Valley frontiersman., 1952-01-03
Valley Frontierxman
New Palmer Hospital To Be Named The Valley Presbyterian Hospital

the first time Thursday, Decem- Der 20 at open meeting sponsored by the Valley Hospital ASsocia- ton that the name of the pro jected new Valley hospital will b. the Valley Presbyterian Hospital.
 The name, ii was brought out. is not intended to infer that the hospital is a Presbyterian hos pital. Rather, it is an expression of gratitude on the part Of those who attended the last meeting Of the Valley Hospital Assn. in Feb ruary, 1851. According to their mandate of approval, the associa- ton board of directors adopted the name and has since used 1t on all plans and applications for fed eral and Territorial funds.
 All the members of the Valley Hospital Association were at the meeting except Max Sherrod. who was excused because of ill., ness. Master of Ceremonies Jim Hurley introduced them: Rev. George Geiwitz, president; Mrs. Earl Graves, secretary; Rev. liar ry Gayley, treasurer; Rev. Rol- land Armstrong, field representa- tive for the National Board of Presbyterian Missions; Mrs. John DeVries; and Virgil Eckert. Also sitting with the board was the Rev. Frank Walkup, Presbyterian minister of Anchorage who had taken Rev. Victor Alfsen's place on the board until his successor, Rev. Gayley, had been appointed and completely oriented regard ing the hospital plans.
 The Hospital Story Outlined
 Rev. Geiwitz outlined the his tory of the hospital since the tragic fire in the spring of 1946 destroyed the Valleys first one. He told about local attempts 70 raise money for new hospital, about the discouragements which followed in the face of ever rais- ing construction costs.
 In the spring of 1948, $ll,5OO had been raised through Hospital bonds, and with the consent of the bondholders, the association board decided to purchase the present site on the theory that any hospital was better than none at all. The sum of $7,500 was paid for the site and the remainder of the money was used for equip ment
 As time went on, plagued by deficits rather than profits to ap- ply toward new hospital, the board of directors decided that the hospital needed a sponsor. Letters were sent out to various church groups to learn whether or not any would be interested. Early in 1850, after Rev, Victor Alfsen revealed that the National Board of Presbyterian Missions might be interested in such pro ject, an agreement was reached by which the hospital would be sponsored jointly by the NPBM and the local hospital associa- ton. The NPBM offered Q $3,0OO subsidy that year, and repeated the subsidy in 1851.
 Out of this subsidy, the present hospital board has been able to set aside enough to retire l2 $1O0 bonds this year, even though the bonds were not due for several years.
 Rev. Armstrong described the role of the National Board of Presbyterian Missions in the local hospital. At first, he said, merely help was offered: First, help ln recruiting nursing personnel. Sec ond, help in the form of a sub sidy. The only control that the NPBM had, however, was thru the Presbyterian representatives on the board, who were there merely to insure good steward ship. It was understood that the agreement between the local as sociation and the NPBM could be terminated at any time by either side.
 NPBM Offers Funds
 Last year, Rev. Armstrong con-