The education of the imbecile, and the improvement of invalid youth.

Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The education of the imbecile, and the improvement of invalid youth. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    may exist for comprehending right, for exercising conscience, and for developing the religious sentiments. The promoters of the effort for the improvement of the idiot in Ame¬ rica calculate on many important indirect results of their labours, not the least of which is the diffusing of greater knowledge of idiocy through¬ out the community, and, as a consequence, the saving of many children who really have mental capacity, from being condemned as incapable of improvement. A case in illustration is so impressive that we must present it to our readers :— A “ Michael Maher, aged thirteen. This boy was quite unmanageable by any means within the reach of hi3 father or friends. They knew no'way to make him obey but that of force or blows. He was formerly a tolerably bright boy, but he had been in this condition for years, and was rapidly growing worse, lie seemed to live in continual terror, and seldom spoke a word. The first time that I heard him utter a word was one day when his father took hold of him to make him obey some command, upon which, with his knees fairly knocking, and his body trembling all over, he screamed con¬ vulsively,—4 Will good boy—will good boy.’ This was enough to show that, whatever may have been the cause of his strange condition, the daily treatment he was receiving was gradually crushing his feeble intellect, .and would tend to drive him into hopeless idiocy or insanity, and yet his father was a sober, well-meaning man, and not a cruel parent. He simply did not know how to govern his own feelings, nor how to train those of his unfor¬ tunate child. The boy, therefore, was taken into our school at once. He is still a little shy, but he has lost all the appearance of terror ; he not only comes readily when called, but often goes up to those belonging to the home, and puts his arms affectionately about them, and returns their caresses, lie takes his place in the class, and strives to imitate all the motions of the scholars, and obey the signs of the teacher. He can select the letters of the alphabet, and understands a few words. He is obedient and docile, and tries hard to learn with the others. He is affectionate, and much gratified by any mark of praise or approval. He begins to talk, and is rapidly improving in every respect. The following letter from Mr Downer, who brought him to the institution, will show how much, in the opinion of that gentleman, he has improved under the treatment he has received in his new home. The improvement is mainly attributable to the spirit of gentleness which pervades the household. This has quieted all his terrors, and soothed his spirit, so that he is able to give attention to the judicious instruction which Mr Richards imparts to him. “ Dr S. G. Howe. “Boston, Feb. 14, 1850. “ Dear Sih,—I availed myself to-day of your invitation to visit the in¬ stitution for the benefit of the feeble-minded, that 1 might have an oppor¬ tunity of witnessing the improvement (if any) of the boy Michael Maher, who has been enjoying its privileges; but I hardly know how to comply with your request to communicate how his present appearance struck me, as compared with that which he exhibited before being placed there. When 1 remember his wild and almost frantic demeanour when approached by any one, and the apparent impossibility of communicating with him, and now see him standing in his class, playing with his fellows, and will¬ ingly and familiarly approaching me, examining what 1 give him; and when I sec him already selecting articles named by his teacher, and even correctly pronouncing some words printed on cards, improvement does not convey the idea presented to my mind—it is creation—it is making him anew. I also noticed an entire change in his manner of moving his hands, and whole body. In truth, as he stood in his class, it was with difficulty