70- 19,343 MELTON, James Joe, 1938- OLD ORDER AMISH AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF MENTAL RETARDATION: A RELIGIOUS SUBCULTURAL APPROACH TO THE PHENOMENON. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1970 Education, special University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan © James Joe Melton 1970 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED OLD ORDER AMISH AWARENESS AMD UNDERSTANDING OP MENTAL RETARDATION: A RELIGIOUS SUBCULTURAL APPROACH TO THE PHENOMENON DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of the Ohio State University By JL/ James J. Melton, B.A., M.Ed. The Ohio State University 1970 Approved fay Adviser College of Education PLEASE NOTE: Not original copy. Some pages have indistinct print. Filmed as received. UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A study of this nature could never have been accom­ plished, if it had not been for the cooperation of the Old Order Amish included in the survey of this study. I am especially indebted to two Amish married couples, who be­ friended me and aided in the introductions to numerous potential informants. They desire to remain anonymous. I am also most appreciative of the time and interest shown in the study by the Amish men and women who make up the re­ spondents included in the interview schedule. I would never have been able to gain as much personal knowledge of the Old Order Amish background, if it had not been for the remedial reading teaching position, financed through Title I funds, that I held during the Winter and Spring of 1969. Mr. Thomas Cox, Superintendent of the East Holmes County Public Schools, Berlin, Ohio, was instrumental in securing that position for me. The position acquainted me with Amish children, schools, parents, and churches, as well as the geographical area of Holmes County, Ohio* I am most grateful to Mrs. Kate Yoder of the Conservative Mennonite faith, who offered her home as resi­ dence during my eight-month stay in Berlin, Ohio. My gratitude also goes to Mr. Russell Hecker of Berlin, Mr. Yost ii Miller of the Bethel Fellowship Church, and to Mr. and Mrs. James Lowry of Benton; all made comments and suggestions on the chapters, sections, and the interview schedule. Mr. Joseph Stoll, editor of the Amish publication, Family Life, and a resident of the Aylmer, Ontario, settle­ ment, offered his assistence and encouragement by pointing out pertinent Amish articles appearing in the Pathway publica­ tions. He also aided in securing the cooperation of several informants in that community. For the purpose of beginning research the libraries of the Mennonite colleges of Bluffton and Goshen were help­ ful. Mr. Delbert Gratz, librarian at Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio, cooperated in the sharing of clippings, pamphlets, and booklets pertaining to the Amish. The early directional comments of Mr. Louis A, Dexter, while serving as visiting professor at the Ohio State University during the Spring Quarter, 19&9, aided in the formulation of the sociological approach of mental deficiency to the Amish culture. In turn, an anthropological viewpoint was suggested through several conversations with Mr. Robert Dentan, formerly of the Anthropology Department of the Ohio State University, The study-could never have been completed if not for the assistance of the Ph.D. reading committee at the Ohio iii State University. Dr. Robert Sutton, advisor, encouraged free thinking in developing the statements of the problem within the study. Dr. Merton Oyler and Dr. Orville Johnson read the manuscript and offered suggestions for pertinent changes. The invitation from Mr. John S. Hostetler of Temple University to attend the Child Socialization in Minority Cultures conference at that university during March 1969 was most helpful. I must acknowledge my gratitude to Miss Emma Hershberger of Winesburg, Ohio, who interviewed nine Amish women in that area. I am also indebted to Miss Clarine Athy of Kings Mills, Ohio, who typed and prepared the final copy of the dissertation. iv TABLE OP CONTENTS Page AC KNOWLEDGEMEN JS i i VITA. .................................... viii LIST OP TABLES..................................... ix LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS............................... xii INTRODUCTION. .................. 1 Chapter I. THE SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPT OP MENTAL RETARDATION. 10 The Definition of Mental Retardation • • • • 11 Social and Cultural Approaches to the Study of Mental Retardation. ••••••• lh The Sociology of Mental Retardation. • • • • lo Studies Showing the Retardate as Subjects Within their Own Subgroups............. 30 II. SUBCULTURAL AND CLOSED CULTURED SOCIETIES . lj.1 The Hutterian Brethren . • • • ........... U2 The Hassidic Jews. ••••............... 59 The Semai of Malaysia. .............. 