Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1919 — The Miracle of Reconstruction [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Miracle of Reconstruction

by Marian Bonsall Davis

PATJE/YKS L£ARN AND NUUJ?£O /'U3CLEJ A T t>AJl£ T/£f£ is the great word Rin the world now. ( It is a new kind of story in this new kind of times —nations bereft of hosts "■J"?" of their youths, thousands of the maimed slowly returning t*o their own countries. Here, in Washington, at (Sf Hus Walter Reed hospital under the command of Col. E. R. Schreiner and his staff, our own story is brought home in a way that is a threefold miracle ■■EHHI to those who are watching the remaking of some crippled or disabled boy. Granted, it is a great many crippled young men to see at one time, there at Walter Reed; a. tragedy of war-to make the simplest soul bewildered.' But look again, and again—week by week, or month by month—then you see the beginning of this miracle of remaking which is being wrought there by the doctors, surgeons, educators and psychologists of the medical department of our army. Indeed, sometimes it is a miracle of “life more abundant” growing out of seeming helplessness. _ This may be an illustration of it, and how it is threefold. Here is a boy who went overseas as one of our defenders. He could not read write, but he could do the things that soldiers do, and endure the things that soldiers endure. He could count off the seconds before the order came to charge a German trench, and then when the order came he could go over the top, and he did for all of us here at home; and he was struck by one of the shells that were* blasting at him as he charged, and he fell. When the stretcher-bearers found him they saw that his was an amputation case. Perhaps you have seen in the movies, prepared by the medical department of the army, how these stretcher-bearers, privates in the medical corps, make the skillful tourniquet, the emergency splint of rifle and grass for such a boy as this one, how they rush him to the nearest dressing station, and how he is taken back to his field and then base hospital. If you have not, undoubtedly you will soon have the opportunity, for the film will be sent broadcast. There is another film shows part of the threefold miracle for the returned men at Walter Reed, but only part: (1) the film can show you how such a boy can make one arm or One leg do the work of two; (2) it illustrates graphically how he is trained to a more Interesting and well-paid trade than he had before the war, and his amputation—but (3), the film alone, of course, cannot show you the “life more abundant” which he feels coming through the training of his mind, as he 1 learns to read and write and 'life reveals new wonderland new opportunities.

Maj. B. T. Baldwin, S. C., U. S.A., with his assistants, lias provided opportunities of advancement for alt of these men. While a few words might explain in general what it is that works this miracle of what the surgeons call • “reconstrucduu," It has taken the evolution of all the centuries to develop the knowledge which these surgeons and psychologists now possess. The process of reconstruction begins with the distinctly physical treatment, medical or surgical, massage, and the various kinds of physio-therapy. This is followed or carried on in’ conjunction with that occupational -reconstruction which develops new muscular control and power tn the partially paralyzed limb or in the white it is at the same time teaching a new trade or occupation through that very exercise; and in the-third place it is, simultaneously, clearing .and training the mind. -J' • It is a process slow, patient, full of the wonder of rebirth. There is one workshop there at Walter Reed tvhere the once almost helpless fingers of one returned boy have been forming, very gradually, a silver necklace of great beauty—the hands arid the mind of that boy becoming tire and the mind of an artist "as he has worked. Curious, that through being injured there should come a life more interesting, more significant, more creative. ‘ On the ten-acre farm and in Jhe seven modern greenhouses at Walter Reed cruelly crippled men are finding life immeasurably enhanced, through their work with growing things. Sometimes men who could call only a few flowers by name see in them now thelr loved vocation for the future. By every means known to modern science .the minds of those others who have been clouded by shock or wound are helped to find themselves again, to take hold of the opportunities waiting for them there; there, is scarcely a man so disabled that there is not waiting for him through these hospital opportunities a definite advancement In life —if only his family, the public, thecountry at large will understand. Let the ’following list of subjects and occupations which are being taught under the administration of Major Baldwin show how definitely this statement is true. Thrti let iks go with these same crippled boys to the theater and see a strange sight, remembering thst these are opportunities that they carry in their minds: “You will 'be enrolled in one or more of the following,” says a bulletin addressed to them: Academic Department—Bookkeeping, civil service, commercial arithmetic, commercial English, commercial law, English, foreign language, hfs- ‘ tory, mathematics, penmanahip. salesmanship. \

