The Robert H. Crozer Hospital locally known as just "Crozer Hospital" about 1925. The hospital is in the same location today, 1 Medical Center Blvd. in Upland.
NOTES: Chester Hospital was founded in 1903 and was the first hospital in the area to have an ambulance [horse-drawn]. The J. Lewis Crozer " Home for the Incurables in 1900. This Hospital became the "Robert H. Crozer Hospital" in 1923 and in 1958 it became +Crozer Hospital". In 1963 Chester and Crozer Hospital merged to become " Chester Crozer Hospital. Below is the dedication of "Robert H. Crozer Hospital" in 1923.
May 14, 1923
ROBERT H. CROZER HOSPITAL AND NEW SURGICAL WING OF CHESTER HOSPITAL
Dedicatory Exercises Held on Saturday Afternoon, Which Set Aside, for Public Use, Up-to-Date Accessory Provided by People’s Subscriptions
National Hospital Day, 1923, will go down in history as the accomplishment of a big achievement in the annals of the Chester Hospital. The event on Saturday afternoon marked the inspection and dedication of the Robert H. Crozer Hospital and the now surgical wing made possible by reason of generous public subscriptions.
Hundreds of representative citizens turned out for the occasion, and not a single feature of the splendid new addition was missed by the throng of people. Guided by members of the Board of Managers and members of the hospital staff, the visitors were shown over the buildings, every detail of equipment and facilities were fully explained, and every nook and corner was carefully explored.
The dedicatory exercises proper took place
in the first floor ward of the new wing.
Special appointments in the way of seating, music and floral decoration
were provided.
The gathering of men and women was
presided over by Kingsley Montgomery, Esq., President of the Board of Managers,
who first called upon Rev. Francis P. Maginn, rector of the Immaculate Heart
Church, for an invocation. Father Maginn
responded as follows:
“We pray Thee God of Wisdom and Mercy
to bless Thy people assembled here today to dedicate this building erected to
alleviate human suffering.
“Bless, we pray Thee, him whose
generosity of heart prompted the noble gift.
Teach us, Thy children, the lesson so necessary to know that not in ore
knowledge, nor in the mental development that comes from education, but in
virtue and strength of manhood that comes from the observance of Thy laws,
shall be found universal security for the rights to life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness.
“Let the light of Thy Divine Wisdom
direct the deliberation of our Government and shine forth in all proceedings
and laws for the rule and government of our nation, so that they may tend to
the increase of industry, sobriety and useful knowledge and may perpetuate to
us all the blessings of equal liberty.
“Finally, O Merciful God, protect our
beloved country. Guide it ever in the
way of peace; let it never forget its high vocation to teach all the nations of
the world by word and example the principles of well-regulated liberty and
reverence for the rights of men.
“Grant, O Lord, that our ship of state
may sail on through all the troubled waters of the world, touching all earth’s
human shores, and bringing liberty and opportunity and happiness to all earth’s
suffering children.
“Hear our prayers, Oh Eternal Father,
through the infinite merits of Thy Divine Son, who, with Thee and Thy Divine
Son, who, with Thee and Thy Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth, our God, for ever
and ever, Amen.”
State Supreme Court Justice William I.
Schaffer, who was the legal advisor of the late Robert H. Crozer, delivered an
interesting address. Among other things,
referring to the beneficence of the donor, which made possible the new addition
to the hospital, Justice Schaffer said:
“The love of charity and the pity for
human kind are the basis of all hospitals.
The good that men do lives after them, and so the good that Robert H.
Crozer has done in providing this splendid addition to the Chester Hospital,
will live as long as time.”
The princely benefaction provided for
in Mr. Crozer’s will made in 1888, was the largest ever declared in this
district by any person said the Justice.
When Mr. Crozer set aside $200,000 for a hospital to be built either in
Upland or Chester, it was then thought than the sum was ample. Mr. Crozer could not foresee the change in
monetary value that has come to pass.
Large as the bequest was, it was not large enough to establish a
hospital, so those of us who assumed the responsibility held on to the money
and its earnings until a plan could be worked out that might meet the purposes Mr.
Crozer had in mind.
“To the credit of the late George K.
Crozer brother and executor under the will of Robert H. Crozer is due what has
been accomplished. He, it was, who asked
that the benefaction be put at work.
Great problems are simple enough when you come to analyze them. What we worked out was this: The Chester Hospital Corporation owned ground
and was operating a hospital. We knew
that the Crozer bequest was not sufficient to build and operate another
hospital, so we said to the Chester Hospital Board of Managers, “If you will
give us the ground in fee, we will build on that ground a hospital to be known
as the Robert H. Crozer Memorial Hospital.
You give us a deed for the ground, and we will erect the hospital. Then we will make a lease to you at a nominal
rental per year for the term of ninety-nine years.
“The proposition was accepted, and the
result is that the Chester Hospital was augmented to the extent of over
$200,000 through the beneficent gift of Robert H. Crozer. Although George K. Crozer has crossed to the
Great Beyond, his memory must ever be linked with the achievement, for it was
his courage and pleading that brought matters to a head.
