Methodist Hospital celebrates 100th anniversary

The hospital was born in 1899 from $4,750 left over from a successful national Epworth League convention.

INDIANAPOLIS - Vice President of the United States Charles Warren Fairbanks was present when the original cornerstone was laid for Methodist Hospital on Oct. 25, 1905. Fairbanks later became the hospital's fifth president, serving in that capacity from 1910-1918.

The hospital was born in 1899 from $4,750 left over from a successful national Epworth League convention. The local committee agreed to designate the funds to establish a hospital in Indianapolis to serve the entire state. One of the convention's delegates, Benjamin F. Crabbs, would become the great, great grandfather of current Clarian Health Partners CEO Dan Evans.

Current Methodist Hospital President and CEO Sam Odle, Evans, the Clarian Board of Directors including Bishop Michael J. Coyner and other dignitaries gathered Oct. 25 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of that day and kick off a three-year celebration leading up to the April 2008 centennial of the hospital's opening. Coyner opened the commemorative program with an invocation.

During the celebration, the Methodist Hospital Foundation presented a million-dollar check to Methodist Hospital.

Looking back

The hospital was dedicated on Sunday, April 26, 1908 during a four-day celebration. The new hospital had 65 beds including 37 private rooms, for large wards and three smaller wards. A hospital stay cost $7 a week. The hospital's first interns received $50 a year and three white duck suits for their compensation. Nurses were paid up to $40 a month, while night engineers who ran the boilers and heating system earned $60 a month. The admission of black patients posed a moral as well as social dilemma for a hospital "open to all" during a time of racial segregation. Then, most hospitals refused admission to blacks.

During last month's celebration, history buffs viewed a Methodist Hospital photo gallery of the past 100 years and the contents of a time capsule buried in 1905, both of which were on display in the Methodist Rotunda. Of particular interest, was an issue of a newspaper dated 1911. Evidently, the 1905 corner stone had been opened before. The time capsule was placed on permanent display after last month's celebration.

The Methodist Health Foundation is collecting materials for a new time capsule, to be opened in 2105. Items collected prior to the centennial anniversary also were included in the Rotunda display.

Odle asked each department of the hospital to contribute items relevant to today's patient care and practice to the new capsule. "It may be a group picture of a unit's staff or an article about a new procedure, technique, treatment or device - something that demonstrates the mission, the caring, the people or the community of Methodist Hospital," he said.

A leader and community partner

The third oldest hospital in Indianapolis, Methodist is one of only two regional Level 1 Trauma centers in Indiana. It is one of the largest teaching hospitals in the Midwest.

The significance of Methodist's contribution to the community was recently reinforced by National Research Corporation's announcement that Methodist Hospital was selected as a 2005-2006 Consumer Choice Award winner by consumers. "This is an excellent start for the centennial celebration of Methodist Hospital," said Odle. "The award reflects the high level of quality care we provide and shows us that the community considers Methodist as its hospital."

Banners celebrating Methodist's 100-year milestone are flying on Monument Circle and at other downtown Indianapolis locations, as well as at Indianapolis International Airport. They'll remain up until nearly the end of November.

For more information about Clarian Health, log on to www.clarian.org.

Last updated on 25 Apr 2008

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