PUBLISHED MONTHLY AT FIVE DOLLARS PER ANNUM-JNO. R. THOMPSON, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. VOL. XV. RICHMOND, FEBRUARY, 1849. EDUCATION OF IDIOTS. NO. 2. tions are wrought, that appear almost miraculous. The expressionless face, the open mouth, the lolling and speechless tongue, all so eloquent of Within three quarters of a century past, Hu- the vacant mind, the uncleanly habits, the totmanity has achieved three very great triumphs tering and powerless limbs and frame,-have over physical and mental misfortune. The teach- been changed into looks of comparative intelliing of the deaf and dumb to read and write, in gence, neatness of person and dress, a perfect 1773, at Edinburg, made Dr. Johnson conclude command of the limbs, a capacity to talk, to read that such a conquest, over an infirmity seemingly and write, to do works of usefulness, and even irremediable, left nothing hopeless to human re- to earn a livelihood by labor! solution. "After having seen the deaf taught arithmetic," says he, "who would be afraid to cultivate the Hebrides ?"-Yet in our own time, the lengths that had been gone in his day, are far transcended so that to be deaf and dumb now forms, comparatively, a trivial obstacle to social enjoyments, and social usefulness. More recently, by the help of raised letters, the blind have had the inestimable pleasures of reading opened to them and, by feeling along the page, are enabled to gather its meaning almost as rapidly as he who reads by sight. Thirdly comes the improved method of treating lunatics, invented by Pinel, and practised now in most or all of our American Lunatic Asylums; which substitutes kindness, fresh air, proper exercise, healthful diet, and a patient culture of the reason and of the moral feelings, for the chain, the dungeon, the ducking-stool, and the lash. An improvement by which the number of cures is quadrupled, and the sufferings of the incurable are unspeakably No mysteries attend this great work. There are no nostrums of secret composition-no undivulged sleights of hand,-nor any of the other artifices, by which humbug and quackery commonly operate. The whole magic of those marvellous cures consists in patient care, with judicious, long and oft repeated efforts, in training the hands, the feet, the eyes, the ears, the touch, and the mind of the idiot subject. Ever since 1830, these efforts have been going on; indeed the system of observation which led to them began in 1828, or earlier. Messieurs VOISIN, LEURET, and SEGUIN, French physicians, appear to be the men to whose benevolence, ingenuity, and patience, mankind are mainly indebted for this inestimable alleviation of one among human nature's greatest calamities. Doctor John Conolly, of London, seems to have been foremost in making the improvement known in England and Mr. George Sumner, of Boston, is the first American, so far as we know, who has brought it to the notice of his countrymen. The Westminster We have now to herald a yet greater wonder, Review, for April, 1848, from which we derive to the Virginia public: a more striking, if not a all our knowledge of the subject, has an article more beneficent achievement of enlightened Hu- on "The Bicêtre Asylum," made up chiefly of manity. It is the education of IDIOTS. The extracts from a book of Dr. Conolly, and a letanimation of clay seems hardly more incredible, ter of Mr. S. to a friend in Boston. The letter than the extent to which MIND has been infused is filled with particulars of the deepest interest. into such masses of stolidity. So hopeless has It was elicited by inquiries from Dr. Howe, of been the cure of idiots, so hopeless even any ap- Boston-member of a commission appointed in preciable improvement of their condition by any 1816, to inquire into the condition of idiots in process used in our Insane-Hospitals, that the Le-Massachusetts, "to ascertain their number, and gislature of Virginia, eight years ago,* forbade whether any thing could be done for their relief." any idiot to be received into either hospital. And such, we believe, has been the course in other States and countries. alleviated. But by the efforts of gifted meu in France, new lights have lately been thrown upon the capabilities of those unfortunates. There is a school and hospital for them in Paris, where transforma Acts of 1841, p. 45, ch. 15, § 34. The Bicêtre is the seat of the school for idiots, near Paris; and contains also a lunatic asylum. Dr. Con lly says, "In the first part of the Bicêtre to which I was conducted was a school exclusively established for the improvement of the idiotic and of the epileptic, and nothing more extraord nary can well be imagined. No fewer than forty of these patients were assembled in a moderate-sized school-room, receiving various lessons and per forming various evolutions under the direction of any of the senses appear developed; who is abana very able