Board of Control Appointment
On the recommendation of the Minister of Health, the King has been pleased to appoint Dr Bedford Pierce to be a temporary Commissioner of the Board of Control.
Broadcast Appeal
An appeal on behalf of the C.A.M.W. was broadcast by the Rt. Hon. Sir Leslie Scott, K.C., from 2LO, on Sunday evening, June 9th, and resulted in the receipt of donations amounting to ^629 9s. 7d. Much interest was aroused by the broadcast and the Association has received letters of enquiry from all parts of the British Isles as a result.
London Association for Menta! Welfare
The Annual Meeting of the London Association for Mental Welfare was held on Thursday, June 20th, at 5 p.m., at the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall, the President, the Hon. Lady Lawrence, presiding. The Annual Report was presented by the Chairman, Miss K. T. Wallas, and the Accounts and Balance Sheets by the Hon. Treasurer, Lord Strathcona and Mount Pvoyal. The Speaker, Dr E. O. Lewis, M.A., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., gave a most interesting address on ” Mental Deficiency as a Community Problem,” and it is hoped that this may appear in a future issue of Mental Welfare. A vote of thanks to the Speaker and President was proposed by Mrs. Dunn Gardner, L.C.C., and seconded by Mr. W. H. Fletcher, A.C.P., Chairman of the National Special Schools Union (London Association). There was a large and attentive audience. An exhibition of work done by children attending Occupation Centres in London aroused much interest.
New Institutions Gogarburn, Scotland ——————–
The Duke and Duchess of York, on 22nd May last, laid the foundation stone of the administrative block of buildings of the new Gogarburn Institu- tion for Mental Defectives, which is under construction by the Edinburgh Board of Control. The site of the Institution, which includes two estates, com- prises an area of 420 acres situated about three miles west of Edinburgh. The Institution is to be built in the form of a colony?designed as a small village with houses or blocks to accommodate 50 patients in each under a housekeeper or sister. The existing Mansion House of Gogarburn has now been adapted to house patients temporarily and there are now 60 patients residing there. In a speech at the Opening Ceremony, Colonel Young, Chairman of the District Board of Control, stated that it was intended to keep the earlier stage of the building on the Gogarburn ground. Later on it was hoped to extend the male colony on to the second estate, Kellerstain, where they would be nearer the farm lands for work. This is the first Colony of the kind to be established in Scotland.
Caldwell House Institution, Scotland
Another Institution for the Mentally Defective in Scotland was formally opened in June last?Caldwell House, which has been provided by the Govan District Board of Control.
The Caldwell Estate extends over 280 acres about 14 miles south of Glas- gow. This was purchased by the Board of Control some years ago, but a great deal of reconstruction of the mansion house and outbuildings was necessary to make it suitable for the purpose of an institution. The present accommoda- tion allows for 70 females and a boys’ home for 25. Further extensions in the way of pavilion dormitories, nurses’ quarters, etc., will probably be made later on in order to accommodate a greater number of cases.
National Council for Mental Hygiene Conference
The National Council for Mental Hygiene is organising a Conference on Mental Hygiene subjects, to be held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, October 30th and 31st, and November 1st, 1929.
The subjects to be discussed include Sex Education, the Personal Equation in Industry?The Child and the Parents?Delinquency, a Problem of Mental Hygiene. With the general meetings will be associated group discussions for teachers, parents, magistrates, probation officers, social workers, etc. Further information with regard to the Conference may be obtained from The Secret tary, National Council for Mental Hygiene, 78, Chandos House, Palmer Street, London, S.W.i.
Central Council for Health Education
The Central Council propose to hold a Conference for the discussion of Health Education on October 23rd and 24th next.
At the afternoon Session on October 24th, Sir George Newman has prom- ised to address the representatives of health societies and delegates from the bodies representing County Borough and Urban District Councils, Education Authorities and Insurance Committees on the ” Opportunities for Health Education Schemes offered by Section 67 of the Public Health Act, 1925.”
The three sessions of the Conference will be held at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The programme is not yet fixed but details can be obtained later from the General Secretary, Central Council for Health Education, 1, Upper Montague Street, Russell Square, London, W.C.i. London County Council?Schools for Mentally Defective Children In order to promote a greater fluidity of staff between ordinary schools and schools for mentally defective children, the Council invites teachers now engaged in elementary schools to apply for transfer to the special schools’ ser- vice for a period of five years, at the end of which time, if they so desire, they will again be offered positions on the staff of ordinary schools. An endeavour will be made to meet their wishes so far as possible when the re-transfer is effected. An additional increment (but not beyond the maximum salary) is payable to teachers while employed in special schools.
