Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 January 1950 — Page 25

netics used.”

“One of 12 “Finalists i in Confest Has No Fear of Future

; By DAVID WATSON, Times Staff Writer LEBANON, Jan. 7—Robert Shanks of Lebanon has no fear for the future of democracy. ; : “Bob,” as he is called by his friends, is one of 12 findlists in the national “Voice of Democracy” contest for high school pupils. Next week he may be declared one of four winners in the competition entered by approximately a

million pupils in the upper three high school grades.

His five - minute script entry is a reflection of democracy as Bob has learned it through school associations and within his family circle. The way he sees it, democracy needs a little more effort on the part of the people who live with it. That effort may be forthcoming with the cur-

rent generation of high school’

pupils. . ” ”

THE 17-YEAR-OLD Lebanon High School senjor beMeves more students are taking interest in the /techniques of government and function of public offices.

There is more competition for responsibility in classrooms and student offices. More con- |

cern is being expressed in class discussions on government and democracy, Bob Shanks believes they will carry’ their interest with them info private life after graduation. Bob's education in democracy didn’t start with high school. NAtijonal problems have always been discussed in the Shanks home as a vital part of their daily lives. His father, Glenn Shanks, district ‘manager for the Horton Oil Co., reflected the famfly’s feeling for democracy and free enterprise when he urged Bob to study public speaking

"in his high school courses.

“Some day you will have to sell yourself and your ideas,” he said. Bob took the suggestion. His “natural” aptitude

for for history and government

RO ED a ee depenbety

Teacher M

plus the study of speaking developed his interest in politics. He seldom misses a political convention broadcast. His reading outside classroom assignments is often about government. ~ ” » “I'M SOMETHING of an idealist, I guess,” Bob related.” “There are some things which require government administration,” he said, “but too much government kills incentive, I don’t believe in socialism. The fruits of success under socialism are not what they are under democracy.” “We have to remain inventive and constructive to progress,” the contest finalist decla

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Critical lack of space taxes General Hospital facilities to the limit. Here in a basement hallway,

le.

State Assembly Has Only Cure

By PHILIP F. CLIFFORD INDIANAPOLIS’ General Hospital is ailing. It is suffering from a severe case of “crowditis.” But the only cure for the malady, hos«pital officials say, can be brought about by an act of the Indiana General Assembly. . Enactment of a law authorizing the city to float a bond issue for construction of a new five-story wing, would be a cure-all, according to its director, Dr. Charles W. Myers, “Things are so bad here,” Dr. Myers declared, “that you might say the old place is busting out at the seams.” The situation was bad enough in 1948, Dr. Meyers said, but with the rising tide of new residents in 1949, it got nog. sively worse.

“Every one. of our multiple services and facilities has been taxed to the very limit," Dr. Myers declared. As he spoke, Dr. Meyers gazed out his office window. He gloomily reflected on the hospital's prospects for the coming year as he answered the telephone. ” . . “NO. I'm sorry,” he told his caller, “Not at this time. Thanks anyway, but we still don’t have the room. It's swell of you... but , .. that's right , . . no room,” he said as he returned the phone to its cradle. “That call,” he said to no one in particular, “was from the State Board of Health. They want to give us a portable X-ray machine. Good thing for chest work on all intoming patients, Good way to spot unsuspected cases of T. B.,” he

sit part of a daily flow of patients, waiting to receive treatment at the hospital's Orthopedic ClinFo relieve clinic patient pressure, hospital officials have set up a staggeréd visiting schedule.

Once again the doctor's plans for a better and improved service in the hospital were dis-

patched. by that ever-present

malady . . . “crowditis.” Dr. Myers said this was the second offer for the X-ray machine to be given the hospital in recent months. In the waning days of 1948, Dr. Myers and his chief aide, Dr. Joseph Bean, the hospital's

medical director, made a cellar

to. attic survey of the institution. They searched in vain for additional space. Even before we started,” Dr. Bean declared, “we knew It would be a fruitless task” - ~ "

THE DIRE lack of working ‘space was brought sharply into

focus &uring a trip through the basement, or street level areas. In a tiny cubicle, scarcely larger than a couple of telephone booths. yr & woman pa

J

9 ry Ward and student Shanks . ..

right)

iy EE SEE

a moment s jaunt

a lesson in speech,

Photos by John Spicklemire, Times Staft Photographer,

In his winning seript, Bob didn't attempt to pinpoint his interpretation of democracy or paint it with fancy phrases. In 20 minutes spent in the school library he described on notebook paper the accumulation of things that made democracy real to him.

