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The work of segregation and state care for the feeble-minded has extended so that, if I am not misinformed, there are now twenty-six public institutions for the feeble-minded in twenty-one different states. I am very glad that so many of our western states have recognized the necessity of caring for their feeble-minded, when some of the eastern states that are much older as well as much wealthier, have seemingly neglected their duties in this respect.

The rapid increase of this class, together with the knowledge that has been gained by the study of heredity and nervous diseases in general, have made it clear to those engaged in the work of caring for the mental defectives that it is necessary for the public safety to cut off the supply. This cannot be done by segregation alone; hence, permanent detention must be resorted to. We have learned by experience that the great aim of our work is not cure, for that is impossible. We cannot cure that which is a defect not a disease. The term cure as it is generally understood does not apply to the mental defectives.

As far as I have been able to ascertain, practically all those engaged in the work of caring for, teaching and training this class, are of the opinion that none of those discharged are capable of self-support in all that the term implies. They never become fit for full citizenship although they may be capable of doing many things quite as well as a normal man or woman. The higher powers, intellect, reason and judgment always remain markedly and noticeably at fault, and without intelligent and kindly supervision they inevitably become dependents or worse.

In a paper written by the late Dr. Powell on the care of the feeble-minded, he says: 'The specialist of today has virtually abandoned the belief that the school-training of the imbeciles can ever develop and restore them to safe citizenship. We do not now regard the school-training of the feeble-minded child as an ultimate aim and end, but as the education of the normal child is only preparatory to a participation in the activities of life in the great world, so we propose by similar means to prepare the mentally weak for the exercise of their limited activities in their circumscribed world -- in the institution life -- after the preparatory period is past during which each one is fitted to fill his niche according to the degree of his ability."

Mr. Alexander Johnson in his report of the committee on Colonies for Segregation of Defectives, read at the conference of Charities and Corrections at Atlanta, Georgia, three years ago, said among other things: "It has long seemed to many people that the wisest course the state can take is to separate all true degenerates from society and keep them in carefully classified groups under circumstances that shall insure that they shall do as little harm to themselves and their fellows as possible, and that they shall not entail upon the next generation the burden which the present one has borne."

A minority report was presented by Mary E. Perry and as I believe this report to be very important, I shall take the liberty of quoting it also: "While agreeing in the main with the report as presented by the chairman, I take issue with him in thinking the millenium must come before we are able to put a stop to the fast increasing population of the epileptic and feeble-minded. I believe the remedy is largely in the hands of this conference and instead of reporting annually the statistics and the facts about these people, it would now be well to prepare our several states to call to their assistance the surgeon's knife to prevent the entailing of this curse upon innocent numbers of yet unborn children. It is time we looked this question squarely in the face, and as it is humane, so it is righteous, if resorted to for the sake of the child."