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More History about Baptist Memorial Hospital-Medical Center
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Medical Center Memories
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Daily Bread
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Founding In 1906, Memphis was in dire need of hospital beds. With a population of 135,000, the city needed 5,000 beds. Only 500 were available. As early as 1903 or 1904, there were pockets of support simultaneously in Memphis, North Mississippi and Arkansas to establish Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. One of the earliest recorded discussions was at a Shelby County Baptist Association meeting held at Central Avenue Baptist Church in Memphis in 1906. A group of individuals from Mississippi led by W.T. Lowrey, president of Blue Mountain College in Blue Mountain, Miss., interested the other leaders and donors in the project. Concurrently, groups in Arkansas expressed interest.  Opening Day of the Hospital A small group of Southern Baptists sweltered in 90-degree temperatures when they formally opened their 150-bed hospital out on the edge of town in 1912. But not all Memphians were attending the dedication ceremonies and touring the new hospital. Those who could afford it flocked to the famous resort at Chautauqua, N.Y., where balloonist and aviator Augustus Post was the week's most popular guest. Some went to South Memphis to hear Mayor Ed Crump, still in the first decade of a 50-year political career, dedicate a small business later in the day. A third group launched a campaign to build a downtown armory-auditorium, using the new Atlanta auditorium as a model. Another large crowd packed the stands at the Tri-State Fairgrounds, where Adelle Ross ran the fastest mile in three years to win a heated harness racing competition. Internationally, Mutsuhito, the 121st emperor of Japan, fought a losing battle with nephritis. He led the country for 45 years. In Paris, two well-known German professors were encouraging people to eat eggshells if they wanted to become healthy and happy "and see their grandchildren." Crime was the talk of the town in New York, where nationally known gambler Herman Rosenthal was gunned down by five men while standing in front of the Metropole Hotel. Automobiles were gaining in popularity with Ford Motor Company "outgrowing its shoes" in Detroit and opening up sub-factories to keep up with the demand. When the Hospital Opened in 1912...
First Baby Born On Aug. 9, 1912, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sherman Vories started a Mid-South tradition. They came to Baptist for the birth of their daughter, Luella May, who became the first baby born at BMH. At the time of Luella May's birth, maternity care at the hospital probably consisted of labor and delivery right in the hospital room and a stay of about 10 days. Luella May later became Mrs. Frank Hathaway. Fund-raising Efforts The fledging BMH fell on hard financial times three years after opening, with 10 paying patients and 20 charity cases. While a search began for possible buyers for the hospital, Mississippi planter A.E. Jennings stepped forward with an offer to underwrite the hospital's debt and serve as director. Jennings became the director-in-residence in 1921 when, after the death of his wife, he took up residence in a room on the hospital's eighth floor. Living and working under the same roof, he was on call 24 hours a day until his retirement in 1946. In the early and midyears of Baptist Memorial Hospital's history, fund-raising efforts were vital. From time to time, the Southern Baptist Conventions of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee allocated funds when needed. However, ambitious public fund-raising campaigns were needed to fill in the financial gaps. In 1916, there was a formal campaign to raise money. Then a "Million Dollars in One Week" campaign was launched in 1920 to pay for the Medical Center's South and East wings. In four days, $1,132,000 was pledged. In the early 1950s, the citizens of the Memphis area, joined by the Southern Baptist Conventions, raised about $2 million to assist in the expansion of the Medical Center complex. The Depression Shortly after the opening of the Physicians & Surgeons Building in 1928, the nation was rocked by the Great Depression. Hospitals across the country closed, employees lost their jobs and salaries were reduced to a minimum. Baptist Memorial Hospital was a shining exception. Throughout this five-year period, there was no involuntary unemployment; no one was let go. Even when all the banks in the country closed and there was no way to get cash, BMH used its good credit to purchase groceries and other necessities for its employees. World War II One week after Pearl Harbor, an executive order froze all hospital building, renovation and physical improvements. The "doctor drain" affected everyone, but particularly large teaching hospitals like Baptist Memorial. A minimum of one-third of all student nurses was taken into the armed forces upon graduation.  Top of Page |
Contact Us Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation 350 N. Humphreys Blvd. Memphis, TN 38120 1-800-4-BAPTIST  E-mail Us
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