Evening star., 1953-01-11
0vercrowding
Seen in Transfer
ToRosewood
Parents Unit Aide
Opposes Shift Of
Mental Cases
By WiIIiom A. MiIIen

"a S~~SAAo AASAP oAA0 WAC 41CCk
for more modern housing arr
foreseen as effects of the sched
uled transfer of feeble minded
Negro children to Rosewood
State Training School.
Mrs. Rupert L. Dunn, presi
dent of the recently formed
Rosewood Parents Association
said so today She lives at 802:
Maple avenue, Takoma Park
Md.
The transfer of the children
from the Brownsville State Hos.
pital. Brownsville, Md, in Anne
Arundel County. near Annap.
oils. is scheduled to begin Jan.
uary 10. Rosewood, at Owing:
Mills. in Baltimore County
about 40 miles distant, has hith.
erto been used for white patient.
only.
Mrs. Dunn said her asSocia.
tion will meet at 4 pm. today
at Rosewood in regular monthly
meeting. She revealed she ha.
asked the Montgomery Count,
delegation In the Maryland Leg.
islature to investigate the pro.
posed move and Rosewood con-
dltions generally.
Il object to the mass transfer
OF children because of the lack
of attendants" said Mrs. Dunn
Il don't know where they will
get room for these new coloreo
children. To meet the over
crowding, new buildings were
built, but now these new build
lngs are being swallowed up and
we are back where we started
We are just holding the line.
What happens to the children
who are on the waiting list,
seeking admission to Rose
Wood?"
No Outside Appraisal.
Apparently there has been no
recent appraisal of Rosewood by
an independent non-Maryland
agency.
Mrs. Dunn said she personally
does not challenge the right of
DR.. Clifton T. Perkins, Mary
lands commissioner of Mental
Hygiene, to order the transfer.
The order came after a number
of Maryland groups had looked
into the subject and recon-
mended the transfer from over
crowded Brownsville.
AS an outgrowth of the pro-
posed shift, Mrs. Dunn antic-
ipates a greatly stimulated
public interest in the whole
question of health in Maryland
Il think there will be re-
surgence of public interest IN
the need for expansion of facili-
ties IN the field of health in the
State of Maryland" the civic
leader said.
Il have absolutely no prejudice
against the colored children. ]
would be inclined to fight for
colored children just as hard as
for white children. That's my
personal feeling. AS far as ]
am personally concerned I am
interested in looking out for
disabled children. regardless of
race. color or creed"
Sees New Buildings Needed.
She said if the courts keen
sending children to Rosewood,
new buildings will be required
From time to time. the courts
require the authorities to- admit
children who are on the waiting
list. she recalled.
Il am dreadfully worried over
the lack of help at Rosewood,
declared Mrs. Dunn. "I have a
great deal of sympathy fob our
public officials who have to try
to do the best they can and
please everybody"
But she wants better facilities
for the employees at Rosewood
She suggests that the old build
ingS there be converted into
apartments for married couples
or single employees. Due to the
housing situation, it is difficult
to attract married couples tt
work at Rosewood.
Maryland should consider
building modern cottages to hole
smaller numbers of children
which would permit better classi-
f1cation, according to their men
tai and physical condition, Mrs
Dunn declared
She pointed out there is nc
swimming or Wading pool al
Rosewood for the children.
Recalls Recommendations.
Mrs. Dunn recalled that she
recommended to Gov. McKeldir
on August 29 of last year that
the number of attendants al
Rosewood be increased from one.
half to one-third. There are
now PIG attendants.
The Rosewood superintendent
DR.. George c. Medairy. said HI
has recently filled all the posi-
tions for attendants which th'
law allows.
Plans call for the transfer O
280 Negro patients from Crowns
vile to Rosewood. While thi
is slated to start Monday, Jan
uary 10, it will take few days
with bed patients being movet
in ambulances and school buSe
shifting others.
Rosewood previously was linn
tied to white children from 6 u
is years old, but under the ney
policy all ages and races will b.
admitted there. Brownsville vii
still have about 1900 patients
after the children leave. Rose
woods population will be swelle'
to about 1.7O0 with the addition
of the colored children. Unde
the program, Rosewood will b