,~~-----3-0_9______" p ... 3 THE TRAINING ~-W-tL OF
BY
CHEYNE BRADY, ESQ., M.R.J.A.,
AUTHOR OF "THE PRACTICABILITY OF 11\JPROVING THE DWELLINGS OF' TJJI!: J,AnOtilHNG CJ,ASSES." "ON SCHOOLS OF lNDUSTRY, " &C,
S ECON D ED IT ION.
DUBLIN: HODGES, SMITH, AND CO., GRAFTON-STREET.
1865. ' i~ i ~~·======~==~~ I XX-I(
THE TRAJNING
OF
HY
CHEYNE BRADY, ESQ., M.R.L\..,
AUT! lOR OF "THE PRACTIC.\JliLITY OJt E\IPRO\TING THE DWE:LLTNGS 01'" fHl~ L~\BOURI:\G
CW\SSES." u ON SCHOOLS 01' ! NDUSTUV," &r.
SECOND EDITION.
DUBLIN: HODGES, SMITH, AND CO., GRAFTOX-STREET.
1865. I.
THE dolorous way that led Him to the tree The King of Sorrows, leaving H eaven's light ed hall , 'Valkcd in His love. Through ranks angelical He pass'd not vi sibly; but by town or sea, (Deep in its mountain-cup of Galilee, Azure in burning gold) as if through all The dreary wards of some long hospital, From morrns and fc rcrish breathings never free, His progress lay. And ever from that heart, Our nature's centre, did I-Ie feel along The vast circumference of human woe. And still wi th more than medicinal art, Virtue went forth to heal the suffering throng. A heavenly lustre glcam'd upon life's snow.
11.
Ah ! through those long and dreary 'mrcls H e wen t, And to that dewy touch of cool surp1·ise, Ever in our diseased humanity's Lengthen'd procession some sad form was bent, Of love to be a type and monument. Alone, the saddes t thing beneath the skies, The idiot's spirit from those calm deep eyes Never drank healing. Yet to us are lent- To us on whom the ends of the world are come New miracles of love (when sages said That miracles were o'er) like life from the dead, 'Vater from rocks, or music from the dumb. For lo ! to thoughtful touch of Christian cru·e The idiot's babbling lips breathe forth a prayer. W. A. r/. . ·~ (' 1•oc fvr t , ... t' iliindod,
THE TRAINING
OF
IDIOTIC AND FEEBLE-MINDED CHILDREN.
Ir is not very long since we used to see boys and girls, and sometimes stunted men and women, running wild in ou r streets and vill::tges in a state of idiocy. These re pulsive objects were usually half-naked, their walk or crawl ungainly, their features distorted, with saliva run ning from their moutl1s. They were carefully avoided, as the continual worrying of the village urchins had soured their tempers and rendered them in some cases dangerous. 'rhen, again, on visiting the poor, we have from time to time seen a bundle of rags in a corner, and, on inquiry, have ascertained that 'it containfld an i•liot chi ld, living in dirt and degradation, worse than on e would permit his dog or pig to live in. Prejudice and popular ignorance respecting them h:we led to strange treatment of this affiicted class. By the Hindoo they are superstitiously venerated, while by many Europeans these helpless creatures have been regarded as hnma.n beings without souls. Some poor parents fancy that, as their children cannot remember what they hear, their brain must be soft, and apply poultices of oak-bark in order to tan or harden the fibres ; others, finding it impossible to make any impression on the mind, conclude that the brain is too hard, and they torture their unhappy offspring with hot poultices of bread and milk, or plaster the sknll with tar, keeping it on for a long time. Others; fi 7 again, give mercury to act as a sold . , posed crevices in the brain. . cr to clooe up the sup- the s:1cl truth of the imbecili ty of their offtipri ng for some ~ u ch is the class of human bein"' l· .. years; and touching cases are related of the anxious watch which onr attention is clirected. os, ,nown as IdiOts, to ino-s of the parent for the fi rst gleam of intelligence-for th~ dawn of reason in the beloved obj ect-watchings The utmost stretch ofhumQ, · t 1 . o n~ of sight in our workhou;e~J ; hla ~ hitlJcrto thrust them doomed to be bitterly disappointed, when the dreadful eXJ.st ~u~ared for n.nd unta-ught: ere tlH'Y :ue suffered to truth is realized that the child is an idiot. CLmtian philanthropy has t 1 It is calculated that there arc about 50,000 of the.~o to a-meliorate them. ' a ast reached and purposes helpless creatures in the United Kingdom ; they aboun d The idiot a nd the in sn,ne are 1 in the manufacturing districts of England. Scotland boasts There cannot be lL o-reat' '. · usua Iy classef! t0gether. the fewest uumber of idiots, their number being under understand the cliff:r.e;c:r lil ~ta£e . 1- Let us. first clearly 3,000 ; and in this respect, their character, as a long-headed not as affected by want f . r. oc"e cl escnbes madmen and strong-headed people, is borne out. in the intellectual fa~ 1/ qu,lckness, activity, and motion In Irehmd, according to the Census of l SGl , there were reason, like wh~t h ~ c~ll~c:; ~ ;m:e:lY,they are dq:rived of about 7,000 imbeciles. the other extrem H 1 a ~I as, bnt as suffenu"' from Our treatment of this class has been mo st blameworthy. · e. 0 COD SHJers tJ t "h · '? · together some ideas verv Ja ' avmg JOmed vVe have made no provision whatever for tho instruction truths, and err as ru~ . lwrolngly, they ~Ji st:tke them for of those who are improva-ble. With tho exception of Swift's . . en < o w lO argue r· I t f prmCJples" On •1e tl 1g I rom wrong Hospital for lunatics and idiots, we have not even opened · •· 1 o 1or 11ancl 1 . d ·d· who cannot distin"' ·, ' Ie Iegar s I JOts as " those an asylum for the hopelessly incurable. Even the dumb . . oUioJ,compa1 •·c andab't· t" cl . t o t IJe Importance of • . ' . o rae ' an pomts animal has been treated with more consideration; for we ways of faltor iJ w for· a].n exac~ obser~atiOn of tiieir several have, very properly, societies for the preYentiou of cruelty o> c 1scovenno- the . t t d . '1'he distinction is cle·u· a d " 11 sa e au Its c&usos. to animals; and the senti men btl philanthropy of an eccen fers from au unnatn . l d' II marked-the madman suf tric lady has founded a refuge in London for the reception fi·om an ill-develoJ;ed ~~- . evel?mer;t of brain : the idiot of wandering dogs, while, until very recently, there was in proper habnce; in t~:~~tl ; .the on_e the mind is not no asylum whatever for the imbecile. Imbecility general] .