The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-12-31
Hospital at Warm Springs Is Montana's Largest Unincorporated
Community Gauged ON Number of Persons Within Its Borders

ated community in the number
IV Of persons within its borders,
NA h state hospital at Warm
Springs. operates under the
complete jurisdiction of man. DR..
John C. Dunn, superintendent of this
largest of the states institutions, has
the physical well being of more than
1000 persons in his sole care. No other
community in Montana operates under
such individual management. No other
community incorporates SO many per-
sons in such few dwellings. There are
perhaps two dozen buildings that house
the whole population of this institution
and village.
But because this is the institution
that the commonwealth of Montana
has created as a haven for those I'M
fortunate persons who have lost the
light of reason, it receives scant atten-
ton from the citizens at large, and
particularly no constructive under
standing from the legislature which
conveneS every two years. A joint CON-
and senate is named. This committee
makes a round robin visit of all places.
Warm Springs offers few interesting
attractions and the committee makes
a hurried visit, returns to appropriate
as little as its conscience permits and
is likely to forget the 1880 patients
and the problem they present to society.
DIR. Dunn Named
When DR.. John c.. Dunn was ap-
pointed superintendent OF the state
hospital for the insane by Gov. Roy
E. Ayers, he found at Warm Springs
just what might be expected from an
institution that is the orphan child
in the family of state institutions. He
found, rot neglect of the patients, but
needed rehabilitation of the physical
plant INC the buildings the patients
are housed i'll.
Take for example, the various actlV-
tiles of the place. At the swinery. the
hogs we're eating their heads off in
grain purchased i'll carload lots at mar
Set prices. When DR.. Dunn o charge,
this hog farm wasn't even producing
enough fats for the bakery m the
kitchen of the hospital. He maze some
personnel changes, introduced ecoho-
mics and better managemene' ana ia I'd
Gently the farm sold several thouSallu
bounds of surplus lard to a nelghoor
institution. The leaks and losses v
stopped. s+reets
f,,ll of r1lts and always dusty. Inese
have now been surfaced by the state
highway department. and palo lor'
Renovate Bakery
The institutions bakery, producing
sufficient bread. cakes and pastries lor
over 1000 persons, is located IN a danS
and drafty basement. the ovens heateo
with wood. DR.. Dunn began MOVING
this department up to a wen lgIl.eu'
well ventilated ground-floor room.
hoped to replace the Woo h,it he ran
snack into a financial deficiency ana
the bakery remains in the basement.
That brings up the way the lnStlIu-
tion is financed. The legislators, WIN
the folks at home demanding economy
lake the budget estimate OF the super,
intendent ana arbitrarily pare /; Lynn wv
That is the custom. The last leglstature
was asked for $500 900. 1t cut the tlguIe
to 3 5000. This is supposed to proVlot
"a cents a day for each patlenI, nuS
tbe nI1mber of patients has increased
from 1880 to 1880 and there IS always
an annual net increase IN the paIl n u
nons1iation every biennium: Inc COSY
~ q dav with the steady increase IN
nrices the last two years. has
from So cents to 63 cents a day. frlceS
~ ali commodities have gone up ana
he higher per diem expense OF the
hospital reflects this increase.
Laundry Is Old -
The institution has a large iaui ~
operated by competent hlreo aeip auso
mented by the r o. p i IL Moef,,iiv
RIM down: the entire plant Is
ana inefficient. 1t needs a general over
haT1ing a new mangle, new electrlc
wiring more room. These improvements
REQUIRE funds and the legislature nluS'
provide them. -.
The institutions dairy farm supplies
If with milk. cream and butter. The
herd is probably the finest in Montana,
but it, too, needs requirements: Old
cows must be butchered and addltlonal
heifers added. This replacement IS be-
ing made from the hospitals own Hol-
stein stock.
ficient, but this year the storage bins
, are crammed with enough potatoes to
last the year. If you don't think it takes
some potatoes for such a place, JuSg
consider that each day a ton and a nall
of spuds are cooked and eaten by the
, patients and the help.
Most interesting is a greenhouse,
warmed by the flow from the natural
hot springs. at a temperature OF III
degrees, that gives the township its
name. Under the glass roof at THIS
; time tomatoes are turning red ana
will be served on the tables this winter.
The institution butcher shop IS
cattle; here are made the sausages and
meat loafs. the hams and bacon, pickles,
sauerkraut and similar products OF a
backing plant, combined with eggs,
chickens, turkeys and ducks from the
poultry department. Compact, adequate,
efficiently Operated, CHe meal Sllop d1tu
cold storage division presents a pleas
ing picture.
Other Industrial sections include a
central heating plant, shoe shop. matt
ress factory, electric shop, carpenter
shop, plumbing shop, paint shop, etc:
These activities, under the supervisor
of skilled employees, afford a large mum.
Der of patients diversion and a relief
from the monotony of their day. Housed
in the heating plant is a motor-driven
hose and chemical truck, and IN every
structure. there is auxiliary equipment
for fire protection.
There is a store department of gigan.
tic proportions. Shoes, blankets and
+ bedding, undergarments, heavy winter
apparel and sheep-lined coats, cereals,
sugar, salt. dried fruits, row on row
/ of canned goods. A huge commissary
run along institutional lines and OPP
Grated. Of course, by, paid help: +,a+
rrN