It was a summary of his every day life and things youth can hope for. Early in his high school career he was “spotted” by Mrs. Jane Ward, speech and dramatics director, as a student with aptitude for those subjects, Throughout his course at Lebanon High, she has coached him to championships in speech

and writing conte: contests sts sponsored

General Hospital | Is Sick. .

by Rotary Clubs, American Legion and civic organizations. At her request he entered the “Voice of Democracy” contest sponsored by the U. 8. Junior Chamber of Commerce, National Associatica of Broadcasters and Radio Manufacturers Association. Mrs. Ward, also a product of Lebanon High School, once was authorized to represent the. Indiana Debate League in national contests in Wisconsin.

” ~ ” BOB'S OLDER BROTHER, “Bill” Shanks, salesman with the Wm. H. Block Co., offered an idea which started Bob on his “Voice” theme. A wartime Navy veteran, Bill suggested that his brother “speak” to a fallen enemy sol-

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1 ; iN TE " . wenty minutes in a norary . . . resuit was a winning scrip

*

Robert Shanks . . . home, too, is democracy.

dier through the voice of a fallen American. Using a variation of the idea, Bob spoke with the voice of a dead soldier, to the American people. Core of the Shanks’ daily life is their comfortable home in N. Meridian St Mrs. DeVeta Shanks is an active Eastern Star member, Mr, Shanks is a 32d

Mason and a member of Rotary

n! Elks Mr. and Mrs. Shanks celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary last Wednesday. Bill is a member of the Elks and American Legion, his brother Bob is active in several school organizatigns. The Shanks live democracy. That's how Bob became a “Voice” finalist.

. With ‘Crowditis’

Hospital's emergency ward suffers mdst from space shortage. adequate facilities force interns to treat wounded and injured patients on wagons in the hallway. Doctor with the black bag

is about to answer a call. His return with an accident victim will

tient.,- An attendant had the woman's right arm immersed in a hydro-therapy tank. The woman sat slumped on an ancient chair. Her feet extended out into the next room. There was scarcely enough room in the cubicle for the nurse to work.

~ In other basément rooms . . . X-ray laboratories, out-patient clinics and the all-important X-ray film library, the same cramped conditions exist. “Things are especially bad down here,” Dr, Bean observed. “We have made three rooms out of one, and in some cases had to resort to sub-division of these new rooms, The clerical help are forced to do ‘their

. work out here in the chilly,

heavily he sdid. The hospital has a total of 741 beds. Of this number, 56 are basinettes for new born babies, 51 beds assigned to the. obstet-

travelled corpidors,”

ric ward and 100 for male and female tubercular patients. “From these figures,” Dr. Myers said, “you can see that we .are pressed for hed space for both regular medical and surgical cases as well. as the anticipated load from emergency service.” Another drain on the hospital's bed’ facilities, Dr. Bean said, is the constant use of some 55 beds for patients committed to the neuro-psychiatric divisfon. These beds are never without patients, the doctor said. “Although we have ‘55 beds for this section,” Dr. Bean declared., “our monthly average for 1949 was 55.3 per cent .occupancy.” ” » vy v DR. MYERS is no. Idle dreamer. He is a planner with definite ideas. But his plans for a new fivestory wing with space for 100 beds for mneuro-paychiatrie di

further tax facilities.

vision, and 20 beds in the prison

wards, were blasted when the

state's attorney general handed | down a decision prohibiting the | City of Indianapolis from issu- | ing bonds to cover construction

costs, . Dr. Myers, however, did not discard his plans. He still keeps them under lock and key. And

at a mere suggestion, the doc- |

tor will bring the. blueprints to light and disc uss them in great detail. Indianapolis taxpayers will find a great champion of the “little people” in Dr. Myers. He will not be. denied his burning ambition to have a “bigger and

bettér hospital for all the peo-

ple of Indianapolis.”

