The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-11-11
FORMER HEAD ALLEGES NURSES TO FILL PLACES
Miss Marsh Answers Charges by Outlining Conditions When
She Assumed Control and Efforts Give Hospital Efficient
Administration Efforts to Collect Accounts
Which She Alleges Were Previously Neglected Officials
Deny Engaging New Head.

At the monthly meeting of the hos
pital board of trustees last night the
resignation of Miss Frances Marsh as
superintendent of the institution was
requested. Some time ago Miss Marsh
announced that Miss Minna Sands, the
assistant superintendent and herself
intended to leave the institution and
take course of studies in the Colum-
bia university school for nurses.
Miss Marsh frankly stated yesterday
that she did not think she had been
fairly treated by the board; that her
resignation had been asked for three
weeks ago but no explanation had
been offered her as to why the board
wanted her to resign. She said that
she intended to request the board for
permission to appear before it at it's
meeting last night SO that personal
explanation could be made to her by
the members as to the cause of their
action.
Board Dedies Request.
That a request for the resigna-
ton of Miss Marsh was made
three weeks ago is denied by
board members. The statement is
made by them that at that time it
was intimated to Miss Marsh that
her services were no longer desired.
and that she was given ample oppor-
sunity to resign, but failed to do so.
Miss Marsh has rendered excellent
Service at the hospital" said one of
the trustees today, land both the
board members and the physicians
willingly testify to this fact, but her
administrative system has entailed
expenditures which are in excess OF
the Institutions income.
inpoccihlo RI Miss
Marsh to curtail the institutions eX-
penses, and inasmuch as it was the
decision of the hospital directors and
the members of the physicians advis
ory board to change management
1.-The hospital has grown wonderfully
the past two years during which time
Miss Marsha has been superintendent
but the expenses have increased cor
respondingly. Miss Marsh is to be
credited with creating a spirit of har-
mony among the physicians by her
fair treatment Of all of them and the
patients have received the very best
treatment at her hands, but she failed
to keep the expenses of the hospital
within it's income and someone who
will do so must now be secured.
Keeps Large staff.
I'VE believe that if Miss Marsh had
not maintained such a large staff of
employees and assistants, and had been
more economical in her purchasing
the hospital could have been operated,
with the aid of the city's annual sub
sidy, on practically a selfsustaining
basis"
Several physicians informed news
paper men that they had realized for
some time that the hospital was being
operated in excess of it's income.
Directors say they had hoped Miss
Marsh would sever her connection
with the hospital without the Incl
dent being brought to public attention
and only discussed the affair today be-
cause of the attitude assumed by Miss
Marsh.
One prominent physician said today
that he thought the hospital trustees
were not justified in the action they
had taken and that he believed there
was niger in the woOdpile.' He
also denied that the advisory board
had unanimously favored the retire
ment of Miss Marsh.
Four Assistants to Leave.
It was learned today that with the
retirement of Miss Marsh. four Of
her assistants are also to leave, Miss
Minna Sands, the assistant superin-
tendent and instructor of the nurses
training school; Miss Elizabeth Spring
meyer. surgical nurse: Miss Kate Van
Dusen, bookkeeper, and Miss Mary
Vans, dietician.
Although hospital directors say no
successor to Miss Marsh has been Sc
cured, Miss Marsh has been informed
by physicians that two women con-
nected with Detroit hospital have
been secured to take the places of the
five women who are to retire.
Miss Marsh in discussing the situa-
tion today said that 1t was furthest
from her desire to give publicity to in
cidents connected with the request for
her resignation but that inasmuch as
no explanation had been made to her
as to the cause for the directors ac-
tion she felt justified in offering a de-
fense of her administration, particu-
larly as she occupied position of
public trust, the hospital being semi
public institution, financially support
ed by the city
II have done my best to give the
hospital a satisfactory administration
and until three weeks ago | thought
was accomplishing my purposes" she
said today. "Then Mr.. Hiatt, the treas
urer, came to me and informed me
that my services were to be dispensed
with. He gave no reason why such ac-
ton had been taken and up to the pres
ent time have received no explana-
tion from the board. That the board
charges that my administration has
been extravagant ! know only through
information given me by newspaper
man
II can best answer charges that I
Dhsve operated the hospital at finan.