The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-12-17
INMATESOF THEPOOR
HOUSE WELL TREATED
SAYS COMMISSIONER
SQUIRE 5ELLANFANT DECLARES
ADVERSE CRITICISM NOT
WARRANTED.
THE RACES ARE KEPT SEPARA |
Water Supply Will BE Improved And
Patients Are Kept as Clean as
Possible--Why Straw Bedding Is
used-Were Fed and Clothed.

used-Were Fed and Clothed.
Squire w. E. Bellanfant, Chairman
of the County Poor House Commits
sion. denies that the inmates of the
county asylum or poor house are not
well treated and properly provided for.
He replied Monday to the criti-
cisms made by DIR Geo. H. Mack, rep
resenting the State Board of Charities
"Of course" said Squire Bellanfant,
1.-The inmates of the poor house are
not treated as people are in their pri-
vate homes or as they would be in a
first class hotel. We cannot, with the
money at our command, do that, but
we do insist that they are made COM
Portable and are even allowed some
of the luxuries of life. The food is
good and wholesome. We give them
Just about what the average family OF
the county will have to eat, and much
better than large number of citizens
Of this county not in the poor house
enjoy.
"The water supply is not altogether
satisfactory. However, every patient
is required to battle at least once
week and there is ample water for all
purposes, although not as convenient
as we would like However, there
are many inmates who are not able to
do anything but carry water. They
should do something and this charac-
else does not hurt them. But we are
going to provide better water system
lust as soon as the weather will per-
nit us to work. We have been at
work on plans for some time and pro-
pose to carry them into effect at an
early date.
"Now as to the intermingling of the
races. We provide separate rooms
for the inmates and they have sepa-
rate dining rooms, but it is impossible
to keep them apart at all times, al
though every effort is made to do so.
Until the county provides two insti-
buttons, one for the white and the
other for the blacks I do not see how
it will be possible for us to force the
races to keep apart every minutes OF
the day.
In dealing with the inmates of this
institution we face conditions and not
theories. A majority of those at the
home are insane or at least devoid OF
ordinary intelligence. They cannot be
treated as one would treat normal be-
ings. That-is one of the reasons why
we have straw bedding. We could not
afford feather beds for some of them,
because their condition is such that
the beds are frequently ruined. With
straw mattresses 1t Is easy and In
expensive to empty the straw, wash
the ticks and refill them.
"The officials in charge of the poor
house have nothing to conceal. They
invite full investigation. Any citizen
of the county is welcome to go to the
poor house and see for himself the
conditions there. We use the lamps
without chimneys because there are
patients who have so little sense that
they are constantly breaking the chin
neya
I'VE feed the patients, we give them
first class medical attention, they have
plenty of coal IN the winter, the food
is wen cooked ana wholesome, we try
to keep things, clean, but as stated,
it is hard fiisdealing with the class of
people that we have to look after, to
keep the institution just where 1t
ought to be. Theoretically, perhaps,
the rcor house ought to be just as
clear just as comfortable, the patients
look lust as neat and tidy at all times
as they do in any hotel But we can't.
We face conditions Some are so de-
void of intelligence, that they are just
like children. Every one knows that
you can't keep three-year-old boy
as neat as sixteen-year-old girl, al
though the clothes Of the former may
be changed as many times In q day as
the girls are changed in week OF
maybe month"