by figures.
The average family of a normal per
son is four, she stated, while the chill
dren of feeble minded or deficient
persons averaged IL or over. The
chance of marriage for a deficient
girl as compared with that Of a def
cient man is about as three is to one.
And the chance of a feeble minded
| woman having children is also much
greater. wherein lies a great menace
to both the mental development of
the race, and to social purity.
Cincinnati reported an increase of
1853 per cent of mental deficients in
| &c years. Reports from other large
centers of population were in like
proportion. many having spent mil
lions in court proceedings in detect
ing and OBTAINING criminals who. the
speaker said, were 80 per cent from a
class of mental deficients. Compar-
ing several prolific families which
had been recorded and kept an ac-
count of. WI of them had nearly
every descendant criminal or pauper.
while the intellectual families de
ae,nl,Ntg ha1 ffIlad fha hfnhngf If
fices in the nation, and without a
pauper or a criminal among them.
With a deficient father. a child has
little more than half a chance of be-
ing bright. With a feeble minded
mother the chance is less than half.
The result OF the fourth generation
is one of an appalling degeneration
of intellect, being almost total.
Various plans have been presented
for stamping out the evil. Some have
suggested that all from different
states in a group be sent to a place in
one state for are and segregation.
Watehfulness and thorough inspee-
ton of immigrants, segregation and
sterilization are recommended. all
are being in limited practice. The
ldtl iidI the NidSS6S VI IituAdt dtlt@
clients are almost always objects of
either charity or county care is quo
ted to show that they are a hind
rance to the development of commu-
mites. That by segregation in insti-
tutions they may be made wholly
self supporting, was declared.
The sex instinct is strong in this
class of individual. without the gov
erning sense of moderation or eau
ton. Criminal assaults abroad and
unbridled indulgence at home tend TO
propagate the depressed mental level
through the parents TO an ever in
creasing number of the children of
low mental unions.
A visit to a certain Mediterranean
city revealed a condition bordering
on savagery. Mental deficients
thronged the streets. Evidences of
creton person lacking the thyroid
gland-goiter and insanity abounded.
The same conditions, with increased
numbers. were noted on subsequent
visits. Another and later visit show
ed an almost entire absence of the
element. An inquiry elected an an
swer TO the effect that they had
been taken away" Whittier did not
nppear. But they had gone.
The state institution at Redfield
was opened in 1898. and used at first
IS an asylum or hospital for The in
ecne. Ten years later il was made
home for the feeble minded. and
4as now developed TO the extent thai
BE restitution is valued al $3.50. 600.
f.,,4la. -4. 80 L...fls... go lAs.--r
erected to cost about $50, 900.
The capacity is for about 225 in
r3tes. The number cared for is
bout 1926. or 100 more than ca
pacity. The addition will accommo-
date 100. and the opinion was ex-
PROS ed hat more would be placed in
he home, continuing the crowded
-cndi;ion. There are 1900 of feeble
minded in the state. and 1925 on the
Naitilg list for state care. Unless
.ometbing is done for the suppress
ion Of the spread of the class it is
1e Ia. ed that the menace will be
great.
OF conditions of some of the in
mates Mrs. Kutnewsky spoke feeling
ly. Most exhibits a mentality equal
" Ct Nnliu VI 1 II iO0I W tlSnl ScdIS
old. A few of from 10 to IL, and
n or two up to IA years. Their
home life had been almost beastly in
some cases, the marital relations hav-
ing been abused, unobserved or aban-
doned wholly.
The women of the club presented
Mrs. ~Frudenfeld, president. a glass
vase at the formal opening of the
meeting. congratulating her on the
late musical success. She objected
TO personal favor. stating that it
should be accounted a triumph for
the whole club instead of for any one
person. She named her assistants in
the work. saying that they worked as
efficiently as did she. She stated
that she did not want to accept the
gift-but she would.
In response to a suggestion from
Mrs. Cowles. president of the state
federation of women's clubs, the
Women's Relief corps presented a
United States flag to the club, which
was presented by Mrs. Claude Tyrrell.