davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-21

Howard Hall. women were al
lowed to sit in our dining room
land eat with us. OF course, these
women were really only members
of the staff, but they were
women and they were allowed to
leat with us.
Now this made quite an i'm
preston on the more than ITO
men then in the Hall. especially
when you remember we were ITO
men whose names were on the
police blotters for murder, rape,
check writing. burglary, robbery,
IexhibitioniSm, extortion, and the
whole catalogue Of offenses.
The United Churchwomen
had been coming in for some
time, giving us presents and
furnishing home-baked cakes for
our parties and smokers. Now
they planned to give each of us
a separately wrapped Christmas
Igift. This had possibilities, We
Officers of the group thought. We
decided to milk the plan, and
through the group self-govern-
ment, we got approval for a
Christmas party the Friday be-
fore Christmas (the only day
the women could come QUIT and
/ it was arranged for the women
to distribute the gifts themselves.
A Service Is Arranged
The day came and Miss Eta
Mai Russell. with her friend,
Marguerite Griffin and Mrs. Doris
Adams came out to do the hon.
ors. With them was Mrs. Adams
husband, the Rev. DR.. Earl F.
Adams, Washington secretary of
the National Council of Churches.
|Opportunist that I was and with
Ia little manipulative assistance
from my group officers, on-the-
|spur-of- the-moment, we rugged a
service and asked DR.. Adams to
conduct it for the officers of the
group and those who would be
giving the gifts and helping with
the days affairs.
When we discussed this later
lat a bull session in my room.
we all. Elmer and George and
John and the rest Of the bug
house hierarchy decided that DR..
Adams saw through us, but in
his sincere hope that he might
reach through to the dormant
faith in us. agreed to our i'm
pulsive plan.
He had a service. He didn't
pray for us alone. He prayed for
our relatives-that they might
get insight into our needs. He
twisted the story Of the prodigal
son around to where we could
accept it-instead Of telling of
the prodigal son, he made us see
the story of the "guilt-ridden"
father who had to see his guilt
absolved by an unhealthy over
effuSion over his son.
I don't quite know how he did
it, but he got us thinking. Some
where in the midst of his service
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-21

compelled by forces quite for
eign to him to 'lay-it-on-the-
line" and tell of his part in
creating the i'll feeling. At that
meeting, this thing became con-
tagious and like an old-fash-
Toned prayer meeting, there was
a general mutual confessing OF
offenSes against each other and
the group. For the moment, the
quarrels and envies and miSun-
derstandings seemed to be buried
under an avalanche of good will.
From that day, something new
was present in Howard Hall. We
patients made a new approach to
the staff. both as individuals and
as group. More patients sought
responsibility both for their own
behavior and for the care of
fellow-patients. The very i'll and
assaultive patients seemed to
grow calmer and become con-
cerned with taking care of some
one else. The white patients and
colored patients who, though in
tegrated in the wards still seemed
to be forming separate groups,
Joined together and started shar-
ing feelingS-an indignation of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-21

the spirit and not one ordered
by the authorities.
Perhaps what happened is best
described by patient friend of
mine. He's a fellow who had
been charged with almost beat
ing his wife to death, an alco-
Iholic who found healing at Saint
IElizabeths. whose charges were
dismissed. and who now is regu-
larry coming back to Saint Eliza
beths with an Alcoholics Anony-
lmous group to help others. Any
way. he wrote me recently:
Remember back In 1858, at
christmas time? guess that was
when I found myself. That was
"a. genuine miracle. The Carpen-
ter really got into the chinks
Iof that wall around Howard Hall
and started building.
Things happened after that
christmas. Doctors and nurses,
attendants and patients joined
together in a mutual effort to
create an atmosphere of under
standing and helpfulness. I
remember that doctors, over
LOADED with cases found time for
new cases and the number get
ting individual therapy quad
Irupled. Attendance grew at
Church services. The inmate
talent show, we had right soon
after. in the spring. demon
Istrated that even the sickest of
the criminally insane. the ones
who had committed the most
Outrageous crimes during their
ILLNESS. could sublimate their
mental diseases and perform.
"Yeah. Harold. som hing
happened back then. I remember
the resentment we used to feel
Iagainst the name criminally
insane and then we started to
accept it and decide that it
wasn't going to be our label any,
more. Then. remember, how
after that Christmas. more and
more people were allowed to come
i'm to see us from the community
and nothing ever happened to
mar it? Remember how the
realization went through the
hospital that Howard Hall
patients were human beings
with normal human talents and
.. Ordinary human characteristics?
"And best of all. bud. do you
realize how feeling and faith
kept building up? When l go
back now for meetings, and see
how far the experiment in
: curing crime has progressed, I
realize that our Christmas of
1858 was Just not ari=emotional
hinge, an illusion. No. it was real,
and if anything will ever SYM
bolize it. it's that new Saint
Elizabeths Chapel at third gate,
near Nichols Avenue. where Jew,
Catholic, and Protestant have in
a single building, affairs at which
they may pray, place to-
mediate and know that medicine
needs God. as much as we need
medicine to cure us from crime"
Tomorrow: individual psy-
chOtherapy helps us to make
peace with ourselves.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-21

