to herd all the cases
together while serving time. But in 1894 the German Government woke up to
the fact that 3 to 7 per cent. of city children and those of isolated rural
communities contain the 'moron,' or intellectually defective type, together
with the moral imbecile."

Investigation showed recently that in a reformatory near Berlin 63 per
cent. of the inmates were abnormal, while over 50 per cent. were seriously
defective or menaces to society. This has since been shown to exist in all
the leading nations--England, France, Italy, where, by the way, the
Camorrist type is the equivalent for our New York gangster. In the Elmira
Reformatory 38 per cent. are, as a rule, feeble-minded and consist of types
that repeat their offense against society or commit some other crime.

There is only one way to prevent these types from becoming a menace.
Restrain them while they are still developing; keep them from becoming free
agents in the community they menace. Types continually come up in the
Children's Society and the Children's Court. They are carefully studied.
From the actions of the child, from his parents and family history, from
the frequency with which he repeats some offense particularly pleasing to
him, and by virtue of psychological tests and careful medical examinations
the examiners are able to pick out children who should receive scientific
care and treatment.

"The characteristics of the feeble-minded are usually deceiving. One
expects to find them with low brows and furtive looks and more or less
vicious in appearance after they develop criminal tendencies. One would[41]
expect them to show stupidity at a glance. On the contrary, they are
sometimes bright on the surface, amiable, good-tempered under trying
conditions, and almost likeable for their external social side. This is
particularly true of the high grade defectives. The lower order may be
taciturn, gloomy and retiring, and these traits may be noticed almost from
infancy. But as they grow up their social nature may be developed, and they
too may give the appearance of amiableness. One notable thing about them is
their pose of frank innocence. In this they are engaging, and almost
convincing.

"The street type that makes a gangster is practically the same if cruder in
development. These children usually exhibit absolutely no sign of affection
for their parents, no sympathy, and are notably cruel toward animals. One
boy we had in the Children's Society p