Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-08
WAR ON DISEASE
AND IGNORANCE IN
STATES PRISONS
Governor Davis Appoints
Board on Criminal
Mental Hygiene.
WILLIAM AND MARY
TO FIGHT ILLITERACY
Faculty Will Join With Doctors
in Campaign to Uplift Penal
Institutions.

With tho appointment by Governor
Davis yesterday OF an official Board
on Criminal Mental hygiene, and the
adoption OF resolution by the board
of directors Of the penitcntiary ac-
ccpting the offer or assistance OF the
College Of William and Mary in cs-
tablishing and conducting educational
. course OF the inmates of the pcnlccn-
,!ary and branch prisons. which had
been rendered by President j. ~ c..
Chandler through Governor Davis,
the machinery was completed with
which to place the Virginia prison
| among the most progressive penal in
stitutlons in the United States
Complete plans have now been
worked out and adopted By the pene-
tentiary directors. providing: % FOR
proper physical examination and
medical care OF the prisoners, with
/ the Keeping o: up-to-datc medical
records; CD for mental examination
and classification of all prisoners: go
/ for educational tests and instructions,
and vocational training for every
inmate; H) for religious and moral
( instruction, and t5) for regular re-
creational activities at the penItcn-
t!ary. State Farm and road camps.
Following the removal by Gov
ernor Davis OF J. II. Wilkinson from
the board directors of the peni-
icntiary on April 10. and the reor-
ganization OF the board with Colonel
Leroy Hodges. OF Petersburg, aid
TO the Governor, as president, an in
vest!Sation was conducted by the new
board. OF which tle other members
are James Blackwell. or Petersburg:
oscar +. Weisiger. OF Richmond. and
| William Z Sullivan. of Richmond,
with the assistance and co-operation
I OF the United States Public Health
service, which has revealed thst 25
per cent Of the prisoners confined at
the pcnitentiary in Richmond and 90
Der cent OF the prisoners at the
state Farm are victims OF disease
that led to the calling OF : conference
OF representatives OF the Medical Col
lcge of Virginia. the medical society
OF Virginia. and of the State Board o.
| Health. with the result that the
whole medical system n, the
prison has been thoroughly rcorEan-
ized and placed upon 4 more modern
! basis.
| Through this work, the need for a
study of mental hygiene also was
clearly shown; and 20 meet the situa-
ton. Governor Davis has appointed
special board to conduct an intcn-
| sive study of the mental condition OF
each inmate at the prison. This
board, which will be known as the
I Governors Advisory Board on Crlmi-
nal Mental Hygiene, consists OF DR.
beverley Il. Tucker, OF Richmond.
/ chairman: Harvey d. Coghnl, OF
I Richmond, secretary; and Dr. James
| *. Hall. Of Richmond: DR.. X. ]. Hoke,
Of Williamsburg; DR.. Donald 4.
| Davis. OF Williamsburg; Judge James
| Hoge Ricks. of Richmond; DR.. VIM.
+. Drcwry. OF Petersburg: Dr. T. IL
henderson, OF Marion; Dr. Geo. 4.
/ Wright of Marion; DR.. q. w Brown
! of Williamsburg; DR.. j. s. DeJarnette,
OF Staunton, and DR.. a. s. Priddy, OF
the State Epileptic Colony, near
/ Lynchburg.
| The directors OF the peni:entiary
| passed resolution yesterday pro-
viding that every assistance and
Facility he given this board in con-
ducting it's work. soon 10 be begun
among the prisoners
! The action OF the prison directors
Continued on Second PaEc)