Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/498

 484 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

Upon referring to the chart, we find that in only eleven states are dependent minors excluded from the almshouse or their detention there limited to a short period. This applies only to children of sound mind and body, and so the mentally and physically defective (unless provided for as defectives) are per- mitted to remain in the almshouse. Other states than the eleven have provided systems of child-saving, so that detention of minors with other dependents is not necessary. But in only some seventeen states can we say that there is a public system of child-saving. 1

We find, too, that almost every state has made provision for the education of the blind and the deaf-mutes. This removes the destitute of these classes from the almshouse during their school age. With the exception of Iowa and California, however, no special provision is made for the indigent adults thus afflicted. Every state has made more or less adequate provision for the insane classed as "curable," "violent," or "dangerous." Only Connecticut excludes the insane from the almshouse, and it is the common practice of detaining those in it who cannot be cared for in the special institutions. Only six states have asylums for the "chronic," or "incurable," insane. In two of these, and in a third state, boarding out such persons, when indigent, is permissible. Sometimes they are permitted to remain in the hospital designed especially for the "acute' cases. Usually, however, no special provision is made for this class.

Some twenty-two states have made provision for the educa- tion of feeble-minded and idiotic children. In a few states special departments are found for such as are epileptic. Little has been done by way bf providing for the adults of these classes. Frequently they are permitted to remain for some time in the school. New York has a custodial home for adult idiots.

1 It is rather surprising to find upon an examination of the census returns that it is usually not the states marked as having no system of child-saving which have the highest ratio of children to the total population in the almshouse. An examination does show, however,*that usually minors form a relatively larger part of the almshouse population in these states than in thase marked as having systems of child-saving.