Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 4

SATURDAY, APRIL 12. 19B8 Lincoln TI Journal to the People of Nebraska, and to the Development ot ihe Resources of the State" Sept 7. 1687 ICS 1 lit i rCRfELTJEAYER On the Cartoon Carrousel ASSOC Editorials: Opinions of the Journal Let's hear it fbr FRIENDSHIPTRMMMG, WHITE HOUSE WOKK. With Pat Jimmy Margulies and Mike Peters I ik employer of the year by the Nebraska Dental Hygiene Association Lorraine B. Moon, staff secretary and editorial assistant In the Midwest Center for- Mass Spectometry at UNL, named Woman of the Year by Horizons Chapter of the American Business Women's Association.

Dr. Stephen Kerr, Gering veterinarian, chosen recipient of Howard LfWiegers Sunday Journal-' Star! Nebraska Outstanding Wildlife Conservation Award, And for James Carrol Luchsinger of Platte Center, named winner of the University of Nebraska Outstanding Student Wildlife Award. Thirteen UNL seniors honored as Chancellor's Scholars at the UNL Honors Convocation for having received A's on all graded collegiate work: John Richard Ellis and Rachel Mallnda Hinrichs Parker, both of Maureen Margaret Kenney Davis, Melanie Lynn Huebner and Thomas M. Schipporeit, all of Omaha; Richard Myles Alden II and Shanna Jayne Johnson, both of Auburn; Jana J. Beckman of Elgin; Ross Michael Watchorn of Fremont; Amber Jill Brandt of Jeffrey Keith Talbott of Kimball; Beverly Ann Scholl of Petersburg; and Matthew Frank Spllker of Sioux Falls, S.D.

7, Three UNL students who received C.S. Boucher Awards at the UNL Honors Convocation: Keith David Long of Lincoln, top scholar in the Reserve Officers Training Corps; Karen Ann Mangan of Omaha, athletic letterwoman with the highest four-year cumulative This week the Journal says let's hear it for 1 i Four University qtNebraska-Lincoln faculty bers who received 11,500 awards for distinguished teaching at the 58th annual UNL honors convocation: Susan 1. Rosowski, associate professor of English; Dennis R. Brink, associate professor of animal science; Michael StrickHn, associate professor of journalism; and Royce R. Ronning, professor of educational psychology.

And for these recipients of (1,000 awards each for distinguished teaching at UNL, authorized by the Nebraska Legislature: Leverne A. Barrett, Gerry H. Brookes, Robert G. Fuller, John R. GruN, David A.

Klarner, Peter MaslowsM, Edward P. Rack, Dennis Schneider, Fred Luthans, Allen R. Edison, James C. Wolford, Sally JL Van Zandt, John P. Lenlch, Jane C.

Conoley and Marvin J. Spomer. Two UNL faculty members presented Distinguished Educational Service Awards at the UNL Honors Convocation, recognizing distinguished and continuing educational service other than residential instruction: John P. Fnrrer, professor and agriculture extension special-fct in agronomy in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and J.C. CranfOL extension agriculturalist and extension agent chairman for agriculture in Hamilton County for the South Central Research and Extension Center of the UNL Cooperative Extension Service.

Shirley Thomsen, UNL's assistant director of registration and records, recipient of the first Chancellor's 'Hello? Hey; what's happenin', Muammar, baby? sure, I can get him to talk to you Mike Gorbachev just called to ask the same thing. How SELF-SERV FULL-SERV adepoiM average; and Michael Todd Otte of Steam-: -Ej iliP Award for Exceptional Service to Students. tl i Adam C. Breckenridee, retired UNL faculty mem-" ujoaui latennan with the highest four-year grade ber, chosen to receive the first Doc Elliott Award established by the UNL Alumni Association to honor university personnel who have "gone beyond traditional expectations" and whose contributions have "made a difference in the lives of students and alumni" Ernest R. Peo UNL professor of animal science, given a Graduate of Distinction award from Oklahoma State University in recognition of his contribution to the animal science industry.

