History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume II, Part 40

Author: Mills, James Cooke
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Saginaw, Mich., Seemann & Peters
Number of Pages: 838

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Aside from the physical care of children, mental and moral training is carefully attended to by the Sisters in charge. The little one's life is made as bright and cheerful as possible, and everything is done to care for those bereft of parents. In all eight grades of schooling are conducted by the Sisters, and instruction given in sewing, darning, cooking and house work. and domestic science to older children. Afterward the inmates are sent to industrial schools conducted by the Church, and prepared for the practical work of life.

FEE

SOME OF SAGINAW'S BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS

The Woman's Hospital St. Vincent's Orphan Home

Saginaw General Hospital Home for the Friendless

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY

Saginaw General Hospital

This public institution so well situated off the main travelled thorough- fare between the east and west sides, and looking on beautiful Bliss Park and the fine group of buildings and grounds of the Michigan Employment Institution for the Adult Blind, is one of Saginaw's leading hospitals. It was incorporated May 4. 1887, and opened to the public in June, 1889. The main hospital building as originally planned soon proved too small for the demands upon it, and in 1897 the Amasa Rust Memorial Annex was built. Three years later another addition, the Farnam C. Stone Memorial Annex, was erected at the north end, providing for a model operating room which is well equipped for the large amount of work which comes to the hospital. The property now comprises three structures, the main four-story hospital building, the Christian Endeavor Hospital for contagious diseases, opened December 7, 1894, and the Davis Nurses' Home, opened in 1907.

The main building has accommodations for twenty-four patients in the general wards. and there are twenty-one private rooms. One of these is maintained by the Martha Washington Chapter No. 113, O. E. S., while others are cared for as memorials by some of our prominent citizens. A feature of the hospital is the visiting nurse system for the care of tubercular cases, which was established in 1905 under endowment of Mrs. Paul F. H. Morley. This has proved a most helpful and successful work, and led to a system of visit- ing nurses for general cases. In 1914. the city having taken over the work of caring for tubercular cases in its fine new hospital, erected especially for this purpose, this feature work of the hospital was discontinued. and the endowment fund transferred to the building fund for the new hospital.

For several years Miss Anna Coleman was matron and superintendent of this hospital, and under her able direction it was brought to a high state of efficiency. Under her direct control were sixteen nurses and other neces- sary help for the conduct of the institution. The assistant superintendent and the head nurses are all graduates of recognized training schools, and under them are nurses in training in the efficient service of the hospital, who are graduated upon completion of their terms of training. The present super- intendent is Miss Edith R. Jefferies, and has as her assistants an able corps of nurses. The medical staff is composed of sixteen of Saginaw's representa- tive physicians, with Doctor E. E. Curtis, president, and Doctor J. W. Hutchinson, secretary.

The organization of the hospital embraces fifty active members of whom Mrs. Wallis Craig Smith is president ; Mrs. George L. Burrows and Mrs. S. S. Roby, vice-presidents ; Miss Carrie M. Durand, secretary ; and Charles H. Khuen, treasurer. The board of trustees comprises twenty-four members, in addition to the above named officers, meetings of which are held on the second Thursday of each month. There is also an advisory board composed of nine prominent citizens.

To place the hospital on a firm and enduring basis, endowments have been made to it by interested citizens, and the total is now one hundred and fifty-eight thousand eight hundred dollars. The principal endowments are the Harriott F. Stone and Louise Miller Rust funds, of twenty-five thousand dollars each ; the Helen Wells (Mrs. P. F. H. Morley) fund of thirty thou- sand, and the Arthur Hill fund for charity and relief of inebriates, of fifty thousand dollars. The total annual income, including hospital service earn- ings, is about thirty thousand dollars; and the total expenditures are about twenty-nine thousand dollars.

The location of the hospital. a short distance from Michigan Avenue, is ideal for the quiet and seclusion of patients. Though they can see through

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the park the traffic of the thoroughfare, they are sufficiently removed from it to escape its noise and confusion. The public demands on the hospital are increasing year by year. and it will soon be necessary to erect an entirely new and modern structure at this location. To this end the creation of a building fund is now under way, and in a few years a more commodious and adequate building will doubtless replace the old.

