Home
Search transcripts:    Advanced Search
Notable New     Yorkers
Select     Notable New Yorker

Mary LaskerMary Lasker
Photo Gallery
Transcript

Part:         Session:         Page of 1143

have training facilities, could make a deal with another state and send their students into another state to train them and have them, come back and work in the state hospitals.

Q:

This was necessary in an area where...

Lasker:

There were no trained people at all, no psychiatrists, no psychiatric nurses, no personnel.

Q:

Whose idea was that?

Lasker:

Well, this developed as a result of these conferences.

The Governors Conference took place in Detroit starting on February 4, 1954. Alice Fordyce, Florence Mahoney, Mike Gorman and Charles Schlaefer represented the Committee. Eleven governors appeared, and Governors Clement, Mennen Williams and Stratton seemed to have been the ones most interested. Craig of Indiana seemed to be interested, too. They voted, as I've said, a 10-point program, and they also voted to hold an annual mental health conference. This has not been done, however, an annual mental health conference.

Q:

You mean, an annual conference composed of Governors?

Lasker:

Yes, isn't it amazing!

Representatives from the mental health departments of nearly all the states were present, and everyone agreed that





© 2006 Columbia University Libraries | Oral History Research Office | Rights and Permissions | Help