The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1917-03-17
Int to all.

"t~"Ae "nciepS thtIe may ne duueu
10 the present individual system, the
good points OF the central system and
adding them gradually and as the oc-
casion arises
The second amendment aims 10 out
] line the form OF organization and Sc
! cure TO the reorganized body the
money necessary to defray the ex-
penses incident thereto. 1t provides
for permanent chairman and in that
provision II doesn't go outside OF the
regular order OF things. The pro-
vision FOR secretary is a sort OF an
innovation and has caused many TO
hesitate. Some objection has been
made to the secretary provision on
the ground that such officer. placed
in power as contemplated. might ex-
ert an undue influence upon the Joint
Board All such contingencies must
be taken into consideration, OF course,
in considering change such as the
one proposed; In fact this very con
dition arose on one OF the Wisconsin
state boards where the power OF the
board was centralized by law and my
Information is that the fact that there
were no checks provided whereby
those in authority and with whom
this man came into contact could as
sert themselves was the reason why
he was able to maintain his position.
In the plan We propose the secretary
is creature of the board itself and
has no voice in government whatever.
The local interests at the different
asylums will be sufficiently assertive
to check any tendency which head
strong secretary might develop and
feel that there isn't much liability for
such conditions arising.
Nor will the secretary be in such
position that he can ignore the super,
intendents or any one OF them for the
reason that our superintendent are
members OF this body, in fact they
constitute the source upon which this
board must depend for much OF its
usefulness. The secretary of this
board will be as dependant upon our
superintendent as this board il and
in order TO make his Office the sue.
cess that this board will expect him TO
make IL he must work in harmony and
not at cross purposes with the super
intendents.
IL has been suggested that the secre-
tary should be one without opinion;
a mere clerk as IL were. ! note that
this opinion is not general and am
glad of that fact for secretary of
that calibre would prevent our attain
ing many OF the benefits that we ex-
pect to attain through this organiza-
ton. The secretary should not only
be man OF opinions but he should be
a strong man professionally; a man
equal in ability to any of our superin-
tendents; a man who will add dignity
and respect TO our organization and
in whom the superintendent may
have confidence so that they may
feel free TO counsel with him; in short
man that will enter into our insti-
tutional family and be looked upon "a
worthy Of membership
To secure the services OF such a
I man we must pay respectable sal
airy and we must equip his Office so
that il may be of benefit to our insti-
tutions. II is for this reason and also
to relieve the individuals hospitals OF
the expense of the proposed proven
ton and after care work that the
money clause In the proposed amend
ment has been inserted. take II that
the secretary's Office will be sort OF
a nerve center for this new work for.
TO get benefit out OF IL there must be
systematic and intelligently directed
prosecution Of II with the Psycopathic
hospital "a the source OF much OF in
spiration
The organization scheme also EN-
braces provision for an executive
committee 20 he composed OF one
member from each board holding
membership in the joint board This
board in It's entirety Is too unwieldy
70 be depended upon for active field
work. To successfully carry out any
thing OF the kind a smaller committee
must be provided for and II we are to
have equality for all. no smaller com
mittee and no fairer aportionment OF
its membership can be devised than by
selecting one member from each board
In time there will undoubtedly be
delegated 10 this committee the study
Of almost al % the problems that will