Show yV t V TV V V Letter t to he d ms AA TO CLARIFY A POINT May I respond to the arti erti article cle published in last weeks week's Maul ManU Messenger entitled Mental Health Discussed I wish t to place in context the remarks attributed to me I think it should be emphasized emphasized emphasized sized at the outset that no attempt attempt at at- tempt was made at ithe the meeting meeting meet meet- ing by anyone to condemn the practice of psychiatry per perse perse perse se but rather to point out inherent inherent in in- herent dangers when psychiatric psychiatric psychia psychia- procedures are carried out by unscrupulous men To my knowledge n no one questioned the intent of the psychiatrists Dr Nielson Dr Smith and Prof Thackery who come into our district under the sponsorship of the school pro pro- gram I think there is no 1110 one that does not believe in the intent for good of the school people responsible for the establishment establishment es es- of the ithe program in our area Mr J. J McKinnon Smith featured speaker was not pointing a finger at the mentioned above-mentioned gentlemen Mr Smith urged that parents assume assum greater responsibility in counseling with their children children children chil chil- dren and that they also avail themselves of the guidance land help of their clergy and the ithe medical profession He did not discredit the values or the place of proper psychiatric care within clinics He had no 1110 objection to its being used as asa asa asa a part of the County Welfare program He did however protest its use within the schools and urged the removal from the books the state law that at permits th this s pr practice c i n He discussed a ana n d a distributed printed documented information information information tion describing ways psychiatric psychiatric psychia psychia- practice can be used to dominate minds and destroy loyalties I prefaced my comments by making it clear that my observations observations observations ob ob- ob- ob were given in connection connection connection con con- with a mass gripe session held in our schools in March 1964 sponsored by an outside agency At that time students were invited to air problems they were having with their parents and in the home the theory being that if one balks his problems out he unburdens himself and answers answers answers an an- to those problems can be sought I believe the outcome outcome outcome out out- come was not conducive to wholesome family relations In my estimation it widened the gap and escalated the H problem Is it not true that the assumption a problem exists helps to create one The next day students said to me Because we were ex ex- expected petted to cite problems we made mountains out of mole mole- hills We fabricated ans ms I didn't think I had hada a problem when I went into that group meeting but I did when I 1 came out Why weren't we invited to tell the good things I too hold with the old song Accentuate ate the positive eliminate the negative This approach approach ap ap- approach tends to minimize our problems many of them work workout workout workout out by themselves anyway y so why probe to see if we can discover any I take a dim view of inviting young people to describe family conflicts and relate the shortcomings of their parents to others in pub pub- lic lie Careful individual counseling counseling counseling coun coun- would seem the wiser course I believe that counseling should begin at home Its It's a asad asad asad sad commentary on American life some parents fail to become became genuinely interested in their children to praise their accomplishments to reason reason rea rea- reason son with them about their problems and to ito share wholesome wholesome wholesome whole whole- some family experiences to to- gether Communications breakdown break breakdown breakdown down the gap widens and counseling from other sources is sought I do not wish to imply that parental neglect is the only factor necessitating outside guidance I I. I recognize that no man is an island we are not sufficient unto ourselves Oftentimes we need to seek professional help of one kind or another We all experience pressures land anxieties anxieties anxieties but in our quest for far formental mental health let us not lose sight of the whole picture Physical and land spiritual health are often determiners of mental mental mental men men- tal well The world may take on an a different hue land tand tensions fade away after doing doing doing do do- ing something so basic and simple as seeking medical help or spiritual guidance and re re- re- re newal This readers is the substance substance substance sub sub- stance of my comments and the ithe framework in which they appeared at the Aug meeting The last two paragraphs paragraphs paragraphs para para- graphs have been added this this- writing MARY PEACOCK Dear Editor Ive I've been keenly interested in the developments which have of late transpired in relation relation relation re re- re- re lation to ItO the county mental health program I attended the open meeting held August 28 on this subject and heard the poignant comments made pro and con I felt this to be an extremely stimulating evening for how else may I decide if I 1 concur with the action being taken in this vein unless I can hear both sides May we remember remember re remember re- re member that all that thiat glitters is not gold I 1 wish to commend this paper paper pa pa- per on the ithe excellent coverage of that event and encourage further enlightening articles such as this A statement made in the meeting by a member of the Mental H Health alth Board indicated indicated indica indica- ted that they had the authority authority auth auth- to select ithe the psychiatrist for our county's schools This has led me meto to wonder how this board was formulated and who are its members I dont don't of ever seeing m recall published Also how howare names selected by election they are arc appointment and by whom or board makes such this If choosing choosing- decisions as weighty psychiatrist what other the and duties tare ore they powers with And last but empowered have the public not does control over them an any of acute controversy controversy con con- this day In m teacher salaries wondered over what monetary monetary mone mone- I have remuneration is given for forthe forthe forto to the tary services of these inquiring minds minds' That other know also it may be beWELL beANS may ANSWERS ANSWERS ANS- ANS HEAR THE E TO WELL Respectfully yours SHERROL SNOW |