Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-27
By WALTER D. HICKMAN.

Wont -ou buy some of my crochet
pieces?"
The question caused me to stop as (
turned into a big corridor Of the
woman's ward at the Central Indiana
Hospital for the Insane
The words were spoken by a woman
who was holding number of doillies
and other crochet patterns.
Il make them myself They are so
pretty and so reasonable in price" the
woman stated as she began exhibiting
some beautiful crochet work.
The woman then explained the merits
of her work and gave numerous and suf-
ficient reasons to a party of four who
were making a trip Of inspection Of the
State insane hospital which is presided
over by DR.. George F. Edenharter as
superintendent.
The selling arguments were so well
made by the woman that the entire party
made purchases. l was afraid to ask
the attache, who was showing us
through the institution. if this woman
who was such an expert dolly maker
was an inmate of the institution.
APPEARANCES ALMOST
DECEIVE PURCHASER.
became more confused when the
woman UuaUG the GudnEc CULAENSiS Al az
of her sales. If she was insane it was
nearly unbelievable that a troubled brain
could direct the fingers In such intricate
work. 1t was hard to understand how
such pretty articles could be the result
of a clouded mind.
It was not necessary for me to ask if
tSa woman was an inmate because as
soon as the last member of the party
had paid for his dolly the woman said.
Wait just a minute, ! want to recite
to you what l am going t. say at the
clinic tomorrow"
She then talked Ct Napoleon. Of his
triun DIs and his v1ct, ries. Her dates
were correct and her English perfect
She changed rapidly from one subject to
another.
WROTE LETTER TO
BOOTH TAREIEGTON.
Il wrote Booth Harrington a letter and
I had one word misspelled." she stated.
as she explained TO her small audience
the amusing line her error caused.
But he didn't answer" she stated as
she branched out on mathematics.
The mat-on who was escorting the
party stated that the woman has been in
the institution as an inmate for more
than eight years.
"She comes from a well educated fam
ily," the matron explained. 'she
crochets veIe rapidly and her work is
beautiful Nearly every visitor buys
some Of her work. She has her money
sent to the office and we keep it for
her. She has over a hundred dollars and
with IL she buys additional supplies,
magazines and papers. She is fond of
politics and al election line she heads
all the arguments on this subject. II is
remarkable how rapidly she can crochet.
She states that she Is keeping her money
so she win have a little on hand for use
when she gets out"
AS the crochet expert was discussing
Napoleon, another inmate of the institu
ton came up and listened closely to
what she was saying.
II wouldn't want to have that much
brains in my head" she stated when
go before the clinic, I keep STU and
listen"
Such freedom Of expression and Of
privileges makes discipline an easy thing
al the Central Indiana Hospital for the
Insane: 1t was noticed that many of
the women were asleep on comfortable
touches in the various parlOrs OF living
rooms. There were many comforts bls
chairs and everything was exceptionally
clean. Inc inmates wore clean clothing
and their personal appearances showed
that the attendants were giving close at
tention to their charges,
Under Or. Edenharter IL appears that
home-like influences have been provided
for hundreds OF women who are kept in
this big building. Many of them will
never leave the institution until the
dead wagon" backs up to the door.
INSTITUTION Is
OvERCROWDED.
DR.. Edenharter admits that the insti-
tuition is Overcrowded Il that Is is i'm
possible to relieve the situa ton in other
counties, making it imp, ssible to take all
the insane patients into the institutic n.
A visit to this enormous institutNm
convinces one the big problem Of han
ding the insane of the State. Every day
is calling day at the institution and
saw many men with their wives sitting
and talking on the grass
visit to the big kitchens and the
dining room showed that conditions were
satisfactory Brown bread. mush, roast
meat and potatoes were in the process Of
cooking when we visited the institution
Ample provision has been made by a
tunnel system Of taking the food to the
wards where the patients are unable to
walk 10 the big dining room.
CHAPEL Is AN
INTERESTING POINT.
One of the interesting buildings was
the chanel audfforfuu1 The audf-