Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-30

the committees on Judiciary and APP
preparations and Financial Affairs on
Bill. An Act relating to the Maine Med
icai school, tabled by me on March
2Srd. pending acceptance of the report,
ought not to pass. / yield the floor
to Mr.. Hussey of Blaine.
tMr. Smith of Skowhegan assumed
the Chair.)
Mr.. HUSSEY: Mr.. Speaker and
gentlemen Of the House: Shall the
State OF Maine from now on be with
out medical school? I have just re-
ceived this morning a message from
an old-time graduate of the Bowdoin
Medical school. DR.. Alfred D. Sawyer
OF Fort Fairfield, member of the 18th
Legislature. a man OF sterling worth.
and a man who for 35 years has trav-
eled the roads OF Aroostook, day and
night. to help the sick. This man
today lies on his deathbed, and his
message to me is DO all you can to
save the Medical school," Gentlemen.
| this is the most important question
that has or will come before this Leg
islature. During the last 100 years
Bowdoin College has been deciding this
! question for us and has been assum-
ing our responsibilities; but today we
must answer for ourselves. and upon
our answer depends not only the future
Of the young men and the young wom-
en- OF today and the generations to
come, but also the future growth and
development of this State. j am not a
member of the medical profession. nor
am resident of Portland where it is
proposed that this school shall 60. /
have no personal interest except that
| am interested in Maine. I am con-
sclous OF the fact that there is "a
shortage of physicians throughout the
state and l believe there is only one
| way TO overcome it--creating more
| doctors. Gentlemen, If Maine is ever
to have medical school, it must be
now. Bowdoin has decided that she
will not under any circumstances car
ry 1t longer; first, because her true
policy Is the fostering of the arts ana
sciences; secondly. because Brunswick
is not the proper place for a medical
school: thirdly, 1t is impracticable for
| her to operate this school 80 miles
away: fourthly, the State appropria-
tons. if she should receive them, might
conflict with her present charter; and
\ nIthly, TO maintain the proper stand
| arns or a medical school a city and
hospitals are necessary. But, as she
| has come to the rescue during the past
| century. she now comes to the State
of Maine and offers in good faith her
iheulcal buildings, her equipment and
her endowment. She offers first her
medical school building situated on
Chadwick street in Portland on n LOT
200 feet by $50 feet. q brick building.
90 by so, two stories and basement.
with good heating plant. in good COM
oition, well adapted for the school
work ana worth every cent of $500
| she offers dispensary on India street
! IN Portland. d tWo-story brick build
| ing, 40 by 70, only eight years old,
| freproof, built especially for a dispen-
sary. and worth approximately s75.
rms dispensary was built III memory
or the Chisholms, whom shall men
| ton IN few moments. During the
past years Bowdoin. through this dis
| pensary, has given free treatments to
the poor unfortunates. and the CITY of
portland has appreciated this to the
extent That every year she has been
giving her $3.50 towards maintenance.
gentlemen. | want to tell you that she
Is not handing you any junk. Real es-
tate in the growing city of Portland is
increasing IN value every day. Sh.
iurther oners the equipment Of this
Duiidlng which is worth $4,000. She
1urther offers an equipment of 81 mi
croscopes, worth approximately $4,000
She oHers specimens, materials and
equipment that could not be gotten to-
! gether IT we were starting a medical
school today Tor less than $4,000. She
oners an endowment of $4,000 which
Is bringing in approximately $4,000
each year--and ] want to be perfectly
! Iair and frank with every member of
| this House There is perhaps Soma
question in regard to this endon,-
| ment. Bowdoin is willing to give il #
VIII nave To be decided by The su-
prene court OF Maine, but the Hon
orable Barrett Potter of Brunswick. a
| man who but for defective hearing
would have been on the bench long ago
trustee of Bowdoin College, has gone
! into this matter thoroughly, and it is
MS peliet that there is no question
but that this endowment can be turned
over | mention this because ] want
to be fair.
MS. Chisholm, said to be the richest
| man IN the State OF Maine. also very
generously Offers to give a building
| large enough to house the medica,
| school and also the State Board of
Health. This school will be located on
Chadwick street in Portland on a lot
which is amply large enough for it.
The Dispensary. which I have al
ready mentioned, is named after Mr..
! Chisholm's wife's father. This new
building.,if built, would be named af-
| ter his own father; and | want to
ask you gentlemen il you believe that
| Mr.. Chisholm, as wealthy and as gen
erous as he is, would allow this mon
ument to their memory to die out
without coming to their aid.
Why does Bowdoin make this gem
erous offer? She is proud of her PITY
sicians. She has graduated 2,224 doc
| tors. Eight hundred and fifty of them
are now living. Five hundred of them
are in the State of Maine; $50 of them
are in the small towns. Her gradu-
ates are our foremost citizens. Some
of them are men of wealth; some of
them are Of international reputation