At Rome, New York, Dr. Bernstein has developed a series of farm colonies for boys. In 1920 there were 11 of these in operation. A part of them were for ordinary farming operations and a number were reforestation colonies. In some cases the reforestation work is done for the State Conservation Commission; in others for the institution itself. In addition, some of these boys were allowed to work for farmers nearby.

Concerning the reforestation work, Dr. Bernstein says, "I believe that this is one of the largest and best pieces of work that we can do. It increases the value of the real estate, whether owned by the state or by private persons, and at the end of a few years the state reaps its reward both from increased products and increased taxes. In this way we shall be making valuable and productive much waste land that otherwise would lie idle indefinitely, especially while labor costs as it does these days." 1

Dr. Bernstein plans to use morons to colonize abandoned or unoccupied farms, which are so numerous in New York State. He says, "In addition to earning their livings on these farms and improving the land and buildings, the boys would have spare time to put in helping farmers who are much in need of such labor and thus further contribute to their support." "

Another promising experiment is that begun by Dr. Bernstein at Rome, New York. In 1914 he established a working girls' colony in connection with the institution and in 1906 a boys' farm colony. The girls' colony is the most interesting because it has shown that feeble-minded girls may be employed in a more useful way than is possible in an institution. A large house was secured in the town in charge of a skilled matron. A social visitor inspects their working places and their street deportment. These girls are hired out as domestics in the homes of the city at 50 cents per day, but most of them live in this home, which also serves as their social center. The girls are carefully selected, none being markedly defective. The plan is to so train these girls that they can be released on parole and earn their own living in domestic service. In this plan they are at once trained and tested as to their capacity to live safely outside an institution.

Sixty-seven girls were thus colonized at first, 25 being returned to "Colony and Extra-Institutional Care for the Feeble-Minded," Mental Hygiene, Vol. IV, pp. 1-6 (Jan., 1920),

1

Ibid., p. 7.

the institution during the year, 9 for social offenses, 9 because they had not received in the institution sufficient training, and 7 others because of sickness or because they were worth more in the institution. They earned $3,278.81, making themselves more than entirely self-supporting. In fact, it required only about one-third of their earnings to meet the expenses of the colony.

A marked improvement in the condition of the girls was noticed. Dr. Bernstein says, "I do not hesitate to declare that the results of our year's experience amply justify us in deciding to go on with the work. . . ."

Other colonies were established about the institution at Rome because of the success of the first. In addition to domestic service, a colony has been started at Oriskany Falls to allow girls to work in the knitting mills. Requests have been received from nine other places for colonies. The mill colonies are promising for girls who require close supervision, for the supervisor who accompanies them from the colony to the mill acts as forewoman in the mill and thus can act as instructor for the new girls. In the domestic service colonies, including hand laundering and serving, girls who have been trained for a time there are mingled with new girls in training. At one of them a night school has been introduced and younger girls are kept there in training for a year before being allowed to work in homes. Of 200 girls passing through the girls' colonies in the first three. years, only 35 were permanently returned. Of the 165 out earning their own living, 77 had been paroled, 63 discharged after parole, 14 still were on parole, and 88 remained in the colonies. In 1918 there were eight of these colonies, all for domestic service except two mill colonies.

The more trustworthy girls at domestic work are allowed to sleep at the home where they are employed, but the colony remains their social center and to it they must report regularly.

Dr. Bernstein says that from one-fourth to one-third of the girls committed to his institution can be safely placed in such colonies. For such this method of care costs only $85 a year while it costs $280 a year to care for a girl in the institution. Careful supervision on parole has helped to make the experiment a success.

These various experiments indicate that we are about to see a new development in the care of the more trustworthy defectives, which will at once fit them for useful lives in the world, be much less costly to the state while they are in training, and make room in the institu

tion for those who cannot be colonized or paroled. Says Dr. Bernstein, "The results of the colony system we have found to be more self-respect, more hope, more happiness for individuals, and for the institution an atmosphere of hope that stimulates energy and industry, lessening the number of discipline cases." 1

So far in the experiment careful selection has been made of those who are placed on the colony for the policy should not be employed with all feeble-minded. It can, however, be used to make them happy and contented while they are usefully employed producing a large part of the cost of their care. Like practically every other experiment in the use of those defective industrially, much depends upon the managerial ability of the official in charge.

6. The Training of the Feeble-Minded. The first attempts to deal with the feeble-minded assumed that all they needed was training. With infinite patience Itard in France and Seguin, first in France and later in the United States, attempted to give the feeble-minded an education. They soon learned that the feeble-minded cannot be educated as are normal-minded children. Their dulled senses must be trained by simple means. Their sluggish organization must be stimulated by physical and psychological methods, and the education which is attempted must be suited to their capacities.

In our best educational systems the children who are two or three years backward in their grades are placed in special classes. While the special classes for the backward children is a movement in the right direction, it is now felt that after a certain stage has been reached, these children cannot be properly cared for in the public schools and should be sent to institutions specializing in the training. of such pupils. Individual attention based upon study of each case must be given them.

Moreover, in the special institution they are among people of their own kind and are not subjected to the abuse of the pupils in the public schools where they are often the butt of jokes and sometimes. the objects of brutal attacks and abuse.

In the special institution their training should extend to the utmost Then if development of their capacities for practical usefulness. their condition warrants it, they can be paroled; if not, they can be retained in as useful a place as possible in the institution or its colony.

1"Colony and Extra-Institutional Care for the Feeble-Minded," Mental Hygiene, Vol. IV, pp. 1-28.

TOPICS FOR REPORTS

1. History of the Treatment of the Feeble-Minded. Fernald, Proceedings, National Conference of Charities and Correction, 1898, p. 203.

2. The New York Experiment in Colony and Institutional Care of the Feeble-Minded. Bernstein, Proceedings, National Conference of Social Work, 1920, p. 359.

3. A State Program for the Care of the Mentally Defective. Fernald, Standards of Child Welfare, Children's Bureau Publication, No. 60, Washington, 1919, p. 399.

4. Review Goddard, The Kallikak Family, New York, 1912.

IN

CHAPTER XXI

THE CARE OF DEPENDENT CHILDREN

N this chapter our concern is primarily with the dependent normal child. The mental defective and the physically handicapped child are considered in other chapters.

The problem falls naturally into two parts-the problem of the infant, and that of the older child. In the one case the task is to secure the survival of the child; in the other his proper education and moral development. Infants, unless carefully tended, show an astonishing tendency to die. Throughout the country as a whole even at this day with its emphasis upon child welfare, 1 out of 10 born dies before it reaches its first birthday, while I in 4 or 5 perishes before the fifth birthday. In the institutions for children the death. rate has often run as high as 75 per cent of those received.

However, after the child has attained the age of 5 or 6, he shows a very high vitality as compared with the infant. But with the increase of his viability comes the problem of his social development. He is rapidly learning about 'the world in which he lives, including the characteristics of the human beings by whom he is surrounded. He is imitative and therefore must be provided examples worthy of imitation.

The Hopefulness of Charitable Work with Children. No class of dependents offer such possibilities as children. They are plastic beings. Hereditary tendencies being equal, the child can be molded much more easily than the adult already more or less fixed in habits, and possessing ideals good and bad. Response to treatment is much more emphatic, therefore, in the child than in the adult. Neglected, the child is much more likely to revenge himself on society for such neglect than the adult. Properly cared for, taught by good example and noble precept, the child is much more likely to develop the characteristics necessary for usefulness and success.

Most children live in sight of the end of the rainbow. Possessing the will to live and to achieve no acquired pessimism shadows their