The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-01-17
Dr.. McAdoo Tells Rotary Club Of Maryland's
Hospital For The Insane, At Weekly Meeting

DR.. McAdoo's idea, however, is to
enroll as many other patients as pos
sible from among those who display
an interest in music. There are many,
he believes who possess musical talent
without training and to whom instruc-
ton and practice would provide both
a guarantee against idleness and a
| definite incentive to Improvement.
Both of these detectives are extreme
| ly desirable from the point of view of
the psychiatrist. Instruction will be
carried on under the supervision of
the Observation-Disclosures, with the as
sistance of other staff members and,
perhaps, of patients who have the
ability to teach others.
Instruments Needed
| Since no money is available, one of
the most difficult problems to be faced
in organizing the band is that of find
ing the necessary instruments. Some
of these may be supplied at the outset
|
families. DR.. McAdoo hopes that
others will be donated by persons in
| terested in the institution or by those
| who have unused instruments lying
around their homes. The original
equipment of the band, he says, is
| likely to be makeshift, but he hopes
that that condition will be remedied
when the value of the plan has been
demonstrated.
When the band has been organized,
DR.. McAdoo hopes to be able to ex-
plore further the value of music as an
agency of "occupational thearapy"
| and as source of entertainment for
people who, by force of circumstance,
have few opportunities for recreation.
The next step, perhaps, will be the or
ganization of a glee club. This, too,
may have a small beginning, but the
ultimate aim will be to increase its
size as rapidly as possible to include
those patients who, possessed of the
necessary vocal equipment, are most
likely to benefit from active partic-
patton.
| Looking still farther into the
future, DR.. McAdoo hopes to be able
to establish an orchestra capable of
handling more amitious musical
works, as we'll as one or more smaller
orchestras which would play dance
music and other popular compositions
for small groups of patients in the
various cottage residences which COM
prise the hospital. For all of these
schemes he believes that there is
plenty of talent-actual or potential
among the $500 patients of the
institution.
Money Necessary
Of course, before the plan can be
carried so far, some money will be
necessary-at least enough to pur-
chase instruments and music. DR..
McAdoo hopes to be able to demon
strate by means of the band that
music is an important factor in the
operation of an institution for the in
sane. And he hopes to be able to
make the demonstration so convinc-
ing as to justify a small State ap-
preparation for the continuance and
expansion of the work.
DR.. McAdoo admits that he is work
ing on a theory which has seldom, if
ever, been tried out in an institution
of the size and character of Spring
field. But he is firmly convinced that
it will work. In large State hospital
operating on a slender budget every
scheme for extending recreational
and occupational facilities to patients
must be weighed in terms of costs
and results. Some ventures in occu-
pational thearapy (such as work on
the farm and other forms of labor)
are self-liquidating or even return
profit. But they are not applicable
to all patients in an institution like
Springfield. Something must be found
to occupy the time and arouse the in
terest of those who cannot do hard,
physical labor, and even those who
do work need some form of relaxation
during the hours when they are not
actually engaged at their jobs.
Taking all these factors into con-
sideration, DIR. McAdoo is inclined to
believe that musical program such
as he proposed will produce more
benefits for fewer dollars than any
other "extra curricular" activity that
could be devised.
Requires Cooperation
For the actual participation, he
says, it will provide an opportunity
for work and study-an interest for
people who are in dire need of inter
ests outside themselves. Moreover
and even more important perhaps
playing in a band or orchestra or
| singing in a glee club requires the
highest degree of cooperation. Some
of the patients at Springfield are
there because their diseased minds
have forced them into attitudes of