Harry Crockett, chairman of the UNL sociology department, recipient of the UNL James Lake Academic Freedom Award for his years of professional research and practice in the area of academic freedom Dr. Susan Cooper, chief of the dental division of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, named Sigma Nn fraternity members at' the UNL, who responded to a Clinton Neighborhood Organization request for volunteers to help paint a house at 3001 Potter St And for area high school and college students, who volunteered through the Human Resources Research Foundation at UNL to help with Clinton's annual neighborhood cleanup. Two Lincoln high school seniors named winners of corporation-sponsored National Merit Scholarships: John S. Heidemann of Lincoln Northeast High School, Todd J. Schroer of Lincoln Southeast High School and Laura H.

Logsdon, Bellevue West Senior High School. Matt Cashore, eighth-grade student at Cathedral of the Risen Christ School, winner of the Lancaster County spelling bee. I i i Cheering section Good example of youth On April 4, 1 had the pleasure of attending a talent program at Randolph. School put on by the fifth and sixth grades. I thoroughly enjoyed it as I did when my children were in programs.

This was really the best I can remember. The students and teachers had cooperated completely. It was delightful and the students were very talented. If that was an example of our youth, we needn't worry about our youth. I also enjoyed visiting with Mr.

Carr, the principal of Randolph. He was principal at Havelock when my children went there. I'm proud of our teachers, students, principals and parents who made this program possible. HopeKeyser Lincoln Workshop commended I commend the Lancaster County Medical Auxiliary and Southeast Community College for the workshop on aging that they sponsored April S. The workshop was well organized, the programs stayed on schedule and a wealth of information was presented.

The participating physicians are to be commended for all the knowledge they shared. They were most generous with their time in answering questions. The luncheon prepared and served by students at SECC was excellent I think all who live in this area should feel fortunate that our community provides so many helpful agencies. Successful program On behalf of the planning committee and other co-sponsors of the Career Symposium, I thank the Journal-Star Printing Co. for its wholehearted support of this valuable educational program.

Some 250 people attended the Career Symposium March 8. They had the opportunity to learn many new skills and gained information on ways that they can foster their own career development The evaluation results of the symposium were very positive and we are encouraged to sponsor such a program again next year. The success of the Career Symposium could not have taken place without the support of the Journal-Star and its people, specifically Greg Pohl and Scott AI1-gaier. They played a major leadership role in helping print our symposium brochure and in providing advertising space in the Lincoln newspapers. It is good to see our local newspapers playing such a public service role in helping the people of southeastern Nebraska better educate themselves with important career and personal development skills.

Kerry Kerber Program Specialist Conferences and Institutes University ot Nebraska-Lincoln Feeding the hungry The Knudson family, owners of daVin-ci's Restaurants, wishes to thank all the special guests who came for their free Easter Dinner. We served meals to approximately 300 needy persons. It was a beautiful day to celebrate the joy of giving in such a way. States doing abysmal job caring for the mentally ill More than 50 volunteers helped to serve all those who came, and we offer thanks to them as well as to all those who furnished cakes and supported us in other ways with prayers and words of love. Christ has directed us to feed the hungry, and in a very small way, we try to fulfill his command.

Thanks again to each and all Kal Knudson Lincoln Parents reassured I would like to thank the SL Elizabeth Health Center for the neo-natal follow-up program provided "graduates" of the neo-natal unit Through the program, premature infants are invited back periodically so that their growth and development can be checked by a pediatrician who is a member of the follow-up committee. It is gratifying to be reassured that although my daughter was two months premature and may not be developmental equal to her peers, she is doing very welL Thanks to the neo-natal unit and the follow-up committee for their continued concern long after my daughter's dismissal from the hospital. Diane Reece Wahoo tue-'FEWAsriNG valuable timb here, COUNSBWR.tETIHB 4.5MUmiHAT DOeSffT WORKFORUS. HOHJABOUT420NA PUPUI5, maim wouu? im TOTALKTO WPERSOH- GIVE IT A SHOT. 15-VEARSOWJIE I WITH OXAS? WHAT? m.THATWOHT DO, w.t..

The writer, a research psychiatrist in Washington, is the author of "Surviving Schizophrenia" and co-author with Sidney M. Wolfe of "Care of the Seriously Mental III: a Rating of State Programs," published by the Public Citizen Health Research Group, Washington. By E. Fuller Torreyy Has deinstitutionalization been a failure? Take a walk through the parks of the city any city and decide for yourself. Count the number of clearly disturbed individuals chatting amiably to the air, gesticulating wildly to the clouds or just standing mute in the shadows of decaying buildings like 20th century gargoyles.

