The Sidney herald., 1957-10-17

HELENA-When the Russians
sent their satellite shooting
around the earth, the general
reaction in Montana was the
same as elsewhere in the United
States. But a further effect in
Montana was that the intriguing
Soviet gadget took the minds of
a lot of people off a major
crisis on high and low levels of
craftsmanship, psychology, phil
osophy or, simply, what to do
about six insurrectory lassies at
the State Vocational School. for
girls in Helena valley.
Fortunately, the world series,
the Milwaukee Braves and the
New York Yankees fighting it
out with ball and bat, also helped
distract Montana'S public mind
from the stubborn problem that
challenges the wisdom and inge-
nuity of the state government.
In any event, the militant misses
have lost the spotlight and they
have become relatively tame
| should have known better,
but about along the time of dog
days when temperatures produce
lassitude in many of us and we
yearn, figuratively, to get out and
sit in the shade of a tree, l wrote
that we were having the usual
summer lull at the seat of gov
eminent here in Helena. However,
l hedged by pointing out hat
one can never tell when things
might break loose.
Things did break loose a few
days later when men detained
behind the thick walls of Deer
Lodge state prison turned on
their keepers.
So the midsummer serenity l
had discoursed about was jolted
into an unprecedented Montana
crisis. But state officials were
quick to act. Governor Aronson
called for national guardsmen.
Highway patrolmen rushed to
the scene. To put it one way,
Attorney General Anderson par
layed with leaders of the revolt.
Warden Burrell, out of the state
to return prisoners, hurried back.
The state prison board met and
meditated. 1t summoned a pc
nologist from California to APP
praise the situation.
There have been conferences,
reports, recommendations, and
an advisory committee has been
appointed to take a further look
and maybe come up with some
dea how to get more money for
he prison. That is a matter which
will be in the next legislatures
ap.
Violence of the storm occa-
toned had abated to something
lpproaching calm when the six
iris at the vocational school
,egan, as lit were, to brandish
heir scalping knives and shrek
heir indignation. Thus there
a second crisis on the heels
If the first.
Maximum security is a fancy
modern term for a place to put
people who cannot be controlled
through less severe means. Con-
ronted with an unmanageable
'ebellion and having no maxi
mum security facilities at the in
titution, the superintendent, Miss
luby Miller, asked Sheriff Dave
Iiddlemas to lock up the OBJ
treperous d~issenters in the
.ewis and Clark county bastille.
With misgivings he obliged. But
THAT else could a chivalrous
heriff do?
This was not the first time the
Ugh sheriff of Last Chance
ulch had been host to inmates
( the girls vocational school. But
ever before had there been
nything like this.
Resentment of the raging rebels
Spressed itself in destructive
WlilIli iC4I tIlCi1 dodi tSAo q
lambles and for which in due
the state of Montana will
It a please remit" Not only
at, but they jumped the night
iler, took his keys and escaped.
Sheriff Middlemas had
EN- back again.
Ordinary crises, such as run
out Of funds, our state offs
ais are apt to take pretty
UGH in stride. But here was an
.traordinary crisis entirely out
the routine, and nobody SEEM
exactly to know what to do
.cept, as the immediate objec-
re, to keep these free swinging
from demolishing their
ace Of Incarceration. The state
ard Of education, which has
risdiction over the vocational
hool, happened to be meeting
st then. The board ventured
plan that appeared cautious
Their than drastic. The state
ard of examiners also cogitated.