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COLUMBUS LETTER.Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial.Columbus, June 14.To-day’s session of the Association of officers of*institutions for the care of the idiotio and feebleminded was marked by the presentation of an able paper by Dr. Kerltn, of the Pennsylvania Institution, on “The Organization of Establishments for the Idiotic and Imbecile Classes.The intention of this paper is to present in epitomized form some of the principles which are believed to underlie tire whole subject of the care, training and grouping into homes. * * * American Institutions for the insane afford valuable suggestions in this couueotion; great assistance is derived from Dr. Seguln’s work on idiocy, and from the protracted discussion of a special committee appointed by the Charity Organization of London.Following the guidance and using the material of these authorities this paper is prepared. In the outset it is set forth as to “The nature and olaims of idiots and imbeciles—First—Idiocy and imbecility are conditions in which there is a want of mutual or harmouions development of the mental, active and moral powers of the individual affected, usually associated with some visible defect or infirmity of the physical organizations and functional anomalies expressed iu various forms and degrees of Cisordored vital action, tn defect or absence of one or more of the special senses, in irregular or uncertain volition, in dullness or absence of sensibility and perception.second—Idiocy and imbecility are dependent generally on hereditary or prenatal causes, occasionally 011 the diseases or accidents of iufsncy, rarely also upon certain debilitating influences of childhood.Third—That tendencies to congenital cerebral disease of offspring are established through practices and vices which lower the morals, Impair tho strength and vitiate the blood of ancestors and oarents, hence the infirmity is in a very large degree avertable, or may be greatly diminished in any community, by Increase of general knowledge, the practice of virtue and universal obedience to hygienic laws.Fourth—That the undeveloped or discovered conditions known as idiocy and imbecility are susceptible of development in the first instance, and of amelioration and improvement in the second, in a greater or lesser degree, proportioned to the gravity of the infirmity in the individual cases.Fifth—That because of the peculiar derangements and-Inaptitudes of idiotic and feeble-minded youth the method to be followed m their education and training “consists in the adaptation of the principles of physiology through physiological means and Instruments to the development of the dynamic, perceptive, reflective and spontaneous functions of the children submitted to treatment. Hence It fallows—(a) That idiots and imbeciles should be treated distinctively from all other classes.(b) That they can not with advantage be placed in ordinary schools with other children.(c) That they ought not to be associated with the insane in asylums.(d) That they should not be incarcerated In penal institutions.(el That they shonld not be congregated with thepauper inmates of almshouses.(f) That in the great majority of instances they are better and more successfully treated in well organized institutions than is possible at their homes.* * A ___1___ -___A . A ^ ___I _ * I __ A S * % . _ __ _ A _
Newspaper Details
Cincinnati Commercial
Cincinnati, Ohio, US
Fri, Jun 15, 1877
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Cincinnati A.
OH, USA 01 Jul 2021
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