The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1950-04-07


many things which being done with gratifying
suits. Occupational and recreational therapy began
to be used at an early date by DR.. Gladys Holmes.
Moreover she protected patients from cruelty much
possible, when cruelty and sadism common
She urged the of motion pictures, which
being used in the wards well the assemblies. One
of her cherished projects to develop outclincs
for psychiatric treatments Not for many years
she able get laid before the legislature for appro
val. These clinics meeting with wide appro-
baton all over Montana.
Managers Have Rendered Outstanding Service
Our States Commissioners for the Insane set up
the office of business manager at Warm Springs dur
ing the administration of Governor Ford. The men
appointed to this position quickly brought about a
wiser of State funds but the outstanding service
these managers have rendered lies in what they have
done for the welfare of patients.
Manager Baker, for instance, sent sample loaves
of bread from the asylums bakery to Great Falls to
have them tested. When they came back marked,
Unfit for Human Consumption, he Immediately
to it that better bread was baked. Manager Lohn
dismissed unworthy attendants right and left for get
ting drunk and negeetng patients and for cruelty to
patients Manager Schoenborn followed the
courageous policy in the sporadic which appear
ed from time to time.
Business managers Lohn and Schoenborn both were
eyesores to corporations and individuals who practice
the fine art of stealing from Warm Springs Manager
Lohn, fer instance, turned up morning and weigh
ed truck load of fresh meat from packing company
There was shortage of more than four hundred
pounds, and the writer of this article a cheque
for than 500 that turned in by the packing
company for the shortage on that one load of meat
1t remained for Manager Schoenborn to trace marked
boxes of fresh meat which were being returned to
corporation by its key the employees at the
asylum. The evidence assembled complete
that the employee dared not protest his dismissal
Through the watchfuness of honest business managers
much of the food formerly stolen appears the
tables to feed Warm Springs patients.
1t should not be forgotten that the thieving fra
ternity hunger than rats and beset custodia
fr1ffn hord ln0T 1nr
and women employed to help them make away with all
kinds of supplies. In the spring of 1912, the writer
of this article learned that some days there
scarcely trace of among the rutabagas served
to patients. Mrs William A. Wolfe was made deti-
clan for the asylum in July of that year, and mme-
diatey began to weigh all meat at the kitchen instead
of accepting the record of the employee who sup
posed to weigh it. Plenty of meat at appeared
on the tables for all patients.
But when Mrs. Wolfe asked for the butter, she was
told that she nosing into too many things This
writer obtained from the State Accountant, records
showing that the State supplying to Warm Springs
four-ffths of of butter for each patient and
employee, every day of the year. He to Warm
Springs late in August and learned from the attend
ants that about out of each ten patients did not
so much get taste of butter the year around AS
soon this reported to the Governor, all three
Commissioners for the Insane down, investigat-
ed and placed control in the hands of Mrs Wolfe.
Without any additional cost to the State all patients
began to receive butter
Business Manager Must Have Authority
1t is very important to give the business manager
free hand, and permit him to dismiss employees who
have been found unfaithful thieving. 1t is even
more important to give him authority to enforce the
rule that violence must not be used against any pa
TENT, and to discharge attendants for this as
we'll as for drunkenness and neglect of patients
In judging the work of Commissioners for the
Insane, it is well to remember that differences of
opinion may occur among men equally honest One
such occurred in relation to letting the contract
'or erection of the two hundred bed dormitory for
men. 1t agreed that the dormitory desperate
y needed, but building costs at the end of the
we're high Attorney General R. V. Bottomy and Secy
# State Sam Mitchell decided that it better for
to rule rather than finances, and let the
contract for the building Had they not done this,
t would have been many months later before the
rightful overcrowdng relieved. The best of this
tory is that their letting of the contract early,
ulted in great financial advantage to the State.
building costs rose, instead of going down.
More often than not it will be found that wisdom
les on the side of those who spend to build schools
nd hospitals, rather than the side of those who |
1sist on deferring action. Always, however, let L
here be sound, careful administration of all funds
expended