Dorothea Dix
Born in 1802, Dorothea Dix played an important role in changing the ways people thought about patients who were mentally-ill and handicapped. These patients had always been cast-off as “being punished by God”. She believed that that people of such standing would do better by being treated with love and caring rather than being put aside. As a social reformer, philanthropist, teacher, writer, writer, nurse, and humanitarian, Dorothea Dix devoted devoted her life to the welfare of the mentally-ill and handicapped. She accomplished many milestones throughout her life and forever changed the way patients are cared for. She was a pioneer in her time, taking on challenges that no other women would dare dream of tackling.
Born in Maine, of April, 1802, Dorothea Dix was brought up in a filthy, and poverty-ridden household (Thinkquest, 2). Her father came from a well-to-do Massachusetts family and was sent to Harvard. While there, he dropped out of school, and married a woman twenty years his senior (Thinkquest, 1). Living with two younger brothers, Dix dreamed of being sent off to live with her grandparents in Massachusetts. Her dream came true. After receiving a letter from her grandmother, requesting that she come and live with her, she was sent away at the age of twelve (Thinkquest, 4). She lived with her grandmother and grandfather for two years, until her grandmother realized that she wasn’t physically and mentally able to handle a girl at such a young age. She then moved to Worcester, Massachusetts to live with her aunt and her cousin (Thinkquest, 5).
The thought of her brothers still being in her former home environment in Maine hurt her. She tried to think of a way to get at least one of her brothers, the sickly one, to come and be with her. She knew that her extended family was financially able to take in another child, and if she showed responsibility, there would be no problem (Wilson, 40). She found a vacant store, furnished it, and turned it into a school for children (Thinkquest, 5). At the age of seventeen, her grandmother sent her a correspondence, and requested her to come back to Boston with her brother (Thinkquest, 6).
When she returned to Boston, she asked her grandmother if she could start another school in her grandmother’s dining room. After a bit of opposition, her grandmother agreed (Compton’s,...
... middle of paper ...
...r. Daniel Hake Tuke, after Dorothea’s Death:
“Thus had died and been laid to rest in the most quiet, unostentatious way the most useful and distinguished woman America had yet produced,” (Wilson, Pg. 342).
This statement is also considered her epitaph (Thinkquest, 16).
Bibliography:
1. Dorothea Dix:
2. Dorothea Dix: Biography
3. Mappen, Mare; Dorothea Dix & the State’s First Lunatic Asylum
4. National Women’s Hall of Fame: The Women of the Hall: Dorothea Dix
5. Naythons, Matthew, M.D.; The Face of Mercy: A Photographic History of Medicine at
War” U.S. News&World Report, 10-11-93, pp.72-79
6. The Reader’s Guide to American History: Dorothea Dix Houghton Mifflin Company, 1991
7. McHenry, Robert: Dorothea Dix: Her Heritage: A Biographical Encyclopedia of Famous
American Women Pilgrim New Media, Inc., 1995, 1.00 Ed.
8. Compton’s Encyclopedia: Dorothea Dix
9. Three Inspiring Women: Dorothea Dix
10. The Asylum Warden: Dorothea Dix
11. Dorothea Lynde Dix
12. Wilson, Dorothy Clarke: Stranger and Traveler Little, Brown and Company, Boston,
1975
In this essay, the author
- Describes dorothea dix as a social reformer, philanthropist, teacher, writer, nurse, and humanitarian who devoted her life to the welfare of the mentally-ill and handicapped.
- Narrates how dorothea dix dreamed of being sent off to live with her grandparents in massachusetts, but was sent away at the age of twelve.
- Narrates how they tried to find a way to get at least one of their brothers, the sickly one, to come and be with them, knowing that their extended family was financially able to take in another child.
- Narrates how compton taught until 1835, when illness from tuberculosis and exhaustion set in. she then traveled to europe to recuperate, under the advice of friends and family.
- Narrates how she was shocked when she saw that mentally ill patients were being put into the jails, and appalled at the conditions they were put in.
- Narrates how the woman, with the help of a massachusetts state legislature, presented her reports from her visits to jails, work houses, and hospitals in january of 1843.
- Narrates how they caught a stick of wood and laid upon him until he cried for quarters; they beat him long enough until the man knew they were his master.