“And now I dedicate this Robert H.
Crozer Hospital and I present it to the Chester Hospital Board of Managers at
the rental of one dollar per year for the period of ninety-nine years.”
Continuing, Justice Schaffer stated
that the City of Chester and the country adjacent owed much to the Crozer
family for the various monuments that testify their benevolence and good work
done in this community. Point to John P.
Crozer, who was in the audience, Justice Schaffer stated that the matter Crozer
guaranteed the gift made in his presence would be in line with his uncle’s
wishes, were he alive.
A very concise speech was made by
William Provost, Jr., who, on behalf of the board of Managers, accepted the
gift.
Mr. Provost in his remarks told how
that the Jackson fireworks explosion in 1882, was the incentive that eventually
led to the establishing of the Chester Hospital. How for ten years after a charter had been
obtained, nothing tangible was done in the way of providing a hospital and how
thirty years ago the institution became a reality, were recounted in detail by
Mr. Provost.
“Only one of the original Board of
Managers, Mrs. Broomall, and only two physicians that formed the first hospital
medical staff, Drs. S. R. Crothers and Elen E. Brown, are now living. For the year 1893-94 the expenses of the
Chester Hospital were a little over $10,000, and 358 cases were taken care of,
while last year there were over 2500 cases treated, and the cost of operating
the institution was about $110,000,” said Mr. Provost.
He called attention to the gifts of
the Deshongs, the Houstons, the Blacks and other large donations made from time
to time. He referred to the fact that at
the close of the World War, the Chester Hospital found itself in debt to the
extent of nearly $50,000, money borrowed at the banks. He also recounted how a drive resulted in
pledges aggregating $300,000, of which amount the usual percentage, incident to
drives for money, has been paid. There
were 11,000 contributors, he said, and the money came from Chester and
vicinity. The money thus realized, was
used to help bring about the institution now open for inspection, and he also
said that there was enough money to pay cash for all of it.
A further acknowledgment of the great
accomplishment was made by Rev. Francis W. Taitt, who in a happy manner and in
words appropriate and timely, voiced the sentiments so well expressed. The combination, he said, was a grand one and
its great good would be a blessing on a larger scale for future generations.
Doctor Taitt stated the character of
the people in any community is judged by the kind of buildings that are a part
of the community, such as public and commercial buildings, churches, schools
and benevolent institutions. Hospitals
were a necessary adjunct to every progressive city, he said, and the amount of
good they accomplished could only be measured by the method of operation and
the kind of support accorded them. Deeds
of love, he stated, surrounded in manifold form. Speaking for the people of this community, I
can but say that we feel grateful that Mr. Crozer should have thought of
serving humanity in such an appropriate way as this institution will
serve. The contributions of the Houstons
made it possible for the Chester Hospital to acquire such a good reputation in
a surgical sense, and all the other generous givers are deserving of much praise
and commendation.
By way of a little sally, the
good-natured diving told a story. A
preacher, he said, on one occasion told his congregation that hell was filled
with booze, jazz and automobiles, whereupon a member of his flock shouted, “Oh
death, where is thy sting?”
Refreshments served by ladies, under
the direction of Mrs. Arthur Jack was the closing feature of the memorable
event.
Arrangements for the exercises in the
afternoon were made by members of the Board of Managers under the able direction
of Mrs. John P. Crozer, who was chairman of the committee.
BOARD ENTERTAINS STAFF – The members
of the Board of Managers were hosts of the medical and surgical staffs of the
hospital and a few invited guests ate dinner at the Chester Club in the evening.
This is an annual event, which is
arranged by the women of the board, who look after all the details and
consequently it is one of the most elaborate affairs of the year in connection
with hospital work. Mrs. John P. Crozer
was chairman, being ably assisted by other ladies of the board. The dining room of the club was richly
decorated with exotics, spring blossoms of all kinds and beautiful pansies,
tulips and other cut flowers. On no
occasion has this handsome dining room ever been more artistically decorated.
During the serving of the dinner a
noted harpist from Philadelphia noted harpist from Philadelphia rendered
several very entertaining selections, and immediately the last course was
served, President Kingsley Montgomery made a few statistical remarks regarding
the operation of Robert H. Crozer Hospital and the surgical wing of the Chester
Hospital. After his remarks several
members of the board were called upon for a few words, besides an inspirational
speech from Justice Schaffer and an interesting talk by Dr. Frank Crozer
Knowles, a noted skin specialist, of Philadelphia, and a nephew of the late
Robert H. Crozer, on hospitals from the time of the Christian era up to now.
Doctors J. William Wood, George E.
Cross, Adam J. Simpson and others in response to a call from the president,
spoke of the new addition to the hospital and the work of the staff, the
hospital service to the community and the cordial relations existing between
the staff and the Board of Managers.
One of the pleasing events of the
evening was a piano selection by Dr. M. A. Neufeld, a finished musician, and a
solo by Dr. A. V. B. Orr, both of which were heartily received by the diners.
Colonial Plantation Events
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment