The Glendale Star
14
January 13, 2022
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Glendale resident publishes her grandmother’s poems BY ALLISON BROWN
Glendale Star Staff Writer
When looking into family history, some might find a story of resilience, a love affair or connection to a historical figure. When Jodi Nasch Decker inherited generations of diaries, journals and photographs, she discovered her grandmother’s story of a seven-year stay in a Minnesota “insane asylum” in the 1920s and 1930s due to claims that she could not eat or drink anything after a secretive medical procedure. Decker — a substitute teacher, college writing instructor and Glendale Historical Society member — did extensive research to verify the accounts. She then published “Poems from the Asylum,” which contains works by her grandmother, Martha Nasch, during her stay at the St. Peter State Hospital for the Insane. The poems are a firsthand account of the mistreatment and injustices against patients there. They were published with the help of her daughter, author/editor Janelle Molony. In addition, the book is also a historical biography, explaining the details of Nasch’s condition — or lack thereof — as well as her life before and after being institutionalized. “This is based on deep, deep medical research. We have had historians review it, we had the museum docent at the St. Peter State Hospital of the Insane review it and we had a psychologist review it,” Decker said. “The truth of it is she actually had a physical medical condition that contributed to or prompted her mental health condition. She definitely had a real diagnosis, but we believe during that time period, she was both misdiagnosed and mistreated.” Nasch was diagnosed with “a case of the nerves” by her physician in 1927 after claiming she had not and could not eat or drink anything. Her son even signed a statement saying he had not
(Left) Jodi Nasch Decker published her grandmother’s poetry, written about her experiences during her stay at a mental institution in the late 1920s and early ’30s. (Above) Nasch was sent to the St. Peter State Hospital of the Insane after claiming she had not had anything to eat or drink for months on end. (Photos courtesy of Jodi Nasch Decker)
seen her eat or drink. After continuing these claims of going without food or water for over six months, Nasch was hospitalized in 1928 and stayed for nearly seven years. Decker said during this time, diagnoses and treatments for mental illnesses were largely misunderstood. Nasch’s poetry describes some of the horrors she witnessed and may have been subjected to herself. “We know for a fact they did force feedings back in the day,” Decker said. “They did electroshock therapy, they did hydrotherapy — which means dip-
ping people in freezing cold bath water to shock the system. So, stuff that would clearly not be approved nowadays. They had very severe treatment.” Nasch was eventually released into the custody of her husband and still claimed she had not had anything to eat or drink for the entire seven years. Decker said that while she was emaciated, Nasch clearly had to be getting nutrition because she was still alive. At this point, the press caught on. Decker said she found several articles written about Nasch throughout the years that painted her in a bad light. “They mocked her and made fun of her. They said that her being mentally ill was a hoax,” she said. “So, I guess our objective is to set the record straight and to tell the truth about her story.” Decker said she didn’t just take what Nasch wrote to be factual, she factchecked and cross referenced every name and detail. Decker said her father and grandfather also kept journals and diaries, which included information
about Nasch, her condition and state of mind. After her father died in 2019, Decker inherited the family memorabilia and started piecing the information together. Despite Nasch’s condition, time in the asylum and media attention, she went on to live a fairly normal and good life. Decker said Nasch divorced, remarried and had a job. She added that while “Poems from the Asylum” has dark themes, it is an intriguing story. “The tone is still redemptive or upbeat,” Decker said. “There’s a misperception that it’s depressing, but if people read it — I don’t what to say it as a happy ending, that’s not the right word — but you’re going to walk away satisfied. I feel Martha has been vindicated after all these years, because they wrote such harsh things about her. We base it on fact to try to make it more factual than emotional, and her words vindicate her.” Decker published “Poems from the Asylum” in 2021, with Nasch credited as the author. Because of her fascination with history, Decker said she also joined the Glendale Historical Society to be involved locally. She said she now encourages everyone to take a deeper look into their family history, as they might be surprised at what they find. “Poems from the Asylum” can be found online at Amazon or Barnes & Noble, and Decker said she is hoping to get it into the Glendale Public Library soon.
“Poems from the Asylum” Edited and arranged by Janelle Molony Introduction by Jodi Nasch Decker janellemolony.com/ poemsfromtheasylum Found at Amazon or Barnes & Noble $35 hardcover; $27 paperback
