The dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1919-2001, 1922-05-03

;,.o court where his deeds ana those
MOI his needs are again considered.
He is then sent to a corrective lhslltu-
ton the length Of stay being deter
,,,:,dod nv the nature Of the act COM
mitted and not by the demands OF
the individual for his help or re1orna-
ton. He is sent out into the COM
r,unitv again when he has served TINS
arbitrary sentence, the entire senseless
procedure to be repeated time al Time
again. For we frequently find poor
unfortunate feebleminded men VINO
have been in and out of Jail and prison
twenty and thirty times.
TO successfully control this great
and important group Of social mislnS
it is necessary to start when they are
voung. at a time when they are sTii
r1astic and before mental deterioration
has gone so far or before deflnlte oe-
linouent habits Of living have been so
strongly developed as to make preFeh-
tive measures worthless.
This is especially true Of the feeble
minded. AS they cannot learn by the
ordinary methods of the class room
they need special training under s!9e-
c:ally trained teachers who are quah-
fled to give this education. II there IS
done most of the feebleminded can be
trained in the public school and the
moro costly training Of the institution
made unnecessary except for that pro-
norton that show definite antisoclal
tendencies and who require not only
snecial training but custodial care as
we'll. Many Of this latter group alter
thew have been helped by the disturb
ing influences Of adolescence can be
returned back into society to take
their place there as desirable mem
bers.
Both Juvenile and adult courts should
have the advantage and help OF mental
clinics SO that the needs Of the otfend-
ers might be clearly understood and
as a result the sentence could be more
iotelligen1ly given in a way that woulG
help make better sentences, it would
take the form of treatment and one
Of punishment.
Other institutions, private ana pup
lie organizations, as well as private
individuals should have the advantages
of mental and psychiatric clinics; THESE
could be made possible by having such
clinics added. to the already existing
machinery, e. g. the medical eXaml-
nation of the public school children
could be very well extended so as to
include a thorough mental examlna-
ton as well. By this means the very
early symptoms of mental and Dhysl-
cal disorders could be recognized ano
treated. Other organizations coulc
secure this help from the socalled
Flying clinic" which could very vel
be added to the present functions OF
the State Board of Health.
Very important is a proper func-
tioning school for the feeblemlnded.
An institution that should serve almost
all the needs of the community as
far as the feebleminded are con-
cerned, this institution should oe
equipped to offer special training fol
the feebleminded, such as vocational
training, manual arts, etc.; it should
give institutional care to ali those
needing it especially to women o:
child bearing age who manifest hyper
sex tendencies and all others showing
anti social propensites. 1t should also
serve as q training school for teach
ers who wish to take up the educat-
inc of the feebleminded in the public
schools and for physicians and social
workers desiring special training in
the proper care Of the feebleminded.
The attacking of these problems
and especially that of the feeblemind-
ed from the preventive point Of view
by making proper provision for early
recognition and training is one that
will save the states not only thousands
of useful citizens which are now cost
" wards OF the state because they
were neglected, but will save the
state the present needless expense OF
thousands Of dollars.
- TL@ nsc-1+~h.