George Elder in the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, photograph by Nelson Martinez, 1971
Courtesy Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries
In 1942, two doctors certified George Elder as insane and a judge committed him to the Philadelphia State Hospital.
Elder remained at the hospital until 1970, but when he moved into the community, he had few resources to support himself. Stories like his caused policymakers to work to provide social services alongside mental health care.