for us, for the very first time, I
admitted to myself without any
reservations that I was sick.
could tell somehow that
there was a bond between me
and the other sick guys. / knew,
I just knew, that they were feel
ing what I was feeling. / knew
that for all of us thoughts of
|hopelessneSs and suicide and
destruction were being replaced
with the faith that if we sought
and found God, we would find
ourselves. We talked of it again
and again in the months that
followed. You just don't describe
1T and you can't get it down on
paper the way you feel it. It's
something bigger than ourselves,
something that is outside our
selves and yet lives in us. 1t has
no label--it is neither Catholic,
Protestant nor Jew. It is not
Christian nor Moslem, Hindu nor
Parsi. The only name I can
give it is FAITH"
Effects Of the Service
Now this thing-thiS big thing
in so many of our lives-hap-
pened few days before Christ
mas. At the same time that this
was going on, there was quite a
good deal of unrest in the privi-
lege wards. The word stool
pigeon" was being banded and
the patients were drawn up into
factions. A good deal of i'll feel
ing was in the air and things
were nearing explosiveness.
Anyway, after the service con-
Quoted by DR.. Adams, some of
us who attended asked the ward
long time criminal
with a most unsavory record
and the center of much of the
disturbance, to call a meeting.
He had been at the service.
Speaking frankly to the group
in the ward day room. he Gas
he later described it to mel felt
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-21
8 More Melted
In Dope Crockdown

Three more men were arrested
yesterday in the District crack
down on narcotics offenders
which began with the arrest of
Is Monday.
Charged with violation Of the
Harrison Narcotics Act were Will
liam Henry Coates, Sc. colored,
of the 1000 block of Tenth street
NE; Harold (Lucius) Foster,
20, colored, of the 400 block of
Riggs street NV: and George
Edward Toney, 20, colored, of the
1000 block of Florida avenue NV.
Capt. Karl Mccormick, head
of the Narcotics Squad, said yes
terday's arrests, like those of
street corner peddlers Monday,
we're based on observation and
sales to undercover men made
during an investigation begun
last January.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-21
Directors Inspect
Merrick Camp

One hundred local business and
professional men who are direc-
tors of the Merrick Boys Camp
made their annual inspection of
the camp at an outing there
today.
Located at Nanjemoy, Charles
County. Md. the camp will give
free two-week vacations this
summer to more than 500
orphans and boys from broken
homes and families unable to
pay to send them to a camp.
The camp has provided free
summer vacations for more than
10000 underprivileged boys since
its founding in 1884. 1t is sup
ported entirely by voluntary con-
tributions.
James B. Carry. retired dairy
company official, is president OF
the camp this year.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-21

