New-York tribune., 1901-06-05
SPORTS FOR TIE INSANE.
A FIELD DAY FOR THE INMATES OF THE
WARDS ISLAND INSTITUTION.


Deusions and hallucinations took a holiday at
Wards Island yesterday. and day of splendid
sport enjoyed under perfect June skies and
amid surroundings picturesque and almost beauti-
full, if mental activity not called into play
and only with the eyes and allowed the
brain to rest. Some people would not have seen
anything beautiful In scene of lovely lawns peo-
pied by probably four Thousand patients of the
Manhattan State Hospital most of them mentally
unbalanced The same people could see nothing
beautiful in Brookyn's great city of the dead.
Greenwood Cemetery. They do not realize that
picture of misery be placed in a silver
golden frame
1t was the annual field day of the institution at
Wards Island. and the doctors. nurses. patients
and their friends had looked forward 10
the outing for the unfortunates for time.
Disagreeable weather caused the postponement OF
the games until yesterday and this district has
not been rewarded with ideal weather this
year. When the visitors first arrived the island
10y the boat from East One hundred
ST. they were met at the pier by doctors from the
institution. who showed them about the various
buildings and handsomely kept grounds What
impressed the visitor most the cleanliness OF
the buildings and the patients. the apparent alb
sence Of worry and the freedom and evident con.
tentment Of the patients. The stafr OF physicians
were in holiday attire OF naval like blue coats.
buttoned close 10 the throat and white duck trou-
sers.
But the visitors did not have much time for in
spection. for the band stationed OF the
velvet-like lawns started UP lively air, and soon
everybody was fastening toward the field OF sport
which was 70 occupy the attention of visitors.
patients. nurses and employees for at least
hours, The basketball TO the OF
the musicians. the cinder track for the races al
most in front. to the north. and dancing plat
form. under n bower OF green leaves. to the west
The women patients who not TO take part in
the sports grouped about 10 the south Of the
dancing platform. while the men patients
her. 10 he ST Of he bau
The opening contest egg for women
patients. and about dozen women and girls took
part The were laid on the ground stated
intervals, and they had to be gathered up by the
patients at a time and deposited In baskets at
the finish line. Well trained athletes did the
work better. and not egg broken. Miss r.
Molliner after close struggle with Miss
Annie Heller One OF the most spirited contests Of
the day the basketball game for women
patients, captaned by inmates from the Nerplanck
building and the branch buildings. Two halves of
fifteen minutes each were played the team cap
tanned by Mrs Mahar winning by the score OF 9
! to 0. The women struggled boldly for the mastery.
and the assembled physicians took the liveliest in
| terest i'm the contest At the conclusion OF the
game OF the players. dark haired girl OF pos
sibly nineteen years became excited that one OF
| the physicians took her to the dancing platform
/ and waltzed around with her for several minutes.
| while the band played The Beautiful Blue DAN
ube." The action infectious. for soon at least
three dozen OF the patients had snatched partners
! and were whirng around the platform with the
| grace Of accomplished dancers
/ While this going the kept in
! their group about fifty yards away. Most Of them
looked occasionally the dancers. hut the major
ity were more content to wait for the contests to
The nusIr in his frct Tbcp he dsnred y ferv lie
steps. and removed his hat with Chesterhedian
politeness. He wanted to Join the dancing group on
the platform. but could not. He is the dandy of
our flock said physician, and his worst trouble
! Is that he thinks that every woman he sees be-
comes infatuated with him. have seen the same
sort OF shsGmen % line in Bro@dway except that this
One woman. attired In black watched the dancers
two Of her, friends approa ched her but she de-
| cned TO dance, She preferred TO walk about
'she is really he best dancer on the island" re-
descends TO dance She thinks that she is an opera
singer, while she really can't sing at all"
character Of ne island home Of the Unfortunate,
an athletic meet In fact il needed only tHe ab
sence Of the officials and the women patients and
John Dixon to make one think that an Unusually aH
ase sae! % ff e 8 the
Frank Start was easily the best athlete among the
sides being the captain of the victorious tug of
I'VE hnd these outings of vast benefit to our
patients" said DIR, George r. Campbell the referee
that the demented ought to be placed in padded
or dark cells or in straitiackets. There are none
insane to-day is upon distinct lines We try to to give
% for them eray in that direction so nawf WITH ghna
courts. dancing. music and basketball What slIc-
| cess this new method has with can he esti-
| mated when 1t is known that few years ago our
ratio of cured patients was about 10 per cent while
| now ii is 30 per cent ~
The Judges were DR.. Anna Hutchinson. r. F.
Heger was the measnrer DR.. L. Walther an
nouncer Drs. r. Delacroix and W. A. Crofoot tha
starters and Dr. c. p Frischbier the clerk NJ tbe
| men employees, there Is a woman's orchestra on
! the island composed of dozen patients Physicai
culture classes popular and the bathing sea
will begin. off the southern end of the island
The summary:
| Egg for women patientsl--Won by Miss r Nor
ner. Miss Heller second NJ. G Lawlrr rhird
| Running tifty yards for employes)-Won Nv !,
! walsh, j. Hoag second. Tfme-00s - ~
| Nora Stevenson.
Running (twenty-ive wards. patien:s,-
| Final won by Miss Mole Bloomngthau Miss
Jeanett Levy second. Miss Nora Mcdonald third Time
| -0:05
tain); Ward No. 81 (Wtiam Geyer. captain. second
| by s feet.
| Potato race (for women patens)-Won by Mrs NJ Nc
CoIn Miss Fannie Iilck second. Miss McI)onald
| third.
Miss Emma Hayes.
| sack race (for men patientsl-Won by Frank Start
| Patrick Drker second George Herzog third.
| Ras for paients)-Won by Branch
building Mrs Mahar captain). Score TO O. Halves of
fifteen minutes each.
Tennis contests dor women pauentst-Won by Mrs.
Stevenson.
One-hunderd-yard Gor men patientsl-Won by
Frank start. Tme-o:l3.