Applications for consideration under this scheme should be made to the Education Officer (E.9) County Hall, London, S.E.i, on Form E.40 (Transfer). Successful applicants will be appointed to definite schools as suitable vacancies occur.
(Reprinted from the L.C.C. Gazette by kind permission of the London County Council.) September Courses A Course for persons engaged in the training of Mental Defectives in Occupation Centres, Institutions or Mental Hospitals, and a Course for Officers of Local Authorities and Local Mental Welfare Associations will be held in London from Saturday, September 7th to Saturday, September 28th. Lectures, manual and rhythmic classes etc., will be given and a programme of practical work will include visits to Special Schools, Certified Institutions, Occupation Centres, etc., adapted to meet the needs of individual students. The above Courses may be supplemented, if desired, by an additional weeks’ practical work which will be arranged by the C.A.M.W. The fee for each Course is ?12 12s. od. (including a Registration Fee of 5/-), to be paid at the time of application, which includes the cost of Board and Residence at Notcutt House, 35, Dorset Square, N.W.i.
Application forms, which can be obtained from the C.A.M.W. Office, must be sent, together with the Registration Fee, as soon as possible. Training for Mental Health Work. Scholarship for Mental Welfare Workers
A special course for ” preparing men and women for social work in the field of mental health ” has been organised by the Department of Social Science and Administration of the London School of Economics and Political Science. The Course will cover one University session (three terms), beginning in October of any year, and a certificate will be granted to successful students on completion. The main courses of lectures will be in Psychiatry, Psychology and Social Case Work. The practical work will be under skilled supervision and will consist of visiting and observation of cases, of case discussions, con- ferences and demonstrations.
Students will be admitted to the Course on the recommendation of the Selection Committee appointed by the London School of Economics. Generally speaking, students will only be accepted if they (1) are over 25 years of age, (2) have already obtained a Social Science Certificate at a University, and (3) have had experience of some form of social work.
The fee for the one year’s course is 30 guineas, which covers the cost of all lectures, individual tutorial assistance and the arrangement of practical work and demonstrations and admits students to certain other privileges at the School of Economics.
Scholarship
The C.A.M.W., through the generosity of Mrs. Hume Pinsent and Miss Ruth Darwin, is able to offer a Scholarship of ?100 for the year 1929-30, in order to assist a suitable candidate who would otherwise, for financial reasons, be unable to take the course. The student who is awarded the scholarship will be expected to devote a period of years, on the completion of the course, to Mental Welfare wor Application for further particulars should be made at the earliest possible moment to Miss Evelyn Fox, Hon. Secretary, C.A.M.W., 24, Buckingham Palace Road, S.W.i.
Sterilisation?Denmark
A Sterilisation Act was passed in Denmark on the ist June last. A brief summary of the law is as follows: ?
Persons whose sexual tendencies are abnormal and who are dangerous to themselves and to the community, can, at their own request, after medical consultation and by permission of the Minister of Justice and Medical Council of Health, be subjected to treatment of the sexual organs. If the request comes from a married person, his or her wife or husband must, as a rule, signify agreement.
The Minister of Justice can also permit such treatment of mentally ab- normal persons who are in the care of poor law or government institutions if it is considered in the interest of the community and of advantage to themselves that they do not propagate. The Minister of Justice may not give permission until he has ascertained that the person or guardian understands the meaning and possible consequence of the treatment.
Report of the Mental Deficiency Committee The Report of the Mental Deficiency Committee of the Board of Educa- tion and Board of Control is now published in three sections, which can be obtained from H.M. Stationery Office, Adastral House, London, W.C.2. Volume i Price 2/- Containing Part I. General and Part II. The Mentally Defective Child.
Volume 2 Price 1/6 ? Part III. The Adult Defective. Volume 3 Price 3/- ? Part IV. Report by Dr E. O. Lewis on an Investigation into the in- cidence of Mental Deficiency.
Part III, concerning the Adult Defective, was first published on July 12th last.
A review of this Report is given in this issue. Conference Report It is hoped that the Report of the C.A.M.W. Conference will be available by the end of this month. Those who have not yet ordered their copies are asked to do so (price 3/6) from the C.A.M.W. Office as soon as possible.
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