Agricultural Department —Elementary agriculture, elementary horticulture, general farming, greenhouse management, ward gardens. Autogenous Welding Department Complete process and demonstrations. Automobile Department —Shop and repair work, text book and demonstration. Cinematograph Department —Film repairing, motion picture machine operating.— Commercial Department Stenography, stenotype, touch system typewriting. Electrical Department General electrical courses, Morse (wire) telegraphy, radio (buzzer) operation. Engraving department —Commercial ( engraving, jewelry engraving. Jewelry and Fine Metals Department —Chasing, enameling, handmade jewelry, jewelry repairing, repousse, silversmithing. Mechanical Engineering Department —Designing, estimating, drafting, tracing, blueprinting, jas engines and operation, steam engines and boilers. Orthopedic Appliance Department Manufacture and repair. Printing and linotype department—Hand composition, linotype operating, press work. Physical Education Department Athletic sports, calisthenics, gymnastics, military drill. Shoe Repairing Department —Leatherwork, shoe repairing. Sign Painting Department —Lettering, poster designing. Woodworking Department —Cabinet. making, _ general carpentry, pattern making wood carving. This bulletin announces, furthermore, that there is the opportunity of special duty in various partments of the post; and that the'man's war j-isk insurance compensation will not be sered with in any way by his attendance in any of these departments. A short time ago the American Red Cross, which is in charge of the recreational features of the hospital, arranged for a special performance of “Atta Boy,” the uproariously funny musical show acted and produced by the soldiers of Camp Meigs. One may look at this contrast: The stage of a Washington theater presents a solid phalanx of young soldiers, ranged row upon row from floor to top, ready for the opening chorus: all in the ver/ pink of condition—lithe, muscular, eager' for the action which sudden peace (which of course they thought premature, since they wouldn’t get over!) denied them. But the jolly chorus swings out with a zip. round and full and stirring. The audience across the footlights is made up also, row'upon row—of crippled and disabled men. who have had the great adventure, and come home with bodies which may seem at first to be broken: some of them with mihds which at first may seem dulled—and these are just as young In years as those across the footlights. \ Yet. looking twice, one sees them, on both sides, youth triumphant—the one side singing'joyfully Its sparkling nonsense, the other side —the one that has gone through fire—roaring with laughter, the one-armed men applauding Ingeniously with their programs on the arms of their chairs. They tne awkward-squad jokes, and eh of black-faced Capt. Frank Tinney’s jokes, and the “God save the weasel and pop goes the queen" joke, and most of all at that song which well deserves I to be Immortal, of fathef—father who thinks war such a fine thing for a young man. but has for himself a valet, and now is In the proposed last draft. The house rocks with the chorus singing of his plight: .. , . Father wil| be with us soon. He will he forty in June . . .” That is. almost all are laughing—the effects of gas and shell are not in all cases entirely cleared awuv Clearing them away is what the doctor psychologists are doing At Walter Reed. For, oh. this story doek not underrate the suffering. Fumes of e'ther as one passes the operating room; the man with the double amputation stMl white of face; the first steps on the artificial legs—these things are hard and shafp reality. But if in the wards you see boys who have lost an arm or lej. as soon as the nurse’s back is

turned trying to play leap frog; or the boy whose face was so drawn 4 the last time you saw him now all interested concentration as he sits up in bed clicking away at the Morse code on his telegraph instrument; as at half past eleven...in the—morning you see the crowd of convalescent patients surging merrily into the Red Cross building, which is their clubhouse —then you see double; then you know that the mutilation of the body may not always be too great a price to pay for some compensations of the spirit. The medical department of the army, as It

work, through Waiter Be«l. S -O “ b "™, up with the hopes ot thousands of men. »nd tM families. Working with these - to surgeons is the American Red ros. complete the bridge between the fam lie' Jhe men during their separation, through its communi cation service, its various hospital services and in all kinds of ways through its home service, from buying buttons or “pricing” a certain kindl of spiral puttees on some boy’s request, to arranging for his war risk insurance, or perhaps hospita treatment for some member of a man s fam y a far-away town. In the convalescent house there is the gre open fireplace, with its crackling fire, books flowers, games, music. Every week one of the Washington ■theaters sends out several of hts acts. After classes the men pour in. some of those who have lain so helpless weeks before, now in wheeled chairs engrossed in some handwork, yet eager for the music and the fun. Others come to say “good-by” before the visit home. You would not guess that this boy had ever lost a leg, or that an artificial arm could become so dexterous as some you see here. A leaf from the Red Cross entertainment book is interesting. These events, planned from the outside, are arranged through application to the recreational staff of the Red Cross at the post. Here are characteristic Items: Seventy boys to Keith’s theater and supper; one hundred boys to Mount Vernon; three boys to birthday party for Sergeant ; forty-five on sight-seeing bus tour, and so on and on. “Why, sergeant, where Is your new leg I thought you were so proud of?” one of the workers calls to a boy on a crutch. I loAned lt to Jim. He had a pass to go to town,” he answers. A boy, wearing carefully wrapped puttees, comes along in a wheeled chair. “Did you find out about those other puts?” he asks the Ren Cross lady.” “Yes, and there is only one pair in town and they cost twelve dollars.” “I guess we’ll have to go without,” he says; and there follows an interested conversation aboiut a package to be addressed to a girl back home. X young boy who had lost one leg and one foot was having attached for the first time the artificial leg on which, with a crutch, he soon was going to trv to walk. To support himself he had one arm around his army surgeon, the other arbund the Red Cross man. He was making great bravado, though his face was white. When the apparatus was attached he asked to sit down. The surgeon and the Red Cross man helped him into a chair. With a long sigh he settled the “new” leg iirmlv on the floor and then Hung what was left of the other leg over It. Though the beads of sweat were st ill on his face he looked up pertly with his head cocked. •‘Geel” he said, “if you hadn't crossed your legs for eleven months you’d know how 1 feel.” These men are of those who have given “their breasts a bulwark and their blood a moat.” They have given too great a thing to need any kind of sympathy except the supreme one of understanding The medical department of the armya nd thejßed Crossmakeacydeof effort-social, htrnian "physical. mental. In this work of reconstruction there may be found. literally, life more abundant. As these men leave hospital and uniform and come back to the familiar-strange civilian world- thP I >uhli '’ t!lke up lts p,,rt: Sn ' l each man will be, if he utilise.* the opportunities open to him. and society does not exploit him. an independent asset in-place of a dependent or a charity