The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-05-12
faint OF DISEASED
Minds IS DETAILED
MISS AGNES CROWLEY HITS
AT MARRIAGE LAWS
WELFARE OF PEOPLE
Address By William Hodson De-
livered At Children's Board
Last Evening.


state are commendable OF the high
est praise. for their time and talent
is given to assisting people in dire
need and distress, and the time Is
given willingly without any thought
OF money.
Yesterday morning, afternoon ana
evening, through the speeches Civ
en- by the various speakers. one
could learn OF the large scope OF
work which is covered by the
boards In their work. Judge Harry
Johnson paid especial tribute to
Mrs. H. r. Wiecking, who has been
doing so much work in this county
the past year.
A close harmony is needed ano
Is usually given between the juye-
nile court and the welfare board"
stated Judge Seegar Of st James.
The Judge who has come into init
mate contact with the young,
through his work, and stated that
one could never carry on the work
done in the courts if it Was not for
the assistance given by the board
THE purpose of the law" salu
Judge Seegar, is not to punish, but
TO protect and correct, and that is
and welfare boards are. striving 10
do"
Talk On Predetermined
Another interesting talk given in
the afternoon was that by Miss
for the feebleminded. who gave in
terestin statistics regarding these
people. She explained that there
are three groups Of feebleminded
people, the idiot, whose brain Is
that Of a baby. the imbecile, who
has the intelligence of a child from
three to seven years Of age and the
morons, whose brains are develop
ed to that Of an eleven year Old
child. 1t is the latter class with
which the department has had the
most trouble. 1t is this class thar
marry and have children who are
usually duller than their parents,
and who eventually will have to be
cared for by the state. Miss Crow
ley cited dozen cases where one or
both of the parents were feeble
minded and the faint was very evil
dent in the family. They in time
are left to the state, which must
care for them. Miss Crowley en-
phaszed the importance of stricter
marriage laws, and stated that a
list of those who have been COM
mitted to the home for the feeble
minded will soon be sent to clerks
OF court in the state. and it will be
violation OF the law TO give licen-
ses to people whose names appear
on the list. -
There is also a great need for
more appropriations from the state
for the state schools. Miss Grow
ley remarked that the state could
easily use another building the size
of the one now occupied, for those
who have not been admitted be-
cause there was not room.
William Hodson. director OF the
state children's bureau, called on
Mrs. Adelaide Sigler, policewoman,
to speak for a short time on the
dance hall problem Mrs. Sigler
stated that at present the public
dance halls were well SUPERVISED,
and it is now a problem OF the
township and county to see that the
dance pavilions are supervised pro
perly. The county Officials have
been overseeing some OF the halls.
but it is impossible to have them at
a dozen different halls on the same
nights. The matter Of licensing the
udliS was uISCuSoCu anu LuC NCllaEG
board will see what action may be
taken to bring this about.
The Morbid Crowd
w, H. Detamore, county superin-
tendent of schools OF Blue Earth
county, asked the board if some
thing could not be done in the court
room when a girl or woman witness
or prisoner was brought to trial. Mr..
T Detamore said that IL was a brutal
act to bring a girl before a crowd OF
morbid listeners ana ask her to
give evidence which is some times
necessary. The board decided To
talk to the county attorney about
this matter, and see what could be
done.
At six o'clock last evening a din.
ner was served to twenty FIVE
members of the board at the Helm
rich hotel. At eight o'clock the
session vas again resumed and was
opened BY a beautiful trio number
sung by Mrs. Maude Barnes Pleas
Yarwood Crowley.
Mayor W. A. Beach then welcom-
ed the board members, and highly
COMMUNICATED them. on the splendid
work they are carrying out in the
counties.
Mrs. Eugene Ddeudonne. of James
vile, regional chairman, presided at
the evening session. She made an
eloquent plea for childhood. She
told how the animal and plant life
had been developed year after year
by mankind. until now there are
perfect specimens, but the young
people have been neglected and
are then blamed for their downfall.
1t is up to adults to see that proper
recreation is furnished for the
young and they viii not 60 all over
the county trying to tlfa some
amusement of a questionable char
acter.
In beginning his address for the
evening, Mr.. Hodson said that IL
was not enough that Eve loyal
people of the county should give
their time to child welfare worh,
but they should enlist the services
and help of others interested. Ed
ucation Of the people to the great
needs around them must be part OF
the work of the board
Before considering more legisla-
tion," stated Mr. Hodson, "lst US
see that what we have is enforced.
There is the marriage law which is
not enforced and is a serious men.
ace and other laws just as lmpor-
tant, that we should see are car
RED out. The public dance hall, NOT
supervised. is the greatest contrib
utor to the downfall OF young peo-
pile We must do what we can 10
The lack of home life is to a
great extent responsible for much
trouble" said Mr.. Hodson. II PEG
nj would try tn hiring ahnlt 4