· lOr 1 JS not m f:lroper power. But it is asked, what can be done for them 1 What arc tual capacity, or in th~ an\~:~~s ~rom .:I: want m the intellec their capabilities of improvement 'I comparecl with suc!J · °1Y, 01 Jn the moral sense as We may admit at once that for the minds of the lowest . m a 11 oa 1t 11y cl11 ' ld . ' :I epenclmg on n, fault in th e . , a want generally type of iJ.iocy little can be clone. Many of these have no In the immortal so ul· b t cfJforo~ . l structure-nota :flaw iutelligence whatever, being ignorant of all . self-control, which the •oul acts' bu al <; el e?t m tho organization by filthy in habits, and unable to feed themselves, while some · · . ~ ' - Y w nc 1 It rec · - d . Its mipresswus of OLJt ·! tl . enos an transmits are afflicted with epileptic and other fits. Still, even for . wa1c 11n.,. 0 8 ThIS want varies of . · •. • this class, would it not be a great boon to them and their type of idiocy to tb~ 1 cotu~se, In mt~n s Jty_f~·om the lo west parents that they should be provided with a comfortable The number f tl eas egree of ImbocJllty. home, and taught habits of cleanliness, and be kindly treated7 generally im ao-iJ~ed leE _poor crleatures is greater than is While, however, little can be accomplished for the worst to run wild in"the ~ -II xcept w J?u tho "natural" is loft cases of idiocy, it has now been demonstrated that many idiotic member is I agel,lth e existence in a family of an s that there is ground for employing medical aLl vice in cases wood, near Redhill, and of visit , l o , of geueral imbecility presented in early life ; and there Larbert Asylum uear· F lk" 1 s sn ' eqnently pmrl to the ' a 1r' and the B- ll A cannot be a doubt that c:tses of this kind, wh ich are near D undee, in Scotland. ' ,L r ovan sylum, allowed, by despair, to become confirmed and rleteriorated . But before conducting our ._ cl . l 111ight have been relieved by professional interference. In twns, it may be useful to rr" -rea 1e ts t these institu- ~rongh addition to the employment of medical aid, it is of the <"ffo r!s. which have bith e~~~eb't s 1ort history of t~e various utmost consequence to proportion the mental exercise to cvnrht10n of the imbe . een made to nmelwrate the F c1 1e . the mental strength. This ma,y be so little as to render . ranee nppeu.rs to deserve the . r f every sort of study absolutely improper, and every em twnal experiments on I.d. rocy Icrn ectl It oh the· first. ed uca- ployment of the senses, beyond a certain degree, injurious. century so me attem .t · le egmmng of this 1· I1 s we··e ma 1 · p · ' In that the individual must be treated at first much as a ,nr this class. Itarcl ex • . r e I~ arts to do somethi ng He was followed b . p:nmentahsed on. a single idiot. plant, and that a sickly one, with simple nourishment and exposure to good a,ir. The next step is that of mere writings and his exJn Segmn, who by his ~ t. ~clwarrl by and perceptions, of others M Fel: ~ p l ~ efnhsted the ncti ve co-operation ani~nalli_fe, a~ c~a raet~r iz ed se~sations · · rt.s c lie pl · · f whiCh w1ll reqmre smtable exertwn. The manifestation Bicetre, organized in i828 a ?sJetan o. the asylum of the of the intellectual or moral powers is an advancement of a ~vhere they were taurrht h b~c o~l for IllS fat~ous patients, still more promising nature, and may be hailed as the mstructcd in readin rr o writ~n Its o_ ordeJ: anrl mdustry, and b:tSis of some moderate endeavours tow:trds ordinary Ml.ICh skill and pers~~e . g, anthme~Ic, and gymnastics. education." · ing improvcnwnt was ~~ ~~f;e:~~~e r\ ~ns eff~rts, ancl strik , in are familiar with the poor a valuable work upon th . e m us p upils. He wrote 'fr_a,v~ller s . Sw itz e rla~d cretm. It IS stated that m the Canton of the Valais one pection, Dr. Conoll' · and after !t Yisit of in ~ ~ub.J ~Ct; in twenty-fi ve of the population is a cretin, in the Canton Rnccess, stating that r~ ,:aS cifll on, bore .testin:ony to JJi S languaD"e of entlJu . ffib1c ult to avoid fallmg into the of Vaud one in twenty-seven. Their appea,rance is most • 0 smsm on eh 1 l loathsome, and is a sarl drawback to the pleasure of a visit. nuracle. Dr Voisin . o cr mg sue 1 an apparent It " If :wd Dr. Lem:et and M~s t~~\~l~hed ano t h ~r school in 1839, to their beautiful land. has been well said , you the work. · · e lent their powerful aiel to wish to hear God's voice go to Niagara; if you wish to see His hand go to Switzerland." But even to these the band _I n Great Britain public , tt · . . of charity has been extended; and many travellers in that this subject by Dr Pool ~ ~~ti~n was early dll"ected to country have borne testimon y to the devotedness of Dr. expediency of sub·. e t" e, .o . 1 . en een, who advocated the meut and educat J" o~ nc lwtg I_dr_otJC children to medical trPat- GuggenbUhl, who established in 1839 an institution on -' . a rammg F· h" 'T . _, the Abend berg, near Interlachen, for the cure of cretinism. oucatwn" which a . . · I Om IS ' reat1se on Ein 1819 'and wr·' phpearedwbthe Encyclopcedia Edinensis 'fhe first published account of his efforts was written by ' n c was su se tl · • separate volume we mal·e tl f llque_n y published in a the late Dr. William 'fwining. 