Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-03-29

able executive ability. She will
shortly bs placed In as president of
the Child Study Club and the Pierean
Club. both of Pressure Isle and leading
organizations Of that town. Mrs.
! White is a woman of broad educa-
ton, her public activities include
speaking before bodies of normal
school students in Pressure Isle; for
years she was superintendent of
schools N the upper part of Aroos-
took county; she has travelled much,
both in this country and abroad; her
executive abilities are fine and she
has good clear business head: she
is very practical and sincere in
every way. And as one very close
friend Of Mrs White expressed it,
Really ought to make a good pres
/ ident".
Other Officers
The other officers elected We're:
First vice president, Mrs. Carrie
Brewster of 4 Dexter; second vice
president. Mrs. +. c. CARL of Au
gusta; recording secretary, Miss
Florence Hale of Augusta; treasurer
Mrs. Annie Cole of Biddeford; gen
eral federation director. Mrs. Grace
Wing of Lewiston. All were elected
with a clear majority and by the new
form of voting which was put into
such successful use at this conven-
ton and which gives all an equal
chance in voicing their opinions.
! At the morning session, which was
the closing session of the three days
unfinished business, new business
reception to the board of officers
which were elected and q very in
teresting talk by DIR. Guy G. F'ernald
Or. Guy G. Fernald
| Or. Fernald is conducting a study
and inquiry into conditions of Maine
| in regard to its feeble minded ana he
say to the ladies Thursday forenoon
In part nc said: "As many of you
know. a Maine commission has been
appointed by his Excellency, Gov
ernor Mlliken, TO lay the foundation
! for a more intensive study of the
states dependents, especially the
| feeble minded than has hitherto been
undertaken This commission con-
/ sists of Ex-Chief Justice William p
Whitehouse. Augusta, Mrs. Marion
y. Eaton, Portland. and Rev. David
! y. Beach, Bangor. The nation is be-
| ing searched by military authority
for its best mental material and in
no way can we at home more effect
lively. directly and cogently assist at
the front than by raising the level
of average mental efficiency. This
may best be done in this genera ton
by the Intelligent uplift of the lower
most cdIcatable strata of society.
| Feeble mindedness or degenerate or
aberrant mental weaknesses arc al
ways with us. since they are the in
evitable by product of natures lab
oratory. To have the strong and
typical. we must have the weak and
atypicai. Efficiency presupposes in
efficiency. Before the war Maine was
paying nearly million and half of
public funds to maintain about 1900
state dependents in and out OF GUS
tody, not including offenders nor mil
itary beneficiaries. Add to this the
cost of caring for our private depend
ents and some idea is obtained OF the
burden IF dependency which we bear.
and bear gladly, although not very
consciously. Feeble mindedness is
500 inherited and is irremediate.
Habits Of work acquired in early life
persist, and habits Of idleness uncor-
rected in youth also persist. The
high grade feeble minded with habit
OF work, pass as wei, enough equipped
mentally and succeed economically
anG soc ologically. Very many high
grade feeble minded. however. With
habits IF idleness become offenders,
or liccntious anC dependents. The
denia, OF parenthooi to the unfit is
Complementary step TO supervision OF
the activities Of the intellectually de-
fcient ans characteroiogically devil
ate youth. The time is ripe for the
extension of Names generous giving
t. sustain her dependents and train
the love- grade defectives to en-