The Woman's Hospital

Pleasantly situated on Janes Avenue, at the corner of Seventh Street, is the Woman's Hospital. It was established in 1888 by prominent women of the city, and the association owns a substantial three-story brick building, with ample grounds, to which several additions have been built ; and there is space for future expansion. The grounds are well shaded and neatly kept, adding attractiveness to invalids and patients. For several years the hospital was in charge of Miss E. A. Dark, who came from Buffalo, New York, in 1907, her wide experience in hospital work making her services a valuable acquisition.

Under the matron of the hospital are fifteen nurses who are efficient and capable of caring for the sick. A training school for nurses is also conducted in connection with the hospital, and its graduates are eagerly songht for in medical cases. The hospital has a general ward which will accommodate five patients, and there are also several private rooms. There is also a large nursery capable of caring for a goodly number of infants. The entire build- ing and annex are admirably laid out, and has a fully equipped operating room ; and the hospital is well appointed for the great work it is doing for womankind. The average number of patients in this hospital is about twenty.

The present officers of the Woman's Hospital Association are: Mrs. John C. Davies, president : Mrs. Emmett L. Beach and Mrs. William S. Linton, vice-presidents; Mrs. William Polson, recording secretary: Mrs. John A. Cimmerer, corresponding secretary, and Mrs. Charles A. Howe, treasurer.

During its existence of twenty-eight years the hospital has found in Wellington R. Burt a true benefactor. Besides contributing to its general fund for operating expenses, on two occasions of pressing necessity he came forward with donations amounting to thousands of dollars, to lift the mort- gage on the property and strengthen its financial condition. This is another illustration of Mr. Burt's wholehearted and generous interest in every project for the betterment and advancement of his home city.

Home for the Friendless

In order to care for infants and children either bereft of parents, or whose parents find it convenient or necessary to place them out of their homes while they are at work, the Home for the Friendless was established. In 1870 some of our leading women who were identified with local charities met together and organized the association, which controls and directs the insti- tution through a board of managers. These women assume all responsibility of the maintenance of the home, and to provide necessary funds for the work, the annual rummage sale has become a regular event, the treasury being replenished by upwards of two thousand dollars thereby.

The Home occupies a fine brick structure situated at the corner of Howard and MeCoskry Streets. Surrounding it are spacious premises afford- ing ample play grounds for the little ones. On the front is a well-kept hedge. and the lawns are maintained in the best condition. On an average there are from eighty to one hundred children cared for each year, all ages of the

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homeless finding shelter and loving care within its walls. The Home is doing a noble work, and is capably managed by the matron, Sarah J. Graham, who has filled the position for a long term of years.

The present officers of the Home are: Mrs. George W. Morley, pres- ident : Mrs. James T. Wylie, vice-president : Miss Elizabeth Gage, recording secretary; Mrs. William F. Schultz, corresponding secretary, and Mrs. John F. Boynton, treasurer.

THE NEW Y. W. C. A. BUILDING, ERECTED IN 1912

The Young Women's Christian Association

At a meeting of a few women interested in a good cause, held at the home of Mrs. William Callam, on October 13, 1891, the Young Women's Christian Association came into existence. The conditions surrounding girls and women in business life twenty-five years ago were not conducive to their comfort or happiness. There were no rest rooms or other place where they could go during their noon hour, and those who lived or roomed at some distance from their places of employment brought lunches, which they ate on dry gouds boxes, behind their counters and office doors, often without even a glass of water. To correct these conditions and throw a helpful influence over working girls, this association was duly organized.

The first board of managers was composed of Dr. Harriett V. Brooks, president : Dr. Della Pierce, vice-president : Julia Hoffman, treasurer ; Eliza- beth J. Stalker, corresponding secretary; Mrs. C. N. Kendall, recording secretary; and Mrs. Gurdon Corning, Mrs. Elizabeth 1. Freeman, Mrs. G. B. Wiggins. Mrs. Fred Wolpert, Mrs. O. A. Sears, Mrs. 1. Humphrey, Mrs. T. P. Whittier, Mrs. J. H. Simpson and Mrs. Thomas Merrill.

