GIRLS FOR MENTAL HOSPITAL WORK

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23746, 18 September 1942, Page 6

GIRLS FOR MENTAL HOSPITAL WORK

Sir,—During the last few days the Government authorities have seen fit to conscript young girls for compulsory service in mental hospital institutions. The wisdom and ethical Tightness of bringing young girls into too close association with the inevitably tragic, and oftentimes sordid conditions of mental attendant work have long been open to doubt, especially in the minds of some of us who have had first-hand opportunity of observing the effect of this type of work upon many of the girls engaged in it. In a more socially enlightened age. the minimum age for female mental attendants might well be set at 25. Be that as it may. the extenuating circumstance in the past has been that the work has always been voluntarily undertaken By those whose inclinations led them in that direction. But the whole question has taken a more serious turn when compulsion replaces the voluntary basis. Any society which compels young girls to undertake mental hospital work irrespective of temperament, inclination, or fitness of mental or spiritual outlook, gravely indicts its claim to be either Christian or democratic. The portents of such an action by the highest civil authority of the land are. to say the least, disturbing—Yours, etc.. (REV.) L. GORDON HANNA. August 20 1942. [This letter was submitted to trie" Minister in charge of Mental Hospitals for comment; but no reply has been received.]