6257-002-0FM-Final pass.indd

The Story of Intellectual Disability

An Evolution of Meaning, Understanding, and Public Perception

edited by

Michael L. Wehmeyer, PhD

with contributions from

• Ellis M. Craig, PhD
• Dianne L. Ferguson, PhD
• Philip M. Ferguson, PhD
• Steven Noll, PhD
• Robert L. Schalock, PhD
• J. David Smith, PhD
• Parnel Wickham, PhD

Contents

• About the Editor ... vii
• About the Contributors ... ix
• Preface ... xi

Chapter 1 Introduction to the Intellectual Disability Construct
*Robert L. Schalock ... * 1

Chapter 2 At the Dawn of Civilization: Intellectual Disability in Prehistory and Ancient Times (9000 BCE to 500 CE)
*Ellis M. Craig ... *19

Chapter 3 Poverty and the Emergence of Charity: Intellectual Disability in the Middle Ages (500 CE to 1500 CE)
*Parnel Wickham ... *47

Chapter 4 Idiocy and Early Modern Law: Intellectual Disability in Early Modern Times (1500 CE to 1799 CE)
*Parnel Wickham ... *63

Chapter 5 The Development of Systems of Supports: Intellectual Disability in Middle Modern Times (1800 CE to 1899 CE)
*Philip Ferguson ... *79

Chapter 6 In Search of a Science: Intellectual Disability in Late Modern Times (1900 to 1930)
*J. David Smith, Steven Noll, and Michael L. Wehmeyer ... *117

Chapter 7 Isolation, Enlargement, and Economization: Intellectual Disability in Late Modern Times (1930 CE to 1950 CE)
*Michael L. Wehmeyer, Steven Noll, and J. David Smith ... *157

Chapter 8 The Parent Movement: Late Modern Times (1950 CE to 1980 CE)
*Robert L. Schalock and Michael L. Wehmeyer ... *

Chapter 9 The Self-Advocacy Movement: Late Modern Times (1980 CE to Present)
*Dianne Ferguson, Philip Ferguson, and Michael L. Wehmeyer ... *233

Index ... 279

About the Editor

Michael L. Wehmeyer, PhD,

is professor of special education; director, Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities; and senior scientist, Beach Center on Disability, all at the University of Kansas. He has published 30 books and 290 scholarly articles and book chapters on topics related to self-determination, special education, intellectual disability, and eugenics. He is coauthor of the widely used textbook Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today’s Schools, published by Merrill/ Prentice Hall, now in its seventh edition. His most recent book, coauthored with J. David Smith, is Good Blood, Bad Blood: Science, Nature, and the Myth of the Kallikaks, published by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD).

About the Contributors

Ellis M. (Pat) Craig, PhD, retired in 2003 after 36 years of service from the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Dr. Craig currently consults as a psychologist for intellectual disability programs, conducting diagnostic assessments and behavior programming. In addition to authoring 22 book chapters and articles in professional journals, Dr. Craig has made presentations at numerous conferences. He has served as president of the AAIDD Psychology Division as well as president of state and regional AAIDD chapters and is a coauthor of the AAIDD Supports Intensity Scale.

Dianne L. Ferguson, PhD, is professor and director of program improvement and accreditation at Chapman University. She brings expertise in the areas of school reform, inclusive practices, teacher education, families, and disability studies.

Philip M. Ferguson, PhD, is a professor in the College of Educational Studies at Chapman University in Orange, California. In addition to the history of disability, he has published extensively on related topics.

Isolation, Enlargement, and Economization

Intellectual Disability in Late Modern Times (1930 CE to 1950 CE)

J. David Smith, Steven Noll, and Michael L. Wehmeyer
Before the end of World War II, the problems set in motion during 1900–1930 exploded. The number of institutions in America increased by 50%. The size of these institutions dramatically increased, with the population of people who were institutionalized more than doubling. These mega-institutions, heavily regulated but still underfunded by state bureaucracies, came under increasing attack, and the impact of the Great Depression exacerbated conditions.

Unsanitary conditions, inadequate medical and nursing staff, fire and safety hazards, improper use and regulation of medication led to a deterioration of physical, cognitive, and communication skills among inmates.

In 1930, the American novelist Pearl S. Buck left her daughter, Carol, at the Vineland Training School, in Vineland, New Jersey. Buck's experiences with her own child, Carol, shaped the future for people with intellectual disability. Buck was known for her humanitarian actions, and in 1941 she founded the East and West Association.

In 1960s, pediatrician Robert Guthrie developed a blood test that could detect phenylketonuria (PKU), leading to significant advancements in treatment and care.

Pearl Buck narrated her decision to seek help for her daughter, highlighting the historical struggles and societal perceptions of individuals with intellectual disabilities leading up to her advocacy work. Her contributions to the field continued well after her passing in 1973, impacting other parents and disability advocates.

Figure 7.1. Robert Guthrie presenting findings from his research on PKU. (Image from author’s personal collection.)

Figure 7.2. Advertisement of Robert Guthrie’s PKU test.
(Image from author’s personal collection.)

Figure 7.3. Maxham Cottage, Vineland Training School for Feebleminded Children, Vineland, New Jersey.
(Image from author’s personal collection.)

Pearl Buck's narrative, alongside the historical context of intellectual disability, elucidates the changing attitudes and advancements in care and understanding of the condition.