Broken Pencils

In 1934, Ruth, a young housewife, gives birth to a severely handicapped son. Whispers of disgrace and shame swirl in the community as she desperately tries to teach him to be normal. Her embarrassed husband is unsupportive and her mother pressures her to place him into the Insane Asylum. Fearful for his safety, she resists their demands and cares for him at home.

As her son grows and her family expands, feeding, bathing and changing him become increasingly difficult. Reluctantly, she considers the Insane Asylum, until a 1946 Life Magazine article appears, documenting mistreatments, assaults, and massive underfunding of the asylum system.

At sixteen, her son’s strength is that of a man and she loses the battle to care for him. He is placed in the Insane Asylum where she witnesses barbaric conditions and inhumane atrocities.

This is the story of Ruth’s enormous plight to protect her son from a state system designed to keep feeble minded imbeciles incarcerated and away from society. This novel is based on true life events.