The terms used throughout this book that refer to developmentally and intellectually challenged persons are those that were used from the early 1900s up to the 1970s, and do not reflect the author’s own usage or attitude.
Classification Terms, 1900s:
Term I.Q.
Idiot below 20 or 25
Imbecile 20-25
Moron/ Half-Moron 50-70 or 75
Dull Normal 80-90
(Average I.Q. on Stanford-Binet Scale: 100)
The labels “feeble-minded” and “mentally defective” were general terms that had different meanings in various countries in the early twentieth century. Canadians and British tended to use these words to denote those with a higher level of intelligence, I.Q. in the 70 range on the Binet Scales of Intelligence, or a mental age of twelve years. Americans used these words to denote all mental defectives generally. “Retarded” was another general term in use. People in the institution were invariably referred to as inmates, patients, and residents.
Pseudonyms have been used for “Daisy” and members of her family, nursing staff and attendants at Orillia, Salvation Army workers at “The Nest,” and social workers, excepting Vera Moberley of the Children’s Aid Society, to protect their identity. Patient file numbers for this book have been recoded in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act of theprovince of Ontario.