On January 15, 1892, a few rooms were rented in the Chase Block, on North Washington Avenue, and furnished through the generosity of Mrs. Sears. In these rooms business girls and women were welcomed that they might have a cup of hot tea, cocoa of milk with their lunch. Miss Bernice Hunting, of Flint, was called as the first general secretary, and gospel meet-

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ings were held every Sunday afternoon and on Friday evenings. A few classes for study also were formed. After two years of helpful work the finances were harder to meet, notwithstanding the liberal support of the founders and others interested in the association, and for a time things looked dark.

With the coming to the association as secretary of Miss Carrie J. Wood- hull, who assumed her duties on March 17, 1894, a brighter era for the association dawned. Under her wise management, covering a period of ten years, the association grew steadily in membership, which meant new life and activity. Larger rooms were soon necessary and on January 1, 1895. the association moved to quarters in the First National Bank building. Here the educational work began to grow, and Mrs. Grace Whitney Evans, of Detroit, brought to the association a religious interest, and her personal helpfulness during that year left a lasting imprint on the characters of the members. In 1896 the association again moved to more adequate rooms in the Brewer Block, on North Franklin Street, which were occupied for nearly sixteen years.

Miss Woodhull's efficient work as secretary was manifested in the inter- est shown in the various lines of social, educational and religious work. An employment bureau was also established by her, to which many young women owe their start in business life. During the Winter of 1898-99 there were two hundred and sixty-six women enrolled in the evening classes, and thirty-three passed the international examinations. Doctor Ostrom delivered a series of lectures on "First Aid to the Injured." and fifteen of the thirty- five enrolled in this class were given the Red Cross diploma on graduation. Many girls and women who were not privileged to enter and complete lligh School courses attended the association classes to study bookkeeping, arith- metic, English literature, penmanship, stenography, domestic science, physical culture, music and other branches. The classes in commercial arithmetic were taught by C. P. Colvin, in penmanship by Miss Ella Feige, and in sten- ography by Mrs. J. B. Howell, and these were perhaps the most successful. Mrs. Ellen K. Hooker, whose personal influence meant so much to many girls, taught the English literature classes for two years; and Mrs. Alice Freeman Palmer gave several inspiring talks, her lecture on "Personal Remi- niscences of Whittier, Holmes and Phillips Brooks," being recalled by those who were present.

Thus the association grew steadily in membership and influence, and the quarters in the Brewer Block, which so long had seemed ample, were too inadequate to meet the expanding needs of the work. At this crisis in the affairs of the association, Wellington R. Burt, with characteristic generosity, offered to give the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars toward a fund for the erection of a suitable building, for the future as well as the present needs of the association.

Bequests had previously been made by Mrs. Louise C. Bartlett, of one thousand dollars, Jennette E. Rose, of one hundred dollars; and Mrs. Grace Whitney-Hoff had sent two hundred dollars from abroad. Mrs. Mary Hanchett Stone solicited five thousand dollars in the city for the purchase of a building site, which was of her selection on South Jefferson Avenue. opposite Federal Park, a very commanding and convenient location. Addi- tional funds were raised by the young business women and others connected with the association. in a spirited subscription campaign, and plans for the structure were speedily prepared. The corner stone of the imposing build- ing was laid on June 6, 1912. with appropriate ceremonies. In the mag- nificent building which soon rose, with perfect appointments, gymnasium. rest roms, dormitory arrangements, and cafeteria which is open to the public, the association began its twenty-first year of noble work.

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The spacious building is constructed of brick and reinforced concrete. with a facing on the street side of dark paving brick and Bedford stone, and is four stories in height with a high basement. On the first floor is a broad hall leading to the stairway and to the cafeteria, to the right of which are the reception and reading rooms, and to the left the offices of the association. On the second floor rising through the third at the front is the gymnasium. which is well equipped with all needful apparatus for physical training of women. Back of the gymnasium is the dormitory which also extends over the whole of the fourth floor, affording accommodations with most pleasant surroundings and helpful influences to many otherwise homeless young women.

The present officers of the association are: Mrs. William J. Spencer. president : Mrs. Julian Keeler, Mrs. W. H. Wallace. Mrs. H. B. Brooks, Mrs. F. E. Button, vice-presidents; Mrs. Peter Mitts, recording secretary ; Mrs. C. L. Judd, corresponding secretary : Mrs. Charles T. Kerry, treasurer, and Miss Amelia Huss, general secretary.