With such ambition, it is |

logical to assume that Dr.

Myers will exert every effort at the next session of the General |

Assembly to urge Hoosier law-

givers to revamp the laws that |

now thwart his plana,

| Speak for Democracy By Robert Shanks

HELLO! My name is Brown—Richard Brown! Remember me? No, I don't imagine you do. It's been almost five years since anyone has heard about me, and people have a knack for forgetting kinda fast now-a-days. How about the Battle of the Bulge? Does that strike a familiar note? Of course, you recall it.” The papers gave it quite a writeup at the time, I'm glad you do remember it because that's where I was killed. It wasn't very dramatic—my death, I mean. There I was, crouched in a foxhole, shaking from the cold so much that I know it was my teeth that gave my hiding place away, when—boom! went a hand grenade and (snap finger). it was over that quick, » - » ” " ~ YOU WANTA know something, Friend? You wanta know why I was over there? No, it wasn't because some big shot drew my number out of a fish bowl either. I'd have been there regardless of that. I was there because of a thing we have in America called democracy! That's a pretty important word when you take time to think about ‘it. “It means something strong, good, and just. To men like Hitler and Tito it meant something that had to be destroyed and wiped out if men of their breed were to exist. Well, I was just one of many Richard Browns who couldn't see it their way -just one of a thousand young kids who'd rather r dig ditches than be told he couldn't. * ® = ‘s = =» WHEN I was living, it's true that I thought of democracy as, well, like our history teacher used to say

|. —*“A noble inheritance left to us by farsighted states-

men, a beacon light in a world of darkness.” This thought hit me particularly on the Fourth of July. Yet, somehow to me the true meaning of democracy was kirida more every day, - It was hot dogs and baseball games, chicken every Sunday, hayrides and roasted marshmallows, giggling girls and dignified high school seniors. It was the evening paper and, even more, informing neighborhood gossip. It was the gang—and your girl. It was rugged mountains, flat plains, big cities and small towns, churches, schools, institutions, It was a chance to grab the world by the tail and give it a whirl! Sometimes you got to the top! Other times, you didn't. But you still had the chance to try! n ~ EJ ~ n » 1 SAW democracy in our movies, in big fat political rallies, in our colleges, and even in lovers’ lanes. Well, in fact, I saw it in just about everything I did or said. Take away even one of the things I've mentioned and you've weakened democracy. given America something to be very proud of, a way ‘of life to build toward a better future. As an American I didn't want to fight, as an Amers ican I didn't want to die. I had too much to live for. But when I realized that there were nen in the world

who didn't want my brother to be a Boy Scout, or my

Pop to be an Elk, then is when 1 was ready to fight, Ready to fight for America, for democracy. You might even say 1 fought because I was stingy. for my rights to live and breathe a free man. ~ ~ LJ » = eo

THOSE of you who have seen a college football game, or a harvest moon shining through the sycamores on a Midwest cornfield, or have watched the fabulous Mississippi winding its way through the heart of America, have listened to the Presi. dent make his inaugural address, or have attended a county fair know, I think, why I fought and why I am speaking to you from-—well, let's say a place far distant from that ware torn field in Germany. And if you do know, then dedicate yourself to the job of making sure that never again will & Richard Brown have to fight and die to protect democracy. . . » , ® »

WELL; I guess I really got-wound up, didn't 17 Almost needed a soap box. Still, call everything I said dribble; call it sentimentality, if you will, - I call it America! I call it democracy! Democracy! = Comes from the Greek I Rink. “Demos,” meaning people; “kratis,” meaning government. The people’s government.

Yes, that is what I'd call it-—democracy. The peopiets

right to breathe, to worship, to speak, to think, toe gether, to make an honest living , and, yes, to 1 8 free man. That's it. Thats why I'm speaking. That's why I

Leave them and you've

Stingy /°~