More Suicides

Suicidal attempts continued among U. S. students. To the six who killed themselves last month (TIME, Feb. 7), were added:

Claudia Lanun, at State Teachers' College in Springfield, Mo., morose, ended her life.

Bernice Ridhardson. President Mark Embury Penney of Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.) had just read newspaper accounts of Miss Lanun's suicide and was thinking how terrible it would be if such a thing should happen in his institution, when news reached him that pretty Bernice Richardson, 20, one of his freshmen, whom he had just interviewed, had been found moaning on the floor of her room. She had drunk carbolic acid; died within an hour. In their interview President Penney had had to tell her that, since she had failed in French course, she could not register for the next term. Sorority "rushing" was a week away. Miss Richardson's roommate said the carbolic acid had been in their room for months.

Aldo Parceno. Aged 14, equipped with a new suit, anticipating a party and gifts, Aldo Parceno of Brooklyn went to school to get his final term marks. The list of graduates was read out. Aldo was not mentioned. He inquired. There was no mistake. He went home. His mother was ready with a piece of his favorite cake and a cup of coffee. "I'm not to graduate," he said. He went into the bathroom. . . . His brother Salvatore, aged 10, came home in time to find Aldo, gas tube in his mouth, unconscious. He was saved.

Morgan Derr Jr., 20, sophomore at the University of Rochester (N. Y.) classmate and friend of Student Rigby Wile, 16, who killed himself with a rifle on Jan. 2, last week felt ill, shot himself dead.

Distinguished persons attempted explanations:

President Penney of Millikin University: "All this is due to a lack of perspective. . . ."

President Daniel L. Marsh of Boston University: "When you convince a man that he is an animal and nothing but an animal, he will act like an animal, and you will have a recrudescence of the jungle. . . ." (Dr. Marsh did not state what other animal, besides man, commonly commits suicide.)

Editorial writer for the New York World: "Is it possible that the American Nation, in its desire to bring itself to a high educational standard, has driven its school machinery at too high a speed ? . . ."

In Madison, Wis., a Mrs. Cora K. Pullen, pastor of a spiritualist church, purported to have been twice in communication with Walter Cassels Noe, premedical student who shot himself Jan. 24 promising he would try to "come back." Student Noe's message according to Pastor Pullen: "O, boys, don't try it! Make more of life! I'm sorry!"