1 . But although foreign countries led the way in this "Where t h er~ are ' e ~ ow~n g extract:- lity it is re commenden; a~y mamfest wdications of irn beci 1mportant movement, England, as usual, soon outstripped them all, not only in the magnitude of her institutions for the purpose of ~ t~· h av~ recourse _to medical skill but also in the scientific knowledge brought to bear calculated to invi rrorat~ t;ng mto _prn_ctJCe every mean~ np01~ }'erbaps, are of thP constJtutron. Few persons the subj ect. awar~ 1 ~ The fi rst attempt to train idiot children was on a very s t~t~ of both the intelle t d~ffer~nt effects produced on th ~ :tntJes in di et and . . .c ua an t;Ioral powers by peculi- small scale, and was made by the Misses W hite, who regimen. It IS surely ob\·iou~..... , tl1en, A 3 11 opened a small asylum at Bath in 1846. Comm encino the control of the will, rtnd both have become subject to a with but fou r ~~~~i l s ~ th ~ n':tmb ~ r reached fifteen by th ~ mild authority. The power of imitation has been fo stered ; end of 1848. 1 his mstttutwn IS now carried on at 35, music and drawing are beginning to find a place in the Belvedere, Bath,. and acco mmodates twenty-four pupils. school: reading, writing, and even fi gures, which are the But the most Important monment in favour of the idiot severest test to the weak mind, are now cl ~imin g general was or igin ~t~d by Mrs. Plum be, who enlistee! the sympathy attention. And abo,•e all the moral affectwns have been of Ler IDimster, the late Rev. Dr. Andrew Reed, of exercised and the effects are found in tl1 e harmony of the Hack~ey, a well lmo~n pl~ilanthropi s t. He organized lL family a~d the greater readinesa of the mind to recognise con~m 1~t ee , and establ; shed 111 ~ 848 an asylum for the im and w'orship an invisible and gracious Presence. 'l'here beCile m an old mans10n at I-l1 ghgate, called Pruk-house, is now order, obedience to authority, classification, im large enough to accommodate seventy·fiYe pupils. proYement, and ch eerful. occupation .. Every hour ~ as .In the first week the .committee admitted twenty-seven its duties and these duties are steadily ful fi lled. Wm ch1ldren, partly by electwn an d partly upon payment, and dows are ~1 ow safe, boundaries are observed without walls, a m?tley .group they must have ])resented. Some had de and doors are safe without locks. The desire now is not fec tive s 1 g l~ t, ~no s t hall defective or no utterance, ma.ny to get away but to . st~y . 'rhey a: e essentiallJ: a happy were lame m l1m b or muscle, and ttll were of a weak and family. And a.ll this IS s~c u~·e d Wit~10ut the .aHl of cor perverted mind. Many had been spoiled others nerrlected rection or coercion. The pnncrple whiCh rules m the house and not a few ill used. Som e were clamorous ~nd re~ is love, charity, divine charity." bel!i~ns, some sull en and perverse, and so me uncon3ci ous In 1850 Sir S. i\Iorton Peto granted upon extremely an~ mert. Seve ~·a l were sc rea mi~g at the top of their liberal terms to the committee, as a supplementary insti voice, ot ~ er~ m~kmg con stant and mvoluntary noises from tution a laro-e0 hou~e near Colchester, called Essex Hall, nervous HTitatJon, and a few terrified at scorn and ill which' was calculated to accommodate lo-o pup1· 1s . •r o treatment, hid themselves in a corner from the face of this establishment two other houses were added, where man as fro1~1 the. face of an enemy. vVinclows were forty-five innmtes were received, making a total of 195 s ~a ~ h ed, ;;am.scotmg broken, boundaries defi ed, and the cases located at Colchester. spmt of mischi.ef and disobedi ence prevailed. It seemed Essex Hall is a large building in the Italian style, situ as though not.hmg less than a prison would meet the wants ated near the Colchester Station of th e Great Eastern of suc.h ~ fa~m l y . Many who witnessed the scene retired Railway. It was originally a large m ilway hotel, and from It m disgust, and others in despair. co ntains forty-six lofty apartments. It is surrounded by six Nevertheless th e experim ent was successful. In t!1eir acres of land, laid out in fl ower grounds, shrubberies, and report of 1850, the managers were enabled to write thus · gardens, affo rding ample space for healthful exercise. A . "It is tl~ ei r priv!lege to speak of efforts partially r.ea separate building has been erected on the lawn, at a cost hzed, and 111 some mstances of a marked a 11cl deli ()'htful of £700, fitted for the accommodation of twenty of the character. It has be ~n their happiness to observe the eye more afflicted cases. In the grounds there is a gymnasium, that Lad no useful s1ght begin to see ; th e ear to reli.sh and pheasant-house containing some gold and silver phea sweet so unds ; the tongue that was dum b to articulate sants, the pupils taking especial pleasure in tending dumb the. language of men, and the limb that was crippled animals. or ~n e rt put forth to useful and active service. Bad The success of the undertakinp: and the manifest impor habits have been overcome; power Las been created for tance of amal()'aruating the families at Higl1gate and Col the care of the person; the body has been brought under chester, for t.h~ purpose of concentrating effort, induced the 1:? 