ABSTRACT
This chapter describes children as feeble-minded when they are superior to idiots and imbeciles, but still suffer from such an incomplete cerebral development that they are behind other children. Many of the local education authorities have established special classes for such children of the poor, and their attendance is made compulsory until the age of sixteen years, as empowered by the Mental Deficiency Act of 1913. The majority are defective from birth or at least from infancy, having been normal until a fever, convulsions, or other disturbance damaged their brain, and left a permanent defect. One of the earliest and commonest defects of the feeble-minded is in their power of attention. Sometimes these feeble-minded children pass tolerably through their elementary education, but their defects become apparent as they reach puberty. That those who are mentally feeble should show moral deficiencies is only natural, considering that the lower the intellect, the feebler the control over the instincts and passions.
