Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1920-01-04
Three Institutions Dedicated
Paying Society's Debt to HUI.
mainly Through Care Insane
and Predetermined.
s477,6s5 FOR BIENNIUM
Nampa Predetermined Sanitar-
ium Has Peculiar Work
Prevents Reproduction of
Defective Persons.

The state of Idaho is spending a
quarter of u million dollars annually
in discharging it's share of the debt
society must pay to humanity by car
ing for the insane and teebleminded
Three Institutions are dedicated to
this great humanitarian work the
Northern Ida no Insane asylum at Oro-
fino, the Idaho Insane asylum at
Blackfoot and the Idaho State Sanitar-
ium for Feebleminded at Nampa. The
last Legislature appropriated $477,695
for use of these institutions during
1920.
The work of the institution at Nam
pa Is sometimes. confused with the
work of the other two institutions
The Nampa institution has very pc
culiar work; the treatment, education
an draining of persons born feeble
minded, patients entirely different in
type from insane persons.
ITS HISTORY.
This institution was created by the
eleventh session of tae state legisla-
ture. but was not opened for the re-
ception Of patients until June 3, 1918,
due to the failure of subsequent legis-
latures to provide appropriations of
funds for buildings, equipment and
maintenance. When opened it was
Immediately filled by patients trans
ferred from the asyiums. This was
made necessary owing to the crowded
conditions at those institutions.
DR.. DOrr Povrter, the superintend-
ent, explains the functions and opera
lion of the institution as follows:
The official name of the institution
Is the Idaho State Ssnitarium, which
ia nf
persons mentally or physically sick.
The name, however, is a misnomer as
1t is in no sense a hospital nor a home
for the aged and infirm, but was Gre
ated and IS being conducted for the
care. training, treatment and preven-
ton of reproduction Of mental defec-
tives or those who We're born deficient
in mind or marked with such mental
peculiarities as to deprive them of
the school benefits and privileges pro-
vided for persons with normal facul-
ties. The inmates are trained in a
vocational way and educated as far as
possible and practicable so as to make
them happy, commended and as near
normal and self-supporting as possi-
BILE.
MANY of them, however. are so de-
ficient in mentality as to render them
incapable of receiving training or edu-
cation. and all we can do Is to give
them a home and make them comfort
able.
MANY AT LARGE.
This unfortunate type of individ-
uals has been sadly neglected in the
past as it has been but recently that
the state provided for them. While a
beginning has been made along this
line yet present accommodations are
wholly inadequate. consequently a
large per cent are still at large, which
results in their propagation and repro
duction to an alarming extent, also
from a social evil and economic stand
point, not considering the inhumani-
tartan aspect, the damage has been
inestimable. Idaho has provided for
the education of its normal children
and youths most literally, equal to, if
not exceeding any other state. and
while 1t has been negligent in the past
it is most pleasing and commendable
that 1t is now taking an active inter-
est in this most unfortunate class.
Due to our limited capacity we
have been unable to receive but a
small per cent of those that should
have been committed to our care.
However. the last Legislature was
much more liberal than it's predeces-
soIs III dppTopTialinS IuuuS IoT tHe
benefit OF this institution which per-
mits us to erect and equip additions
to the present building that will more
than treble our capacity of which we
are badly in need as there are many
applications on the waiting list from
the state at large besides a great num-
Der at the insane asylums who are
not insane, but are feebleminded that
should be cared for here.
WHAT IT COSTS.
Gearing for the unfortunates OF the
state from an economic standpoint is
Of great magnitude. 1t costs the state
approximately from $500 to $1,000 to
house each OF these individuals be-
sides their annual maintenance. which
Is about $3.50 1t is estimated there
are five to seven hundred feeblemind-
ed or mentally defective children and
adults In the state that require insti-
tutional care. This does not include
the insane of which there are q much
greater number, all OF whom require
approximately an equal amount DOR
capita to house and maintain. Much is
is being done to care for these un-
fortunates in humane way. irrespec-
tive of expense.
This is most commendable but I
fear enough is not being done to pre-
vent the alarming increase of this nm
fortunate class who, by reason OF their
affliction are not only deprived OF the
normal rights of liberty and happire.s
hut are a burden and q menace ~ 90
ciety. II Is estimated that about al
per cent of those mentally defective
a. well as many types Of INSANITY -
A. .stract1v or Indirectly m h.~..sa