Putnam patriot., 1914-02-20
TWENTIETH
 ANNIVERSARY
Founding of the Day KimbaIl Hospital
Fine Healthy Growth from small BegIn.
 ming


 Next Thursday, February 26th,is the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Day Kimball hospital. So far as known nothing has been done towards observing the occasion.
 In the fall of 1893, several eases of illness having been reported 1t was de. termined to hire room where persons needing nursing and treatment could be cared for. The Misses Elizabeth r. and Gertrude Ninton of Pomfret, and the Rev. Theodore NJ. Peck of Putnam were the prime movers in the affair, and possibly they were looking into the future at the large institution that has developed from small beginning. 1t was the 26th day of February, 1894, when house that had been hired at $ Bolles street was opened under the name of the Windham County Infirm- ary. The house force at that time con sisted af one heusemaid and the ma tron, Mrs. A. E Ogifvie, of Brooklyn, N. Y,, whose services were gratuitous. On March 5th, A trained nurse, Miss Alma D. Paine of Lawrence, was en- gagged, her salary being guaranteed for several months by friends interested in the institution. On the opening day there was a big snow storm raging but many people from Putnam and it's environs went to inspect the intirmary | rt in, stores and other articles. The first pa 1 tient was received on the first day of March. The only organization con- sisted of board of three trustees, the late James w. Manning was president, l Rev. T. NJ. Peck, secretary and treasu- Ter, and the late George w. Holt.
 After the infirmary had been in ope- ration for some time news was receiv- ed that Ms. NJ. Day Kimball, of Bos- | ton, one of the contributors to the h. 1 firmary, offered gift Of S5000 for the erection of hospital building as me. morial to her son, Day Kimball, on | condition that 1t be known as the Day l Kimball hospital. Others of the same family promised sioo0 IS the beginn- ming of an endowment fund on condi, ton that 5000 additional be raised . These offers were accepted and the conditions met and the infirmary closed its work July lst, 1891, to pass into the new organization, The Day | Kimbail Hospital of Windham Coun ty, which was incorporated.
 Before lhe close of 1895 site had been procured on the west side of the Quinebaug river and "a building erect ed. The plans for the building were donated by Raymond P. Vinton,a New York architect, and the building cost SS0O0.
 The institution has continually ex- banded and has been enlarged from time to time to meet the increasing de. mands upon it. The Woman's Board was early formed and they have done great deal to raise funds, procure supplies, etc, and their appeals to the public have always met with gene- | IOus iCS pobsC. hS PhJ StSi"hS A'h e''' end of the county give their services and take turns acting gratuitously as house physicians Guilds have been formed in the villages and all contrib ute to the institution's needs.
 From the little house on Bolles street has developed an institution ot which all Windham County is proud. The staff consists Of a uperintendent and five regular nurses, but these are most of the time augmented by others need ed to care for the patients. The hospi- tai can accommodate 35 patients and is equipped with modern conveniences. From 46 patients cared for the first year the report just issued shows that 990 patients were admitted during this year. A thought should at this time be given to those who, twenty years ago, undertook for the benefit of their fellow men work that through the years that have passed has aleviated the pain of the sick and suffering, and to those who have made possible the expansion of the small beginning to the present large institution that Is do- ing such fine work in this communi- ty.