News and Notes
New Certified Institution. ————————Stoke Lyne Institution, Withycombe, Devon, has been opened by the Devon County Council as a home for the training of boys under 16 who are ‘ ineducable ‘ in a special school, and have been notified under Section 2 (2) a of the Mental Deficiency Act. The house is a large private house with a good garden ; the rooms are well adapted for at: Institution of this sort The Home was opened on August 30th, and the first children received on the 22nd September, 1919. The Committee were fortunate in securing the services of Miss Darlington as Superintendent, who trained under Miss MacDowall. She has had valuable experience with this class of defective, and has already improved the children in a wonderful manner. An attempt is made to teach all the boys their lessons?in one case a boy of 14 has stopped lessons ‘ and is learning to be of use about the house, as it was found he did not seem ever likel3>- to learn in this way. Any of the boys who are capable help both in the work of the house and garden?they saw up logs and collect and carry wood, clean the boots, etc.
There is, of course, a great difference in the children’s capacities, but each one i* encouraged to do what he can to help. The boys have picked up their musical drill in a surprising manner, and seem to enjoy this thoroughly. One boy who was quite impossible to manage at home, and had therefore to be sent to a Workhouse while waiting to be admitted, is now quiet and obedient, though when he left the Workhouse we were told it would be ‘ one person’s work to look after him.’
New Residential Special School. —————————–Lexden House, Colchester, an old country house standing in some seven acres of ground on the outskirts of Colchester, has been opened as a branch girls’ school by the Royal Eastern Counties Institution. Like the parent Institution it is under the Board of Control and the Board of Education so that girls can be admitted under either the Mental Deficiency Act or under the Elementary Education (Epileptic and Defective Children) Acts. There are sixty beds and it is intended that fifty of these shall be occupied by high grade girls of school age and ten by young women between the ages of sixteen and twenty-four who will help with the housework. The ordinary special school subjects are taught and there is a large pleasure and kitchen garden in which all the girls who are strong enough work in turn, a full size playing field which is used for hockey and cricket, and a hand laundry with wash house, ironing and drying rooms, all run by the girls. The school is in charge of a certificated headmistress and there is one certificated assistant mistress, a school attendant, a needlework instructress, and a gardener, in addition to domestic staff. As the girls reach the age of twenty-four they will be transferred to the adult industrial classes at the Royal Institution itself.
Home at Crowborough. ——————The Executive Committee of the East Sussex Voluntary Association for the Care of the Mentally Defective have just opened a training home at Crowborough for girls between 14-18?the mentally backward and morally weak?who, on leaving school attempt to take situations, but prove incompetent, untrustworthy, or of such a difficult temper that it is impossible to employ them. Several have been brought to the notice of the Association by their parents, to whom they are returned with unsatisfactory characters, and it was thought that some special provision should be made by which they would be given training and kept under discipline for one, or even two years.
The Home is visited by a medical man and by a local Committee affiliated to this Association, so that the girls are kept under observation. A girl who proves herself to be really feeble-minded and unreliable will be dealt with under the Mental Deficiency Act, but those who improve will be sent to carefully chosen situations or drafted to Institutions as workers.
The Home is under the management of a capable and kindly woman who, with an assistant, trains the girls in housework, laundry and plain sewing. There are also facilities for gardening, poultry-keeping and butter-making which can be added later. There is accommodation at present for 10-12 girls.
The scheme is approved by the Board of Control and by the Ministry of Health, but in order to open it on a satisfactory basis it is necessary to raise the sum of about ?250. The parents pay what they can afford, and some help is usually forthcoming from persons interested in individual cases. The Guardians have contributed between ?60-?70. It is estimated that the maintenance of each case will cost about 18/- a week.
Lilian Greg Centre. —————–A centre for children excluded from Elementary and Special Schools was opened (in memory of Miss Lilian Greg) at St. Jude’s School, Britannia Street, King’s Cross, by a small Voluntary Committee working in co-operation with the London Association.
The objects of the centre are: ?
1. To give training to the Children, teaching them self-control and coordination in movement, making them happier and more responsible beings.
To give relief to the parents.
3. To try new methods of training and to obtain more knowledge of tne educational needs of low-grade children.
The Centre is open every morning between 9-30 and 12 and about 14 children attend regularly. Their time is occupied mainly with simple movements and physical exercises and with very easy manual occupations. These are so arranged as to encourage initiative, helpfulness and habits of obedience. All the children like coming, and often cry so much if kept at home that the parents bring them even in unsuitable weather and at considerable personal inconvenience.
The Centre is in charge of a teacher assisted by voluntary workers. The cost for this small number is roughly about ?20 a year per child, at present met by voluntary subscriptions, but the same staff would be sufficient for twentyfive children when the cost would be about ;?n 4s. a year per head.
In order to obtain information as to what experiments are being tried, a prize is being offered for the best essay on the training of low-grade defectives either in or outside institutions.
For further particulars write to Miss Rathbone, Lilian Greg Centre, Britannia Street, King’s Cross.