- Analyzes how the massachusetts legislature ignored dorothea dix's requests for better conditions and funding, despite her being a woman.
- Describes how dix traveled over 3,000 miles in three years of non-stop traveling, visiting and documenting various conditions and pleading with the state governments to better the establishments.
- Opines that they are the hope of the poor crazed beings who pine in cells and stalls, cages and waste-rooms.
- Narrates how, tired of state-by-state campaigns, she worked on federal reform. she appealed to the federal government for 10 million acres for the insane, deaf and dumb.
- Describes how dorothea dix became the union superintendent of female nurses during the civil war. she had spent more than twenty years caring for the mentally ill.
- Explains that dorothea dix, also known as "the voice of the mad," erects thirty-two of them and improves hundreds of other hospitals.
- Opines that they would like to see a fountain for animals set up in boston on milk street, where they have often seen tired draft horses pulling heavy loads to the dock.
- Explains that whittier's fountain was created after her death in 1887, at the age of 85. in response to her fountain, she had a poem engraved there.
- Opines that dorothea dix spent her last years in the guest quarters of a state hospital she had helped found 35 years earlier in new jersey.
- Explains that this statement is also considered her epitaph (thinkquest, 16).
Related
- explanatory
- analytical
- comparative
- narrative
- Dorothea Dixexplanatory essayDorothea Dix – One of the Great Women of the 1800s Once in a while a truly exceptional person has made a mark on the growth of mankind. Dorothea Dix was an exceptional woman. She wrote children’s books, she was a school teacher, and she helped reform in prisons. Some of her most notable work was in the field of making mental health institutions a better place for the patients that lived in them.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that dorothea dix was an exceptional woman who gave a great deal to humanity and her achievements are still being felt today.
- Explains that dorothea dix was born in maine in 1802. her mother was not mentally stable and her dad was an abusive alcoholic. they moved from maine to vermont before the british war of 1812.
- Describes how dorothea dix and her brothers moved to boston to live with their grandmother on their father's side. the grandmother tried to instill her puritan ways of boston’s wealthy into her mind.
- Narrates how the woman returned to boston and asked her grandmother if she could start a school in the dining room. after being sick with tuberculosis, she closed the school and traveled to europe to recuperate.
- Narrates how dix was shocked when she saw that mentally ill patients were being put into the jails, and even more appalled at the conditions they were put in.
- Narrates how dix traveled the state of massachusetts for two years, documenting the conditions that she found. she presented her reports from her visits to jails, work houses, and hospitals.
- Explains that the massachusetts legislature had ignored dorothea dix's requests for better conditions and funding. the legislature passed a bill that separated the mentally ill from the criminals and gave them better living conditions.
- Describes how dix traveled the us for three years, documented various conditions, and pleaded with the state governments to better those institutions that were not up to par. she persuaded nine southern states to set up public hospitals for the insane.
- Explains that dix started volunteering as a nurse for the union army after the attack on fort sumter and was placed in charge of all the women nurses working in army hospitals at the time of the civil war.
- Describes dix's role in erecting thirty-two mental hospitals and improving hundreds of other hospitals. she died on july 17, 1887.
- Cites thomas brown's dorothea dix: new england reformer, harvard university press, boston, and h. e. marshall.
- Cites david gollaher's book, voice for the mad: the life of dorothea dix.
- Analyzes marshall, dix, gollaher, and brown's new england reformer.
- Opines that gollaher, david, and marshall, h.e., voice for the mad: the life of dorothea dix, chapel hill.
1302 wordsRead More - The Pontiacs Rebellion: The Causes Of The Pontiac's Rebellionanalytical essayDorothea Dix was a reformer in the 1840s who particularly concentrated on the barbaric treatment of the disabled and mentally disturbed persons. Dix was an author and educator; she also served in the US Army as Nurse Superintendent. She also partook in the various evangelical reform efforts to reduce poverty in America. In 1843, Dix addressed the Massachusetts state government on the need for a reform in the public and private organizations that were in charge of providing care for the mentally disturbed. In her address to the assembly, Dix clearly elaborated on the pathetic and unacceptable conditions of the abandoned and deserted people. She claimed that she had come to represent men and women who have been forgotten, rejected, and isolated from the society.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the prophet returned with this message and related it to the entire village through the village chief. this incident marked the beginning of the pontiac's rebellion.