schoolmaster, M. Seguin, himself a doned to the lowest passions, and who is unable pupil of the celebrated Itard, and endowed with to walk or to execute voluntary movements. that enthusiasin respecting his occupation before He is brought to Bicêtre, and placed at once in which difficulties vanish. His pupils had been the class of those boys who are executing the all taught to sing to music, and the little band of moving power. Here, with about twenty others, violins and other instruments by which they were who have already learned to act somewhat in accompanied, was formed of the old almsmen unison, he is made, at first by holding and guiof the hospital. But all the idiotic part of this ding his arms and feet, and afterwards by the exremarkable class also sang without any musical citement of imitation, to follow the movements accompaniment, and kept excellent time and of his companions. These, at the order of the tune. Both the epileptic and idiotic were taught teacher, go through with various steps and moveto write, and their copy-books would have done ments of the head, arms and feet, which at the credit to any writing school for young persons. same time that they give wholesome exercise to Numerous exercises were gone through, of a the animal part of the system, develope the first kind of military character, with perfect correct-personal sentiment, that of rest and immobility. ness and precision. The youngest of the class After this, the class is made, at the word of comwas a little idiot boy of five years old, and it was mand, to designate various parts of the body. interesting to see him following the rest, and imi- On the 20th of January, the number of this class tating their actions holding out his right arm, left arm, both arms, marching to the right and left at the word of command, and to the sound of a drum beaten with all the lively skill of a French drummer by another idiot, who was gratified by wearing a demi-military uniform. All these exercises were gone through by a collection of beings offering the smallest degree of intellectual promise, and usually left, in all asylums, in total indolence and apathy." was eighteen; some of whom had been several months under treatment; others of whom had been just attached to it. The teacher, 1st, indicated, with his hand, a part of the body,-as head, arm, hand, face, hair, eyes, and named it aloud; the children repeated the movement and touched the part. 2nd. The teacher designated, with the voice, a part which the idiot touched. 3rd. He designated a part by gesture, and the pupils named it aloud. There are many, of course, who are slow to do this, but the love of Mr. Sumner thus groups together some of the imitation, and the care of teachers, produce, in wonderful results of the new system: time, the necessary regularity of movement; the organ of speech has yet, however, to be developed in others. "During the past six months I have watched, with eager interest, the progress which many "A complete series of gymnastic exercises, young idiots have made, in Paris, under the di- adapted to the various necessities which the phyrection of M. Seguin, and at Bicêtre under that siological examination has established for each of Messrs. Voisin and Vallée, and have seen, case, is now followed up; the result of which is, with no less gratification than astonishment, to create an equilibrium between the muscular nearly one hundred fellow-beings who, but a and the over-excited nervous system, to fatigue short time since, were shut out from all commu- the idiot sufficiently to procure him a sound and nion with mankind, who were objects of loath- refreshing sleep, and to develope his general ining and disgust, many of whom rejected every telligence. At the same time, the hygeienic treatarticle of clothing,-others of whom, unable to ment, adapted to his peculiar case, is applied. stand erect, crouched themselves in corners and He is exposed to the light of the sun, to fresh gave signs of life only by piteous howls,-others, air-is made to go through frequent ablutions, in whom the faculty of speech had never been and is warmly clad. In most cases a tonic diet developed, and many, whose voracious and in- is adopted, and he is placed at table where the discriminating gluttony satisfied itself with what- monitors, by dint of industry and example, teach ever they could lay hands upon, with the garbage him to eat as do those around him. thrown to swine, or with their own excrements;- "The next step is to educate the senses, beginthese unfortunate beings-the rejected of human-ning with that of feeling; and beginning with ity, I have seen properly clad, standing erect, this, inasmuch as it is the sense by which the walking, speaking, eating in an orderly manner idiot acquires most readily a knowledge of exat a common table, working quietly as carpen-ternal objects, long before his eye is accustomed ters and farmers; gaining, by