The Second C.A.M.D. Conference. —————————–The second Conference on the Administration of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913, was held in the Large Hall, Church House, Westminster, on Friday, November 28th, 1919. The meeting was originally called to the Guildhall, but owing to the large number of applications for tickets, had to be transferred to a larger Hall. Over 1,000 tickets were sent out, and a very large proportion of that number of delegates attended. The delegates were widely representative of Local Authorities (196), Local Education Authorities (168), Poor Law Guardians (219), and all Societies and Organisations dealing with Public Health Matters (475).
Mr. Leslie Scott, K.C., M.P., took the Chair in the morning and Sir W. PByrne, K.C.V.O., C.B., Chairman of the Board of Control, presided in the afternoon. The Conference was honoured by the presence of the Rt. Hon. C. Addison, Minister of Health, who addressed the morning session. Dr Addison expressed his appreciation of the splendid attendance at the Conference, and of the importance and value of all work done in connection with mental deficiency. He promised that he, in his capacity as Minister of Health, would do all in his power to further that work.
Papers dealing with various aspects of work for the mentally defective were read by Dr Meredith Young, Dr Auden and Dr Potts, and Sir William Byrne made an important announcement on the subject of Joint Action by Local Authorities. Discussion followed each principal speaker, but unfortunately the programme was so full that discussion was considerably curtailed. The keen interest shewn by the delegates proved that real concern is now being felt all over the country for the welfare of the mentally defective, and that Authorities generally are anxious for a better and more effective administration of the Mental Deficiency Act.
Many delegates expressed a desire for a longer Conference, and arrangements will be considered for a Conference to last for two and a half days, in November, 1920, when it is hoped much practical and useful work will be done. Full reports of the Conference, containing all papers, and reports of speeches and discussions, may be obtained from the offices of the C.A.M.D., price 1/6 each or 15/- per dozen, post free.
New Local Associations for the Care of the Mentally Defective. ————————————————————-At the request of the Lancashire Asylums Board, the Central Association for the Care of the Mentally Defective is taking preliminary steps to organise Associations in North Lancashire, Central Lancashire, and South East Lancashire. The Liverpool and District Association which was formed in 1915, will enlarge its area, so that these four Associations will cover the whole area of the County. For the purpose of the administration of the Lunacy and Mental Deficiency Acts, the whole County of Lancashire, including all the county boroughs is under one Statutory Body, viz : the Lancashire Asylums Board.
The city of Lincoln has now formed an Association. An Organiser was lent by the Central Association for the Care of the Mentally Defective for two months to do the initial work, and to train a Secretary to carry it on. A Conference between the Mental Deficiency Committee of the Staffordshire County Council and representatives of other Bodies and Societies was held in the County Buildings, Stafford, on December 20th, 1919, with a view to forming a Voluntary Association. Lord Charnwood was in the Chair. Miss Evelyn Fox was present, and gave an outline of the work Voluntary Associations could do for the Local Authority in carrying out some of its duties under the Mental Deficiency Act, and for other Bodies such as Education Committees, Poor Law Guardians, etc., and for defectives for whom no public Authority is responsible, but Who are in need of help or advice.
A Resolution was passed to form.an Association for the County of Stafford and to approach the County Boroughs in the geographical area as to the possibility of the formation of a joint Association. The Association would consist of representatives of the Mental Deficiency Committees, Education Authorities, Boards of Guardians, County Nursing Associations and other Societies. An Organiser from the C.A.M.D. will be going shortly to Staffordshire to do the preliminary work.
East and West Suffolk, which have a joint Mental Deficiency Committee are forming an Association and have asked for an Organiser.
Steps were taken to form an Association in Portsmouth in the early days of the war, but it had to be postponed. It is, however, now ready to begin work, and an Organiser is going there this month.
Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer of the Board of Education, (1918). Sir George Newman in his Report in the Section dealing with Special Schools estimates the number of mentally defective children in England and Wales at 30,800. The present accommodation in Special Schools is for 15,343, rather less than half the total number of defective children.
National Special Schools Union. —————————–At a General Meeting of the National Special Schools Union, held at the Royal Society of Arts, London, on November 29th last, it was decided to apply to the Board of Trade for a Charter of Incorporation. As soon as the necessary formalities are completed the Council will proceed to the constitution of a Board of Examiners and will then be prepared to issue diplomas to teachers in Special Schools.
Full particulars as to this diploma and as to the membership of the Union which is open to all interested in the work of Special Schools can be obtain’:.;1! the Hon. Secretary, Mr. J. Hudson, 62 Cranley Gardens, Palmers Green. N.13. Advisory Committee on the Welfare of the Blind. Ministry of Health. The above Committee has issued its first Annual Report on the work undertaken by them to March 31st, 1919.
Owing to the absence of any complete system of Registration, the Committee began by the compilation of a register. A case form was sent to all bodies and societies whose activities brought them into touch with the blind, and the results thus obtained classified and tabulated under the following heads:
Distribution according to age period and employment.
