Salt Lake Tribune | 1916-08-18 | Page 16 | To Discuss Problem of Feeble-Minded

TO DISCUSS PROBLEM OF FEEBLE-MINDED Joseph P. Byers of Philadelphia Philadel-phia to Talk at Hotel Utah Tonight. Joseph P. Byers of Philadelphia, executive ex-ecutive secretary of the committee on provision for the feeble-minded, arrived in Salt Lake, yesterday afternoon for conference with tfie state commission appointed to investigate the problem in Utah. A meeting of all interested in the problem of the feeble-minded will be held at tye Hotel Utah this evening at 3 o'clock Secretary Byers will address the gathering on the menace of feeblemindedness feeble-mindedness and its increase in the general gen-eral population of the country. Everyone Every-one actively interested in the question is invited to attend the meeting. Secretary Byers conferred last evening even-ing with the state commission and others. oth-ers. Those present, in addition to Mr. Byers, were Dr. E. G. Gowans, state superintendent of public instruction; Dr. C. G. Plummer, Dr. T. B. Beatty, Warden Arthur Pratt of the state prison pris-on and George Snow Gibbs, principal of the Twelfth school for backward children. Immediately upon arrival here Mr. Byers called upon Superintendent Gowans Gow-ans at the capitol. Arrangements were then made for last night's conference. Another conference will be held Saturday Satur-day morning. Mr. Byers is due in Denver Den-ver at a conference on the question to be held there Monday. Superintendent Gowans said last night that the most impressive fact brought out at last night's conference is that the country is becoming aroused to the need of intelligent handling of the problem prob-lem of f eeble-mindedness. In many sections sec-tions investigation of the extent "of its prevalence is heing prosecuted, with a view to studying ways and means to better conditions. The present visit of Secretary Byers to Salt Lake is occasioned by the approaching ap-proaching investigation into the problem prob-lem in Utah bv the state commission appointed by the legislature for the work. This investigation will be begun next month. Miss" Sadie Myers, who has recently been in the east getting first-hand information on the manner of dealing with the problem at various places there, will be one of the field investigators under the direction of the commission.