Major  Hospital


Postcard image compliments of George Young

          Alfred Major  designed this home for his second wife, Helen Thompson Major.  Alfred died without completing the home and it was finished by  William S. Major, a son of Alfred and his first wife.  In 1922, Frances Cory Major, wife of William S., deeded the home to the city for use as a hospital.  The renovated structure was completed 24 Apr 1924.  A grand open house in June 1924 spanned several days.  The newspaper was filled with articles; Barb chose the article below as the "most informative."

SHELBYVILLE  REPUBLICAN
Monday June 16, 1924
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CITY  HOSPITAL  NOW  COMPLETE
Personnel of Nursing Staff Was Announced Today By The Superintendent
CONTRIBUTERS  ARE  LISTED
Patients Will Be Accepted During Next Week - To Add Two Nurses July 1
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          The Major Memorial Hospital, which will be operated by the city, will be opened for business next Monday, according to an announcement which was made today by  Dr. L. C. Sammons, secretary of the city board of health. Emergency cases, providing there are any, will be taken care of at the hospital during the present week.
          The public opening of the hospital has been fixed for Wednesday and Thursday of this week.  On Wednesday afternoon and night doctors of the city and county and surrounding cities will be taken through the hospital.  Thursday and Friday the hospital will be open to the public.  Visitors will be made welcome and will be shown through the institution, which is one of the most modern and complete of the smaller hospitals in this section.
          The hospital will be governed by the members of the city board of health.  They are  Dr. Samuel Kennedy,  Dr. L.C. Sammons, and  John M. Hogue,  Miss Clara Widdifield,  an experienced graduate nurse, is the superintendent of the hospital.
          Today for the first time, a list of individuals and organizations, contributing to the equipment of the hospital, was announced by Dr. Sammons.  It was stated that money for the equipment of all the rooms in the hospital, with the exception of two, had been donated.
          Those who contributed for the equipment of rooms in the hospital are as follows: Eagles, Zion Evangelical Church of Union township; Modern Woodmen; colored citizens;  Mrs. Emma A. Strong, in memory of her husband, Norman H. Strong; Ladies' Aid Society of Vine Street M.P. church; American History Club; Liberty Bell Klan, No. 49; Knights of Pythias; Elks; First M.E. Sunday School; Colescott Parent-Teachers Club; Red Men;  Mrs. Emma Doble, in memory of her mother, Sarah Alexander; Odd Fellows;  Perry Amos, in memory of his daughter, Vallie Amos; Presbyterian Ladies' Aid; Sheldon Bible Class; Mr. & Mrs. Edgar Tennant, in memory of their daughter, Mrs. Pearl S. Hungerford  and  Miss Blanche Tennant;  St. Joseph Catholic Church;  Winnie B. Carson, in memory of her son, Conwell Carson, and Rotaty Club.
          The local chapter of the Tri-Kappa sorority furnished the children's ward of the hospital, and the convalescent room was equipped by the Ladies' Aid of the Blue Ridge Christian Union Church.  The Shelbyville Manufacturers' Association provided for the main surgery.  Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Porter  equipped the minor surgery, in memory of their son, Edwin Thompson Porter.  The name of  Sarah Muchmore  is on a plate over the door of the rooms.  Her son, John Muchmore, of Florida, formerly of this city, gave $2,000 to the hospital fund.
          Other gifts made for the hospital were made as follows: Mrs. William McLane, Connersville, two invalid chairs, in memory of her mother, Mrs. David Levison; Current Topics Club, invalid chair; Chambers Fireless Cooker Club, range; Coterie, oil painting; Music Study Club and Choral Society, hall clock; Daughters of American Revolution, clock; G.A.R. and W.R.C., flag and staff; J.G. DePrez Co., dishes;  Louis Todd  and  Mrs. Ora Gray, silverware, in memory of their mother; and the primary department of the Presbyterian Sunday School made a gift of money.
          There are twenty-nine rooms in the hospital, two wards, and a ward for children.  There is space in the hospital for forty-two beds.
          Miss Widdifield and three graduate nurses will be in charge of the hospital for the first few weeks after it is opened.  In addition a practical nurse has been obtained to take care of  Mrs. Fannie Major, who will occupy one of the hospital rooms.
          Two additional nurses have been retained and will begin their work here July first.  As business of the hospital grows, other nurses will be added to the staff.
          Miss Clara Widdifield, superintendent of nurses, was for a number of years associated with  Dr. G. W. Crile, a member of the staff of the Lakeside hospital, Cleveland.  Dr. Crile is known internationally as a specialist on goiter operations and general surgery.  His was the first unit to enter service overseas, and his school possesses the first flag that entered the war with the Red Cross.
          Miss Donna Funkhouser, the surgical nurse, is a graduate of the Deaconess hospital, Indianapolis and a post graduate of the Boston Floating hospital.  The latter, which is located on ships in Boston harbor, handles children's cases and is the only one of its kind in the world.
          Miss Ella Unger, anesthetist, was graduated from the Hartford hospital, Hartford, Connecticutt and from the School of Anesthesia of the same school.
          Miss Evelyn Davies is a graduate of the Miami Valley hospital, Dayton, Ohio.
          The hospital, which will be opened next week, is the result of a magnificent bequest made to the city by  William S. Major.  Mr. Major bequeathed his residence property in West Washington street, valued at $75,000, to the city of Shelbyville, for use as a city hospital.  The gift was subject to the life estate of his widow, Mrs. Fannie Major.
          On December 31, 1922, the fiftieth anniversary of the marriage of Mr. & Mrs. Major, she gave the city a quit claim deed for the property, stating that she desired to see the wish of her husband that Shelbyville have a hospital, carried out.
          The city purchased the Muchmore property, adjoining the Major property on the west, at a cost of $11,000.  Plans for the remodeling of the Major residence and the construction of an additional building were prepared by  D. A. Bohlen  and Son, Indianapolis architects, and were adopted by the city.  Work on the building has been pushed as rapidly as possible.
Submitted by Barb Huff

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