Distribution of employed blind persons according to occupation.
3. Distribution according to Mental or Physical Defects. 4- Distribution of Mental and Physical and blind defectives, according to age periods and employment.
The total number of blind persons in England and Wales, according to this report, is 25,840. Of these 1147 are reported as being also mentally defective, 189 being of school age.
This report lays stress on the urgent need for provision of sehool accommodation for blind children who are otherwise defective.
We should like to point out that the total accommodation in England and Wales for blind mentally defectives of school age is fifty-one; thirty-nine in a Special School and thirteen in an Approved Home. There is practically no accommodation for adults. A very few certified Institutions for defectives take one or two blind cases, but this is rare.
Advisory Committees for the welfare of the blind, covering the whole geographical area of England and Wales, have been set tip so as to be able to supply exact knowledge as to conditions existing in various parts of the country and to advise as to the local requirements of the Blind.
In a Circular of December 16th, 1919, from the Ministry of Health these Committees were asked to communicate with the Local Associations for the Care of the Mentally Defective, as regards the care of blind mentally defectives. A similar letter was also sent by the Central Association for the Care of the Mentally Defective to its local Associations.
Meetings of C.A.M.D. ——————–At the deferred Annual Meeting of the C.A.M.D. held on January 9th, Captain the Lord Elveden, M.P., who had kindly consented to serve, was elected Hon. Treasurer, and the Rt. Hon. A. J. Balfour, M.P., one of the VicePresidents of the Association.
It was decided to approach other persons interested in the problem of Mental Deficiency to ask them to become Vice-Presidents.
The Quarterly Meeting of the Executive Council was held on Jan. 9th. Owing to the unavoidable absence of Mr. Leslie Scott, Dr H. B. Brackenbury took the Chair. A resolution was carried that the C.A.M.D. should arrange a practical course for Medical Officers of Authorities and Institutions subject to such a course being approved by a recognised authority. A special committee was appointed to make further arrangements. The course would consist of lectures, clinical demonstrations, examination of individual cases, etc. The Finance Committee reported that owing to the urgent necessity to raise funds for the Association, an appeal Secretary had been appointed for a few months. A letter to arouse public sympathy had appeared in the ” Times ” of Nov. 28th, and a definite appeal for money would be made shortly.
The Education Committee reported that negotiations were still proceeding with the Board of Education with a view to establishing Short Courses on a permanent basis. Owing to the uncertainty of the position it had not been possible to decide where the next Short Course would be. It was their intention however, to hold one if possible next April, and particulars would be issued shortly.
Owing to the very large number of ‘ borderland ‘ cases which are reported to the C.A.M.D. and its affiliated Associations which are in urgent need of help and advice, a special Committee was appointed in April, 1918, to decide what action, if any, the C.A.M.D. should take, as regards these cases. There is at present no society or body to advise and assist such persons. This Committee had gone into the matter very thoroughly, so had been unable to present a report earlier to the Council. They suggested that the C.A.M.D., when asked to do so by the Medical Officer of a Clinic dealing with early cases of mental and nervous disorder should be prepared to assist by supplying information about the life and surroundings, and providing the supervision necessary for those cases which the Medical Officer thought could be suitably helped by the visitors of the Association. The Council decided that the C.A.M.D. should undertake this work if requested to do so by the Medical Officers in charge of the Clinics. Appointment of Speech Superintendent.
The C.A.M.D. have under consideration the appointment of a Speech Superintendent, specially qualified in the corrcction of Speech defects in mentally defective children who could be employed by institutions, Homes and special Schools for defectives for varying periods from one week upwards. This Superintendent would be prepared to correct the speech of individual childrea and to give demonstrations and lectures to teachers. Further particulars can be obtained from Miss Evelyn Fox.
Legislation. ————-Mental Deficiency (Amendment; Act, 1919. —————————————The above Act has now passed the House of Commons. Its full title is ” An Act to remove the limit imposed by section forty-seven of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913, and by section thirty-seven of the Mental Deficiency and Lunacy (Scotland) Act, 1913, on the contributions which may be made by the Treasury under those sections, and to extend the powers of district boards of control in Scotland to borrow money.”
The limit therefore of ,?150,000 to the Treasury contribution imposed by Section 47 of the Mental Deficiency Act is now removed.
Asylums and Certified Institutions (Officers Pensions) Act, 1918.
By the above Act Officers in Certified Institutions provided by Local Authorities under the Mental Deficiency Act 1913 are now entitled to pensions under the Asylum Officers Superannuation Act, 1909, as Officers of the Second Class.
School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1918.
Service as Certificated and Uncertificated Teachers in Certified Institutions under the Mental Deficiency Act is recognised by the Board of Education for the purposes of superannuation under the Act.
Copies of the above Acts can be obtained from H.M. Stationery Office, Imperial House, Kingsway, London. W.C. Asylums and Certified Institutions (Officers Pensions) Act. 1918. id. Asylum Officers Superannuation Act. 1909. id. School Teachers (Superannuation) Act. 191S. 2d.
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