H.—7a

Residential schools should not be the last resort of parents who are no longer able to control the defective child at home. They should rather constitute the principal avenue by which feeble-minded children may be brought to their maximal social efficiency, irrespective of whether their lives are to be lived within the shelter of an institution or in the general community under supervision. I have already pointed out the impossibility —apart from the undesirability—of segregating all the feeble-minded in any country, and it is generally held that the proportion requiring this step is in the vicinity of a tenth of the total number. It is obvious, therefore, that any effective scheme of State control must provide for community care and supervision of the remainder. The aim of the residential school should be to render as many of its pupils as possible fit to live in the general community, engaging in an occupation to which they have been trained and from which they can earn their livelihood. There can be little doubt that the drift of at any rate a proportion of the feeble-minded into criminality, thriftlessness, and anti-social practices and habits can be traced to their sense of failure and inadequacy in competition with their fellows. I have reported pessimistically as to the results to be expected from day schools, but it is far otherwise with the residential establishments. From my experience in mental hospitals 1 have long been well aware of the occupational possibilities of certain classes of feeble-minded and insane patients, particularly in regard to domestic duties for the females, and farming and gardening in the case of the males ; but until I had made my recent tour I had little idea as to the extent to which industrial training could be carried in regard to the vast majority of the feeble-minded. This training is not only a measure of help to the individual, but is an economic factor of considerable importance to the institutions concerned, and to the country, as will be realized from the figures which I shall presently quote. The principal residential and training schools which I visited were : In America : Letch worth Village, New York; Waverley and Wrentham, Massachusetts; Vinelands, New Jersey. In England : The Manor, London; Moneyhull, Birmingham; Darenth Colony, Kent; Calderstones, Lancashire. In Scotland: Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow; Baldovan, Dundee: Stoneyettes, near Glasgow. In Germany : Wittenau, near Berlin. The very much easier economic situation presently existing in America as compared with Great Britain and the other countries visited was reflected in the generous provision of buildings, equipment, and staffs, and comparisons would serve no useful purpose. It is important to bear in mind that, while certain plans of design and administration are found to be most workable and economical, the results to be expected are not directly proportionate to the lavishness of expenditure, but to the breadth of view, humanity, organizing ability, and common-sense of the person under whose control the institution is placed. There is more or less general agreement as to the most suitable type of plan, the best methods of classification, and the lines of treatment calculated to produce the best results, but I was very much struck with the marked differences in tone produced under different types of Superintendents. All modern residential schools in Britain and America are founded on the villa or colony system, and the following provisions are necessary: Villas (These are built throughout of fire-resisting material; each should accommodate from fifty to sixty patients, the sleeping-rooms being on the first floor, and the dining, day, and bath rooms on the ground ; villas for the more helpless patients should be one-storied) ; school: workshops; laundry; kitchen; central hall; hospital; contagious hospital; administration block ; officers' residences, &c. SHORT NOTES ON THE DIFFERENT RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS VISITED. Letchworth Village.—One of the best-conducted institutions seen. Population, 2,000. Dr. Little considers that 1,000 should be the maximum number in any institution, as this is about the most any Superintendent can get to know personally. Divided into what are practically six separate institutions, each complete in itself, except for laundry, school, and industrial unit. Classification : 1, Girls over sixteen ; 2, boys over sixteen ; 3, girls under sixteen ; 4, under sixteen ; 5, crippled and lowest types (boys) ; 6, crippled and lowest types (girls). The Villas : Each villa is in charge of a Matron. When asked what training these women had had Dr. Little said with emphasis, Just what they have picked up here. I pick them because of their personality. 1 want people who can do the job, not people who can talk about how it should be done. For the domestic side of the institution I want kindly active girls who will be good to the patients, punctual in running the house, and willing to co-operate with the rest of the staff." Threefourths of his Matrons were Scottish immigrants, and he said he never wants to get better. The children were scrupulously neat and tidy, and the houses in good order. The School: Dr. Little's comment, "We are teaching those youngsters. Ido not know that as far as lessons go we are getting anywhere, but they do help to give the children some idea of obedience and orderly conduct. We do not overdo it, and they are in school only half the day. In a school of this sort your head teacher is one of your most important officers. She should not only control the school but also the occupation classes. It is not easy to get the right woman, but be sure and make no mistake in this matter." There is very little academic education here. Even in the school the curriculum is designed as a preparation for the industrial training. Even the youngest were being taught to tease rags into strips for use by the class immediately above, who stuffed dolls whose clothes were cut out by a still higher class. Fastening of buttons, distinction of colours and forms, were amongst other subjects taught. Industrial training : Domestic science is taught in a room specially set apart for that purpose. It is fitted with a household range on which simple recipes are made, and bedmaking, table-setting,

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