68 
hidiana University Studies 
sane asylum and a cousin, Laurence Cowden, was an inmate 
of Southeastern Hospital. Alta and Homer have 12 children, 
the oldest being only 17 years old. She is a very poor house- 
keeper and manager. They own a seven-room house which 
was in good shape when they moved into it 4 years ago. Now 
most of the windowpanes are missing and their place is taken 
by old rags ; the house is shackly from top to bottom. 
George, the first son of Homer, is a feeble-minded epileptic. 
He left school when he reached the third grade at the age of 
16 years. His teacher says that he was sullen and could not 
learn. He began having epileptic attacks in the summer of 
1917. George is lazy. He is known as a thief. He was re- 
cently convicted with another boy for stealing hay and corn. 
The court was going to send him to the Penal Farm when they 
discovered that he was under the required age. He is now 
cutting wood for his father. 
The second child of Homer Smith died in infancy. The 
physician states that the trouble was Status Epilepticus. 
Homer, the third child of Homer Smith, is feeble-minded. 
He is 14 years old with an I.Q. of 61. He is one of the sulkiest 
boys met with in the county. He will not look at one when he 
has to talk ; he will not play with the other children at recess 
but sulks in his seat. He has recently been in difficulty be- 
cause of truancy. His father claimed that he started him to 
school and threatened to whip the teacher for reporting him 
so often. The matter was placed before the Juvenile Court, 
and the boy will be sent to the Indiana Boys’ School on the 
next offense. At the trial, the father was asked how many 
children he had in school and was unable to answer the ques- 
tion. 
Luke, the fourth child of Homer Smith, is feeble-minded. 
He is 12 years old with an I.Q. of 49. He was retested the 
same day, and was given a number of suggestions to see if he 
could profit by them. He could not. The teacher says that 
he does not do a thing in school. The doctor says that he does 
not have good health. He looks more like an eight-year-old 
child than one who is 12. He can move only the muscles of 
one side of his face as is the case with his brothers. 
He stands out to one side during playtime and does not 
seem to be much interested even in watching the other chil- 
dren. He seems to have no interest in anything, and acts as if 