To Elizabeth J. Freeman's interest in the welfare of girls and young women, and her persistency, is largely due the establishment and permanent work of the association in this city : and to express the sincere appreciation of her labors for the betterment of conditions surrounding working women. Mrs. Freeman was unanimously elected President Emeritus, in 1910.

Because of Mr. Burt's large heartedness in making possible a finely equipped building for the special needs and enjoyment of the girls and women of Saginaw, truly the present and future generations of his fellow citizens do and will honor him with their deepest gratitude.

THE CAFETERIA OF THE YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

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A GROUP OF PROMINENT CITIZENS AND OTHERS IN FRONT OF THE SAGINAW CLUB

[From a photograph taken in 1907 during the Semi-Centennial Celebration]

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY

The Young Men's Christian Association

The origin of this worthy institution in East Saginaw is not definitely known. It may have had its inception in the Young Men's Association, which was formed October 7, 1864, and organized August 18, 1865. This association was managed by a board of directors elected annually by the members, the first board being composed of Henry C. Potter, president ; George L. Newcombe, vice-president; Irving M. Smith, treasurer; L. C. Storrs, recording secretary; George F. Lewis, corresponding secretary ; and George B. Boardman, William L. Webber, George C. Warren, Chauncey H. Gage and S. W. Yawkey. It was closely allied with the East Saginaw Library Association, which had rooms on Washington Street; and every winter an interesting course of lectures was given, some of the best public speakers of the time being engaged. Any resident of the county above the age of eighteen years was eligible to membership, the initiation fee being two dollars and the annual dues the same amount. On October 18, 1875, the Library Association turned over its library and lease of its rooms to the Board of Education; and it is probable that the Young Men's Association dissolved at that time.

About 1886 a few earnest church workers at East Saginaw met together to organize a Young Men's Christian Association. There appeared to be a need for an organization of this kind in the rough lumbering town, and men of the leading churches became interested in it. A committee was appointed to search out suitable quarters, and after thorough inspection of available halls, vacant rooms in the Bates Block on Franklin Street were secured for this purpose. These quarters were nicely fitted up with reading room, office and bowling alley on the ground floor, and a well-equipped gymnasium and baths on the floor above. With additions of space and improvements from time to time, these rooms were occupied by the association for a number of years. Like nearly all associations of the kind the revenue derived from membership dues never met the annual expenses, and only by liberal sub- scriptions of interested business and professional men was the association kept alive.

At length it seemed advisable to reorganize the association and erect a suitable building for its needs, in which the good work among young men and boys could be conducted on a larger scale. The rooms then occupied by the association, on the second floor of the Pere Marquette Building, were poorly adapted to its work which had languished, and there had been diffi- culty in getting competent men to conduct it. Finally the aid of prominent business men was enlisted in the new project and a whirlwind subscription campaign started. The old rooms of the association were closed and a vacant store at the corner of Franklin and Tuscola Streets rented for the campaign headquarters. Wallis Craig Smith was the chairman of the subscription committee, which comprised a number of representative young business men.

After a spirited campaign of about three weeks duration the subscriptions reached a total of more than fifty thousand dollars, and the prospect of a suc- cessful issue of the campaign was very bright. But at this juncture differ- ences arose among the workers and church members over minor technical questions of management of the association, a rupture occurred in the ranks, some of the larger subscriptions were withdrawn, and the whole project was abandoned. Shortly after this unfortunate occurrence, which was in 1905, the affairs of the okl association were wound up and the organization dissolved. Since that time there has been no effort to re-establish the association on the East Side, and no concerted work among the young men and boys, out- side of the church societies, has been attempted.

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The Association on the West Side

In the palmy days of the old association, when the membership included a number of young men of the West Side, a branch was established there. This department afforded practically all the privileges enjoyed at the parent association home, and accom- plished a good work in that part of the city. Early in 1895 it was decided to transfer this branch to an independent organ- ization to be known as the West Side Y. M. C. A. of Saginaw. The organization was effected and assumed the liabilities and took over all the assets of the old branch.

