The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-05-31

The erection of a new building at State
Park. The Asylum commission has
just returned from a trip North and
IL is probable that following a con-
ference here on June .. actual steps
towards the erection OF buildings on
the new property will begin.
An announcement of the plans of
the commission was made today, af-
ter the members had returned from
the Northern trip.
The commission after its visit TO
other institutions has the idea well
formed as recognizing tho advantages
Of colonizing insane patients out in
the country" said DR.. James w. Bah
scck, chairman Of the commission
At conference to be held here
June .. III. p. Kelsey the landscape
architect employed by the commiss-
on. will be present. with j. l.. Lud-
how. the consulting engineer, and
Frank B. Ware. the New York State
architect. who did work at an insti-
tuition in New York visit by the
commission and Is at present engaged
In restoration work at the Albany
Capitol.
There will be present. occordips to
the plans of the commission. forest
sr sent here by the United States
Government The forester will sug-
sest the arrangement as to trees and
his assistance will be sought In the
laying out of the features of the
ground Congressman Lever, has
agreed 20 ask the Government to
send such man here to confer with
the commission and the architect.
ft Is believed by the commission
that the working of all of these fea-
turss together is something new in
the planning Of institutions for the
insane. In other institutions the COM
mission found the colony idea we'll
advanced. but the South Carolina
departure will be to start from the
beginning with the arrangement of
tl1e grounds by an expert forester,
THE. development along the colony line
and shs proper country life for the
nnmafcs.
u Is not probable that any build
h1gs at first erected will be for less
number of patients than 100. THIS
is. however, a much smaller number
than Is at present crowded into some
OF the buildings at the old institu-
ton. where In one or two buildings
as many as 500 patients are.
The colony idea will be extended
gradually as the commission now
views the situation. With buildings
for 100 patients at first and later on
xmaller buildings about the grounds
for a less number. it is believed in
time the project OF complete colony
viii be fully developed.
Tn the colony idea Is foremost the
separation of the patients with re-
gard TO the kinds OF affiiction. In
ether institutions visited by the com
uufssion q was shown that proper
segregation OF the patients was benc-
IDEAL. This the commission will seek
TO provide for in this State. The
first big step that the new institution
viii give. will. OF course. be the se-
gregation Of the races.
Dr. James w. Babcock. the chair
man: Mr.. Elbert Aull. II Newberry.
the secretary Of the commission; Mr..
J. r. Floyd. Of Spartaoburg. and Mr..
James w. Payne of Anderson. made
the trip North and inspected several
institutions.
At the Government Hospital In
Washington. one day was profitahly
spent by the members II the commits
sion. Another day was spent at the
Central Islip Hospital on Long Island
this being a hospital on the colony
plan. where there are about $500 pa
tients. There are series OF new
buildings there. and the lay OF the
land Is somewhat like the sand hills
OF this county. In Western Massachu-
setts the commission visited a large
colony. where 1000 acres Of land was
utilized this being about the same
sire as the new property at state
Park. The colony in Massachusetts
was begun six or seven years ago
for the chronic insane. and since then
has been considerably developed.
There are many separate cottages for
from 20 TO 100 patients each.
The commission spent one day at