Material Type

Artifact

Date

1941

Materials

WOOD, GLASS, PAPER

No. Pieces

1

Height

2.2

Length

54.1

Width

41.5

Description

FRAMED PRINT IS OF A POEM SET IN THE MIDDLE OF PINK ROSES. POEM READS "IF RADIO'S SLIM FINGERS CAN PLUCK A MELODY FROM NIGHT AND TOSS IT O'ER A CONTINENT OR SEA IF PETALED WHITE-NOTES OF A VIOLIN ARE BLOWN ACROSS A MOUNTAIN OR A CITY'S DIN IF SONGS LIKE CRIMSON ROSES ARE CALLED FROM THIN BLUE AIR WHY SHOULD MORTALS WONDER IF GOD HEARS PRAYER". WOOD FRAME HAS DOVE-TAIL CORNERS AND BRICK PATTERN IN WOOD. FRAME IS PAINTED GOLD COLOR AND HAS CLEAR GLASS FRAME. IN BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER IS "HVATT 41". BROWN PAPER THAT HAS TEARS COVERS BACK.

Subjects

ART

Historical Association

DECORATIVE ARTS

HEALTH SERVICES

History

PRINT WAS REMOVED FROM ST. MICHAEL'S HOSPITAL BEFORE THE HOSPITAL WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1996. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING THOSE RECOVERED FROM ST. MICHAEL’S HOSPITAL PRIOR TO ITS DEMOLITION IN 1996. 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

P19960116142

Acquisition Date

1996-01

Collection

Museum

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