DEFECTIVES' CONTROL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 10126, 3 June 1924, Page 2

DEFECTIVES' CONTROL

COMMISSION HEARS EVIDENCE.

(Per 'Press* Association.) 2. i The establishment of special schools> for the care and training of feebleminded children so that they may be prepared to perform useful work in the community was advocated by witnesses before the Defectives' Enquiry Committee, to-day. N. 11. McKenzie, inspector of schools, Wellington, and late of British Columbia, said that from 1921 to 1923 he was in constant touch with special classes for defectives. Idiots and imbeciles were subjects for custodial institutions. Only higher grade defectives were admitted. The money spent on these was a profitable investment. Owing to lack of foresight and selfrestraint, every feeble-minded person was a potential criminal, vicious person, or pauper 4 and was thus a menace to the community. Suitable education might make them useful members of the industrial world, for they could do some kind of work, quite as well as normal persons if properly supervised. In fact, they often developed manual skill of a high order. In 1921 21 pupils left the Vancouver class, and only one was a failure at work. Girls went into shops, where they received salaries ranging from 30s to £2 10s a week, and the boys mostly learnt trades and farm work. Several who were working at piece-work were earning more than the usual wage. One girl earned £4 10s a week. In, the United States between 2 and 3 per cent, of the population were defective mentally. Defectives increased twice as rapidly, as the general population, and their children were usually defective.

Mr McKenzie suggested the segregation of subjects in industrial colonies. The real danger began when' the primary schooling was ended. He made a strong plea for the establishment of classes all over the country for the training cf feeble-minded children, who were educated. In regard to the really feeble in mind,' the authorities were ( completely opposed to the idea that they could be restored to normality. Miss W. A. Valentine, a specialist in the Stanford revision of the BinetSimon intelligence tests, which she has been applying in New Zealand schools, detailed the results of her observations. In three cases 300 children since last October 10 proved to be not feeble-minded but mentally inefficient or subnormal. One hundred others were so mentally defective that they could be classed as feeble-minded. Forty out of this: latter number would never be self-supporting. Seven per cent, of the children in Wellington schools were working two years behind the class they should be in for their age.

Dr. Elizabeth Gunn said that parents who were unwilling to have remedial defects attended to should be compelled to do so. The State should take control. . She recommended .the establishment of special schools and segregation colonies for both males and females, and for those who gave no mental test at all "a quick and happy exit" by medical means.