6 Ij. The Jibaro of Puerto Rico. ••.•••••• 71 III. AMISH CULTURE AND PERTINENT CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH................................. 82 The Anabaptist Movement and the Amish Division . ........... ••••••• 83 Amish Beliefs, Traditions, and Culture . 92 Related Amish Research Dealing with Listening, Creativity, Word Association, and Educational Conflict ••••••••• 105 Medical and Genetic Research Among the Amish. ................ •••••. 120 TABLE OP CONTENTS— Continued Chapter Page IV. AMISH LITERATURE DEALING WITH HANDICAPPING CONDITIONS................................. 129 The Pathway Publications and Examples of the Literature Dealing with Mental Retardation. ...................... 131 Examples of the Pathway Literature Dealing with Institutionalization............ llj.3 Examples of the Pathway Literature Dealing with Paith Healing and Quackery........... 11+6 The Importance of the Sugarcreek Budget and other Local Newspapers • l£0 Related Amish-Mennonite Publications Dealing with Handicapping Conditions......... .. 163 Amish Emphasis on Handicapped Gatherings, Friendship Letters, and Folklore « • • • • 169 The Significance of Amish Literature for Understanding the Position of Handicapped - ' Persons............... 176 V. PRELIMINARY PLANNING FOR THE FIELDSTUDY. 179 VI. THE FIELD STUDY INVESTIGATION............. 201+ Amish Religious Beliefs Relating to Mental Retardation. 20£ Amish Explanation of the Definition and the Etiology of Mental Retardation •••••• 230 The Social and Economic Limitation of the Retardate in Amish Life. ••.•••«.. 2£2 The Amish Support of Educational and Vocational Facilities for the Retardate. 271 Sources from Which the Amish Gain Knowledge Concerning the Exceptional Child • • • • • 292 Limitations of the Field Investigation . 298 Summary of Findings from the Field Investigation. •••• 300 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS................ 3°^ vi / TABLE OP CONTENTS— Continued Chapter Page APPENDIX A .............................................. 311 B ............................................. 31$ C ............................ 319 D .............................................. 322 E ................................................ 329 P ................................. 33$ G .............................................. 3M> BIBLIOGRAPHY....... '................................ 31*8 vii j VITA April llj., 1938 Born— Clemons, Kentucky 1 9 5 9 . B.A., Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Kentucky 1960-1962* . • United States Army, Infantry, Port Knox, Kentucky 1963-1961}.. • • Teacher, Special Education, Middletown High School Middletown, Ohio 1965 • • • • • M.Ed., The University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 1965-1967* * * Teacher, Cove Hall, The Columbus State Institute, Columbus, Ohio 1968 ....... Mental Retardation Fellow, Area of Exceptional Children, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1969 ....... Teacher, Remedial Reading, East Holmes County Public Schools, Berlin, Ohio PUBLICATIONS "Teaching Remedial Reading*" Blackboard Bulletin, 12 (May, 1969), PP. 211-212. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: The Education of Exceptional Children* Professor Viola Cassidy. Studies in the History of Education. Professor Robert Sutton* Studies in the Philosophy of Education. Professor Everett Kircher. viii LIST OP TABLES Table Page 1. Categories of Information and Methods Used in Obtaining Interviews. ....... 189 2. Age of the Amish Informants........... 19^ 3. Total Number of Children of the Amish Informants by Groups................ 19^ b - Educational Standards of the Amish In­ formants ................. .19$ $ . Educational Preference for the Children of the Amish Informants .•••••.. 196 6. Occupations of the Amish Informants . 197 7. Age of the Amish Informants by C-roups • • 336 8. Sex of the Amish Informants 336 9. Place of Birth of the Amish Informants. • 337 10. Total Number of Brothers and Sisters of the Amish Informants by Groups....... 338 11. Educational Preference for Amish. Child­ ren by Groups ....••••.•••• 339 12. Responses to Item 1 of the Interview Schedule............................ 330 13. Responses to Item 2 ........... 331 111 -. Responses to Item 3 * ......... 332 1$. Responses to Item Ij............ 333 16. Responses to Item 6 ........... 33b 17. Responses to Item 37. ...•••..«• 208 - i x LIST OP TABLES— Continued Table Page 18. Responses to Item 20 of the Interview Schedule. .................. 211 19. Analysis of Affirmative Responses to Item 2 0 ........... 213 20. Responses to Item I]!].................. • 215 21. Responses to Item 33............... 217 22. Analysis of Negative and Modified Nega­ tive Responses to Item 3 3 ......... 218 23* Responses to Item 26................... 222 21].. Responses to Item 27 • ••••••••.• 223