Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-11-29
LUNATics LEARN FARMING.
More Than Three Hundred OF
Them Employed at Central islip.

more IMAM nFeo TIubo'eo ~
Them Employed at Central islip.
An insane village. A section OF
land two and half miles long and
nearly one mile Mt its greatest breadth.
situated within fifty miles OF the city
OF New York. is peopled by the unfor-
Inmates who have lost their reason
They till the soil and reap the harvest,
and the cloud of their lives is lifted a
little by work in the fields under tho
great canopy OF heaven.
1t has long been the dream OF those
whose hearts go out to the afflicted
that the time would come when tho
service Of the care OF the insane would
reach point where it would not be
necessary to confine them within stone
walls and iron-barred windows, and
that instead active outdoor work might
be the aid To the physician in building
up the body and strengthening the
mind.
The time has come and TO New York
is due the credit OF first putting this
principle into operation. The first
transfer OF patients was made May 9
last. Immediately on their arrival
they were put to work cleaning the
ground. BY degrees other patients
followed, until 81 had arrived. Since
the day the pioneers went 70 work fifty
acres have been cleared OF underbrush,
roads have been built, Lawns id out,
and very creditable stoox OF garden
truck raised. This, too, without any
outside help The wants OF these 81
patients are looked after by thirty at
tendants and three doctors. Each OF
the doctors, besides looking after the
health of their patients, is "a specialist
in some branch OF agriculture. They
have studied the men under their care
and singled them out for the branch OF
work most suitable to their prefer
ence.
For several minutes alter their arri-
val the most obstreperous OF their
number harrangued their comrades
and declared that they were not farm
ers and would not work. One wanted
q
each told the vocation most preferable
to his tastes 1t was Il very amusing
sight TO see some fifty OF the new re-
cruits working stoutly along without
paying the slightest attention to the
rawlings OF these mal-conients no mat
ter what they said or how loudly they
talked or how near they happened to
be. Finally, when the discontinued ones
had had their say. they all went quiet
ly to work and received instructions
from their keepers. By supper time
they were fully content with their lot
and were ready to enjoy what was pro-
vided for them and after r4mble
around the veranda OF the cottage to
retire for good nights sleep in the
quiet OF the country.
These same scenes that were enacted
were only repetitioas Of what had oc-
Cured on the arrival of every contin-
gent that had been sent down. Now
they all work in harmony together,
and 1t is one o. the sights OF the farm
TO see an insane man skillfully hand
ling plough or driving yoke OF fine
oxen.
Among the patients is one who be-
fore his affection was builder. He
has charge Of the work OF putting up
greenhouse for the protection OF the
shrubs and plants during the winter.
His hallucination is that he is at pres
ent earning "A vast sum OF money, and
nothing could induce him to leave the
premises. Another patient has charge
Of ono Of the chicken coops and takes
especial pride in distancing his rivals,
OF which he has three, in the care OF
his house and the number OF eggs
which he obtains every day. lie has
fine litter of spaniels under his care
and also n baby" COW, which he has
cared for since its birth, its mother
having died at that time.
1t Happens That Way.
s.Xac ci pi,ri h.. oh,