Supplemental Schedule 3: Idiots

The object of this Supplemental Schedule is to furnish material not only for a complete enumeration of the idiots, but for an account of their condition. It is important that every inquiry respecting each case be answered as fully as possible. Enumerators will, therefore, after making the proper entries upon the Population Schedule (No. 1), transfer the name (with Schedule paper and number) of every idiot found, from Schedule No. 1 to this Special Schedule, and proceed to ask the additional questions indicated in the headings of the several columns. The word “idiot” has a special meaning which it is essential for every enumerator to know. An idiot is a person the development of whose mental facilities was arrested in infancy or childhood before coming to maturity. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the stupidity which results from idiocy and that which is due to the loss or deterioration of mental power in consequence of insanity. The latter is not true idiocy, but dementia or imbecility. The enumeration desired for the Census is of true idiots only. Demented persons should be classed with the insane. Enumerators may obtain valuable hints as to the number of idiots, and their residences, from physicians who practice medicine in their respective districts.

Number taken from Schedule No. 1
01 Number of Page
02 Number of Line
03 Name
Residence when at home. -(See note A.)
04 City or Town
05 County (if in same State), or State (if in some other State)
06 Is he (or she) self-supporting, or partly so? (See Note B.)
07 Age at which idiocy occurred. (See Note C.)
08 Suppose Cause of idiocy (if acquired). (See Note D.)
09 Size of head. (Large, small, or natural.)
Training School
10 Has this person ever been an inmate of a training school for idiots? If yes, name the said training school.
11 What has been the total length of time spent by him (or her) during life in any such training school or training schools?
12 Date of discharge. (Year only.)
See Note E.
13 Is this person also insane?/.
14 Is he (or she) also blind?/.
15 Is he (or she) also deaf?/.
16 Is he (or she) also an epileptic?/.
Is he (or she) paralyzed? And if yes, on which side?
17 Right./.
18 Left/./

NOTE A – An idiot may be found either at his own home or away from it in some institution, such as a training school, asylum, or poor-house. In the latter case, his residence when at home must be stated, in order that he may be accredited to the State or county to which he properly belongs, and that the county in which the institution is situated may not be charged with more that its due proportion of idiots.
NOTE B – If self-supporting, say “yes;” if partly self-supporting, say “partly;” if not, say “no.” Indicate all inmates of institutions who are maintained or treated at their personal expense (not at the expense of any town, county, or State, nor of the institution) by the word “Pay.”
NOTE C – If an idiot from birth, say “B;” if idiocy occurred after birth, state the age at which it occurred. Special pains should be taken to indicate all idiots from birth.
NOTE D – The causes of idiocy are such as the following; scarlet fever, measles, meningitis, etc., blow on head fall, etc., fright, etc.
NOTE E – In making entries in columns 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, an affirmative mark only will be used, thus /.