Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1920-11-07
DOWN AND CUTTERS
ARE INVESTIGATED
EFFORT MADE To ASCERTAIN
cat SEES FOR THEIR PRE-.
DlCtMENTS
by Associated Press.

by Associated Press.
WASHINGTON Nov. G.-Fur the
first time IN American history the citi.
zens of u state. directed by a rcprcSen'
tatiye Of the T.. - Public Health Serv.
lrc. are by voluntary service. with al
most no money. carrying uut sue
ccsSiul statewide investigation into IN.
4 numbers and condition 81 the mlsiits
| and doWn.and cutters of the community.
| The state rs oregon aud the classes in
} V"slgat"d "a" III" dependent delinquent
\ aud mentally deficient The work ~
not yet complete. but. according Ga
Sufgcun.Gcncral Cumming. Of the Put.
lir Health Service, enough has been
done a. show that the results VIII We
Ewith that # similar work done In Other
riates by trained official force. DE-.
II Cumming. In fact. thinks that II u
Rmazing that the public could hc brought
ITO take such interest la such ahsiruse
Hwork aud considers that Orogon's eN'
Uamplc might well be- followed by Other
Ustatcs where similar work II hangins {
Hfirc because ~ lack q money.
Inquiry Authorized
M = q year agu the legislature 81
NOrogDu. at the instance uf \. X. Gclp
Uhnrt. secretary uf the Public Wcltnr.
WBunrd, authorized the University 81
&Orrgun t. Investigate these clasatit
(which ns IN every other state. we've
Wknown o. be- a source ~ weakness IRON
Nthcir inability either To- work on light
UThc hope was that a good part Of then
Knight be- reclaimed and the state freed
Fftum constant drain on It's finances
khoalth. and morality and from "a s0urc'
#oi social and political unrest
The legislature however. appropriate
Nno money Tor the work: and the uni
&vcrsity found that It's funds would np
Lilo iuifiriDnt So In February last i
Hayked aid If the surgeon general, wa
sent Dr. &. l.. Carlisle tu oregon ~
Especial assistant IN the work.
S"rhc task, said the surgeon general
M"was not an easy one. IA IN mes
NYtnics only small percentages ot these
HClafscs were being cared Tor IN inslitn
Htioua and the rest were scattered ant
Uwent unuotlcrd tor most uf them wer'
Huuict and dill not call attention Il
Hthcmsely,s Bs Do the actually insane
land criminal classes. Finding theu
UWrs Therefore the first requisite.
As there was little money TO pas
Itrninrd workers Dr Carlisle quickly
Hdlscoyored that tho only hope for sue
IL o.ag lay In ,nllsiing the help ~ the
II prople. lie began hy sending abot'
T. 1 600 form letters followed later by
! thousands morcl la colicg" professor
| University students who wcr" about Y
no ON vacations. editors. lawyers. 90
Tors. ministers. priests. ana other prom
in,nt citizens. explaining the need To-
IN, work and asking n they would hell
by srnding In information IN regard y
nny d.linuucuts dependents aud ihcu
tnlly defective who might live IN th'.'
locality.
Many Agree
"IJundrods ~ those addressed az ono
anrr.d. and each uf these Dr. 'diuNt'
nj once commissioned under the sct''
az the state and ~ IN" university an
supplied with card" To- be- filled IN WIZ
The data desired Interest Ia ia" Wnl
RAPIDLY spread and In four month
nbou 20 600 filled IN cards had cont
back. each oi them representing one +"
the three classes.
"Tbesc cards give information az Z
the emotional field 81 Tho individu0
ubr manner In which h. showed 10
troubl,l. Nj" present history, schu'
history. sorinl relations whether d'
pcndcnt. delinquent or feeble minu' q
IN. cause uf hts condition, ana wha'
over remarks the writer thought II hr-
,o add From this Information ~
Carlisle and his trained assistants W'r
able tu classify tn. subjects
'"rh. object of the work rs OF cuutf
,vofold. first, To- give the people II III
state AN idea NJ the problem that cor
f,nn,s them and the heavy annual los
that II involves: and, second, To scfN
ne a basis FOR cunscrvativ" rccnmmci
dations which may enable the loEisl
turc to wipe out much " this loss an
M the same tim" Ia save the cldsse
involved from much Of their pres y
misery 10y applying wcllproNed rcm'
dies These ends Will certainly h' {"
tanned . q
pr. Clark. child hygiene expert B
the 4. = Public Health Service WI
asked about the need for prcNcnii'
work. such as child hygiene, whic
would diminish the thSee classes 10y si'
ing children who. u left alone. Wnu'
almost certainly gravitatc 10 the ranh
ui the submerged
Important Feature
''This" he answered, "is one oi IN
most important features at the Worl
such children are readily found
many states bv the routine mental an
phy.ical school examination, but
other states must be- found 10y ohtai
ing from the schools the names Of thns
who are over age Tor their grade
This latter necessity called for add
tionnl work In oregon for In II as
r,oSt other states no lists or eve
figures bearing on this subject haN
been compiled: and the task IL not "
near completed II has progressed "a
enough. however tu show that lara
pcr cent ~ those two years behind
their school work and very large ~
cent IL those three years behind lallUv
ing an extra years lccwayl are MOI
or less mentally deficient.
by no means all children who m
behind In school work are, howcve
rn.u,,iiv deficient I'm Oregon for ii