Feeble-Minded Children.
By Editor
THE following circular was received from the Secretary of the "California Association for the Care and Training of Feeble-minded Children," with a request to notice in our pulpit a meeting to be held in this city, to consider this object. It being on the evening of our prayer-meeting we appointed to dismiss our meeting promptly at 8 o'clock, and advised our attendants to go to the First Congregational Church, which they did, where we listened to an interesting and instructive address by Dr. Stratton. We wish the Association abundant success. Its Secretary is J. H. Applegate, Jr., Room 43, Halleck Block, No. 320 Sansome Street, San Francisco, who will give information concerning their work. IT is believed that the time has now come for the establishment of an Institution in California for the care and training of feeble-minded children, similar to those in operation in Europe and most of the Eastern States. Several meetings have been held with reference to this work; and a Board of Directors has been elected and incorporated under the laws of the State. It has been ascertained that the services of a most efficient superintendent, teacher and attendant can be obtained from the oldest institution in the United States, provided sufficient funds can be secured for the support of the enterprise. The undersigned, directors of the proposed Institution, ask all those who are charitably disposed to aid in this necessary and most noble work. The plan of the Institution, from its nature, must be beyond the scope of individual enterprise. It is not designed for the wealthy alone, who will render ample compensation, but for those poor and needy cases from all parts of the State for whom there is no place in any other educational institution, and who would otherwise be left to suffer and sink into hopeless fatuity, to which their condition inevitably tends. The desire of those interested in behalf of this class of unfortunates—of which, from our last census returns, there are 500 in this State—is simply, that they may be provided with accommodations adapted to their comfort, and supplied with an education of the most practical character, promoting their usefulness, their happiness, and the public good. All doubts as to the practicability of educating feeble-minded children have now been removed, and it has ceased to be regarded as an experiment. The necessity and utility of institutions for this unhappy class are everywhere acknowledged; and all demands for their benefit are cheerfully met by the people of the State in which they are located. It is a fact certified to by all leaders in this work, that eighty per cent of this class in such institutions are rendered self-supporting. One-half of this number are returned to their homes cured, and in the case of children even a greater percentage. The educational processes which produce such happy results have now for a long time been reduced to an exact system; and the beneficent influence of institutions founded for this purpose is attested by official reports from every State where they exist. We have in California no provision whatever for this afflicted class. Can there be a worthier charity, or one which more deeply appeals to our humanity and our sense of justice? Will not every reader of this circular take an active part in this great work, and those who can, by contributions, and all, by personal effort and influence, aid in its successful foundation? We invoke upon our enterprise the blessing of Him who through his inspired apostle enjoined upon us to "comfort the feeble-minded."