gratitude MANTENO STATE HOSPITAL NEWS LETTERS OF GRATITUDE 1965-1966   Manteno State Hospital News March 31, 1965 LETTER EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO STAFF Deep appreciation and gratitude for the care given her sister at Manteno State Hospital are in the following letter from Texas recently received by Dr. Richard J. Graff, superintendent. " Dear Dr. Graff: " On behalf of my sisters and myself, I want to thank you for the care you have given my sister, ______ _____. during her illness. " You were most kind to inform us when it was serious. " I feel badly that we had to give her a state funeral and hope you do not think of us as worthless people for doing so. We could not do otherwise. " If, some day I can afford it, I will have her body moved to our lot in Oakridge Cemetery. As I am a widow, in poor health and 81, the chance seems remote, but we can only wish. " I have prayed every night since _____ was in Manteno for you and the personnel at Manteno. I thank god for men like you who give their time, knowledge and talent for the poor unfortunate there. " There is such a thing as living too long. The Bible says "The days of our years and ten"- Psalm 90-10. God in his infinite wisdom knows best. " May he bless you and your co-workers."   Manteno State Hospital News April 15, 1965 Patient Recovers After 13 Years; Praises Attendants A former woman patient, here for 13 years, expresses her gratitude to Dr. Richard J. Graff, superintendent, in a recent letter. She writes: " I have just received my absolute discharge letter and I want to thank you for your kind attention to me during my mental disability. " I want to tell you of the wonderful attention I received from the attendants on duty for the thirteen years I was under their care. Everything done for me was of the highest quality. " I especially want to commend (aides) Mrs. (Alice) Patterson, Mrs. (Lena) Greenstreet and Mrs. (Louis) Wilson, and (dietary worker) Mrs. (Celia) Mocabee. They took very good care of me. " I had dentistry and X-ray treatment and I'm very grateful. Everything was just fine and I am now working and enjoying good mental health. " Thank you and everyone else again."   Manteno State Hospital News September 30, 1965 Sons Express Gratitude The Department of Mental Health recently received and passed on to Dr. Richard J. Graff, superintendent, two letters from brothers whose mother died here. Both expressed appreciation for the care given during her final illness. One added: "Manteno State Hospital was one of the nicest and cleanest state hospital I visited. The service ...received was excellent. Thank you again."   Manteno State Hospital News November 15, 1965 BUSINESS LETTERS ALSO PRAISE MSH Several business letters from relatives of patients which also contain praise for this hospital were recently received by Dr. Martin Koenig, assistant superintendent. Excerpts follow: " Friends of ours visited the hospital and have told me that your establishment is far superior to ____ State Hospital, and that my brother seemed to look and feel better. I cannot tell you how pleased and happy this made me feel." " I want to say thank you for the good care you gave my brother while he was at your place for the past 16 years and I would also like to comment on the cleanliness of clothes and body, not only of Rudyard but all the rest of the patients."   Manteno State Hospital News December 15, 1965 Hospital Praised The following letter thanking Dr. Arturo Segovia and the hospital staff in general on behalf of their father John Gedelman, who has since passed away is quoted in part: " We, of course, were hesitant about taking Pop to a "mental" hospital but hoped that Mayo's doctors were right in saying we'd be pleasantly surprised with Manteno. We were! " The care that you and your staff gave Pop was superior to what most public city hospitals could have given him. And the personal interest shown in our patient was really heartwarming. " Although it broke our hearts to visit him there, it was a great consolation to know he was so well cared for. " Our great thanks are your doing making Pop's last, tragic fourteen months as comfortable as possible. We'll be forever indebted to you."   Manteno State Hospital News December 30, 1965 Cullen I Receives Letter of Thanks The seven sisters of a deceased patient recently sent the following letter to all workers, nurses and patients of Cullen I Building: " We the sisters of the late Georgia Bagley wish to thank you for your care and consideration of her during her two years' stay with you. " In our hearts we feel she was mach happier with you than us. " We loved her very much; God made her different and to love and we feel you did as we. " She is much happier now with our mother whom she loved very much. " So we say thank you and God bless all of you."

