Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-11
Paralysis Victim Returns to WheeIchoir

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made himself more comfortable in
his wheelchair and sighed.
II can figure out the algebra
problems for myself but I'm way
behind in my Latin" he said.
You wouldn't think algebra and
Latin would seem very important to
Arne after the year and half he's
spent, but they are. Arne's going
back to school after Christmas, to
the ninth grade of Leland Junior
High School, and that's about all
he wants to talk about.
Under questioning, however, he'll
discuss what he refers to as "the
sickness paralysis. 1t
came in August of 1941, soon after
he came back from Boy Scout camp
| to his home at 6703 North Central
avenue, Chevy Chase, Md.
Muscles Rated Like Studies.
"The doc says they rate muscles
| just like school work You're either
100 per cent or you're not. When
the sickness came, my neck was
about 10 per cent and my back and
stomach weren't so bad but my foot
was zero"
Arne learned things like that dur
ing the nine months he spent fiat
on his back. 1t was while he was
still In the hospital that he heard
of his sister Marquis death from
lnfantile paralysis. A nurse had
left newspaper beside his bed.
Arne glanced at the picture of
laughing girl that holds the place
OF honor on the Molander mantle,
then hurried on to tell about his
home teacher.
The State sent the teacher" he
explained. That was in February.
could hold up my head little
then, couldn't I, map"
His mother smiled and nodded.
Received Good Marks.
1T was kind Of an abbreviated
course I got" Arne grinned. He
came few hours week until May.
Then he went into the Army. I
guess had about 40 hours of &C
tual teaching"
He got the best marks in his
| class once" his mother reported.
We'll" Arne amended, 1.-The teach
err said that, but I thought he was
just trying to make me feel good"
When Arne was asked if he had
to keep his legs in cast, he merely
| nodded, but his mother said, 1T was
terrible in the summer time, such
big blisters came. We didn't know
about it till we heard him crying"
Jaw, ma" Arne interrupted.
Before the sickness came Arne
had played guard on the school bas-
ket ball team.
Did you happen to see the basket
net by the garage?" he asked eager
ly. MY dad fixed it up for me-"
Plank Keeps Leg Straight.
In not very different voice he
spoke of more recent construction
job-the plank his father had ex-
tended beyond the wheel chair, so
the boy could hold his leg out
straight.
1t was a big day in the Molander
home in September when Arne went
back to school. The other boys and
girls helped him with his books as
he hobbled on his crutches from
class to class. He was to go into
the ninth grade. He had made up a
whole year of work in those 40
hours of instruction at home.
Then came the third day. Arne
turned his weak ankle. 1t swelled
SO he couldn't wear his brace.
And then funny thing hap
! pened. I went to the doctors Office
to have him fix the brace. 1t was
rainy that day, and I guess the rub
| Der tips of my crutches got wet.
Anyway, they slid away from me.
I fell and broke my leg"
so you were only back in school
for two days?" he was asked.
We'll, yes. But I'm practicing
now holding onto the wall so maybe
can walk without my crutches."
Arne grinned then.
I'm going back to school after
Christmas. That's why I've got to
get this Latin"