captive AUDIENCES IN lnSClCu-
2 tons.
In the course Of these long
years of INSTRUMENTATION, ]
have heard the sermon of 1.-The
Prodigal Son.. so many times
! that they are almost uncount-
able. Comparing notes with my
fellow-patients. I find that this
7 Is true for them. too. 1t seems
that visiting preachers with no
insights into the needs of in
stitutionalized men, always fall
back on that promise Of heaven
for the returning prodigal. But
this always has the opposite
. effect on us listeners. We usually
get the feeling that we are being
preached down to-that some
holier- than-thou Joe is patroniz-
ing us as he promises us saliva
ton if Wen acknowledge our
sins and come back to the fold.
And then. too. as we compare
notes. the burglar, the murderer,
the pimp. and the check-passer,
we find that in almost every case,
q misconception of religion and
no insight into the truths about
God are mixed up in our sickness.
The Insane View Of God
, Let me give you an example.
\ A fellow, one / got to know quite
well in Howard Hall, was one of
the fouleSt-mouthed people I'd
ever known. In idle moments of
mischief. we used to get him
started just to hear him rant
and rave. Now, strangely enough,
though this lad who was watt
ing trial for rape of minor.
was so dirty-mouthed, he had
the delusion he was Christ. This
is a common delusion among
mental patients for it does cover
our inadequacies. This trait, by
the way, exists in most of us
who are not only mentally i'll
but have been compulSive crimi-
mails. 1t helps us to rationalize
our sins, to feel, even though we
don't tell others about it. that
we are, in our dream worlds, the
all-powerful arbiters of the fate
of all men. Some of us aspire
a step higher and aren't satisfied
with being the sons of God, we
are God. It's hard to describe
TIE reasoning, but because all of
us compulsive criminals who are
mentally i'll are conSpired
against, it is comforting to think
of ourselves as God. and so that
makes everyone else anti-God.
Now all this phantasy doesn't
help us a single bit in our be-
havior patterns, because even
this phantaSy which is so real
when we escape into it. does not
compensate for the realities of
being locked up. It's mixed-upI
thing.
3 There just aren't enough chap
lains to counsel US and set u.s.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-21

straight. Fortunately in late
years, Saint Elizabeths Hospital
has become a training center fol
the Council Of Pastoral Clinical
Training, Inc, and under the
Rev. Ernest E. Bruder, the
Senior Chaplain Of the hospital
protestant Seminarians visit dur
ing the summer months to coun.
sci and help. And, the semi
narians from Holy Cross College
come throughout the year to as
sist in the Catholic services and
to counsel Catholic patients one
afternoon each week.
Few Go to Church
Actually. only a handful Of us
go to the services. and those Of
us who do go. go primarily SO
that we can get into the good
graces of the Chaplain and per-
haps get his help in getting
our charges dismissed, or his
Recommendation for our trans
fer to an outside ward.
These feelings came up in
group therapy sessions often,
and we never seemed to be able
to resolve our feelings. AL
though this is an oyer-simplifi-
cation. it amounts to not having
faith in God because we have
faith in nothing or nobody, and
above all we have no self liking
nor any self-faith, and we must
rationalize it all by deriding re-
|ligion and being skeptical and
thinking Of religionists as sisSies.
When Christmas of 1858 ap-
preached, however, with our self
government in full swing, like
children who didn't know what
to believe. who had no insights
into the ingredients which made
up faith, and who can parrot
only that which they have as
simulated, we caught the feeling
of Christmas as a child does
decorations and presents.
Our committees went to work.
I can recall Cup, the robber
gunman, who liked nothing bet
ter than to f1out clergymen I'M
less it was damning the police,
and who claimed to be a COM
plete atheist. He went to work
as chairman of the decorating
committee. and in the words of
one of the old-time attendants,
THAT Culp. he's a you-know-.
what, but that's the best job of
Christmas decoration. this hos
pital has ever seen = Strangely
enough, into the childish scheme
of tinsel and gayly colored orna-
mentS there crept in some SYM
bols of Christmas. the real
Christmas, the birthday Of
Christ.
With two or three other fell
lows. in the OccupationalI
Therapy shop CUP had con-
Structed several manger scenes
and these were tucked away in
corners of the Hall. They were
artistically and finely created.
The Miracle Of 1858
A number of us who have re-
sponded to the treatment pro-
gram and feel that we are free
from criminal compulsions speak
Of all this now as the miracle Of
1858.
With the permission of the
Hospital administration and the
encouragement of DR.. Francis j..
Tartaglino and DR.. William G..
Cushard, we planned Christmas
to be the most gala affair any
hospital had ever had. Mind
you, our concern was not with
the celebration of Christ's birth
day--it was rather to make a
great showing for the hospital
and to have a real holiday for
ourselves.
We proposed a more than
special dinner. Our plans ran to
having guests in and especially
women guests. This was allowed,
and on Christmas Day for the
first time in the history of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-21

Editors Note--This is the fifth
Of eight articles in which HcroId J.
HoIl tells Of his experience with the
medical approach to the curing Of
crime. In earlier chapters he told
Of his arrest in Washington os a
confidence mon, commitment to St.
EIizobeths and his experiences there,
including thot with group psyche
theropy and with the acceptance Of
responsibility in connection with self
government BY St. EIizobeths potients.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-21
! Was Gininay Insane
Religious Faith Found Potent Medicine
In Curing of Patients at St. EIizubeths
CHAPTER v
Copyright. 1856. by The ksenms star Newspaper Co.
By HAROLD ]. HALL