- Analyzes how the pontiac rebellion aggravated the brutal reaction of the "paxton boys" in the same year, which led to the paxton riots of 1763.
- Narrates how the paxton boys massacred the other 14 indians who were being protected by the provincial head. benjamin franklin led a team of civic leaders that was dispatched to dialogue with them at germantown.
- Explains that religion played a major role in the fight for the nation's freedom. the danbury baptist association of connecticut complained about the violation of the right to freely practice their religion by the state government.
- Analyzes how the danbury baptists association emphasized religious liberty, saying that the issue of religion is between god and man, that civil government does not extend beyond punishing evil doers and offenders.
- Explains that president thomas jefferson's response to the danbury baptists didn't come until january 1st, 1802. he commiserated with the christian group on their disapproval of the state’s instituted religion.
- Explains that jefferson's tenure as president brought about monumental reforms politically, religiously, and economically, but it was not free from conflicts. one issue that generated so much controversy was the issue of women’s rights in a male dominant society.
- Explains that lucy stone and henry blackwell had written a protest that enabled lucy to keep her maiden name after they were both married.
- Explains that elizabeth stanton organized the first conference on women's rights in 1848 in seneca falls, new york. the resolutions were presented to participants in the same month as the declaration of independence.
- Explains that dorothea dix was a reformer in the 1840s who concentrated on the barbaric treatment of the disabled and mentally disturbed persons.
- Analyzes how dix's address was a success as it gave birth to many other lobbying efforts around america.
- Explains that the removal of the native americans (indians) was another reform that took place within the same time frame.
- Describes how the sauk and fox tribes, led by chief black hawk, took back their lands within wisconsin and illinois states. the sioux war ensued between the dakota indians and white settlers.
- Describes how henry sibley led a final onslaught against the dakota indians. three hundred and three sioux warriors were tried and sentenced to murder.
1998 wordsRead More - Eleanor Rooseveltcomparative essayAlthough she won much respect as the first lady Eleanor Roosevelt gained a lot of her international esteem as a civil rights activist long before that. Eleanor’s interest in politics did not begin when her husband began his career in politics. Once he was named to the Democratic ticket, as Vice President Eleanor became interested in politics. While Franklin was becoming governor of New York she was campaigning for him unknowing that she was advancing her political career as well. Once Eleanor became first lady it was already done she had made a name for herself politically.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that eleanor roosevelt had a well-known political career without the fame her husband gained.
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- Compares eleanor roosevelt's letters to those of the national archives and records administration.
2463 wordsRead More - Interview with an Elderly Womannarrative essayHer parents meet at a social gathering in town and where married shortly thereafter. Marie’s name was chosen by her grandmother and mother, “because they loved to read the list was quite long with much debate over each name.” If she was a boy her name would have been Francis, so she is very happy to have born a girl. Marie’s great uncle was a physician and delivered her in the local hospital. Her mother, was a housewife, as was the norm in those days and her father ran his own business. Her mother was very close with her parents, two brothers, and two sisters. When her grandmother was diagnosed with asthma the family had to move. In those days a warm and dry climate was recommended, Arizona was the chosen state. Because her grandma could never quite leave home, KY, the family made many trips between the states. These trips back and forth dominated Marie’s childhood with her uncles and aunts being her childhood playmates.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that marie was born into a small tight knit family living in rural kentucky. she has led an interesting life traveling the country, raising four children, and shaping her chosen profession.
- Explains that marie's name was chosen by her grandmother and mother, "because they loved to read the list was quite long with much debate over each name."
- Narrates how marie's grandparents had an old farm house, which was one of many homes in which she lived. she learned to walk, climb stairs, and find hiding places in it.
- Explains marie attended many different schools over the years with more years in maryland schools than anywhere else. when asked what interested her the most, she says the phrases people used to describe the same thing.
- Explains that marie developed an independent personality early on and rarely relied on her family for help. a particular principle stood out in her memory.
- Narrates how marie recalls a fishing trip with her parents in texas, where water moccasins live in and around lakes and streams and are very poisonous.