1::\ committee to uuclertn.ke ~h_e foundu,ti~n,ofa national asylum the work for about fourteen years. Whibt happy in the on an extended scale. r11e estate of Ear!swood near Red work themselveB, they naturally desire to promote the hill, on the Brighton Ra.ilway, being for sale by auction happiness of the inmates, :1nd this is clone so successful_ly, was deemed an eligible Rite; but the Board were outbid that though, by way of a change and to. keep up relatlv_e by the l~te . J urlge 'ralfourd, who valued it highly from ties several of the pupils go home occasiOnally for a h~h old assomatJOns. As soon, however, as the laro-e--l,earted Jay they almost, without exception, have an equal w1sh J u_dge heard that the property was required fo~ the idiot to r~tu rn to tbe institution. One of the adult cases who ~lll l rlr en, he generously relinquished his purchase in their is here upon payment, has often said, 'Break my heart to favour. A large and magnificent structure has been erected leave here.' Another, when asked how he is, replies on the estate at a cost approachino· £30 000 the first stone ' Happy,' sometimes adding, 'Happy Essex Hal~.' A having been laid in July, 1853, by th~ lat~ Prince Con young man who was useless at home, prone to v10lence sort, by whom also it was opened in 1855. when provoked, and who, '"':hen he first. came, _was though~ Subsequently the old nsylum at Essex Hall was re to be insane, has been tramed to hab1ts of mdustry and ope i~erl as a local institution for the eastern counties, and good behavionr. At tho _end of two years he was allowed ~o~t1~ued under the zealous _superint~ndence of Mr. W. to see his friends and wlnlst at home the clergyman wrote .. hll~rd, who has recentlY: published an mteresting account"-' t.he following satisfactory letter:-' \Ve nil r ~jo ice. to see of tb~s as_ylum, from whteh I make the following extracts, William very much impro':ed. I cannot &Jve h1m too showmg Its present condition :- high a character so far as h1s conduct here JS concerned . . "After tho cases !lave b~en received from the .T uly elec William worked nine hours a clay for the last four clays by t~o n, ~ 864 , there Will be nmety-nine pupils in the Eastern his father's side, and we hope that when he returns home Uoun~Ies Asylum; about one-third upon payment, and the he will be able to eam his living.' Tho yonth continues reJ?amder by the votes of subscribers. 'rhe health of the to make progress, and though l i l~cly to be ~ble ~o earu his chil~ren }as. been on the ':hole remarkably good. By livelihood he will need the rrtudance of Ius fnends as to ~he contub~ltJOns of a few fnends, many of the pupils are spending 'it. Yet how great"' the boon conferred_ in the favoured w1th an am~ual excursion to Walton-on-the-Nazo, family by placing him at E_ sex H?'ll! He came 1dle and and the capable pupils n.r~ trea~ed every year with a trip passionate, he has become mdustn~us and well~beh:wecl; to. th ~ Crystal. Palace. !'1ve ammals are kept as a source and instead of being a burden and hmdra~ce to his p::uen~s, of enJoyment fo:· the pntients, and various modes of amuse he will return to be a help and to ass1st matenall y m ment are provided. Durin" the summer cricketino- "s earning money for their maintenn:nce. The ~ratitude ?f I . d . o o 1 muc_1 enJoye , and ~~ the winter musical performances, the pupils is sometimes very tou~hmg, and their sus_ce_rti ~~~~~ JC I anter~ e ntertam~nents, and suitable rca.dings are bility to religious impresswns_ JS marked an~ strikmg. sh3.Jl have harps to play anJ crowns upon our heads.' Tl e 'on of a Western Counties Asylnm for idiots, under 1 foun da tI ' . l ~am~ lad having been told that God hears prayer, at once the auspices of the Earl of Dc\·on. A house, w1t1 two reph~d, 'Ye~, and ~ns':ers too.' ~e was h~ard one night 0f land at Starcross near Exeter, has been fitted up praymg by h1s bedside m the folloWing beautiful manner: acforr esth e recept' i 'on of' twent:y ' -one pup1l· s, _and WI'll b e s h ort l y ' Lord, bless my father and my mother, bless my sisters and Cases will he admitted by elect JOn and on payment. opene d . , . . . b 'l l 'ld I ~uy _brothers, make my father's bouse a house of prayer: I America the duty of educlttmg 1111 ec1 c c n ren 1as mclme them to love and serve thee. I ask this for my n n ore fully reco()'ni scd than in any other country. b een 1 o . 11 . tl N Lord and Saviour's sn,ke. Amen.' Some of the pupils Th ouglJout the United States, n,nd espcCia y m 1_e ~ ew attend church in the morning :1ud in the aftemoon :1ncl :1 En r land States, not only is every cl1il~l legal_ly entitled to speci:1l service is held at home in the eveninO', At one of g t' n but even to the fecble-·mmded I S conceded a ed uca 10 , . . . . bl t the Sabbath eYening services, when the love "'of Jesus was ri""ht to suitable tra.mmg. For e :;an~p l e, m the_p1 eam e _o referred to, one afflicted boy, who could neither speak nor th Act of the Le"islaturc of Olno, mcorporatmg the 0!:10 walk, shouted out with such delight, that the proceedin'"s St:te .Asylum f01':' the_ Edu~atiou of Idiotic and_ ~m bec1le were temporarily distmbed." "' th the arguments m their favour are thus foicibly and Y OU I N l ' d h 'fhe first practical effort made for the imbecile in Scot happily expresse Legislature gr::tnts annu::tlly 9,000 dollars to be devoted . rder that this slwuld be done without embarrassment to te::tching ::tnd training indigent iuiotic children belong !D otho er parts of t b e wor 1.:, t Ite p llY S..ICJ::t n, offi cers, an rl ing to the commonwe::tlth; and has also granted 25,000 ~0 chers voluntarily and cheerfully agreed to suspend the dollars towards the purchase of ground and the erection e: ment of one-h ~lf of their salaries un t~l the So~tbern of school buildings. There are now seventy pupils under ~1 Jm s could be collected, and to take the n ek of the1r col- training in this school. lection . · 1 f T he New York State Asylum for Idiots is located within In Germany, Bn.vn.ria, Denmark, and Prnssm, t 10. care o :1 mile of the city of Syracuse, in the north-west part of the imbecile has likewise been recognis~J as a pubhc duty. the State. It has boon in operation for thirteen ye:1rs, Such is a rapid summary of the vanous efforts already and contains 135 pupils. About 80 acres of land arc at mad e on behalf of the idiot. and imbecile. . . . tached to the inst,itution, npon which forty of the boys I shall now proceed to g1ve a