In Is of living in iails and prisons and finally
than three in Saint Ezabeths Hospital have
heard lot of 1t is usual in institutions visit
ing pastors from the community in to preach Often newly
ordained seminarans get chance to try first
Montana farmer-stockman. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1947-1993, 1956-06-01

in June, 1876 1t was only few days
from Fort Keough to the mouth of the
Rosebud and up that little stream in
those balmy days of midsummer the
grass and wild flowers were at their
best as they are today when June
comes. And on the 25th there was that
desperate struggle between men, Red
and White. 1t was not so long ago; less
than 80 years.
When the battle was over Comanche
was found in critical condition. But
somehow they managed to save him,
his strength was still being shown The
boat, Far West, was on the river not
many miles away. He was loaded on
and doctored along down the river to
the forts in Kansas. In 1890, Ia years
after the battle, the end came. Some
farseeing individual preserved the re-
mains, and now we have Comanche in
glass cage at the University of Kan
sas. May we say he is a monument to
tllC vi q uOlSSs anu W Tic
weakness of men?
Most of us saw the horse pass from
position of great Importance to one
of little consequence The horse was
marvellous source of power. His fuel
was the grass under his feet, and there
are few places on the globe where men
live where grass does not grow. In
addition to the efficiency and economy
of the horse as a source of power,
there was one other quality. For want
of a better term may we call it his
personality.
He attained a higher position than a
machine. He was usually considered
partner in an enterprise. 1t is pleasant
memory, even though beset with much
physical hardship, when we remember
how we Travelled across country, plowed
the fields and hauled the crops with
the strength of a horse.
Montana farmer-stockman. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1947-1993, 1956-06-01

ABOUT 1860 WHEN the Civil War
was getting under way and General
George Armstrong Custer began max
ing his record, a gangling colt saw the
first light and drew his first breath
among herd of wild horses some
where around the Black Hills Country.
He was no creature of beauty, but
strength and physical stamina made it
possible for him to see considerable
history in the approximately 80 years
of his life.
In due time he acquired the name
''Comanche," and it was for him to
carry Captain Miles Keough into the
battle of the Big Horn in which Clusters
9TH Cavalry all persisted. Comanche was
the only survivor.
Wild horses originated from a few
that were lost from the Spanish in
vaderS of North America. Their an
ceStry goes back, we know not where,
but some of them survived the hard
ships of the Arabian Desert where only
the strong continued the race. Thus
COmanche with his mixture of what
appears to be sorrel and yellow colors
in his hair inherited strength and en-
durance which carried him through a
long life of activity.
1t is believed that when he became
of age, and among horses let us say
that is about 3-year-old, he became
the property of young Indian. There
are many ways to tell the story of how
strong, young, wild horse was cap
tured in the open country, but suppose
we only say that this must have been
an outstanding feat.
After serving time with the Indians
he escaped his captors and fell into
the hands of White Men, from whom
there was no escape. There was a series
of trades, and finally long trip to
st. Louis where he became the property
of the United States Cavalry, and then
to the forts in Kansas.
Here Miles Keough, knowing a horse
when he saw one, purchased him and
gave him the name "Comanche.' At
this time Comanche may have been
seven years old, and let us say it was
1867, or. nine years before the Battle of
the Big Horn. Dates must not be taken
too seriously, for it is known that the
records of horse were not accurately
kept.
Briefly we must come to the time
when Custer moved North and West to
subdue the collected Indian tribes. May
we start at the point on the Yellowstone
now called Miles City and formerly
called Fort Keough. Things moved fast
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1956-09-01

3 pETRoiT TRIBUNE. SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER !. 1855
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1956-09-01
N Misleading Contributes to
Juvenile and Adult DeIiqueney

