ASSISTING THE BACKWARD CHILD

Chronicle (Levin), 16 July 1947, Page 4

ASSISTING THE BACKWARD CHILD

Levin Farm's Work Explained To W.I. Members The popular but entirely false conception of an institution such as the .Levin Farm was that it was a pface where raving lunatics .were kept behind irqn bars, said the head attendant, Mr.. C. A. v K. Guy, when members of the Levin Women 's Institute were taken on a recent c.onducted- tour of the premises, Voicing appreciation of the action of the women in coming out to see the farm for themselves, the staff emphasised that they wanted the public to know the true funetion of the institution. "This is a place fqr backward boys," said the matron, Miss M. L. Cowen. "We are endeavouring to help them, but they are also everybody's responsibility and everyone should know about them." / Inspired by the "obvious success of the Christmas. party the Women's Institute.he'ld at the farm last year, its members are anxious to continue this fine work at all times *and provide comforts for the inmates; Before embarking on full scale assistance, however, they were desirous of obtaining fuller details of the caiise they were supporting, and with this in view arranged to visit the farm. Gn arrival, the group, led by Mrs. Trotman, was met by the officer in charge, Mr. T. J. Gilbert, the matron, Miss M. L. Cowen, and head attendant, Mr. C. A. K. Guy. Some indication of the size of the institution can be gauged from the fact that the tour of the buildings occupied over two hours, and there was still much the women would have liked to have seen had time permitted. At the moment there Were 99 boys in the institute, five being absent on leave, said Mr. Gilbert. Though their mental ages were considerably lower, their actual ages varied from four to 35 years. The majority wprked in the gardens. But for the fact that they required supervision, they worked as well and efficiently as others of their ages. Apart from being backward mentally, they were just like any other group of boys, having normal likes, dislikes and interI ests. Modernity Is Keynote The buildings in which the boys were quartered surprised the visitors. All were built on modern lines, the polished floors scrupulously clean and bright curtains ladorned each window casement. He much preferred cubicles to dormitories, said Mr. Guy, and in this institution at least every endeavour was .made to provide the boys, particularly those of higher mentality, with two-bed cubicles.-. It'Jgave the boys a sense of possession, this being very obvious in the pride they took in their rooms. White single blankets were provided and if parents sent little extras, such as quilts, these could also be used. Everything vwas done to make the rooms as bright and attractive as possible, and this was evident by the number of bright pictures which graced the walls. Radios were provided in each , building, or villa, as the farm authorities prefer them to be called. In . the sitting rooms, pipe heaters and two open flre places were provided. In the majority of the villas -the boys did all the ^ousework and their own cooking. I Everything was done to stimulate i interest in sport and the results were very heartening. The farm's football team had done very well ■ and the baseball team had been 'prominent at the competitions in Levin. In the summer cricket and ; tennis were played, the farm having two tennis courts, one for the , nurses and staff and one for the jboys. . . , . . . '■ "The boys ' can assimilate .-knowledge very well," said Mr. Guy. ; "People are inclined to think that such boys are finished for all time, but that is not so." The players in the various sports teams iknew the rules of the games as well as any normal participants, and many had leant to swim. ! Describi'ng the amenities at the

farm, Mr. Gilbert said that a can~ teen was provided where the boys could buy- little luxuries. Any profits • from the canteen were. • diverted to the recreational fund. • It . was in order to enlarge this fund that the public dances, which commenced recently, were being conducted. If any; person desired to make donations to the institution, eon-t-ributions to this fund would be the best "manner of doing so. ' Gifts of fruit, jam and other such luxuries would also be welcomed and appreciated by the boys. Under SoGial Security, allowances of 4s a week were made to certain patients on the recommendation of the jiofficers of tH farm. Such moneyr was held in trust by the office, but - there was tho dictation as to how it. could be spent. Some of the boys preferred to buy certain articles of clothing. The majority, however, preferred to spend it in the canteen on cigarettes and sweets. A ration of tobacep was made available to the older patients, but many preferred to purchase "tailor-made" cigarettes. ; A percentage of the boys received money and presents from their parents, but there were many who had no relatives or friends and it was in those the farm authorities wished to interest the public. A fine spirit existed among the more fortunate, who often shared their presents wi'th the other boys. The normal working day for the patients commenced at 8.55 a.m. A break was allowed between 11.30 a.m. and 1.25 p.m. and apart from those employed in washing up, and cleaning the rooms in the evening, work finished at 4.30 p.m. Methods of Employment Every endeavour was. made to employ the patients in work to which they were most suited. A school was conducted for the more backward, the main endeavour being to teach the pupils to read, write and know the value of money. An- innovation at the farm is the occupational therapy classes where selected groups are taught handicrafts. At the time of the inspection some fine examples of this work were on display. This class is under the supervision of the staff nurses, but once a month an occupational therapist from Porirua Mental Hospital visits the farm. The offieers of the farm have very ambitious plans for the extension of this part of the training in the near future. Next to this room, the visitors saw three sets of table tennis equipment in the process of erection. These were donated by the parents of one of the boys. The part of the farm to which most of the women were attracted, was the building in which were stored. bolts of material, sheeting and many other practically unprocurable articles, which they at laast had the opportunity to inspect and admire. The kitchen and food store revealed items such as rice and tinned fruit, which were nandled and relucTantly replaced. Such luxuries were rationed out to the farm periodically, but were solely for the patients' consumption, said the matron. In the sewing roqm a large number of attractive print frocks were i'n the process of manufacture by the farm's seamstress. These will eventually be issued to female patients who will be arriving at the ^ farm next week. In -striking contrast to the drab uniforms so often associated with such instituticns, these articles of clothing cons'itute substantial evidence of the modern treatment of mentally backward children. The very best of material is used in the manufacture of clothing for hoth male and female patients. At present the nurses. assijst in the sewing room, bui Tfith theUrriv&l pf the girls next: week it is hoped ;to~ extend the sewing room and teach them the intricacies of this work. With the arrival of the girls fhe number qf .patients at the farm is expected to increase to 139 and in order' to. accommodate them three new villas have been erected and are now nearly completed. Two of these will be used for the girls and one for young boys.