Holyoke City Hospital

Holyoke City Hospital

Holyoke City Hospital

      The farthest reaching single philanthropy in Holyoke is the Holyoke City Hospital. Like so many of the fine movements started in the generation now passing in Holyoke, it had its inception in the mind and heart of William Whiting.
      A friend of Mr. Whiting had been taken sick at one of the hotels in the city. There was no place where he could be taken. There was no trained nurse to send to his care. Mr. Whiting had a sharp memory then of a remark that had been made by Dr. J.J. O'Connor, once mayor and great doctor of the city. It was that the man who would start a public hospital for Holyoke would be the city's greatest benefactor.
      In April 1892, a group of people deeply interested in the welfare of the city, gathered at Mr. Whiting's home, at his invitation, to consider the establishment of a hospital which should be distinctly a city institution, non-sectarian, and open to all who should need its ministry.
      The moment was ripe for such a movement, and within a few weeks the plans for the hospital were under way. The meeting at which preliminary steps were taken towards incorporation was held at William Whiting's home on April 25, and the following officers were elected to the first official board: President, William Skinner; vice-president, William Whiting; clerk, E.. White; treasurer, Joseph Skinner; assistant treasurer, Fred H.Newton; trustees, William Skinner, William Whiting, Timothy Merrick, Dr. L.M. Tuttle, E.C. Taft, J.S. Webber, N.H. Whitten, Jospeh Metcalf, George W. Prentiss, Ernest Lovering, E.P. Bagg, James H. Newton, James Ramage, George N. Tyer, E.S. Waters, Dr. G.W. Davis, J.G. Mackintosh, Lemuel Sears, and E.W. Chapin.
      On May 23, the Holyoke City Hospital received its incorporation papers. The work of raising the money was begun at once, William Whiting and William Skinner heading the list with $5,000 each. James H. Newton gave $2,500.
      There was a lively discussion about the selection of the site, and finally a beautiful hill to the west of the city was chosen, its advocates urging that there could be no better lace in which to get well. It was planned to make it a fort-bed hospital, because the city had about 40,000 people, and it was thought that was a good proportion. Hospitals were then not so popularly resorted to as now.
      As the hospital building progressed the Hospital Aid Association, composed of Holyoke ladies, was organized. Its mission was to furnish the hospital, and provide a fund out of which the expenses of patients who could not pay, would be met. Mrs. E.C. Taft was the first president of this Association. Her term of office was brief ad she was succeeded by Mrs. William Whiting, who has been president now for almost twenty years, and whose administration of that office shows a most remarkable record, both of raising and expending a vast amount of money.
      Mrs. Joseph Metcalf has been the only treasurer the Association has had. Mrs. Frank D. Heywood has been its long-time secretary.
      The City Hospital as originally built cot $52,600. It was dedicated, free of debt, on June 10, 1893. Its first appointment was Dr. L.M. Tuttle. With the opening of the hospital a training school for nurses was established. The first superintendent of nurses was Miss Hall. Her stay was brief, and in the fall Miss C.E. Tower came and did a splendid work developing the hospital.
      In the early days of the hospital there was a great demand for pupil nurses in cases throughout the city. A great deal was earned and added to the hospital fund in that way. At first the training course was two years. Then it was extended to three years.
      There were several change made in the hospital management in 1897. Dr. L.M. Tuttle resigned, and his death followed shortly. Dr. C.O. Carpenter was chosen to succeed him as superintendent.
      The president, William Skinner, also in his annual report speaks of the death of E.C. Taft, one of the warmest friends of the hospital, who used to say: "It is bad enough to be sick if you are rich, but to be poor and be sick must be terrible."
      In 1897 Miss Tower resigned to be married to G.H. Foster of Holyoke, and Miss M.L. Daniels was appointed superintendent of nurses.
      In 1900 William Skinner resigned as president. He was succeeded by William Whiting.
      Miss Lillian O. West was made superintendent of nurses that year.
      In 1902 Dr. Carpenter died and Dr. J.C. Hubbard was made superintendent.
      In 1902 also William Skinner died, leaving $10,000 towards a permanent endowment fund for the hospital. Other endowment fund gifts now in hand were $5,000 from J.H. Appleton of Springfield, and $4,665 from the Alexander Day estate, In 1904 $2,500 was added as a memorial to Donald Mackintosh.
      By 1905 the hospital demands had greatly outgrown its capacity, and a big addition given over to private, was built, as a gift from William Whiting. The addition increased the capacity of the hospital by twenty-four rooms, and the number of patients during the year had increased to 536. Dr. J.C.Hubbard resigned that year and Dr. L. H. Clarke succeeded him as superintendent.
