Dorothea Lynde Dix: A Defender And Protector
Dorothea Dix advanced the world of assisting the mentally ill in giant leaps and strides. Some may feud over how important Dorothea is, but those who know her story know the truth. Not only did she nurture the mentally ill, she also felt responsible for the blind and deaf, and she cared for those who could not care for themselves.
Dorothea was born on April 4, 1802 in Hampden, Maine. Her father was a puritan pastor, and her mother stayed home and cared for the family. At least, that was the theory. Dix’s family life was in pieces. Her father was an abusive drunk, and both her parents often had bouts of depression. Dorothea cared for her two younger brothers because her parents had failed to do so. She ended up having to run her household on her own, and grew up much faster mentally because of that. …show more content…
There, she thrived and her love for reading and education blossomed. Dix dreamed of being a teacher. When she was 14, she began teaching a dames school. At that point in time, females were not permitted to go to school. Dorothea taught girls from ages 6-8, and in doing so, Dix was able to achieve her dream of teaching whilst little girls recieved the rare gift of learning.
A major turning point in Dorothea’s life was in 1841, when she went to a Massachusetts prison (“Dorothea Dix Biography”). The prison was run down, with felons put together with the mentally
Dorothea Dix advanced the world of assisting the mentally ill in giant leaps and strides. Some may feud over how important Dorothea is, but those who know her story know the truth. Not only did she nurture the mentally ill, she also felt responsible for the blind and deaf, and she cared for those who could not care for themselves.
Dorothea was born on April 4, 1802 in Hampden, Maine. Her father was a puritan pastor, and her mother stayed home and cared for the family. At least, that was the theory. Dix’s family life was in pieces. Her father was an abusive drunk, and both her parents often had bouts of depression. Dorothea cared for her two younger brothers because her parents had failed to do so. She ended up having to run her household on her own, and grew up much faster mentally because of that. …show more content…
There, she thrived and her love for reading and education blossomed. Dix dreamed of being a teacher. When she was 14, she began teaching a dames school. At that point in time, females were not permitted to go to school. Dorothea taught girls from ages 6-8, and in doing so, Dix was able to achieve her dream of teaching whilst little girls recieved the rare gift of learning.
A major turning point in Dorothea’s life was in 1841, when she went to a Massachusetts prison (“Dorothea Dix Biography”). The prison was run down, with felons put together with the mentally