Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-17
Reports showing that the Augusta

General Hospital has done much
good work during the past year and
also showing the improvements that
have been made were presented at
the meeting of the corporators held
at the municipal court rooms Mon
day evening. These reports were
rendered by the Board of Directors.
Miss Isabel G.. TAFT, r. ~. superin-
tendent of the hospital, and also of
the Students Training School. and
by the Visiting Committee of the
hospital.
A splendid tribute was paid to the
service rendered by Mrs. Sarah Hay
den. who resigned as superintend-
ent during the past year, after SER
vice of nearly % years as matron
and superintendent. by both the
board of directors and the visiting
committee. Miss Tait's ability as su-
perintendent also was recognized
the needs of the institution. The
visiting committee also outlined the
amount of charity work done during
the past year. the free service
amounting to 3,147 days. Following
are the reports:
Directors Reports
The directors in their report show
the improvements that have been
made at the hospital during the past
year. A tribute was paid to Mrs.
Sarah Hayden, matron for nearly a
quarter of a century, who resigned
during the past year on account of i'll
health. Mention also was made of
the splendid work of Miss Isabel c.
TAFT, who succeeded her. Following
is the report:
We have operated hospital in
Augusta now full quarter of cen
tury, at many times under many
difficulties. and with troublesome
problems to solve, but the fact that
we have this splendid institution so
completely utilized by our fellow citi-
zens needing medical or surgical
treatment has demonstrated it's ne
cesslty, if there was in the minds of
any q question on this point.
Rather contrary to our hopes the
costs of everything entering into
operation has kept we'll up. thus
necessitating It maintenance of war
time prices for hospital service,
which has been source of regret to
your Board of Directors as well as
those needing and utilizing our in
stitution.
the number of patients treated, a
material increase over previous
years. From those who have received
treatment we hear on every hand
most fiattering reports of the service
rendered, so, we can conclude that
the Hospital is a positive necessity
in our community life. The curtail-
ing, to some extent, of the State ap-
preparation, which has been utilized
wholly for free service to those UNI
able to meet the hospital charges, is
likely to curtail our opportunity to
serve this class of patients. as We
have no other funds applicable to this
service.
Our friends. as usual, have been
busy the past year in helping us in
many ways. The Hospital Aid in ad-
tiition to supplies furnished, with the
help of the Girl Scouts, have rebuilt
and refurnshcd, at large cost, the
reception room, q long felt want
which is not only 4 financial help but
an inspiration to us all most cncour-
aging. All visitors at the Hospital
greatly appreciate it.
DR.. Warren Sanborn who early in
the year established q baby clinic. in
cooperation with the Augusta Red
Cross. most necessary and sim
portant adjunct to any hospital,
raised a very considerable sum suf-
1icicnt to rebuild and refurnish the
old dining hall into Il ward perfectly
suited to children'S work as well as
other uses.
Mr.. Harris Woodman of Winthrop
made the Hospital a gift of q latest
type operating table that was much
needed in certain cases, and many
other friends have helped financially
and otherwise, all of which have been
greatly appreciated.
Tribute To Mrs. Hayden
Early in the yea Mrs. Sarah Hay
den, who had served the institution
as Matrnl for nearly a quarter of a
century, found it necessary, on ac-
count of failing health, to tender her
resignation. which was resretfully
accepted by the Directors. She had
builded better than any of us could
know and the result of such faithful
service will accrue to the Hospital in
many years to come and in parting
we can well say. "Well done good and
faithful servant"
To succeed Mrs. Hayden your Di-
rcctors elected Miss Isabel TAFT, who
had 4 large experience in other hos
pitfalls outside the State. and each
month of her service has demon
strated her superior fitness, and no
words can fully measure our salts
faction at having as the head of the
institution one SO emincntly fitted
for it.
Miss Tait's effolts have been ably
seconded by Mrs. Lancaster, her as
sstant. and no words can overstate
the efficiency and kindness of our
corps of nurses.
Very recently it had become arpar-
ent that the Hospital was becoming
overcrowded because of the necessity
Of lodging quite n number of nurses
in the main building. the Haynes
Home for nurses being full to over
flowing, and the home of Mr.. f. C..
CARL practically adjoining the Hos
pital grounds. having been offered
for sale negotiations were started and
as Mr.. CARL very generously offered
to allow the Hospital to make it's own
terms, a trade was concluded and a
much felt want is met. This will re-
suit in making a goodly number Of
rooms in the Hospital to be utilized
for private rooms, Il much needed ac-
ccSSiOn.
Must Reduce Debt
Only very recently we have been
advised of gift of $500 under the
will of Augustus d. Woodward of
Ludington, Michigan, in memory of
his father and mother. Mr. Wood
ward was an Augusta boy who after
leaving school went West and made
q success.
BY reason of the cost of the new
wing being in excess of the s,lbscrip-
tions, on account of adverse condi-
tons prevailing the past five years
and the mourning of more or less
debt to put the old part of the hos
pital in working condition, we have,