- Narrates how marie was fascinated by learning and did well in school. her father died of a heart attack when she was fourteen, and her mother passed away. she worked full-time and graduated with her high school diploma.
- Describes marie's relationship with two of her best friends. one was the father of their children and the other was an accident of fate.
- Narrates how marie opened asten center of natural therapeutics in 1983. she served on the amta montana chapter's board and worked tirelessly to develop and pass the state’s massage therapy law.
- Narrates how they closed their massage therapy school in montana after their husband had to have quadruple bypass surgery and a valve replacement.
- Explains that marie says she will never retire. retirement in her vision is getting old and unable to do things that she enjoys. too many of her close friends retire with no plans for the future and then slowly pass away.
- Narrates how she is active in her community, making goodies for emt training sessions or helping out when a sharp mine is needed. the town off the entrance to her office, so she found out how to get this changed.
- Narrates how the woman's biggest complaint about getting older physically is that she runs out of energy faster than she needs to do things. she is grateful that health wise she has no major issues, high blood pressure is her only medical issue.
- Analyzes how marie's peer group is depressive and oppressive, and her recent challenge is learning how to operate windows8 on her new notebook.
- Describes her plans for her future, including a book, college degree, massage therapy dvd series, albums, memorabilia, and croquet blanket.
- Opines that the woman's life is not a bad one, but she hopes to have another good ten years.
- Opines that life is not a straight line, there are curves, circles, and detours. be honest with yourself and others, have integrity, be dependable, like who you are, change what you don't like, keep learning,
2237 wordsRead More - Prison reform was a major issue as well. The condition of these situations were horrifying. Inmates were treated horrendously. A lot of the inmates in prisons were debtors that owed money. Thousands of Americans owed less than $20, but because they were locked down they were still unable to pay it back due to lack of working. Similar to the prison treatment, the treatment of mentally ill patients were no better. A known American activist for the indigent insane Dorothea Dix played a vital role in the reform of these prison and punishment centers. She hated how people were being treated, especially the treatment of mentally ill patients. In a facility where they should be treated and not punished, people were locked away in dirty, crowded prison cells. Dix prepared a report and presentation and visi...
In this essay, the author
- Defines temperance as the abstinence from alcoholic drinks during the era of reform. it emerged as a backlash against the popularity of drinking.
- Analyzes how dorothea dix, an american activist for the indigent insane, played a vital role in the reform of prison and punishment centers.
- Explains that education was being considered as well as expanding its current status. horace mann initiated and ran the education movement to offer more public schools to children.
- Explains that the women's rights movement began to rise around the 1840s, when women were allowed to vote, which led to the suffrage movement.
- Explains that women battled sexual freedom and birth control rights. the american birth control league and the clinical research bureau were founded in 1921 and offered a wide range of services for men and women.
1027 wordsRead More - History and Overview of Insane Asylumsanalytical essayFor many decades the mentally ill or insane have been hated, shunned, and discriminated against by the world. They have been thrown into cruel facilities, said to help cure their mental illnesses, where they were tortured, treated unfairly, and given belittling names such as retards, insane, demons, and psychos. However, reformers such as Dorothea Dix thought differently of these people and sought to help them instead. She saw the inhumanity in these facilities known as insane asylums or mental institutions, and showed the world the evil that wandered inside these asylums. Although movements have been made to improve conditions in insane asylums, and were said to help and treat the mentally ill, these brutally abusive places were full of disease and disorder, and were more like concentration camps similar to those in Europe during WWII than hospitals.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how dorothea dix saw the inhumanity in insane asylums and showed the world the evil that wandered inside them.
- Explains that people in the united states did not support the mental institutions necessary for the insane to be properly cared for.
- Explains that the bethlehem hospital for the mentally ill in london set the bar for future treatments and punishments.
- Explains that public entry to family members or press inside american insane asylums was almost always denied because attendants and doctors did not want anyone interfering with their treatments.
- Explains that insane asylums were very similar to the nazi concentration camps back in europe during wwii.
- Explains the use of electrical shock therapy, lobotomies, and castrations in insane asylums.
- Explains that insane asylums were places of great torture and humiliation for the mentally ill, but the world had no idea of the terrors that were taking place in them.