      In 1907 came the first big fair by the Holyoke Aid Association, which all the years through had done so much to make possible the great work at the hospital. It was held on the lawn of Mrs. William Whiting, and netted $9,000. Another fair in 1909, held under the same conditions, netted $15,000.
      In 1910 Miss Lilian West resigned as superintendent of nurses an was succeeded by Miss Laura Pratt, who for some years had been assistant superintendent.
      The City Hospital, along with the rest of Holyoke, suffered a great loss early in 1911, in the death of William Whiting. Of Mr. Whiting's various charities and philanthropies none interested him to the extent of the City Hospital.
      As a memorial to his devotion to that institution and its work his widow and sons have rebuilt the hospital, adding fine new, modern and model hospital, and increasing the patient capacity to 125, or to two beds for every thousand of the city's population.
      During 1911, 1,306 patient were cared for at the hospital.
      Dr. L.H. Clarke, who had given himself so freely and fully to the hospital's upbuilding, was given leave of absence as superintendent, Dr. George D. Henderson taking his place.
      In the reorganization of the hospital, with the use of the new building and the increase of responsibilities, Miss Laura Pratt did not wish to retain her position as superintendent of nurses. With her resignation early this year came the complete reorganization of the executive department of the Hospital.
      Miss Ethel Doherty, trained at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and who had been an assistant superintendent there, was made superintendent of nurses. Miss Mabel Craig, also of the Massachusetts General Hospital, was made assistant superintendent. Miss Laura Pratt returned as assistant superintendent with direction of the surgery department. Miss Mysa Macdonald is night superintendent. All three of these new members of the executive staff have had executive positions in the Massachusetts General Hospital. Miss Ruth Humphries is supervisor, and with the first of October a new department was developed with Miss Mary MacKay as head of the school for nurses, her full duty being to instruct the nurses both in the theory and practice of their profession. With this the total number of nurses in the training school is to be raised to forty-five, and when their three years' course is finished their diplomas will be worth as much to them as a diploma from any hospital in the country.
      The City Hospital is an open staff hospital, and thus is able to do a vast amount of good i its field.
      Its endowment now is $60,000. It was the great wish of William Whiting that the hospital should have an adequate endowment fund. In one of his annual reports he made this appeal:
      "I do not know of any duty that carries with it more satisfaction than to do something for those who are sick. When money is given for this purpose, it is expended directly to the person without the intervention of officials and without any part of it going to pay expenses for officers. In other words, the whole of the money is used directly for the benefit of the sick. In view of these considerations, it seems to me that the people of this city would be wise to consider the establishment of an endowment fund for such an institution. The continuance of hospital work ought not to depend on any number of men, but should be provided for out of such funds as may be contributed by the generosity of the people. This institution ought to have at least $200,000 for this purpose, and I hope the question will be agitated until everyone's attention is directed to the importance of putting it upon an independent basis."
      Besides the endowment which is to be worked for at once, a great need is a home for the nurses. Two floors of the old building have been fitted up for their use, but they should have a home for themselves, on the ample hospital grounds, and thus have opportunity for diversion when off duty.
      The present official board of the hospital is: President, W.F. Whiting; vice-president, C.W. Rider; treasurer, Frank B. Towne; assistant treasurer, Frank D. Heywood; clerk, E.N. White; assistant clerk, T.W. Prentiss; directors, Pierre Bonvouloir, E.W. Chapin, John K. Judd, John G. Mackintosh, John S. McElwain, Dr. J.C. Hubbard, Joseph Metcalf, James H. Newton, George W. Prentiss, C.W. Rider, Lemuel Sears, Joseph A. Skinner, Albert Steiger, William F. Whiting, S.R. Whiting, R.C. Winchester, F.B. Towne, and N.P. Avery.
      The officers of the Hospital Aid Association are: President, Mrs. William Whiting; vice-presidents, Mrs. H.B. Lawrence and Mrs. C.W. Johnson; treasurer, Mrs. Joseph Metcalf; secretary, Mrs. F.D. Heywood; directors, Mrs. J.L. Burlingame, Mrs. K.S. Tyner, Mrs. T.S. Childs, Mrs. F.H. Metcalf, Mrs. F.B. Towne, Mrs. F.S. Webber, Mrs. Timothy Fowler, Mrs. S.R. Whiting, Mrs. William F. Whiting, Mrs. J.E. Clark, Mrs. H.M. Farr, Mrs. James Cowan, Mrs. F.E. Miner, Mrs. E.A. Reed, Mrs. J.G. Mackintosh, Mrs. C.W. Ranlet, Mrs. C.H.Heywood, Mrs. C.C. Jenks, and Mrs. J.L. Wyckoff.



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