Manteno State Hospital News May 13, 1966 Hospital Praised Praise for Manteno State Hospital's staff and the appearance of its grounds and buildings is contained in a recent letter to Dr. Richard J. Graff, superintendent. " I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your wonderful staff for all you have done for my mother, Stella Grosh, who expired September 4. " Perhaps many people do not express themselves but I know they feel the same as I do. The hospital is very clean, the grounds are very nice and most of all the people working there are a real credit. I've had contact with the office help, nurses, doctors and the chaplains. Everyone has always been very courteous, patient and helpful." Transcribed... Manteno State Hospital News May 13, 1966 Thanks Hospital For Mother's Care Before Her Death Following is an excerpt of a letter from LaGrange received by Dr. Richard J. Graff, superintendent, following the death of a patient, mother of the writer: " I want to express my thanks to everyone for the care she received during her stay. The world at large sometimes has very distorted ideas of the state mental hospitals. I am sure that it is true that they are crowded and lacking certain amenities, but they certainly do a magnificent job with what they have. " The warmth and kindness of attendants on McDowell, on Kraepelin, and in the hospital unit will always be a heartening memory. I hope there is some way you can convey my thanks to them. " You may be assured that here is one citizen who will do everything in her power to support the Department of Mental Health." Sincerely Yours, Marjorie Miller Lawson " P. S. Thanks also to Medical Records for keeping in touch with me so closely during the last illness and the doctors ------"   Manteno State Hospital News June 30, 1966 Dr. Graff Commends Carriel V Employes Employes of Carriel V. BUilding were recently commended in memorandum from Dr. J. Graff, superintendent, for the care given a patient. The memo and letter follow: " The attached letter expresses appreciation for the care patient Martha Sieczkowski received while at Carriel V. This is a very heartening letter and certainly demonstrates that your efforts on behalf of the patients do not go unappreciated. " We would like to further commend you for carrying out your duties in such an exemplary manner that it creates the good feeling which is demonstrated by the receipt of this communication." (Signed - "R. J. Graff, M.D., Superintendent") " Dear Dr. Graff: On May 20, 1966 our sister Martha Sieczkowski, was transferred from your hospital to Oak Forest Hospital and we wish to thank you for your very great kindness and thoughtfulness while she was a patient at your hospital. " No one could be kinder, especially the nurses at Carriel 5 who could not be more wonderful if our sister had been a member of their own family. We wish also to thank Mr. (Edward) Kaspar (of Social Service) for his very wise counsel when speaking to us about our sister. " No words we can write would be able to convey what is in our hearts, so even if we should never meet again, our prayers are that the good Lord protect and sustain you and your wonderful staff all the days of your life. "Appreciatively, Bernice McGrew ad Joseph Wagner."   Manteno State Hospital News September 30, 1966 Letter Expresses Thanks The sister of patient Iva Vogt who died February 9 while in this hospital has sent the following letter: " I just want to thank you and the nurses and doctors for the care and love you all gave my sister down through the years she lived at the hospital. " I appreciate all of the things I could not give her, for I didn't have the power or the money. " I pray to God He will bless you, for He says 'What you have done unto these, thou have done unto Him'."   Manteno State Hospital News October 28, 1966 Letter of Thanks The following letter, received by Manteno State Hospital, is addressed "To the Administrative Staff, Doctors, Nurses and others: " You have been wonderful in your attention to my late son, Edward Cotton while he was an inmate of your institution. " I therefore wish to sincerely thank each individual who contributed any measure of comfort to his ailment during the time he was there. I truly believe that if there was anything else that could have been done for him you would have done same and he would have been living today. " So therefore, I want each one of your many workers to know that I deeply appreciate and sincerely thank each one. " God bless you and your institution. Yours truly, Mrs. Naomi Boyd."