more dcta1led d~scnpt1.on are employed. It is presided over by Dr. Wilbur, and of the institutions I have inspected, c~>mmen~1 ~1g w1th is in most effective working order. I n 1863 seven of the the National Asylum at Earlswood, whiCh I YJSJted last pupils completed the term of their ed ucation. Three of spring, in company with i\Ir. J onatha~ Pim and Surgeo:1 them entered on self-supporting engagements, and one was Wharton Medic.al Inspector of LunatiCS under the Con! t passed by the Regimental Surgeon as competent to serve of Ch anc~ry. Mr. Pim has for some time been interested Ill ~ts a Volunteer. this subj ect and is the author of a valuable paper "On the The Pen nsylmnia 'rraining School for F eeble-mind ed necessity of a State provision for the Education of the Ch ildren was established in 1853. It is situated at Media, Deaf and Dumb, the Blind and the Imbecile," ren.d J:>eforc within twelve miles of Philadelphia. There are abo ut 130 the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Dubhn, in children in the school, but the buildings arc designed to J anuary last. . . accommodate 150. Th o buildings are erected on the south Earlswood is deli()'htfullv s1tuated about a mile and a ern slope of a hill of considerable elenttion, and command half from the Redhill Station of the London and Bright~n views of an extensive and varied landscape, on the moral Rail way, bordering on the g.rou~d s . of the Philanthr?p1c effects of which Dr. Parrish, tho Superintendent, lays very Society. On approaching the mst1tutwn, we were surpnsed great weight. There is a farm of fi fty acres, and ten to see an extensive pile of building, handsomely or~n. ftcres of wo odland, embosomed in which is a small ceme mented, and bearing more the appearance of a ~alatwl tery, the resting-place of a few little slnmberers. residence than an asylum. On first ~hou g~1ts 1t may The Legislatures of Connecticut, Rhode Island, New appear a mistake to erect so grand and !mposmg a ? tr ~c .T ersey, Delaware, Kentucky, and Indiana have also made ture for such a purpose ; but, on reflectwn, the nl::tJOl'l.ty grants for the training of their feeble-minded poo r. will, I think, come to the conclusion that beauty has 1ts It is highly creditable to our transatlantic brethren, effects in the education of the imbecile, and that the ad that the unhappy contest in which they are engaged has ditional cost of a han dsome design over a plain one is well not arrested the prosecution of this goorl work, nor bas expended. Moreover, we found on inquiry that the cost tbe hitter fe eling of enmity of tho North against the So uth of the structure per head was less than is .usual for pauper crushed all charitn.ble feelings. On the contrary, we learn lun atic asylums in England. The style 1s compos1te, be from the report of the Pennsylvania Training School, that tween Er,glish and Italian, with a handsome ccntr::tl tower, ten children from the so uthern states, left on their hanJs a.nd another on each winO', There is a gate-lodge at without the ordinary remittances for their maintenance, entrance, and a fin e carria:e drive to the building, which h:we been retain ed and nurtured with the usua l care; and is immediately surrounded by bea.utifully laid out parterres. 18 19 Tho building consists of two wings, one for boys, the other There are three classes of p ay -pa~ient s . The c hildr ~ n for girls. The number of pupils at present at Earlswoocl of wealthy persons, who _pay 15_0 g u u~~as a-}_'oar fo r their is 400, viz., 278 boys and 122 girls. board, attendance, and mstructwn. I_ho c!Hl 1·oom was supplied, and the pupils were soon busily at ble of holding 30,000 gallons, bas been erected near the work ; but without any greediness or slovenly feedinO'. laundry to collect the rain-water fr om the roof of the This sight alone evidenced the marvellous improvem e~t asylunl. . whi ch training had made in their habits. Most of those The workshops next engaged our attentwn. Th.e ~r st we now saw so well conducted at table knew not how to hold ployments to which the children are put are p1chng a knife and fork when they were admitted. Some had ~:coa nut fibre for mats, splitting rods fo r baskets, or pr~- been in the habit of feeding themselves with their fin gers, rin"' horse hair fo r mattresses. These teach them to s1t pa'etly to which they are naturall y much disinclined. others of snatching and bolting their food like animals. qUI ' . . [. We were afterwards conducted to the kitchen, which These employments also awaken the1r attentiOn, anc u:- adjoins the dining-hall. It is large and well provided truct them in voluntary motion; they learn to use the1r with all culinary req ui sites. The cooks are assisted by ~ngers, a first step in their education. . several of the pupils, dressed as men-cooks with white 'fhey are then taught in the mat shops to pla1t the aprons and linen hats, and who enjoy their employment cocoa fibre, and to make mats. In time they become and set about their duties with an amusing sense of their adepts in making fi gured hearth-rugs and hall and door importance. These at their admission could not haYe mats. Upwards of seventy boys are enga15ed as mat been permitted near an open fire. One of hem was weavers and helpers. As they turn out o~ thell' shop m?re engaged in mincing food for those who cannot masticate. than is requirecl for the use of the establishment, mattmg He had charge of an ingenious apparatus which red uced for corridors, or chmch and fancy mats 1:nay. be. had to the food to a state like that of potted meat. Another is order by pur chas~rs , '_l'ho . can b ~nefit the mstltutlon ma- called the historical cook, on account of his surprising terially by favourmg 1t w1th the1r orders. . . memory for historical facts. He