著者

津曲 裕次

出版者

奈良教育大学

雑誌

奈良教育大学紀要 人文・社会科学 (ISSN:05472393)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.19, no.1, pp.215-236, 1970-11

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This is a brief review of the process of the establishment of the schools for idiots in America. In 1914, seventy-five institutions were maintained by states, cities and private persons. Although these were variously called school, training school, asylum, home, institution or hospital, the author named all of them the school for idiots. Considering the year of opening, these schools are divided into two groups, old ones and new ones. In this paper, the process of the establishment of those nine"old" schools are described indetail. Dr. H. B. Wilbur had decided in 1848 to take one feeble-minded youth into his own home at Barre, Mass. This act led quickly to the start of Private School for Feeble-Minded Children, which was said the first school for idiots in America. In the same year, the Legislature of Massachusetts consented to allow $2,500 per annum for three years for the teaching of ten idiotic children. Then, "an experimantal school" was opened at the Perkins Institution for the Blind on October 1st, 1848. Three years later, it was called Massachsetts Schools for Idiotic and Feeble-Minded Children, when permanency was secured. It is now known as the Walter E. Fernald School. In New York, a school for idiots was opened at Albany in 1851, with Dr. H. B. Wilbur as its superintendent. Starting as "an experimental school", the place was named New York Asylum for Idiots and later known officially as the Syracuse States Institution for the Feeble-Minded. Pennsylvania came next. On the tenth of February, 1853, the preliminary steps were taken to found a school for idiots and the seventh day of April, the Legislature incorporated the Pennsylvania Training School for Feeble-Minded Children. James B. Richards was placed in charg as "principal". This shool now known as the Elwyn Training School. Ohio Asylum for Imbecile and Feeble-Minded Youth at Columbus, Ohio, was called into existance by legislature enactment on April 17, 1857. Dr. G. A. Daren was the first superintendent. The first school for idiots in Connecticut was begun through the efforts of Dr. H. M. Knight. In 1858, he opened his home at Lakeville for the care, treatment and education of idiotic children. In May, 1861, a law was passed giving aid and support to a "limited number of the state's sad hopless ones". Knight was appointed as its superintendent. This school continued to exist until 1917; it was closed when the state opened the Mansfield Training School. Kentucky opened an institution in 1860, Ilinois in 1865. Idiots Asylum, Randall's Island, N. Y. was opened in 1868 and School for Imbecile Children FayvilJe, Mass, in 1870. With the above fact, the author raised particularly the following points: 1) Institutional care of idiotic children was started late in 1840's. The school for idiots is regarded as the predecessor of today's residential school for the Mentally Retarded. 2) All but three were state-sponsored school. Particuraly, four of them were established by the acts of the legislature. The author has pointed that the school for idiots was one of public institutions. 3) These schools owed their establishment to the prominent persons, Howe, Wilbur Knight, and Doren. Their activities and devotion to these schools should not be ignored.