The History of Easton Hospital - The Beginning to 1930

By Sharon Gothard

 

Toward the end of the nineteenth century, Easton residents were noticing the need for their own hospital. Up until this time, operations and procedures were being done in a patients home, a doctor’s office, or traveling quite a distance to a hospital. St. Luke’s Hospital on Fountain Hill, Bethlehem, had already been established in 1873, but in many cases, time was of the essence to save a patient.

 

A newspaper article in the Easton Sentinel had already mentioned that a town lot on Wolf Street would be a good location, but not until 1890 did the people of Easton get serious about having their own hospital.

 

It was the ladies of Easton that started the campaign and put together a spectacular bazaar that opened April 28, 1890 at the Able Opera House and Hall. This highly successful event was to raise money for the proposed hospital. Nine churches and a synagogue set up booths, each with a different theme based on a book. There were people dressed in costumes, booths that sold many items, all extravagant in décor. The Marx Room has an original program in its holdings.

 

On July 7, 1890, the Charter and Certificate of Incorporation was presented in the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County by H. J. Reeder, Judge.

“The purpose for which the corporation is formed is to relieve human suffering by ministering to the wants of the sick and injured who may apply to it for relief, without distinction of race, creed, color, or condition.”

The Board of Trustees consisted of fifteen women; Grace Reeder, Emily H. Jones, Sarah Seitz, Emma Pfatteicher, Annie W. Hay, Laura Maxwell, Mary Stern, Mary Illick, Elizabeth Fuller, Mary J. Rinek, Mrs. Lewis A. Parsels, Mrs. Peter Brady, Emily L. Riegel, Kate Wilson, and Mary Dawes.

 

The property and a home were purchased for $7,000 at 656 Wolf Street for the new hospital. This was the former home of John Brown, one of the founders of The Thomas Iron Company. It was a stately home, across from the current Northampton County Courthouse. 

 

On November 20, 1890, the Easton Hospital was officially opened for patients. The first patient was admitted a week later. According to the First Annual Report in 1891, fifty one “house patients” were treated. This report gives every affliction and treatment, including the By-Laws and Rules and Regulations, list of Subscribers, and Donors of misc. articles. The surgeon was Dr. Charles Collmar. The consulting medical staff physicians were Trail Green, James Cavanaugh, Isaac Ott, and J. S. Hunt. Attending physicians were H. D. Michler, E. W. Evans, Edgar M. Green, and Robley D. Walter. The office of matron/Deaconesses (nurse, Sister Annie Lohman) was brought in from the Mary J. Drexel Home in Philadelphia. Sister Maria Sowa was highly praised for bringing organization and understanding in the coming years. 

 

 By 1893, the hospital desperately need more space and it was decided to enlarge and add on to the building.  On October 23, 1894, there was another grand opening. However, the administration was being criticized for either not taking patients or keeping some too long, the average stay being 33 days.

 

In 1896, a piece of property across from the hospital was bought to build a home for the sisters to use as a residence. On February 22, 1899, the formal opening of the Children’s Ward was dedicated. 

 

 

At the end of 1901, with the generous help of Catherine Drake, two nurse’s homes were built across the street from the hospital. In addition, more nurses were needed as the Sisters from the Mary J. Drexel Home could not be obtained for the rapidly growing hospital. A nursing school was started with two young ladies attending. It was not until 1903, that the school began to flourish. A much needed x-ray apparatus was purchased for the doctors this year.

 

1904 the original house was taken down and a brick replacement was built to give better space and most likely better sanitary conditions.  The plans were drawn by William M. Michler, Dr. Henry Michler’s brother, and built by Steinmetz and Walter. It is interesting to read the secretary’s report each year. It is very well written each time, but states that the people of Easton are not fully supportive of the hospital and it’s handling of patients. Keep in mind, this hospital and the concept of a hospital is only 14 years old.

 

The "New" Easton Hospital on Wolf Street

In 1905, the Annual Report of the Hospital started to list the patients who died in the hospital, along with the date and cause. They called these “The Hopeless Cases.”

 

 1906, Sydney Kessler’s, a one time County treasurer, property was purchased next to the nurses quarters. At one point a renter of this home grew a large garden and donated the produce to the hospital. At the end of this year, three young women have graduated from a three year program at the nursing school and ten young women were under training.

