ID# 1933:
Mary Dendy letter to Karl Pearson, about difficulties in collecting pedigree data and interpreting disease traits in "defective children" (12/9/1906)
Date:
1906
Pages: (1|2|3)
Source:
University College London, KP, 183

Mary Dendy letter to Karl Pearson, about difficulties in collecting pedigree data and interpreting disease traits in &quote;defective children&quote; (12/9/1906)

enclosed had I known you wanted them. I send you the form we use in all cases dealth with by Education Committees. Dr. Ashby has desired that the next issue may be arranged so as to give a little more space for family-histories. May I call attention to the fact that there is in your scale of ability, no term for a class of child which does exist though I am glad to think not in such numbers as is commonly supposed; I mean the Morally-defective. These children are often bright and would come under your heading E; but they are given to wrong-doing - or at least to criminal action - for it does not seem reasonable to use the expressions right and wrong where there is obviously no responsibility. Their actions are often degraded and dangerous to the last degree and are generally entirely without purpose, even of malice or revenge or of personal gain. One such lad was under our care for four years; he set fire to the farm; he stole repeatedly and never managed to keep his spoils; as he grew older, he became dangerous in his behaviour to the younger children. He should have been put under certificate, but is so intelligent in his response that it is doubtful if that can be done. He has now been returned to his parents. He has a curious family history which I will send you. It has interested me very much to note how constantly weakness of intellect is associated with musical capacity; it appears to be also associated with abnormal mathematical capacity but I have not, naturally found so many instances. Pray excuse my having written at such length. And pray accept my warm thanks for sending me your Huxley lecture. Believe me, Yours faithfully, [handwritten text follows]Mary Dendy. I forward rough copy of the Analysis prepared for the Royal Commission. It will be printed in the Alien Report & I am not at liberty to make public use of it. I send also note of 421 cases. They are [illegible] enough for you but they may interest you. [end]

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