The education of the imbecile, and the improvement of invalid youth.

Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The education of the imbecile, and the improvement of invalid youth. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    16/18 (page 16)
    morial, stated what had been done elsewhere for the good of fatuous children, and urged the Board to establish proper schools for the poor objects under its care. This memorial was extensively circulated, and helped not a little to rouse the attention of the public to the subject. It is likely that, sooner or later. Parochial Boards, generally, will be led to move in this matter. Either they will establish schools of their own, or send their fatuous pauper-children to some of the existing in¬ stitutions. But for such movement, it was considered quite inexpedient to wait. Dr Brodie having resolved to devote himself to the good work, a few generous friends supplied the means of making a commencement. No small difficulty was met with in endeavouring to find a suitable house. An airy and quiet situation in the outskirts of the town, with a good house and garden, was a combination not easily found. The tenement ulti¬ mately secured is in Gayfield Square. It is, in several respects, admi¬ rably adapted to its purpose. As in the case of Baldovan Institution, it is desired to have the Edinburgh school a self-supporting one. The Directors, however, are willing to receive contributions from the benevolent, either for the general support of the Institution, which can¬ not be expected, for some time at least, to be supported by its own pro¬ per revenue, or for application to particular cases belonging to the less affluent classes of society, of which a sufficient number is known to exist. It is rather recommended, however, that such cases should be provided for by the union of benevolent individuals directly interested in the several pupil-patients. This feature of the Institution, as well as the disinclination so generally felt by the parents of weakly children to part with them, will, probably, cause the progress of this new establish¬ ment to be slow. But, to admit of the superintendents being gradually initiated into the difficulties of their task, there seems to be a providential fitness in the slowness of its increase. The following sentences are extracted from the circular which was issued at the time of the opening of the institution :— “ The objects to be aimed at are :— u Is?, The improvement of the general health, by physical training, ex¬ ercise, bathing, and all other suitable appliances. 2c?, The awakening, regu¬ lation, and development of the mental powers, by those means, peculiarly adapted to this class, which have already been found so effective in similar institutions. Sc?, The employment of those educational resources which have been systematically developed in connection with Infant Training, with so n)ucli modification and extension as may be necessary to meet the peculiarities of the pupils. 4th, In the cases of the more advanced pupils, the providing of some suitable occupation, giving healthy employment, at once agreeable and profitable, to all their powers; especially keeping in view such occupations as may fit the pupils for future usefulness and inter¬ course with society.’’ “ The institution will receive a certain proportion of children and youth not affected with mental imperfection or peculiarity, but who are, from bodily ailments or other causes, unable to take their place at ordinary schools. The combination, which this institution presents, of practical me¬ dical experience with efficient educational resources, will supply, it is hoped, a want which is much felt by the parents of children in the condition here referred to.”