large amount of money, time and effort spent by these various people perfectly fruitlessly for M. until her true state was recognized. Large amounts of money are squandered annually by organizations and individuals trying to rehabilitate the hopelessly mentally deficient, both individuals and families. On one family in Massachusetts, during a number of years it was estimated that over $6,000 was spent by twenty-four agencies, which had given everything from a pair of shoes to an education in music. A good lady was persuaded to educate one of the girls so that she might support herself by giving music lessons. This girl, proven later to be an immoral defective and musically gifted, had three illegitimate feeble-minded children. The existence of these defectives with special gifts makes them especially dangerous as they go about unrecognized, like the Russian girl M., whose gift was language expression. There are cases of special motor gift, in which class are many clever thieves and pickpockets, and in one case, that of a well-known prizefighter, it was not until after he had committed murder that his real mental state was recognized. The feeble-minded are often also very cunning, astute and adroit in avoiding suspicion! Then we have the group of defectives with a craving for fire which we must recognize and beware of. The famous Vineland case of the boy, who set fire to $200,000 worth of buildings in one week, is typical and another instance of the money penalty we pay for not segregating the defective. The poor boy was made both useful and happy as stoker to the institutional heat and light plant. There are A word about the feeble-minded in almshouses. hundreds of them scattered all over the state, and they might seem out of harm's way, but unfortunately this is the reverse of the truth. They wander in and out at will, and the women, not once, but many times, return to bear and leave a defective baby. The great Catholic institution of St. Vincent's deals with hundreds of such, without the power of lifting a finger to prevent. One of the managers told me about the ninth child of one mother, all feeble-minded and all at the mercy of charity. The state assumed its first responsibility by opening an institution at Polk for feeble-minded children in 1893, and in 1903 a second institution was opened at Spring City. In 1911 an act was passed making provision for a Village for Feeble-Minded Women at Laurelton. This was the first great step along the lines of prevention. How absurd it is to continue building homes for feeble-minded children and allow the prolific feebleminded woman at large. That the next generation may be freer from this menace and feeble-mindedness can in large measure be eradicated just as readily as can tuberculosis-the state must deal with the problem with greater liberality and foresight. For the immediate future the state should include in its program: First-More adequate institutional care not only for children, but more particularly for women. Second-The enactment of a Commitment Law so that the parent cannot remove a feeble-minded child from an institution because of a small wage-earning capacity, just at the age when he is most dangerous to the communtiy. Third-In all courts and prisons the provisions for examinations by a trained physician. Fourth-Provision for special classes in public schools for the study and differentiation of the backward child from the mental defective. Fifth-Permanent mental hygiene clinics in all large communities, and traveling clinics in the rural districts. SUMMARY Feeble-mindedness is an inherited and incurable condition. Once feeble-minded, always feeble-minded. At a conservative estimate there are at least 2 : 1,000 in every community. Owing to the fecundity of the feeble-minded woman the proportion will increase unless vigorous preventive measures be adopted and enforced. At large in the community the feeble-minded are a population of paupers, alcoholics, prostitutes, incendiaries and criminals. The best preventive method, known to scientist and econo mist, is segregation. The present cost of segregation is small in comparison to what the cost of the feeble-minded at large will be to the community ten, twenty, thirty years hence. By careful and intelligent administration, by the introduction of the industrial and farm colony, by the use of state reserve land, the feeble-minded may be made largely self-supporting. The only protection for the next generation is segregation. CHANGES IN COLLEGE ENTRANCE REQUIRE MENTS DURING THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS BY GEORGE G. CHAMBERS Assistant Professor of Mathematics, and Director of Admissions There are now 596 institutions in the United States listed as universities, colleges and technological schools by the National Bureau of Education. One hundred years ago only thirty of these institutions were in existence. Before considering the entrance requirements to these institutions existing a hundred years ago, it will throw light on the situation to review hastily the entrance requirements imposed during the previous one hundred and seventy-nine years; that is, since the founding of Harvard College. The first set of regulations for the government of Harvard College was promulgated in 1642. These regulations were stated in Latin and included a paragraph concerning the requirements for admission. The following is a contemporaneous translation of that paragraph: "When any Schollar is able to read Tully or such like classical Latin Author ex tempore, and make and speake true Latin in verse and prose, suo (ut aiunt) Marte, and decline perfectly the paradigms of nounes and verbes in ye Greek tongue, then may hee bee admitted into ye College, nor shall any claime admission before such qualifications." It is to be noticed that Latin and Greek were the only subjects required at that time. Until 1807 they were the only subjects required for admission to Harvard. Arithmetic was imposed as an admission requirement to Yale in 1745. Arithmetic and Geography were added to Harvard's requirements in 1807. The trustees of the College, Academy, and Charitable School |