Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-12
DETECTIVES SAVED
BY WORK RULES
Remarkable Results Achiev-
ed In Redeeming Children at
Training School.
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.

ID 0hG SuEN
About miles of the Baltimore
highway, east Of Laurel, situated In a
grove OF pine trees upon lonely $50
acre tract at Annapolis Junction, there
is developing and growing an institu-
tion which is helping to solve one of the
most diff1cult problems confronting
modern society-the care and treat
snent of the feeble minded. Neither in
sane nor criminal and frequently en-
dowed with splendid health, this large
group of unfortunates, mentally def
tribute to the progress OF ciV1ll1atlon,
may, at least, be taught to help care
for themselves If given the proper
guardianship.
In 1925, after over half century of
neglect, the Federal Congress founded
on the Annapolis Junction tract the
District Training School for the feeble
minded of the Capital. Under the able
supervision Of DR.. Kenneth B. Jones
there has developed a bustling, enter
prising little community with half
dozen modern. brick buildings, side
walks and roads. work shops and school
rooms. where shelter and protection
are given to ISL girls and boys. young
anen and young women and little chill
dren of kindergarten age, who, through
no fault Of their own, have been de-
prived Of the proper mental equipment
Do permit their mingling with normal
human beings or combating the prob
nems Of the fast-moving modern world.
wilderness Years Ago.
Five years ago, when DR.. Jones was
made superintendent Of the District
Framing School, the site designated for
the schools future home was print
awe wilderness. Trees had to be cut
and paths had to be made through
the forest before the frst bricks could
be laid for the buildings. Ten poor
erised tbs first group Of unfortunates
placed under DR.. Jones care. The
most important thing to do with these
poor children" DR.. Jones said, lis TO
teach them to work. SO many OF those
who come to US have not even been
taught the habits Of cleanliness. Some
are little boys and girls from the poor
est families, allowed to run wild in the
streets and sooner or later. through
mental responsibility. commit some
petty felony. and thus come to the at
tention of the authorities. 1t Is the
duty Of society to care for these unfor-
tunates and, although it is practically
impossible to effect q cure with them
they can at least be taught TO help con-
tribute to their own support"
At present the District Training
School is caring for persons classed as
.hirh grade" deficients to the lowest
grade idiots. AS much as 1t is possible,
Segregation is made of different groups.
The colored and the white, and Che boys
and the girls, are kept separated. With
time" said Dr. Jones, I'VE hope 70 carry
out q more diversified classification Of
the groups. keeping the higher and
lower grades entirely separated"
Results Are Wonderful.
Wonderful results have been obtained
BY DR.. Jones and his efncient stan OF so
assistants with the helpless, hopeless in
dividuals who are sent to the instttu-
ton. All members of the staff live on
the grounds. A young woman psyeholo-
gist makes o personal study OF each new
arrival to the institution. In the gram
mar school, ranging In classes from
kindergarten to fourth grade. boys and
girls are taught reading, writing, very
elementary arithmetic and geography.
Once a week there Is tter-writing day.
when the boys and girls who are able
to write send letter to relatives or
guardians.
The young teacher Of the fourth
grade who, with supernatural patience,
has taught the manned minds Of her
pupils to read and write exceptionally
well, te;'s amusing tales Of some OF the
boys WHO have come under her care.
write big words. Before writing his
weekly letter home he looks through
dictionary for as many important sound
" words as he thinks he can Use, then
Duts them in his letter. Last Spring,
after we had taken the boys In the
woods to hunt for wild flowers, he wrote
his mother I'VE are having fine time
here, and yesterday we searched In the
forest for anemones."
Talents Are Demonstrated.
Some Of the boys and girls committed
10 the school have demonstrated re-
markable talents In music and art. One
young boy, it was said. did the most
beautiful free-hand drawings. But the
poor little feeble mind. lacking in bal
ance and Judgment, exhibited its weak
ness even in the drawings. Told to
draw a bouquet Of flowers by his teacher
the boy would quickly sketch out the
most exquisite bunch CT flowers, but in
stead CT being placed in the center OF
the paper. or in proper proportion to
the space upon which he was drawing
the flowers would appear high or low in
q corner Of the paper-never in the
place which would give balance to his
picture.
"He never places his drawings in the
proper part Of his paper" his teach
er said. ut seems impossible for him
ID 40 LIlaL
The Training School possesses its
own truck farms. its dairy and its
poultry yard. About so older boys,
under the guidance Of experts, take
entire care Of chickens, cows and gar
dens. The upkeep Of the buildings and
the roads, the painting and carpenter
work, Is all done by these boys, who,
when sent to the school, have been
pronounced as hopeless hangers-on"
Of society.
In the girls buildings, the mending
and the making of most of the clothes
Of the inmates constitutes an i'm
portant occupation for the feminine
members Of the Training School.
Proving that it is possible to obtain
encouraging results from those fire.
quently pronounced the most hopeless,
Or. Jones cited a case recently brought
under his care.
IncorrigibIe Transformed.
"a young boy Of about ii was brought
here, committed by the authorities. HA
had been guilty of some petty offense,
could not be made to go TO school, was
considered incorrigible, undisciplined
and a trial to his family. After a few
months at the school he became an ex-
cellent worker. He helped the carpenter
on the buildings, was very respectful
and in every way an excellent ward
never giving trouble and very sub
stantially contributing to his own hveli-
hood. Another lad here, about II, is