The Care of Mentally Defective Children: Mrs. Hume Pinsent, of Harborne, gave an address on Thursday, at Stretton Croft, Barnt Green, where a large company of ladies of the district had been invited by Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Butler, upon the subject of the care of mentally defective children. Mrs. Howard Lloyd, of Grafton Manor, presided. Letters of apology were received from a number of ladies, including Mrs. Chavasse, Mrs. Brodie, Mrs. Mitchell, and Mrs. Lowe. At the outset Mrs. Pinsent explained that the first object of the gathering was to arouse interest and to gain support for the homes for feebleminded girls at Inneskerry and Arrowfield Top. Feeble-minded boys, said Mrs. Pinsent, existed in larger numbers than girls, and the neglect of them was quite as serious. Mental deficiency existed to an alarming extent and was said to be on the increase. It had been estimated by Dr. Dickinson, Chairman of the National Association for the Feeble-minded, that there were 100,000 people in England and Wales who, although they could not be described as lunatics or idiots, were yet mentally, and too often morally, defective. Having practically no will power, very little reasoning faculty, no idea of forethought, they were a prey to the first emotion that assailed them and were absolutely incapable of resisting any impulse. Imprisonment was not the only, or even the most common fate of those unfortunate beings … (a long review of her talk continues) …
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949