Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1930

Date Range To

1940

Materials

WOOD, GLASS, PAPER

No. Pieces

1

Height

1.5

Length

20.8

Width

14.5

Description

FRAMED PRINT IS OF BEARDED MAN WITH HALO HANDING THE CHILD JESUS LILIES. BOTH ARE DRESSED IN BIBLICAL ATTIRE AND THE CHILD IS SITTING ON A WALL. PRINT IS IN BROWNS AND GREENS. FRAME HAS DOVE-TAIL JOINTS AND HAS ROUTERED EDGE WITH STRAIGHT RIDGES. FRAME IS PAINTED GOLD WITH WORN SPLOTCHES OF GREEN AND RED. FRAME HAS CLEAR GLASS PANE AND CARDBOARD BACK. HAND-WRITTEN ON BACK IN PENCIL IS "SISTER MITSLAK 504".

Subjects

ART

Historical Association

DECORATIVE ARTS

HEALTH SERVICES

History

PRINT WAS REMOVED FROM ST. MICHAEL'S HOSPITAL BEFORE THE HOSPITAL WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1996. FOR MORE HISTORY ON HOSPITAL SEE P19960116001-GA. *UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING THOSE RECOVERED FROM ST. MICHAEL’S HOSPITAL PRIOR TO ITS DEMOLITION IN 1996. NO NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ARTIFACT WAS FOUND, BUT THE FOLLOWING HISTORY OF THE HOSPITAL WAS DEVELOPED WITH INFORMATION FROM THE GALT ARCHIVES, ARCHIVES CANADA ONLINE, AND RECORD P19960116001. ST. MICHAEL'S GENERAL HOSPITAL WAS FOUNDED IN LETHBRIDGE BY CATHOLIC SISTERS OF ST. MARTHA OF ANTIGONISH IN MAY 1929. THE FACILITY OF THE PRIVATELY-OWNED VAN HAARLEM HOSPITAL (1224 - 7TH AVE S.), ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE 27 PATIENTS, WAS PURCHASED FOR $34000. A SMALL HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET SERVED AS A RESIDENCE FOR THE SISTERS, WITH ONE ROOM FURNISHED AS A CHAPEL. A HOSPITAL BOARD WAS FORMED, CONSISTING OF THE PARISH PRIEST AND SIX LOCAL BUSINESSMEN. IN COOPERATION WITH THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE, THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW MODERN 100-BED HOSPITAL STARTED IN 1930. HENRY WILLIAM MEECH WAS THE ARCHITECT FOR THE PROJECT. THE NEW BUILDING OPENED AT 9TH AVENUE AND 13TH ST SOUTH IN SEPTEMBER 1931. THE NEWLY NAMED ST. MICHAEL’S GENERAL HOSPITAL WAS NOW ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE 100 PATIENTS, AND THE ORIGINAL GROUP OF DOCTORS INCLUDED D.A. MCNALLY, W.S. GALBRAITH, P.M. CAMPBELL, R. SHILLINGTON, G.W. LEECH, D. WOODCOCK, G.L. CONNOR, W. BRIANS, L.A. ROY, G. SPACKMAN, J.S. WRAY, B.O. FOWLER, J.E. LOVERING, F.W. SWANCESKY, D.A. TAYLOR, BRAITHWAITH, J.K. BIGELOW, AND A.A. HAIG. THE HOSPITAL CONTAINED CHILDREN'S, YOUTH AND PSYCHIATRIC WARDS, FOUR OPERATING ROOMS, A CHAPEL AND A SPECIAL WARD FOR CASUALTIES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND THE P.O.W. CAMP. IN 1932 THE HOSPITAL OBTAINED ACCREDITATION UNDER THE HOSPITAL STANDARDIZATION PROGRAM OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR THE HOSPITAL WAS EXPANDED WITH AN 83-BED EAST WING, OPENING IN 1951. IN THE 1953, THE HOSPITAL RECEIVED A NEW NURSES' RESIDENCE AND THE SCHOOL OF NURSING; THE SCHOOL TRAINED OVER 500 NURSES OVER THE NEXT TWENTY YEARS. IN 1965 ANOTHER EXPANSION WING EXTENDED THE HOSPITAL’S CAPACITY TO 207 BEDS. THE SCHOOL OF NURSING CLOSED IN 1973, AND THE REMAINING SISTERS OF ST. MARTHA STILL WORKING IN THE HOSPITAL LIVED IN THE VACATED STUDENT RESIDENCES. IN 1984 OWNERSHIP OF THE HOSPITAL WAS TAKEN OVER BY THE ALBERTA CATHOLIC HOSPITAL FOUNDATION. IN 1986 FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES BEGAN TO APPEAR AND EVENTAULLY RESULTED IN THE HOSPITAL BEING CONVERTED TO ST. MICHAEL'S HEALTH CENTRE IN 1992, FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS OF LONG TERM PATIENTS. FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES CONTINUED UNTIL THE HOSPITAL WAS CLOSED IN 1995. ST. MICHAEL’S HOSPITAL WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1996. AT THE TIME OF THE 2014 SURVEY, THE FORMER HOSPITAL SITE HOUSED THE ST. THERESE VILLA, A LONGTERM NURSING CARE FACILITY, AND THE ST. MICHAEL'S HEALTH CENTRE, A MULTI-PURPOSE REHABILITATION, PALLATIVE AND CONTINUING CARE FACILITY, BOTH CONSTRUCTED IN THE LATE 1990S.

Catalogue Number

P19960116138

Acquisition Date

1996-01

Collection

Museum

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