Nurse class of 1908 Francis Grainger, Lillian Drunbaur, Anna Carnling

 

 In 1907, the first Medical Board was established. It is interesting to read that donations and aid are still needed for the hospital and the nurse’s residence. 

Henry D. Michler is still the Surgeon-in-Chief.

 

A new x-ray machine was purchased in 1909, “a fine Snook-Roentgen”. Also that year, Thomas Rinek’s estate, bequeathed $5,000 to endow a memorial bed in perpetuity. The trustees placed a bronze memorial tablet on a wall of one of the wards for women. This recognized both Thomas and his wife, Mary, who devoted 18 years of service to the hospital.

 

There were now twenty-two nurses in 1911, compared to two nurses and twelve beds when the hospital opened in 1890.

 

1912 brought a department of Dentistry to the hospital.

 

Nurse Class year unknown

 

 The twenty-fifth (1915) Annual Report brought much excitement. After ruminating about a new hospital for a few years, it finally was coming to fruition. Mrs. Atwater, daughter of Mr.  & Mrs. Jacob Hay, offered to donate a tract of land in memory of her parents. She gave the entire block in Wilson, bounded by Fairview Ave., on the east by Twentieth St., on the south by Lehigh St., on the west by Twenty-First St.

$150,000 was needed to build the new hospital. A ten-day campaign started the first of June. In the end, the citizens of Easton and outlying towns donated $175,000.

 

 The Trustees were very excited in 1916 about the prospect of a new larger and improved hospital. To be certain they would have enough to grow, they purchased a second block of ground adjoining the first. The price was $20,835.00. In the front of the 1916 Annual Report, there are plans of the new hospital, drawn by architect William Michler.

 

1917 & 1918 there still was no new hospital. The sisters of the Mary J. Drexel Home withdrew their services. A tribute to Sister Marie Sowa’s retirement after twenty-one years of service was given. Sister Maria died 1920 in Philadelphia at the Drexel Home.

I find it interesting that hardly any mention is made of the Spanish Influenza in the minutes.

 

1920 and still no hospital, mainly because prices of building materials, in particular, steel, are very high due to World War I. The board found that what was once $300,000 to build became $900,000, due to high prices and lack of employees to construct.

 

In 1921, building prices were coming down, but still no new hospital. Six young ladies graduated from the nursing school. Although cramped in the old hospital, they were making the best of it. Many misc. donations were still coming in. Anything from jelly to sheets.

Bett's Private Hospital opened in 1921

 

 1923, for the most part, remained the same except they now accepted five men on to the Trustee Board. Up until this year, the Trustees were all women. There still was no hospital.

 

The year 1924, many of the staff members were unhappy under the new organization. Apparently, “a petition was circulated among the physicians who are classed as the “old physicians,” which is in the form of a pledge to resign.” Twelve original staff members resigned, with five asking to be reinstated.

 

 Dr.  Paul Correll presented to the Easton Hospital his private ambulance and later made many donations from the stock of his private hospital that he had closed in 1925. Finally, talk of making the dream of a new hospital real was happening, and a committee was formed.

Correll's Private Hospital opened in 1915, closed in 1925

 

 Up to and including 1927, there were many complaints from the doctors and patients that the current hospital was too small. One big complaint was there were not enough private rooms. Dr. Henry D. Michler, former Chief of the surgical staff passed away, along with Frank C. William, long term Advisory Board.

 

In the 1928 Annual Report, Dr. Paul Correll, Surgeon-in-Chief, mentioned they had performed in one-year nearly 2,000 surgeries all in one single operating room. If a new building was not possible, they would have to add another operating room for the possible influx of the coming years.

 

 Finally, in September of 1929, the ground was broken for the new hospital. The new building will cost at least $700,000. Ballinger & Company were the Philadelphia based architects. This new brick and cement construction was fire resisting and “modern in every way.” East of the main building was the nurses’ home. There was ample room in front of the main building for expansion in the future.

 

 On September 8, 1930, the new Easton Hospital was dedicated. Thousands of citizens attended the exercises.  Patients would be transferred on September 11^th. There is a complete description of the new 124 bed hospital in the Easton Express, September 8, 1930. This was the start of a new future.