Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1918-11-15
THE PITY OF 1T

or the scores of parents and rela-
ives who came to Pullman to visit
the boys who were suffering from in
tluenza or pneumonia, but one, r.
>. Sanborn of Spokane, saw fit to
rush into print and vent his grief
III bitter and unjust criticism of the
way in which the emergency was
| handled by the college authorities
1t is true that he lost his son. Many
! other parents lost theirs, but despite
their grief they felt impelled to ex-
press their gratitude for the care
| which had been bestowed upon their
dear ones and to commend the meth
DDS adopted to handle the difficult
situation. The relatives of several of
the boys who died were not content
to voice their gratitude in spoken
words, but have written letters to
more fully set forth their apprecia-
ton OF the efficient way in which the
| emergency was handled, of the care
full attention given to the patients,
| and of the sympathy and considera-
ton extended to the bereaved or
anxious visitors. A sister of one of
| the dead boys writes that she would
| like to see "a monument of mercy
erected and dedicated to the people
of Pullman in recognition of their
kindness"
Another bereaved sister expresses
the conviction that her brother was
given better care than he could have
received in his own home.
During their stay in this city most
Of the visiting relatives showed
| spirit of appreciation and helpful
| ness, but not so Mr.. Sanborn. His
attitude was at all times critical. He
wanted to make trouble and confined
his efforts to hunting for evidence
on which to base complaints. That
he had little success is proved by
the numerous unfounded assertions
made in his TRADE, such as the state
ment that the Mechanic Arts build
ing is not Il fit place for we'll boys;
that the hospital wards maintained
in the churches were cold and drafty;
that the patients did not receive good
! care and were not satisfied with the
| "a ,iN ha ba
bers of the S. A. 7. G. were exposed
| to unnecessary hardships without re-
gard to their health, etc. He seems
| to utterly ignore the fact that the
| situation developed unexpectedly
within a few hours and that the
| problem confronting the college au
| thorities was not how to provide the
| best possible accommodations and
care for a few patients, but how to
| provide the best possible accommoda-
| tons and care for several hundred
| patients in the least possible time.
He tries to measure the situation by
| the standard of the attention which
| would be given under normal condi-
tions to one sick boy in a we'll
equipped hospital with plenty of help
available, instead of by the attention
| which could be given in a sudden
| emergency to hundreds OF sick boys
in eXtemporized hospitals with a
very limited number of doctors and
| trained nurses.
| The pity of it is that man should
be so selfishly wrapped up in his
own sorrow that he does not hesitate
to needlessly add to the anxiety Of
other parents, nor to bitterly criticise
| those who did all in their power to
save the life of his son, nor to wan
| tonly injure the reputation of the
State College by reckless censure Of
the efficient efforts of its president
| to cope with a very serious problem.
Fortunately Mr. Sanborn's charges
can be overwhelmingly refuted by
| the evidence of hundreds of students
| and scores of parents and relatives
of the sick who were on the ground
| and know whereof they speak.
VIM. GOODYEAR.
| III LINCOLN WERE PRESIDENT