- Argues that torture would produce insanity faster than this treatment. nellie's story is similar to that of john carol, who was sent to an insane asylum for brain fever.
- Explains english heritage's "from bethlehem to bedlam – england’s first mental institution." n.p., n.d. web.
1763 wordsRead More - Dorothea Langeexplanatory essayDorothea Lange was born in 1895 in Hoboken, New Jersey. Her family had come from Germany to the United States as immigrants. When Dorothea was seven years old, she suffered from polio. In 1907, her father left her family. And soon, her mother became an alcoholic.
In this essay, the author
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- Explains that dorothea lange is best known for her work during the great depression. she photographed children, ships, thedepression, and many others.
- Narrates how dixon traveled to asia, south america, egypt, and india during her years in photography. she divorced maynard dixon in 1935, but remarried to paul taylor while on assignment in new mexico.
- Narrates how dorothea's husband, paul, spent six months photographing developing countries and asia. she had ulcers, cancer of the esophagus, and malaria.
- Describes dorothea lange as someone who stood up for women and knew that women could do anything anyone else could.
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In this essay, the author
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784 wordsRead More - Gloria Naylor's Mama Dayanalytical essayGeorge and Ophelia grow up in significantly different environments with exposure to vastly dissimilar experiences; their diverse backgrounds have a profound impact on the way they interpret and react to situations as adults. George and Ophelia both grow up without their parents, but for different reasons. George grows up at the Wallace P. Andrews Shelter for Boys in New York. The Shelter’s strict surroundings did not provide the warm and inviting atmosphere that a mother strives for in a home. The employees at the Shelter are not “loving people,” (p. 23) but they are devoted to their job, and the boys. At a young age, Ophelia loses her mother. We learn very little about her apparently absent father. Mama Day and Abigail raise Ophelia. Abigail provides a source of comfort and love for Ophelia as she fulfills the role of mother figure. Mama day, Ophelia’s great aunt, acts more as a father figure. “If Grandma had been there, she would have held me when I broke down and cry. Mama Day only said that for a long time there would be something to bring on tears aplenty.” (p. 304). Ophelia grows up on the small island of Willow Springs. Everyone knows each other and their business, in the laid-back island community. The border between Georgia and South Carolina splits down the middle of the island. Instead of seeing any advantage to belonging to either state, the townspeople would prefer to operate independently. For George and Ophelia, the differences in their backgrounds will have a tremendous impact on many facets of their adult lives.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how george and ophelia grow up in significantly different environments with exposure to vastly dissimilar experiences; their diverse backgrounds have a profound impact on their interpret and react to situations as adults.
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- Analyzes how george and ophelia treated their belongings differently based on their unique backgrounds. they accept their differences and enjoy their years together.
1245 wordsRead More - Elizabeth Bishop Research Papernarrative essayElizabeth Bishop was born on February 8th, 1911 in Worcester, Massachusetts into a wealthy New England family. When Bishop was only 8 months old her father passed away and then five years later her mother “suffered from bouts of mental instability, was permanently admitted to a mental asylum” (Russell). From there on, Bishop was sent to live with many different family relatives, first happily and secure with her maternal grandparents in Great Village, Nova Scotia. During, her stay with her maternal grandparents, her paternal grandparents started to “expressed concerns about the limited resources for the child’s education” (Russell). She was then sent to live very briefly and very unhappily with her paternal grandparents back in Worcester, Massachusetts where her relationship with her paternal grandparents “was not particularly warm” (Russell). She was finally sent to live with a favorite aunt until she was old enough to go to boarding school (Spires).
In this essay, the author
- Explains that elizabeth bishop was born in 1911 in worcester, massachusetts, into a wealthy new england family. she was sent to live with many family relatives, first happily and secure with her maternal grandparents in great village, nova scotia.
- Narrates how bishop lived a lonely life, traveling and visiting with lovers and friends, but without any real home, employment or family to anchor her. she suffered from terrible asthma and allergies throughout her childhood.
- Narrates how bishop met lota de macedo soares, a lively and sophisticated woman, while she was in new york. they fell in love and bishop stayed with her for the next 15 years.
- Narrates how bishop was the cause of lota's death and became an outsider in rio and left brazil. she remained in boston for the last nine years of her life and met alice mehfessel.
524 wordsRead More