their own labor, to fix their image, or his ear to listen to sounds. the means of existence; storing their awakened Smell and taste are next cultivated; the former intelligence by reading one to another: exercis- by presenting to the pupil various odors, which ing towards their teachers and among themselves at first make no impression whatever, rose and the generous feelings of man's nature, and sing-assafoetida being received with equal favor. By ing in unison songs of thanksgiving." degrees, and as the harmony of the functions is restored, and the intellectual activity developed, to awaken others. The sense of taste is roused Our readers must not fail to read the following this sense is awakened, and lends again its aid long extract from Mr. Sumner's letter; con- in the same manner, by placing in the mouth vataining, in fact, its main substance. All that we rious substances, alternately, sapid and acid, bithave said was meant but to introduce and re-ter and sweet. commend this extract: "The power of speech, so imperfect in all, is the most difficult to develope; but a method, im"Let us take a young idiot, in whom scarce proving upon that which Pereira practised, in 1760, and which has been since successfully fol- is exercised, among other means, by the pupil's lowed up in Germany, has been adopted at Bi- learning to distinguish and name, while blindçêtre, and also in the private practice of Seguin, folded, the natural sounds as produced by the with great success. This is, however, the part cords of a bass-viol. Meanwhile, the youngest of idiot education that proceeds the slowest, and class of eighteen or twenty is going through its which, more than any other, except, perhaps, the elementary gymnastics of the moving power. moral treatment, requires, the greatest attention, patience and intelligence on the part of the teacher. ever, "From 8 to 9, A. M., is taken up by the study of numeration and arithmetic. Here the whole school is divided into frequently changing "The sight is next cultivated; and here, as in- groups, according to the various capacities dedeed in every part of this miracle of instruction, veloped. The lowest of all is ranged in line and great difficulties were at first encountered. The taught to count aloud up to thirty; a series of eyes of the idiot are often perfectly formed, but sticks, balls, or other material objects, being given he sees nothing-they fix no object. The organ to them at the time. This helps to ameliorate he possesses but it is passive and dormant. their speech, and to stimulate to imitation those The senses of smell and taste have been devel- who have not that faculty. Another group is set oped by direct action upon them; that of touch, to climb upon ladders, counting the number of by putting the hand in contact with different bo- rounds as they go up,-and thus the muscular dies; the stagnant eye of the idiot cannot, how-system and knowledge of numeration are simulbe moved by the hand of another. The taneously developed. A higher group is of those method employed is due to the ingenuity of Se- who count up to fifty with counters, and who, by guin. He placed the child in a chamber, which means of them, get an idea of unity, plurality, was suddenly darkened, so as to excite his atten- subtraction, addition and equality. A higher tion, after which, a small opening in a shutter group still has learned to count up to one hundred, let in a single ray of light, before which various and another group is learning, by means of moveobjects, agreeable to the pupil, arranged upon able figures taken from a case, the combinations slides, like those of a magic lantern, were suc- of numbers. Higher still are boys working upon cessively passed. The light, and its direction, their slates, or going through calculations upon having once attracted his attention, was then, by the black board, with a facility and precision that a change of the opening in the shutter, moved any pupil of Warren Colburn might envy. up and down, to the right and left, followed in most cases, by his heretofore motionless eyeballs. This is succeeded by exercises of gymnastics, which require the attention of the eye to avoid, not a dangerous bruise, but a disagreeable thump; games of balls and battledores are also used to excite this sense. Another means employed, is to place yourself before the idiot, fix his eye by a firm look, varying this look according to various sentiments; pursuing, for hours even, his moving but unimpressed orbit; chasing it constantly, until finally it stops, fixes itself and begins to see. After efforts of this kind, which require a patience and a superiority of will that few men possess, the first reward comes to the teacher himself, for his identity is recognised by other means than the touch, and he catches the first beam of intelligence that radiates from the heretofore benighted countenance. "From 9 to 94. Breakfast of soup and a plate of meat. The pupils are here seated at table, and eat with fork and spoon-the more adroit aiding those less so. 93 to 104. Recreation in open air,-running, playing ball, driving hoop, or cultivating a small plot of ground, the hire of which, for three months, each one may gain by a certain number of tickets of good conduct. "10 to 114. Reading class, in which all take part, divided, however, into various groups, as before. 