-hilleresf SvnPress cleveland Heights, Ohio)
BY Harry volk
For Iona time We wondered whether we were Just being
odfsshonsd in viewing with alarm the stssdy stream OF
MURDERS soefnss knfnss assaults and other assorted vo
lsnes that foods into he American living from ~
sets day sftsr day, night after night.
We fully realize that Tv has become The whipping boy
for editorial writers eoumnss looking for handy target
blame for The vicious national brand Of juvenile delinquency
We have fvmblins. adult hands today.
We believe that ~ the whipping boy because well
deserves ths whipping.
Sir Basil Hsnrqvss, Of Brifsins top authorities
juvenile delinquency chairman Of The East london Jvvs
nile Court for 80 years recently visited juvenile courts
Throughout hs United sfsfs including clevsIans. in
ssht-wssk tour
In every court he visited he found juvenile cases worse
than any he has had in 80 years in london
He minced words about ~ here and ~ role in prodve-
ing what he in The juvenile courts In our land.
TIME MAGAZINE quoted him. in psrt
Tslsvision Is ths pernieiovs poison Of America find
nothing bot shooting prison divorces girls
going wrong You Just fwiddIs any time day
night. ="
BY permitting ehiIdren+o view in detail shotgun
dsrs Standings and other brutal crimes committed by
without conscience hardening children 10 ihe point
whore the honest horror end shock At such crime when
does in real life. weakened absent thanks TO too
much familiarity with such violence through w.
Then shocked and stunned when children
commit ssnsssss murder when ssnsssrs torture DID, helpless
for The Kicks" when youngsters who don't like their
teachers HE school house sbaze when high school boy
will ssrangIs his date st psfting party.
The fact that hs fabric Of whole civilization based
the avoidance OF violence for the settling Of human diff
fersness Indeed survival this planet this atomic age
depends noviosnt sovons Is not being COHEN
70 children through ~ programs.
The exact opposite viewpoint that violence Is the way
settle differences being drvmmsd into their mmsturs little
hesds dsy SITTER day. week after week. month after month
LET'S oil close fhe door TO Murder Ine in living
hsfors TOO Of youngsters Join fhs expanding
Colt Of Violence.
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1956-09-01
US. Failing

Continued from Back Page)
For FIVE years debate has Jared in Congress fhs
private versus public power development Niagara Falls At
is ivonevded Of Congress looked IT, ~ long
last s. would settle the argument and pick IFS end
Of HE $3.50 bargain with Canada.
bill 10 let fhe State Of New York develop the power
u Niagara Falls passed after intensive debate The
bill got approval from the public works committee in
Of Representatives. 10 fine House rules
be allotted time for debate the hoor OF fe
House.
IL died in the rules committee. The lobbyists for pr
who wanted private utilities TO do e DE-
vsepsni the Falls successful in getting ths
stalled Congress adjourned before the bill sent 10
the floor for debate and 50 If is dead for this year.
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1956-09-01

Detroit NsWsl
WATERLOO Ia, Aug a. tUPl-A Bacon. stunt man
billed as Captain Dynamite" killed last night BY
dynamite blast during his act at a speedway here.
native Of Jacksonville, Fla, Bacon's scf consisted ef
placing himself inside wooden box fitted with sticks
OF dynamite on fhs outside which 10 srieesesd.
Ordinarily The charge dsnsssrsssd shs box and bscen
stood up unframed.
But last night fhs explosion powerful end Bacon
suffered head and internal injuries and died route 70
hospital
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1956-09-01
Afraid Of Making Mistakes?'.
DON'T LET FEAR or BEING WRONG CURB YOUR
PROGRESS. SAYS A PRESIDENT

In his 10th anniversary talk at the Chicago service ban
quet last December President Ned A. Ochtree said the
individual in business must be willing to risk being wrong
Fear OF making mistake said he has curbed the progress
OF many otherwise good men women
Because mistakes something all experience, the
Coco Family News asked President 0chiree TO talk
more this subject Below Is the interview some
straightforward talk on this matter Of mistakes
ideas on how to meet Il unafraid
How do you suggest smpIoys evsreems his fear Of
(Csntinued Next cclumn-TOPl
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1956-09-01
The Devil in Art

Confined from Back Pase)
Paul AGAIN: TO Be cARkALLY MINDED IS DEATH
DuT 70 oe SPIRITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE AND PEAce1
And 70 Ms EDDY 70 you: ~seNsuAlfsm Is NOT
BLISS, BUT eoNDAcET
Asd Jssus, sdu,snition. THE WAY o. LIFE IS
STRAIGHT AND NARROW. AND FEW THERE Dc
THAT FIND iT"-Whsrsss, THE WAY or DESTkUC.
ToM IS sRoAp AND MANY THERE 81 WHICH 60
ID ThEREATT
And So me deviI-snnsI mssnssisp-ssok ~. Pollock
Ter IS years svessien religion. Therapeutics and
called culture srevevsy deficient in Ny impressive Christ
Master absolute Miracle Science Messiah Millennium 70 si