can repeat whole pages One of the mat makers acts as postman to the mstJtu of history. We asked him several questions, nearly all of tion and is intrusteJ with the letter-bag, of which he is which he answered with manellous accuracy. Amongst most' proud. . . his replies he gave us an account of the Pelopennessian Dr. Down explained to us, that a~cordmg ~s each pup1l war, showing that he was intimately acquain ted with its shows a predilection for a trade, he 1s placed m the wo.rk details. He mentioned its duration, elate, and cause; the shop · at fi rst they are mere lookers-on, but after a t1me resources of the combatants; the gains and losses on either they ~ ay "l should like to try this," and thus they are led on . side ; the temporn.ry peace; the renewal of the war n.fter We next visited the tailors' shop, and here we found the Spartn.n success, and the fi nal defeat of the Athenians above a dozen boys sitting crossleggecl o ~ a raised boanl, by Lysander. busy stitching away, under the supcnntenclence of a The institution is provided with a splendid laundry, master tailor, who cuts out and allots the work. We ex constructed on the most improved principles, and supplied amined their work, and foun d it ~ e ry creditable. All the with a 12-horse power engine, purchased at the I nter clothes for the pupils, and the umf01: m for the atten cl a i~ts, national Exhibition, which performs its work mos t satisfac are made in the tailors' shop. Mr. S1dney on one occaswn torily. Here we saw some of the lads turning the mangle found them in hi gh glee over a !1Umorous j~b. Mr. P~u ch wi th right good will. There are drying closets and iron had been brought in to have lns nose and Jacket repall'ecl, ing stoves, ::wd every appliance for the rapid perform ance preparatory to a grand p er fo rm an~e . 'f.hey set about his of washing, drying, and distribution of the clothes. Over repairs in earnest, and soon put tlns cap1tal fi gure of th ~t 8,000 pieces of clothing necessary for the establishment distinguished personage into perfo rming order. Here ~s pa.ss through the lrtunch·y per week. A large tank, eapa- also found one of the assistant ctoks who had cl1angecllns 22 white dress, an •l is busy at his nceulc. Of this pupil it i$ classes. No greater testimony can be given to the skill recorded that hi s reception in to the asylum has been a great and patience of the teachers. Kindness is the talisman; boon to him. He is naturn,lly amiable anu gentl e, though anything appro::whing restraint or severity has been found visibly imbecile, and is bclieYed to be truly influenced to fail. When we remembcreu tho harsh pedagogue wi th by genuine piety. He has :1 knowlerlge of the Scriptures his cane for ever within reach, and called to mind the con that is quite surprisin g, and a really en li ghtened appreci tinual raps on the hands and knuckles wltich followed ation of the simple truths of the gospel. 'l'he hn,ppy effect ~ every miss, we wished tlt at all teachers could see in this of this knowledge arc marked in all he do es . He is clearly asylum the better effects of patient kindneos. one of the 'poor in spirit,' blessed indeed in his feeble con The utmos t exercise of patience is neederl, with con dition, whose 'is the kiugdom of hmw eu,' knowing his stant kindness. 'rhc little one~ are t ::tught to put beads Saviour, and humbly obeying His precepts, n,n d striving upon a wire- to n,rrange beaus of We a l ~o paiu a visit to t!J e infirmary, where we saw were allow.ed to have small gardens fo r themselves. The several patients in be•L 'l' he room was remarkably clean garden aml hrm are a valuable addition to the institution and well ventilated. Every care aud cousideration appeareu they offer varied employment adapted to different int e ll e c~ to be taken of the sick ones ; and for the nse of the con tual grades, and afford sui table occupation fo r those who valescent patients a raised platform was erected at each are no t equal for indoo r work. Shrubs and trees have .; window, to enable them to sit and enjoy the scenery. b~ e n plant E' cl for the purpose of shade, and paths of a 'l'he doctor informed us that there was very little sickness d1 ve r ~1fi ed nature have been made ron nel the estate, in the asylum; owing, no doubt, to the good air, regularity atfordmg pleasant walks for the pupils within the boun of living, and the watchfulness of t ho superintendents. daries of the insti tutio n. Garden-seats have been made Curious cases occur in sickness. On e pupil had never and painted by the carpenters. lJeen heard to speak a word till co nfin ed to bed by a Earlswood, bei ng on so extensive a scale, admits of a painful di sorder. H e was thought by all to be completely perfect system of classification. On the admi ssion of a dumb. While here he exclaimed to the astonishment of pupil, Dr. Down endea1·ours to ascertain his peculiarities. those present, "Why do I suffer tlms 7" He then spoke He n~ te s accurately ~he physical condition of the patient of his father and mother with affection . Strong impres and his mental capacity, and gradually observes his incli sions sometimes elicit speech fro m idi ots regarded aci nation to any particul ar pursuit. Th ese particulars arc dum b; here pain did it. Anger has been known to do generally ~ s c e r tai n e d. while the pup.il is passing through this. A boy considered dumb had learn ed to write a little the probattOnary pertOd. Here he IS brought into some on a slate, ancl was proud of his copy. In his absence it sort of order, taught the use of a knife, fork, and spoon , was r ubbed out, and on his retnrn, to the amazement of and corrected of his fi lthy habits of feedi ng. He is then those who believed him speechless, he frowned and ex put into a class under the care of a nurse, where the claimed, " Who rubbed it out 7" example of the other chi ldren helps him on. In another apartment we saw the incurable cases, for Even the amusements of the pupils are classified. There whom little can be done save to treat them with kindness is a series of play-rooms in whicli they are placed ac and keep them from harm. These are the most unpleasant cording to their mental capacity. In these rooms mrious obj ::lcts, and should be kept in a separate asylum. 