66 "114 to 12. Writing class. Here the lowest group is taught only to trace on the black board, with a ruler, these lines: "The number of pupils in the school has varied, for some time past, from eighty to one hundred. At 5 o'clock they rise, and pass half an "The next group is taught to make upon the hour in washing, combing and dressing; the board the rudimental curvilinear characters, makmonitors, pupils more advanced, aiding those ing three in each line. After this they write on whose instruction is but recently commenced. slates, and, when farther advanced, the monitor They then pass into the hall of classes, and being ready to guide their hands, they write in range themselves in a double line-no easy task ruled books. The highest class rules its own for the beginners when they sing a simple morn- books, and writes alternately a page of large and ing prayer, repeated to them by the teacher. fine hand. After this, they make their first breakfast of a simple slice of bread. The class for the education of the senses now begins and fills up the "1 to 44. Manual labor. In this all take part; time till 84, A. M. In the 1st or highest divis- some as shoe-makers, some as carpenters, or ion, several occupy themselves with face and rather cabinet-makers, and some as tillers of the landscape drawing; and others, less advanced, ground. One of the best exercises for the body, with geometrical drawing upon the black-board. inasmuch as it compels the idiot to walk and balThe 3rd division, divided into sections, is of those ance himself unaided, is that of wheeling a barwho are exercising the senses of smell, taste, row, charged with a weight proportionate to his sight, and observing color and form by the method strength. The most stupid may be soon taught I have before described. The sense of hearing this. Others, more intelligent, wield spade and "12 to 124. Gymnastics. speaks for itself: The testimonies of other English travellers in pickaxe most energetically and profitably; but | nowhere does their awakened intelligence appear France are given; but we have room only for more satisfactory than in the workshop of a cabi- one more short extract from Mr. Sumner, which net maker. When one of them has sawed through a plank, or nailed together two pieces of wood, or made a box, his smile of satisfac"The fact, I have said, is now clearly estabtion, the consequence of something attempted, something done, the real result of which he lished, that idiots may be educated; that the reNor is their flective power exists within them, and may be awacan estimate,-is beautiful to see. kened by a proper system of instruction; that they work, by any means, to be despised. With one cabinet-maker as teacher and monitor, they per- to the attitude of men; that they may be taught be raised from the filth in which they grovel formed, last year, all the work necessary for their different arts which will enable them to gain an school-room and dormitories, as well as for a good honest livelihood; and that, although their inpart of the great establishment of Bicètre. At telligence may never, perhaps, be developed to shoe-making they show intelligence; but this is too sedentary an occupation for them. Some, such a point as to render them the authors of ideas and great deeds which leave however, who have quitted the school, work at it; but the greater number of them become farm-a stamp upon an age, yet, still, they may attain a respectable mediocrity, and surpass, in mental ers and gardeners. power, the common peasant of many European “After this manual labor they dine, and after dinner play till 64 P. M. "From 64 to 7. Grammar class; the lowest group is taught to articulate syllables,—the highest, as much as in any grammar school. may those generous states." The Reviewer adds a sensible admonition to those who are establishing similar schools, or "From 7 to 84 is passed in reading to one hospitals, in England, not to place them in, or another, or in conversations and explanations adjoining lunatic asylums or other retreats for the with the teacher, upon things which may excite insane; because of the hurtful influence exerted the reflective power; two evenings in the week by the sights and sounds of such asylums upon the nascent and tender minds of the idiot pupils. this hour is devoted to a concert and a dance. to rest. And now, will Virginia do her duty towards the hundreds of her own sons and daughters "Such is a day at the school of