The officers of the new or- ganization were : W. P. Morgan, - president : J. F. Barrows, vice- president ; S. S. Roby, secretary, THE NEW Y. M. C. A. BUILDING and L. A. Burrows, treasurer. These, with the following men, constituted the board of directors, 1. D). Leland, C. H. Green. Thomas Jackson, D. W. Briggs, A. T. Bliss, E. T. Loeffler. Stewart Williams and T. C. L. Zander. There were thirty-one charter members in all.

At that time the work was carried on in rented quarters, and was much restricted on account of limited facilities. J. W. Whitney was the general secretary, but was succeeded April 1. 1895, by Stewart Williams, and he the following year by I. E. Baker. In 1898 an assistant secretary, John Hood, was provided to successfully carry on the increasing work of the association. On January 1. 1900. W. H. York became general secretary. About 1902 the association found itself in financial straits, and the house which had been acquired for its home was closed and the work discontinued. For about seven years very little was done, there being only an occasional meeting of the board of directors.

Upon the death of Aaron T. Bliss, on September 16, 1906, the association became the beneficiary of a bequest of twenty thousand dollars, to be used toward the erection of a suitable building for its needs, or, in case a building was already provided for, the bequest was to constitute an endowment for its maintenance. On December 6. 1909, Arthur Hill died, leaving a provi- sion in his will for twenty-five thousand dollars for the association.

These liberal bequests made by public-spirited citizens resulted in the re-establishment of the association, and the splendid building which it now occupies attests their interest in the welfare of young men and boys. In March. 1910. J. M. Davis was engaged to promote a campaign for funds for a building. and the following May it was carried to a successful conclusion. H. L. Markell was engaged as general secretary in August ; and ground was broken for the new building in April, 1911. On October 1, 1912, when John Herzog was president of the association, the new building was opened to the public. The value of the property is approximately one hundred thousand dollars.

The Y. M. C. A. building provides for all forms of association work. It has a splendidly equipped physical department, consisting of a modern gymnasium containing a complete line of apparatus, and a thirty-two lap running track, a hand ball court, and locker rooms for seniors, visitors and

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business men. The swimming pool, which is one of the great features of the building, is one of the finest in the State. It is sixteen feet in width by sixty feet in length, and has a depth of three and a half to seven feet. Almost the entire length of the pool is under skylight; and there is a visitors' gallery along one side. The water for the pool passes through two efficient filters, a thousand gallons of fresh water being added daily, and a vacuum cleaner keeps the floor of the pool free of sediment.

The social department of the association has commodious quarters on the lower floor, and is provided with three pocket billiard tables, one carom billiard table and two bowling alleys. On the second and third floors are forty-seven well furnished dormitory rooms, which are occupied most of the time by young men away from home. For the accommodation of the dormi- tory men and other members a self-serve restaurant is operated in a light. pleasant dining room on the first floor, the room also being used on occa- sions as an auditorium.

The boys' department is an association within the association, and has its own entrance on Ames Street. A large social room with many games is provided for the boys, also a reading room, a special locker room and shower baths. More attention is given the boys than to the men, and within the department are many and various clubs for the physical, moral and mental training of boys. The reading room on the main floor is supplied with Saginaw and Detroit daily papers, and the best weekly and monthly maga- zines published.

Mr. Markell continued the good work of the association until the Sum- mer of 1913, and was succeeded by F. W. Boswell. He in turn resigned in September, 1914, and was followed by the present secretary, Phil B. Willis. Under him are assistant secretary F. B. Davis, physical director J. H. Fee, and boys' work secretary Doctor F. A. Poole.

The present officers of the association are: P. W. Staffeld, president ; M. N. Brady, vice-president : George L. Burrows, Jr., second vice-president ; J. C. Graves, secretary, and N. G. Regle, treasurer. The board of directors comprise these officers and the following: B. S. Tefft, J. W. Johnson. A. D. Bate. J. E. Anderson, C. W. Alderton, Newell Barnard, W. P. Powell, B. G. Appleby, Dr. W. L. Crego and George B. Bliss.

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History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume II, Part 40

Author: Mills, James Cooke Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Saginaw, Mich., Seemann & Peters Number of Pages: 838

Author: Mills, James Cooke
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Saginaw, Mich., Seemann & Peters
Number of Pages: 838