The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-08-16
THE ASYLUM FARM

Work on the asylum farm is pro
crossing these days. The scientific
farmer selected by the University Of
Idaho works hard himself and W.
believe. always has, tho he has beer
q lenient manager for those who
worked under his direction. Perhaps
fair statement of the case weult
be that he is too young and 1eto<
tenderhearted to be exacting with
his help, and to use a western
! phrase. does not knock them into
the collar" quite as much as IL
needed. Considerable of the farm
help consists OF patients who are able
to work and who are better on fol-
working, and he is kind and con-
siderate of them, perhaps too much
so to keep up good morale.
Edward Thoreson OF Blackfoot is
chairman of the board of directors,
and he has been an aggressive man
on the board, but our readers will
recall that he has been hampered by
the passive attitude of the other
members. David Burrel and Eugene
Wright, neither of whom seems to
pay any attention to board duties
any longer, nor give Mr.. ThOreson
any definite authority to act. For q
good while he has been going over
some Of the farm every day and adj
vising with the farmer and the
gardner, and gradually getting
things into better working order.
Under his advice they made special
effort to cut out the weeds in the
garden and get rid of them before
the seed was ripened, and there is a
decided improvement in the pro-
spects. Inc wheat crop Is looking
very good, the corn Is looking good,
but the alfalfa is light. 1t Is a gen.
eral complaint that the first crop of
alfalfa this year was light and that
the second crop bloomed while 1t
was still short, and the asylum
meadows are SO, in common with
the rest
In the harvest of the second crop
of alfalfa, the farmer has been max
ing the mistake of keeping the |
mowers too far ahead of the stack
ers. 1t is considered good practice
to rake alfalfa within a day after the
mower, or If it Is a light crop and
the weather hot and dry, shorten the
time or even let the rake follow
within a few hours of the mower.
The mowers the first of the week
were two days ahead of the rakes,
and the stackers several days behind,
and the hay shattering badly. In
the face of hot. dry weather this is
and carries sacrifice.
Chairman Thoreson recognized
this weakness in the situation early,
and was confronted with shortage
Of wagons and had no authority to
buy wagons during the present dead
ock of the board, so he had two
wagons brought in from his own
arm west of town and loaned to the
state pending the breaking Of the
deadlock.
1t is said that two or three dozen
II the patients were sleeping on bed
springs without mattresses, or
'ather, on mattresses that were so
ar gone to pieces that it was about
ike spreading empty ticks on where
he mattresses ought to be, and that
he medical superintendent urged in
'ain for the purchase of fifty new
At the April meeting
when bids were received for mer-
Mr.. Burrel is reported to
lave objected to buying mattresses
md assured them that there were
enough on hand. Subsequent count
ng of noses revealed the other situa-
ion and Chairman Thoreson nego-
lated for several weeks before he
Ould get authority to buy mattresses.
Just why the deadlock continues
fter all the friendly declarations :
nd the blow-up of the board in May, I
$ a puzzle. Mr.. Wright's declara-
ion that he would resign does not
neither does he attend {
ny board meetings that we can
earn of. Mr.. Burrels activities .
eem to be just the same as Mr..
vright's only he has not said he
yould resign. He too, seems very I
usy staying away from board meet I
lgs, even tho the law defines the l
uties of the board and the times for =
gliding meetings.
Governor Moore is still the COVER
or and probably has some jurisdic-
on over all the boards, but he prob
bly, has reasons for not demanding .
lat members act or resign. So long 7
5 they have good medical super
and the patients are we'll
ared for and kindly treated, there
really no grave reason for action. +
he condition of the farm may i'm If
rove as to management-we believe
will improve and is improving,
nd that no emergency exists. The
g objective is to have the institu-
on operated in the interest of the
atients and that seems to be in pro-
,ss now.