69 



i:i:i'()in' ok a sti i>v of mkxtat, Ar.iM'iv ok cmi.DKKX l\ 



OKIMIANS- IU)MK \S IMMAXA. 



u 11 i:siAi;i:(H)K. 



All tlic cliildrcii in (Hii' dipliaiis" Ik.iiic in Iiidiiiii.'i Imvc hccii ^ivcn iiif"itil 

 tests. Willi the cxcrplinii (if lluisc \uu\rv the nuc of six yc;ii-s. 'I'lic Sl;inr<inl 

 K('\isi(in (if I'.iiii't tests \v;is \ise<l. At the same time the I'ressey :,M(iui> 

 tests, the i>rinier and cress ont. were ;;iven to all tlmse atlemlini; school. 

 .V social stud.v of each child has Iteeii made and. with this coinhineil data, 

 children in this orphans' home have been classified as: averajie, retarde*!. 

 prohahly hisli grade defective, and feeble-minded. At the .same time 

 these children have l)een eoiisidered frcmi the standpoint of phiceahility in 

 foster homes or admission to the School for Feeble-Minded Youth at Fort 

 Wayne. One hundred forty children, in all, have been studied. Fifty-three 

 el these liave been foimd to be of average mentality. MT retarded. V2 i)rob- 

 ahly mentally defective and 38 definitely feeble-minded. One hundred one 

 ot these 14(1 are wards of the State. Of tliese 101, :!4 are of average meii- 

 rality. 1'4 retarded. 10 probably liigh grade defectives, and 'Xi feeble-mimUvl. 

 Tliese liave been classified as to their placeability in foster liomes, retention 

 in rhe institution for furtlier study and training, and tho.sc suHiciently meii- 

 t illy defective that they should be placed in the School for Feeble-Minded 

 Youth because of such a degree of mental defectiveness as to be unplace- 

 alile in foster homes or retained in the Orphans" Home. Forty-eiglit are 

 found placeable : 1.") should be retained for further study and trainin.g, 

 while .'!S are so definitely feeble-mind(>d as to he a detriment to the institu- 

 tion. 



The accimipanyiug chart shows the distribution of the mental ages show- 

 in4 the mental acceleration and mental retardation. It is interesting to 

 note that IH children are advanced in age mentally and 23 grade exactly 

 normal for physical age; 28, or 20%, are retarded one year; 18. or 13*/^. 

 are retarded two years: oC). or 40%. are retarded three or more years. This 

 study shows the need of a mental examination and social study of all chil- 

 dren in the orphans' homes in this state that they can be properly classified 

 and that proper distribution of these in suital)le institutions be made at the 

 e.iiliest possible moment, thus relieving tlie orphans' homes of the burden 

 of the mental defectives who are properly not their charges, and paving 

 111" way for their proper care in a custodial institution for the feeble- 

 mi uded. 



