The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1949-09-01
Ground Broken For New Beat Z Hospiti
Mrs. J. N. Howard, Wed; Galloway SPEAK,
Mckenzie Presides At
Ceremony Attended
BY 200 Persons

by ZW PERSONS
Ground was officially broken by
Mrs. John M. Howard for the.
new $685., 100000 hospital at Du-
rant Wednesday after DON at q
ceremony attended by some 200
or more interested citizens OF
Holmes county and several out OF
county guests including DR.. D. v.
Galloway, chairman of the Missis-
sippi Hospital commission, princi-
pal speaker for the occasion. Mrs.
Howard and daughters donated
land for the site of the hospital.
which is now under construction
W. H. Mckenzie, cashier of the
Peoples Bank of Durant, who waS
the chairman of the original COM
mittee that began work on getting
the hospital for beat two and
whose efforts were largely res
ponsible for it, was master of cere-
monies.
After the invocation had been
given by the Rev. Curtis Ellis. of
West, a member Of the hospital
board of trustees, Mr.. Mckenzie
welcomed the large crowd and
briefly reviewed the early begin
ming of the hospital.
The speaker was introduced by
Mr.. Mckenzie as the man who had
the "know-how" on planning and
building hospitals.
Dr.. Galloway
'Durant will have one of the
best hospitals In the state of Mis-
sissippi and it is located on one az
the finest sites of any hospital in
the state said DR.. Galloway, ex-
pressing his pleasure in being able
to be present and participate in
the happy occasion. m%
This hospital" he said, when
completed will be as fire-resi--
tant as it is possible to make y
modern building, being construct
ed Of concrete, brick and steal
and it has been planned to last
from fifty to one hundred years.
1T has been planned with am
eye to the anticipated growth of
Durant and vicinity and if this
has been underestimate it will
be an easy matter to expand its
size. - 49,. i,e.'~s
1.-The operating and delivery
rooms will be air-conditioned and
if the time comes when funds are
available to air-condition the,
whole building it can be accom-
plished easily.
The kitchen has been set up
to serve from 400 to 500 meals
daily and the finest though not
necessarily elaborate equipment
will be used throughout.s
To Operate Efficiently
DR.. Galloway said the hospital
had been planned to operate as
economically as possible also.
The Durant hospital is the 22nd
one to be built in the state under
the current hospital program
which has been hailed as the fore
! most in the nation. Contracts on
the units already let exceed the
sum of IL million dollars, he said.
, and in addition II health centers.
are also being erected under the
program, one located at Lexing-
ton, the county site of Holmes
county.
In his opening remarks DR.. CAL
loway said he felt very much 1t
home in Durant and Holmes coun-
ty because one of his early menu
cries was the late Corn Club"
Smith, one of the pioneers in corn
CLUB work which later developed
into national All club activity,
and who formerly lived near the
site selected for the hospital. Mr.
Smith addressed the high school
class of which he was student
at Poplarville down in Pearl
River county, DR.. Galloway said.
and he has been one of his heroes
ever since.
Mrs. Howurd
At the conclusion of DR.. Gallo
ways address Mrs. John M
Howard, widow of the late John
M. Howard, one of Holmes coun-
tvs foremost citizens during his
lifetime and former member of
the state legislature from Holmes
county, officially broke the
ground which was selected as the
ideal spot on which to build the
new hospital and which was do
mated by her and her daughters,
Miss Cargill Howell of New Or
IS, .llss Sara Howard of Du-
rant, and Mrs. Chatwin M. jack
son, Jr., of Lexington.
Others Present
Others present who were pre-
sented by the master Of cere-
monies were members of the
Holmes County Board of Super
visors who were President M. S
Rogers, Joe H. Moore, and Kirk
|P. Thomas; Chancery Clerk
Dorhar IT U;1liavnc cocrafarv IF