These mentally ill individuals were not part of our landscape 25 years ago when we started emptying state mental hospitals. Several studies suggest that seriously mentally ill individuals make up about 40 percent of the homeless. Therefore, by the most conservative estimates, there are at least 150,000 people with schizophrenia living on the streets. Schizophrenia is a brain disease like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Unlike these other diseases, however, schizophrenia can be successfully controlled with medications in the majority of cases.

Yet almost none of the afflicted who live on the streets and in public shelters are receiving treatment for their disease. Who to blaune? Since 1764, waeu the governor of Virginia went before the House of Burgesses requesting funds to build a hospital for "a poor uhappy set of People who are deprived of their Senses, and wander about the Country terrifying the rest of their Fellow Creatures," states have had the primary responsibility of providing care for the seriously mentally UL The federal government has been involved through Social Security disability payments and the funding of community mental-health centers, but mostly it has been the states that have provided care. It is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid the conclusion that most states have done an abysmal job. Apologists for one or another government agency or professional self-interest group committed to the status quo try to persuade us that state mental hospitals really are not that bad, that board-and-care homes really do quite a nice job and that most of the homeless mentally ill prefer to live on the streets. The people described in the media's horror stories, they assure us, are exceptions.

But the exceptions keep appearing In our line of vision, more and more of them, growing In numbers until they no longer appear to be exceptions. We wish that they would go away, but they win-not So what is to be done? Long-term, re-hospltalization of the seriously mentally ill is not the answer. We know that most such Individuals can be restored to function with hospttal stays of only a few weeks. Nor is more money the answer. In a recent study by the Health Research Group in Washington, three states Wisconsin, Rhode Island and Colorado were the most highly rated in programs for the seriously mentally UL They are spending $20.32, $31.54 and $24.88 (respectively) per capita per year on their mental-health programs.

The average for an states Is $30.27. California spends $28.88 and New York $74.08, yet their programs are rated far down the list How do the highly rated states achieve better services without spend I. VI UK I ing more money? Colorado designates the seriously mentally ill as its first priority for the use of state mental-health dollars; if state funds are used to pay salaries for psychotherapists to treat "the worried well," as happens In California and many other states, there are few funds left over for the seriously mentally HL Rhode Island does it by providing decent community housing for the mentally ill disabled, the voters having approved 11 such bond issues in the last 18 years. Wisconsin does it by fixing fiscal responsibility at the county level and having "the dollar follow the patient" into the hospital and back out to the community. These and other highly rated states do it through effective leadership in their state mental-health agencies, supportive governors and legislatures, strong Alliance for the Mentally 111 consumer groups, and reliance on outpatient commitment (if the patient stops taking medicine, he or she can be returned to the hospital).

There really Is no mystery about what needs to be done to provide high-quality yet economical services for the seriously mentally UL Apart from the exanh pies in other states, look at the better, public programs in California's San Mateo, Marin and Napa counties; go to the Eden Express in Hayward, where seriously mentally in people are being rehabilitated and trained in restaurant work, or stop by Project Return in Santa, Monica, which functions as a clubhouse 1 for such individuals, We do not need, more consultants, commissions or task forces to tell as what needs to be doe. We simply need the will to do It 01 886 Lc Angatot Tlmts Mrs. Maxine Myhre Board Chairman Widowed Persons Service More mail Sending a penny The national organization for a SANE nuclear policy has encouraged an citizens to write their congressmen and send them a penny, to put the national tax policy in proper perspective, as 50 of our largest corporations and over 100 millionaires didnt pay one cent of federal taxes last year. I think this is a super Idea; we will help pay off the national debt 100 cent faster than these wealthy profiteers. L.K.

Emry Lincoln Do not rest America should not be deceived by the Russian girl bringing her message of peace to this country. If Russia is truly a peaceful nation, why didnt the hierarchy send a peace messenger to Afghanistan? Do not rest, America. The Commu-rusts will never rest until America is defeated Think bow much closer they are to our borders now than 10 years ago. BobAuld Gothenburg 4-lt DUPUIS HARRIS HERE I PilS ISN7 AM MON AMU ALL I' YE GOT IS PONE. SEE.YOU JUST HAVE TO BE FORCEFUL.

I OH, CASH! TAKE IT ORLBAVEIT.