Newspaper Page Text
TWO
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
DECEMBER 10, 1955.
St. Joseph’s Atlanta Founded 75 Years Ago
It was in 1879 that Sister Mary
Cecilia Carroll, of the Savannah
Foundation of the Sisters of
Mercy, with two companions,
was sent to Atlanta to establish
a hospital, there being no insti
tution of that character in At
lanta at that time.
With the coming of the next
year, St. Joseph’s Infirmary had
its beginning in an old residence
at the corner of Baker and Col
lins, now Courtland, streets.
In 1885, Mrs. Lula Cox Mc
Whorter bequeathed to St. Jos
eph’s Infirmary a sum sufficient
to build the three-story brick
building now fronting on Court-
land street. In 1886, Dr. R. D.
Spalding donated funds for con
structing a surgical wing.
That section was rebuilt in
1929 into the present three-story
north wing, with the addition of
a Gothic chapel and operating
rooms and remodeling of Haver-
ty Hall, which is composed of
wards. In 1909 the south wing
was built with funds donated
by Colonel Jack J. Spalding. The
last piece of property, which
gave the infirmary the entire
block, was donated in 1940 by
Mrs. James L. Dickey, daughter
of the first benefactor, Mrs. Mc
Whorter.
Atlanta’s phenomenal growth
in population In recent years
brought even more pressing de
mands upon St. Joseph’s than
were presented in former years,
and in 1946 plans were made for
the construction of the new
addition.
While St. Joseph is a Catholic
Institution, the tender and ef
ficient care it has lavishly bes
towed upon its patients through
the years has not been limited to
Catholics. Ninety per cent of
those who have entered St. Jos
eph’s for treatment have been
non-Catholics.
That this was known and ap
preciated was evidenced by the
fact that. Atlantans of all religi
ous affilations actively backed
and participated in the two
campaigns conducted to secure
funds for the new addition.
This addition was dedicated by
Bishop Hyland in December of
1953. Sister M. Cornile, R.S.M.,
was administrator of the Hos
pital during the Fund Raising
campaigns and early construc
tion. Sister volunteered for du
ty in Trinidad where she served
in a Leper Colony staffed by
the Sisters of Mercy. Sister M.
Bonaventure is the present Ad
ministrator of Atlanta Hospital.
Additional funds are still neces
sary if the Sisters are to be able
to complete the new addition.
Still to be completed are the
Chapel and enlarged Clinic which
are located on tile street floor.
More than any other factor in
St. Joseph’s success during the
past 75 years are the Sisters of
Mercy who staff the hospital.
Their efficient, charitable and
loving care and service have en
deared them to all. St. Joseph’s
is but one of the orders accom
plishments. Georgians owe much
to these Good Sisters.
In addition to |St. Joseph’s,
Catholic hospitals serve the cities
of Augusta, Athens, Columbus
and Savannah.
John H. Reynolds
Services In Savannah
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Funeral
services for John H. Reynolds
were held November 19th at the
I Sacred Heart Church.
PLAN FOR FUTURE-—Sister M. Bonaventure, Administrator
of St. Joseph’s is pictured as she studies plans for additions still to
be completed, such as the clinic, shown below, which with the new
Chapel are still to be completed. Shown with Sister is Sister M.
Cornile, Director of Nurses and former Administrator of the In
firmary. Additional funds are still needed to complete the new
addition erected in 1953.
Staggering
Statistics
Everyone knows a 300 bed
Hospital is a big one. We have
only to look at the exterior of
St. Joseph’s Infirmary to know
that it’s big.
But do you know how stag
gering statistics of such an In
stitution can be? Each year it
takes the services more than 500
persons, including 25 staff doc
tors and interns, along with 106
student nurses to administer to
more than 12,000 patients who
were treated at the Hospital.
More than 1700 babies were
born last year at St. Joseph’s.
Of primary importance to the
care of patients is the Infirma
ry’s. School of nursing which this
year has 106 students in train
ing. The School headed by Sis
ter M. Cornile is approved by
the Georgia State Board of
Nurse Examiners and the Ac
crediting Service of the National
League for Nursing.
Mrs. T. W. Reese
Services In Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Funeral
services for Mrs. T. W. Reese
were held November 23rd at St.
Patrick’s Church, Rev. Arthur
Weltzer officiating.
Survivors are her husband;
one daughter, Mrs. Agnes Reese
Harper, Augusta; son, Frank
Thomas Reese, Augusta; sister,
Mrs. Raymond R. Loyal Sr. Aug
usta; brother, W. P. Murphy,
Chester, Pa., and a member of
nieces and nephews.
Barge-Thompson Company
Engineers & Contractors
136 Ellis Street, N. E.
«
v ATLANTA 3. GEORGIA