Bicêtre. who are in the helpless and distressing condition Every Thursday morning the teacher takes them of idiocy? We do not know, but we will lay any out to walk in the country, and then inculcates elementary notions of botany, designating by wager-even "our dukedom to a beggarly detheir names, and impressing by smell, taste and nier"-that Massachusetts has done something sight, the qualities of different flowers and useful decided, something generous, on this subject, bevegetables which they see. At the same time fore now. he explains, by locality, the first elements of geography. On Saturday evening there is a distribution of tickets of good conduct, three of which pay the rent of a garden, and one of which may buy off, for another, with the consent of the teacher, the punishment adjudged for certain slight acts of negligence. You will see at once the effect which this must have upon the generous sentiments of the pupils. The sentiment of possession is developed-the rights of BY THE BARDS WERDOMAR, KERDING AND DAR property taught; but its duties and its pleasures are, at the same time, impressed. "These tickets of good conduct are given also to those who are designated, by the pupils them HERMANN. MOND. AN ODE. M. L. selves, as having done some kind and generous (From the German of Klopstock. In the style of the ancient German bards.) BY C. L. LOOS. action, -as -as having been seen to run to the aid of one who had stumbled at play,-who had divided among his companions the bon-bons he may have received from a visitor, or who had helped, in any way, one weaker than himself. Thus Hermann, in Latin called Arminius, was the they are constantly on the look-out for good actions in one another; but they are most positiveson of Siegmar, a prince of the Cherusci. He ly forbidden to repeat the negligences or unkind was educated at Rome, and was raised there to conduct which they may observe. The surveil- the rank of a knight. But even amidst the splenlance of the monitors is sufficient to detect these; dors of the capital of Augustus, the fire of patand even were it not, M. Vallée prefers that they riotism burned in his soul, and he returned to the should go unpunished, rather than that they forests of Germany, determined to liberate his should serve to cherish the grovelling sentiments of envy and malice which lurk in the breast of country from the Roman yoke. By his eloquence the informer and the scandal-monger."-Letter, and zeal he assembled around him the German hosts, and in a decisive and bloody battle, fought p. 11. Flow, flow down the glowing cheek, in the Teutoburger forest, whither he had lured | the enemy, and which lasted for three days, he defeated and almost annihilated an immense Ro-They are not mute. Thou understandest what they murman army under the command of Quinctilius mur, Let none of the traitors of the fatherland Varus. Three Roman legions were almost en-It is a curse. Hear them, O Hela,3 See ye Werdomar. the forest.stream tumble And hurled down with it the rumbling pines Soon will he be dust, and rest "Varus, Varus, give me back my legions!" Hermann is regarded by the Germans as the deliverer of their country, and this defeat of Varus as the great battle of their freedom, which secured to them their future independence and the purity of their language, their customs and their laws. He was victorious in many other engagements with the enemies of his country, and Caecina, a Roman general under Germanieus, son of Drusus, came near meeting the fate of Varus with his whole army. Through the jealousy of some German princes he was assas-That here in his blood her Hermann lies! sinated in his thirty-seventh year. He had car-Speak it not to the noble wife, the unhappy mother ried off and married Thusnelda, daughter of That her Thumeliko's father lies here in blood! Segestes, a chief of his own nation, but an ardent ally of the Romans. Thusnelda was captured by her father and was led to Rome to grace the subsequent triumph of Germanicus. Kerding. Tell it not to Thusnelda,-speak it not, Walked before the terrible car of the proud triumph!— Tell it not to her, that has already in chains That coulds't tell this to the desolate one! Darmond. And what father begot thee, Unhappy daughter!- Segestes too Reddens in the dark late vengeance his sword." Werdomar. Let the name of Segestes not be heard in song! The chord that trembles It doom the traitor. Hermann, Hermann, sing to the echo, To the secret awe of the woods as the favorite of the noblest, In full choir,-as the deliverer of the fatherland! Sister of Cannae, battle of Winfeld! I saw thee with flowing bloody hair, With the flaming look of annihilation, The son of Drusus wished to conceal The goddess that reigns over those dreary regions where those dwell after death who do not die in battle. 4 Segestes was author of the conspiracy against Arminius. The Elysium of the heroes fallen in battle. |