Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-10-29
Welfare Conference
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though the state had made no provi-
sions for such a great purpose.
Especially did he stress the need Of
again making the home the center of
recreation, the place where the peo-
pie should gather for their amuse-
ments, rather than follow the idea
which has recently been current that
all recreation must be found else
where. He admitted the good results
of the, organizations which have band
ed the youngsters together and have
worked with them, such as the Boy
Scouts and other like groups but de-
clared that now Is the time to bring
back to the door step OF every home
in the country the benefit of what
has been learned through these agen-
cies and that 1t is necessary to revert
to the cid days when people found joy
in doing for others and In taking their
pleasure with their friends In COM
munity spirit.
In opening his discourse Bishop
Murray pointed out to the audience
that their field of work is unlimited.
1t is of course necessary, he said, to
have asylums for the more extreme
cases of mental defects, but the vast
majority of cases of mental defects,
but the vast majority Of cases must
be handled by workers OF this kind
if they are cared for at all.
Then speaking of the great problem
Of today, he stated that the question
is not one of mental detection but
rather one of lack of moral and social
consciousness and conscience in not
accepting the responsibilities of
society.
He said "The family Is before the
state, it is before the school, 1t is
before the community. We must
therefore endeavor by good will and
mutual cooperation to reestablish the
home and the proper atmosphere
which will lead the youth to their
homes and which will reestablish the
ideal social order of which we boast.
ed but a few years ago. Because
of its physical and industrial charac-
teristics. this we can do particularly
In Maine"
The greatest menace today. he de-
clared, is caused by the intense In
dustrial and commercial conditions
which prevail and which in their re-
cults may be likened to the extreme
militaristic spirit which few years
ago plunged the world into conflict.
speaker continued. this nation de-
veloped a marvellous spirit of social
responsibility but once the urgent
reason for this was gone the people
again lost sight of their own respon-
sibilities in social intercourse He
cited the great loss of life by trans
portation accidents to show that
despite the constant education on
this subject, the lack of moral re-
sponsibility has resulted in great
loss of life.
DIR. Edgar A. Doll, in his opening
remarks told of the history of the
conscientious study of the problem Of
feeble -mindedness which is but
about 100 years old. He said that
there are today active workers who
were among the first in history to
study this problem. He fold briefly
Of the early work of some students
who believed that this trouble was
due in particular to lack of oppor-
tunity for development and who did
not then understand the great part
that Is played by heredity.
The first State institution for the
feeble minded was in Massachusetts
about 1850 and since that time near
~ every state in the union has built
at least one. Today methods have
constantly changed and while there is
still much to be learned and much to
be hoped for from proper training, 1t
has been found necessary TO modify
both the degree and the direction Of
the aim.
The difference between normal and
feeble minded persons he declared, is
according to Binet, that the normal
person can get along in society with
out outside guidance while the feeble
minded are those who can't do this
and keep up with others in their own
sphere and environment. Feeble
minded people become more and more
common as civilization becomes more
and more complex The feeble-mind-
ed are those who are socially incom-
petent through lack of intelligence.
DIR. Doll pointed out that various
people look upon the feeble-minded
from different view points, the doc
tors viewing them purely as patho-
logical cases, the social worker be-
cause they present continuous pro-
bletn and the educator for like rea-
son.
FIe stated that the difference be-
tween normal and feeble minded,
brought right home to the audience,
is merely one of degree, the feeble
minded are but children who have
not grown up and in whom some
traits have been particularly exag-
gerated, traits which in the ordinary
human may be called 'foibles." He
then went on to show how the con-
tinued practice Of certain peculiari-
ties, which to the normal human be-
ing are permissible once in a while
might, mark q man as feeble-minded.
In taking up the statistics with
regard to the number of feeble
minded, he declared that there are
several different ways of reach
ing these conclusions, each of which,
because of the different basis of de-
termination, gives different results.
Recent research in one county in
New York state has shown about
one per cent feeble minded. The re-
suits of the army records as given
out by the Surgeon General showed
that one per cent of the men sent
by draft We're OF accepted because
of mental incompetency, but it was
also noted from these figures that
two and two-tenths per cent OF the
maine draft were returned. why
this is he could not say from hasty
glance at figures but he declared
that the figures are Influenced by the
section of the country. the popula-
ton of the particular area being in
vestigated, that is whether foreign
or old American stock, the degDee of
isolation of the communities, and
other factors.
A progressive state he said will
as a matter of economy attempt to
solve the problem, and in this re-
gard he declared that he was glad
to see that Maine is not behind other
states in the work. Much work can
be done outside the institution by
special classes and special educa-
ton for the young feeble-minded