'We quiet games are promoted ; and there is a large room on were shown some neat and easy carriages for cripples, and the gro.und-flo or, where foo tball and nine-pi ns may be informed that the other pupils take pleasure in dra wi ng played m wet weather. I n the grou nds provision is made them about the grounds. , for cricket, skittles, and swings. A ca.pital gymnasium iH After partaking of refreshm ent wi th the worthy doctor, provided with all kinds of gymnastic appliances, by mean,; we were conducted through the extensive grounds of the of which boys who could not stand, balance themselve 3 or institution, which consist of 140 acres. Nearly thirty of grasp ~ny thing, . have been ~aught feats of agility, ~ncl the pupils were engaged in farming operations, dressed in now enJ OY exerCises from whiCh at fi rst they turned with farmers' frocks and thick buskins. Some had charge of alarm. the cattle, consisting of cows, sheep, and pigs. They ..M usic bears a prominent ,rart in their training. l\Iost enjoy the outdoor work greatly, and deli ght in attending IdiOts are affected by it. Even the very dullest in intel on the animals of the farm. One poor idiot showed us the l ~ ct may be aroused by the aiel of music. At dinner they cow-sheds, wh ere a fine stock of cows was housed. There smg t.he grace, led by .the .ma.ster, and sometim es join in is also an extensive kitchen-garden, covering nearly seven chantmg a psalm and m smgmg a hymn, and it is sur acres, which fully supplies the house ; and some of the lads prising to hear idiots sin ging so well together. Several 28 expr 'Ssed the utmost s :~. t i s fa c ti o n at wituessin0"" the rlelight patients hrtv e been bught to pla.y on the concertina, fife experienced by the patients. :wd drum, and a few on the piano : teaching t~em th ~ In order t~ enable the pupils to visit the Crystal Palace _value of nob:Ltio.n is, however, b~yoncl their ca.pac1ty, ancl on the occas 10~ of a~y spe~ i a l attraction, a savings-bank I S too abstt:act fo r them to realize. 'rhe servants arc all has been cstabhshecl for the1r pocket-money and presents. taught m~1 s 1 c, so that a very respectable band is form ed, tl.e ~h o Doctor s?owed us a mod el of a man-of-war, made by ~! run~ ?em/5 played by the artist-pupil, who is among the a? mmate. Ills talent for drawing was deY eloped so con few 1d10ts 111 the asylu.m who can count time or play from siderably that some of his copies evinced o-reat taste and notes. In summ er th 1s band performs once a week on the nbility. At the time of the Crimean war b ~ drew a battle terra~e , and fetes ;tre .held at whi ch games of agility are field, in whic!1 tl1e ~us s ~ans are made t o run away, and pract1secl, and processiOns of the pupils, remlerecl gay hv 01~ly one Enghshlllan 1.s l~1lle~. Tb~s drawing he displayed flag~ and banner~ , perfom ?volutions to the so;mc! of meny w1th great zeal, ,;xclamung, ' ~u s s1 an s . run. One English mus1c. Balloc.l!1s are occasiOnally sent up. rnvate theatri dead-only one. Severa.! of h1s drawli10'S have been solJ cals are 80metm1es got up for their amusement and" Punch for a guinea each ; . and one of his copie~ of a picture by ~ncl Judy" is an especial favourite. Mr. S irl~ cy w itn c ~ secl Laudseer was subnutted to tl1e attention of the Queen who 1ts performance on one occasion in the areat ball where "he w~s grat:ious!y pleased to accept. of it, and to present him fonncl210 pupils, and Punch at the fu~th e r end~ the fram e w1th two gumeas for pocket-money. It has now a con made by tl1e carpenters, and painted by the artist-pupil . Hpi cuous place in the palace. Ile once saw the picture of Oue of the atte~.clants , concealed by th e frame, was the a vessel on a, pocketh:mdkcrchief, and straightway set to ~e rfo rm e r, an•! t1 1cl the whole most humorously. The cle work to con struct the rnoLl el of a ship ; his first efforts hgbt of t he spectators was intense ; an d I must confess "ll'ere imperfect, but having obtained the secret of bendin"' that they realized a;11azingly the bl~ws inflicted on poor wood by steaming it, he constructed the marvellous ship Jud,zt by her tyranmc~l husband; but f'l.r more did they now t? be seen at Ertrlswood. 'When we saw him, he wn,,; applaud where J ud?J m return b idiocy, the result of a careful examination of upwards of he:trd bells ringing, which she could ans,Yer w.ithont being 200 cases, and has in preparation a treatise of a psycholo told. to do so by her fellow-servants. She had been eight gical and physiological nature, collected from his study of years iu the asylum, and had become so improved as to he the mental and physical condition of the idiots of Earls advanced to the post of housenmiLl, for wl1ich she receives wood, the largest imbecile population in the world. wages, and to Le intrusted wi th the cn.re of Mrs. Brodie\; As evening drew near, we were obliged to conclude our apartments. It is tt remarkable fact thn.t many of these visit to tl1is interesting and unique institution. Such an ha.lf-witted girls make better servants thn.n some who have other day we had llever spent. It may be thought that the full use of their understandings. we have exaggerated. Many who have heard the accounts We were tl1en taken over the completed wing, which is of Earlswood with a credulous shake of the head, lmYe occupied chiefly by the election :tnd reduced payment tested their n.ccuracy by personal inspection, and the in cases. In the school-room there were eight ur nine boys ''ariable result has been to fill them with amazement and and girls sen.ted in charge of a nurse, the guvemess being admiration, and to dmw forth the exclamation-" The half absent, and were singing the hymn, ''I want to loe an was not told us." Let those who doubt, go and judge for angel." They seemed much pleatied at seeing 1Irs. Brodie, themselves. 