The Farmington times., 1917-05-18
A Truly Great
State Institution

Senator Joe Farris, of Bloomfield,
Stoddard county, was a distinguished
visitor in Pennington the first of the
week, and while here spent a consid-
cradle portion of his time looking ov-
er State Hospital No. 4. and was an
interested onlooker at the organization
of the Board of Managers of that in
stitution. He also went through
practically all the buildings there,
looked over the farm and truck gar
dens where active operations are now
in progress preparing for what ap-
pears to be bumper crops. He also
went through the poultry yards, and
took long look at the splendid herd
of Holstein cattle. In fact, he made
quite complete investigation of
practically every department of that
great institution, as the farther he
went the more absorbed he became in
the truly remarkable unfoldment he
beheld on every hand for the care and
treatment of more than 700 unfor-
tunate patients therein confined.
Before leaving this city he ex-
pressed his complete amazement with
what he there beheld. In fact he was
full to overfowing with praises for
the recent, as well as all former
Boards of Managers that had con-
tributed to the splendid work that was
everywhere in evidence. He gave it
as his opinion that State Hospital
No. A was undoubtedly the best kept
and most capably managed institu-
tion of its kind to be found in the
United States, and the Senator has in
spected many such institutions. He
was also free to admit that on coming
to this city he had entertained sort
of prejudice against the Pennington
Hospital, not from anything that he
knew personally to its discredit, but
from what he had heard, and ne was
delighted to know that his previous
information was wholly incorrect.
He said there was great amount
of prejudice existing in different parts
of the State-especially throughout
Southeast Missouri where this insti-
tuition should be best known-againstI
this, which he was more than pleased |
to designate as Missouri's finest elee-
institution. The reason for |
such adverse criticism he was unable |
to say, as it was very evident that |
the splendid improvements there
could not have been made in year,
nor in several years. Therefore they
must have been in progress practically |
since that institution was first estab- |
lished. But he departed for home more
than pleased with his trip here, as he
is now prepared, as he is also more
than willing to refute any criticism
he may hereafter hear regarding !
State Hospital No, a.
That it was possible to keep such |
an institution, with so many inmates,
in such cleanly and immaculate
condition was a revelation to him,
and he was inclined to give the pres
ent faculty of that institution full
credit for bringing about what ap-
peared to him as but little short of
He also suggests to anyone
who may feel an inclination to criti-
else this institution that they first
make trip there, see what is going
on, and then if they feel disposed to
then their case is hopeless.
He thinks that the only people who are
in position to criticise State Hospital
No. a are its inmates, whose mental
bias gives them that privilege. And
yet, in spite of their unnatural bias,
it is very seldom that any semblence
of complaint is heard even from
one of them,