Christmas Days
People do not always realise what can be clone, not only for but by mentally defective children and adults who have been trained.
Some of the achievements at festivities and exhibitions are greeted with surprise. It is not always possible to have the privilege of personal inspection, though those in charge of defectives are usually most ready to give of their precious leisure in showing- visitors what is being done..
The following notes giving different accounts of Christmas activities have been kindly sent to us. They may be of special interest to some of those who are only beginning the study and care of the mentally defective, and who may be encouraged by the success of others to attempt more and more.
Dr Turner, of the Royal Eastern Counties Institution, Colchester, has depicted the many sided avenues of work and play that are opened to those who are inmates of that great Institution.
“Preparations for Christmas in a big Institution begin in September. Amongst the earliest are rehearsals of plays by school children and by adults for per- formance soon after Christmas, both in the Institution and to the outside public. No doubt, however, the headmistress and others have been thinking out sccnes
and music long before this. The plays are not only a source of delight to everyone, but dancing-, singing-, elocution, deportment, and confidence are essen- tial lessons. Dresses and scenery have to be prepared. Dyes and unbleached calico are a great stand-by and the making provides work for weeks. This year’s Girls’ School play for instance, a comic opera, ‘ The Magic Fan,’ means about a hundred different costumes and fifty-five performers.
” Nearer to Christmas are all the decorations, including thousands of paper flowers, shades, set designs, paintings and streamers, as well as Christmas cards and presents to friends at homes. These provide instruction in painting, design, drawing, modelling, needlework, crochet, knitting, dressing of dolls, and even cookery. Then there are the shopping trips into the town to buy materials for the presents and also presents themselves. Everyone able to is expected to do their own shopping.
“A special dance with fancy dress made from paper is another feature of Christmas. Everyone keeps their dress a secret and prizes are given.. Christmas Day itself is the happiest day in the year. Parcels from home have mostly been distributed before the day. After early Service for those able to attend, it begins with Christmas cards, private presents, wishing everyone a Happy Christmas, and inspecting the decorations in everyone else’s class. Then Christ- mas boxes in money for everyone from the Superintendent. Dinner and dessert are great functions, but the finest thing of all to anyone who has never seen it is the appearance in the afternoon on the Recreation Hall stage of Father Christmas, in long white hair and beard, flanked by enormous, well-lit Christmas Trees, with a present for everyone on them, and many oranges and sweets. Many quaintly dressed helpers help to distribute everything. After tea and till one o’clock next morning there is a big social and dance, and more eating. The earlier part of the entertainment consists of items calculated to amuse the lower grades, such as musical chairs, songs, singing competitions, bursting balloons, but at nine the lower grades go to bed and the rest of the evening is devoted to the dances for the higher grades..
” When the festivities are all over come the preparation of the Special Christmas Number of the School Magazine, describing all that had happened, and the counting up of the profit on the play to see how much there will be to spend on the Summer Camp by the sea.”
At the Agnes Western Occupation Centre (the C.A.M.W. Training Centre) the Christmas party focuses the work of the Autumn term.
The children attending this Centre, together with the older boys attending the Employment Class, held their Christmas concert and party on December 22nd at St. Paul’s Mission Room, Banner Street. The room was nicely decorated with paper flowers and chains, which the children had made at the Centre. The concert was made up of songs, dancing, games, recitations, etc., which were all most creditably performed. A special feature was the marching and playing in various times with the band, and tableaux depicting nursery rhymes, etc.
These were admirably presented by the children, and that they were able to attain such control of their muscles speaks much for the constant training that must have gone towards such an achievement.
A sense training demonstration was very interesting, and the parents were very pleased to see the ready response which the children showed to the various commands.
There was a good display of handwork, consisting of stencil work on cushions, bags, etc., calendars stencilled or painted, various useful articles worked with cross stitch and bead work. The older boys showed some very good papier mfiche, chair and stool caning-, raffia mat work and boot repairing-.
Why should not this little article be made the opportunity of an appeal for help for this Centre. If our subscribers realise that the Centre may have to be closed owing to lack of adequate support, surely they will not allow such a catastrophe to take place. For a catastrophe it will be, not only to the boys and girls who are so patiently benefiting by the excellent scheme of training but also to the many students, not only from England, who are permitted to use the Centre for training. And it is so easy to help?take a 12s. book of Gd. tickets in the Stop-Watch Competition NOW from Mrs. Anderson, C.A.M.W., 24, Buckingham Palace Road, London, S.W.I.,
At Ipswich the activities of the Voluntary Association are many-sided, and much effort was given to Christmas rejoicings. There was the Occupation Centre entertainment, the separate party for the Girls’ Handwork Class ” for they wanted a party to themselves; they didn’t want to join no children,” and the sale of work, which realised <?4 10s.
Then there was the special evening at the Boys’ Club?that Club which is such a successful and encouraging venture. For it is attended with really surprising regularity by some 16?-20 young lads once a week, some of them in employment during the day. Just before their concert-party and supper, the boys do their usual drill and have their hand-football match, and their work is on exhibition. Very creditable work it is, a bookshelf, fretwork animals, money-boxes, letter rack, tray, cane and raffia baskets.
The Occupation Centre Entertainment showed the results of many months of hard work, for the children gave ” The Doll’s Doctor,” and various other recitations and songs in excellent style?and even some of the lowest grade, who were incapable of performing, testified to the previous months’ training, for they sat quiet and amenable and interested. Yet these are the chil- dren who so often have, when they first come to the Centre, no social sense and very little self-control.
Miss Hollyer has sent us some details of the pleasant happenings in the very home-like atmosphere of the South Side Home for Girls at Streatham. ” On Christmas Eve the Institution was prettily decorated early in the day, an abundance of well-made paper flowers having been previously prepared by the girls for this purpose. In the evening they performed a Nativity Play, to which their relations and friends were invited. This involves much training, but most of the girls are very fond of music and singing-, and there is no doubt that all did their very best on this occasion. Most noticeable was the extreme reverence shown throughout the whole performance; never once was this for- gotten, even by the youngest performer, who is not yet nine years of age.
” On Christmas morning, about 5.30 a.m., a large party are allowed to go round the Institution carol-singing. This is entirely voluntary, and is arranged by the girls, and is looked upon as a great privilege. The singing is conducted by one of themselves, and is really beautiful in the quiet stillness of early morn- ing. At 8.0 a.m. as many as wish to do so attend Holy Communion at the Parish Church ; later all are expected to attend the morning service, after which they return to a real Christmas dinner. Parcels and gifts from their relations or friends are distributed. Quite a number of the patients have no relations or friends outside the Institution, but owing to the generosity of the Staff there are parcels for all. It has been the custom for several years for the Staff to give a concert on Christmas evening.
” On Monday we had a Christinas Tree and tea party to which a number of visitors were invited. Father Christmas as usual attended and distributed gifts from the tree, and some visitors brought instruments and formed a splendid band for the dancing”.
” A fancy dress dance was held on December 29th. The costumes this year were splendid. All patients are encouraged to think out their own costumes and make them if they possibly can. Prizes are given for the best of these, the result is amazing, as the material is very limited; the interest taken is really wonderful, and we find many excellent copies of the various advertisement posters. For instance one patient with some old coarse aprons and an old cotton frock and some cheap goggles represented the well-known advertisement for Michelin motor tyres.”
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