'fhe asylum is open daily to visiters. who spoke to them with grea.t tenderness, and asked them The government of this Institution is vested in a. board to sing a. verse of the hymn she hn.ll taught them the day of mn.nagement, appointed annually at a general meetillg. before on the text, "Suffer little children,·' which they All persons subscribing half-a-guinea a, y en.r, or fiv e g uin e~s sang very nicely- Mrs. Brodie leading the hy mn. Several class, and that one which, I con fess , chiefly iuduces H e says :-" The slightest undue attitude or gesture on me to take an active interest in their improvement, is the part of the youn ger cl1i ldren is voluntarily represse cl. tbeir susceptibility to religious impressions. All their by the others, who are further advanced, by a s h a ~~e of teachers, not only in this country, but al so in Am eri ca, the head, or a movement of the hand. I n being questwnerl bear t es timony to the fact that the simple truths of the on the simple truths of the Gospel, their an s w ~rs .haYe Gospel find a ready response in their hearts. Does not often surprised me; and it is certain that under 1 t ~ ~ n flu this encourage us to SlXtre no effort in training their minds, cnce lying idi ots have become truthful, and pii!crers and bringing them within reach of di vin e truth~ honest, nor does the impression le:tve them when they The Rev. Edwin Sidney, whom we have before quoted, quit the asylum." frequently all mles to this trait; and we qui te concur with 'I.' he late J oseph J ohn Gurney, of Norwich, published the him in the opinion that the training of the idiot owes followin g lin es, as written by an idiot :- much of its success to keeping this constantly in view, and "Could we with ink the ocean flll- to the touching and simple lessons of the Gospel most '\V ere the "·hole earth of parchmeut nM•l<'• anxiously imparted to those who are enabled to receive ' Verc every single stick a quill, Ancl e,·cry man a scri be by trade instruction , whi ch they seem to remember with more To write the love of God above interest than anything else. H e narrates several anec ·w ould drain the ocean dry ; dotes bearing on this ~ u ~ j e ct, from whi ch we select the Kor could the scroll contain the whole following. One boy in passing through the corn fi elds wh en If stretched from sky to sky." they were ri pen ing was heard to ~ay , "The fi elds stand I n reply then to the q ue~ tion , . what can be don ~ for ::;o thi ck with corn that they laugh and sing ;" and also, at the idiot 1 we appeal to the foregomg acco unts as satisfac the openi ng of a new year, remarked of his ow n accord, tory demonstration that "I want this year to be ho li er a nu holier, anu better and Bad habits have been co rrected ; better; I want to give God all my heart, and all my love." The senses have been ed ucated ; Another little fellow whose gentleness aud patience in sick To many who could not articulate, the faculty of speech ness were ind icated in every look, when asked what made has been imparted ; him so comfo rtabl e, an d in whom he trusted, replied quietly, The muscular and physical powers have been improved. but with e1' ident emotion, "My Saviour. " "What did he Some have been trained to industrial pursuits, so as to do for you T'-" Died fo r me," was his answer. "Why dicl be able to earn a livelihood ; he die for you ?"-''For my sins, that I may go to heaven." The intellect has been developed; All this was saill wi th a simplicity of manner which it was 'fhe moral feelings have been aroused ; a profitable lesson to witness, and showed what a gracious And above all, the veil which bedimmed the soul has compensation God bad giYen him for the defects of his been r ~ nd e r e d transparent, so that the light of truth has bodily powers and mental abilities, and the illness which illuminated the darkened understanding of the poor idiot. was wasting his feeble constitution. At divin e service the cond uct of the improved idiots is And if it cannot be gainsayed that the condition of the exemplary ; a nu they arc reported to attend to it with idiot and imb ecile can be thus improved, is not our duty apparent reverence and devotion, and even to remember plain ? ~tnd talk of what they hear. But what shall we answer for our past neglect? Verily Mr. Sidney, who has assisted more than once n.t the we are guilty in tl1is matter. hour of prn,yer, testifi es to their attention anJ J eCOI'llll l. The future, however, is before us. Shall we not re- 36 doom the time, alHl gird up our loin s to make up for past clcfici ency by a strenuous effort 011 behalf of this neglected class 1 'l'here are three courses open for adoption :- I. The foundation of a general institution for the recep t ion of all degrees of idiocy, from t.he hopeless to the most improval>le. ll. The opening of au asylnm for the pure idiots, who a,re not susceptibl e of much improvement, but who can be housed, cared for, and cured of bad habits. III. The establishment of a traiuing school for tho im provable cases, whore, as in the asylums of which I have attempted a description, they may be train c1 l to habits of usefulness, rendered a!Jle to earn a livelihood, and be taught the w:~y of Balmtion .