Fourth annual report of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Training School for Idiotic and Feeble-Minded Children, to the corporators.

  • Pennsylvania Training School for Idiotic and Feeble-Minded Children
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Fourth annual report of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Training School for Idiotic and Feeble-Minded Children, to the corporators. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    dance as well as he knows how, in answer to musical sounds. The great means of access to these children, is through their affections. Love is the magnet that attracts them. Like begets like. Bestow upon them the affection their helpless condition demands, and they will instinctively find a way to reflect it back again ; and when this is done, you have possession and command of all that they are. Having gained their confidence, the task of moulding their character commences 5 it cannot com¬ mence before. No person should engage in instruct¬ ing them, but for the love of it; and no one will love it, unless he has heart enough to delight in the so¬ ciety of the unfortunate, for the sake of doing them good. He must have head enough also, to prompt him, day by day, to new plans and suggestions to meet the ever-varying developments which are dis¬ played in their temperaments and characters. He must be sufficiently patient to endure their slow progress, and sufliciently hopeful to be encouraged with the slightest evidence of improvement. He must have perfect com¬ mand of himself, and never exhibit undue emotion, or excitement. If he is impulsive, he will be irregular in his treatment; and losing self-control, will lose control over them. He must be uniformly cheerful and happy. Sadness to-day, and glee to-morrow, will act upon the minds of these children like exposure to extremes of climate in quick succession, will act upon their feeble bodies. They need uniform kindness, and steady firm¬ ness. Beginning with faithful nursery care, they are next prepared to enter the gymnasium, and are gradu¬ ally interested in its sports. It will be slow at first perhaps, but perseverance will lead to success. The third case herein cited, was three months learning
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