Title
THE HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH's HOSPITAL
Creator
Sister Agricola
Coverage
TOWNSHIP 139N RANGE 96W
Text
THE HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH's HOSPITAL
By Sister Agricola
1856, a Capuchin Priest, Father Theodosius Florentini, assisted by Mother Mary Theresa, founded the Holy Cross Sisters and established their Motherhouse on a hill overlooking Lake Lucerne at Ingenbohl, Switzerland. The purpose of this undertaking was to help meet the needs of the time. Hence, the motto of the Holy Cross Sisters: “The need of the times is the will of God.” When Bishop Wehrle presented his urgent request for Sisters to staff a newly constructed hospital in his diocese at Dickinson, N.D., Mother Aniceta found it to be the will of God to send some sisters to America.
The first six sisters, Sisters Lauda, Richardis, Auxentia, Clementine, Philiberta and Secundia disembarked from the “Lapland”, March 19, 1912, and arrived in Dickinson, March 22; completely exhausted from the long journey and somewhat disappointed as the flat country was so different from their beautiful mountains and valleys. They were homesick, too. What they found in the building was discouraging. There was no electricity, elevator, bells for the patients, nor equipment in the operating room, X-ray, laboratory, kitchen or laundry. The most elemental need was to clean up the place, scrub the mud-stained white cement floors on their hands and knees because March 31 was to be “Open House”. Bishop Wehrle, who built the hospital with $100,000 and obtained the Sisters from Switzerland for its management, stipulated a salary of $8.00 a month in addition to their board and room. (Talk about poverty!)
April 4, 1912, the first patient was admitted. Two days later the old Stein Hospital was closed and its three patients were transferred to St. Joseph's Hospital.
The Russian-German immigrants in the area related quite well to the sisters. They had no trouble placing their confidence in them. It was different with the English speaking citizens. Their trust and esteem had to be earned.
July of the same year, after a devastating storm which broke all the windows on the porch and the west side and hurled the large ventilator some distance into the field. Sister Richardis said to Sister Lauda: “This is enough now, let's pack up our trunks and go home.” Sister Lauda answered: “We don’t have time now, we have to clean up this mess.” The crops were ruined and so the patients had no money to pay their bills. At times, there was not even a dollar on hand.
In order to pay the interest on the hospital debt and to buy needed supplies, the Bishop suggested that the sisters go out on a begging trip. Not much came in. They also cultivated a vegetable garden and raised chickens, in order to provide food for the patients and themselves.
Four more sisters arrived, 1913, to lighten the work load. And two more times after that. March, 1914, the hospital was completely filled for the first time.
During the terrible flu epidemic, 1918, all the doctors became sick except Dr. Perkins, who worked day and night. The sisters also contracted the disease.
When Drs. Long and Nachtwey returned from the military service, 1919, the patient census took an upward swing. Renovation and construction could not be delayed. Two more acres of land adjoining the property were purchased in anticipation of future expansion.
The original structure had undergone many phases of renovation and addition. One was completed in 1926, another in 1931, and again in 1951 (the greater part of this being used now for the alcoholic and drug unit). It was replaced by a completely new facility, 1966. The original building was razed February, 1967.
Ownership of the hospital passed to the sisters when they purchased it from the Bishop, 1922.
While the hospital was making great strides of progress professionally and technically, amid the anticipation of seeing an expansion project coming to completion, a terrible spectre was poised over the lives of the sisters ready to strike a fearful blow. Between February 15-22, 1926, five sisters were struck down by death in quick succession. Dr. H. M. Banks, acting dean of the medical department of the University of North Dakota, reported that the deaths were due to encephalitis — an infectious disease, the exact nature of which is still imperfectly understood.
Perhaps the first 14 years of the history fo St. Joseph's Hospital and the sisters can best be characterized as an adventure in Faith. These were years and events which demanded of these religious women, not merely an outstanding degree of bravery, but a strength which can best be termed valiant, above and beyond the call of duty. Then basic source of unity, that which held them together and reinforced their apostolic commitment, was simply their vital faith, hope and charity.
Bishop Vincent Wehrle, founder of St. Joseph's Hospital, died in Bismarck, Nov. 2, 1941, age 86.
By Sister Agricola
1856, a Capuchin Priest, Father Theodosius Florentini, assisted by Mother Mary Theresa, founded the Holy Cross Sisters and established their Motherhouse on a hill overlooking Lake Lucerne at Ingenbohl, Switzerland. The purpose of this undertaking was to help meet the needs of the time. Hence, the motto of the Holy Cross Sisters: “The need of the times is the will of God.” When Bishop Wehrle presented his urgent request for Sisters to staff a newly constructed hospital in his diocese at Dickinson, N.D., Mother Aniceta found it to be the will of God to send some sisters to America.
The first six sisters, Sisters Lauda, Richardis, Auxentia, Clementine, Philiberta and Secundia disembarked from the “Lapland”, March 19, 1912, and arrived in Dickinson, March 22; completely exhausted from the long journey and somewhat disappointed as the flat country was so different from their beautiful mountains and valleys. They were homesick, too. What they found in the building was discouraging. There was no electricity, elevator, bells for the patients, nor equipment in the operating room, X-ray, laboratory, kitchen or laundry. The most elemental need was to clean up the place, scrub the mud-stained white cement floors on their hands and knees because March 31 was to be “Open House”. Bishop Wehrle, who built the hospital with $100,000 and obtained the Sisters from Switzerland for its management, stipulated a salary of $8.00 a month in addition to their board and room. (Talk about poverty!)
April 4, 1912, the first patient was admitted. Two days later the old Stein Hospital was closed and its three patients were transferred to St. Joseph's Hospital.
The Russian-German immigrants in the area related quite well to the sisters. They had no trouble placing their confidence in them. It was different with the English speaking citizens. Their trust and esteem had to be earned.
July of the same year, after a devastating storm which broke all the windows on the porch and the west side and hurled the large ventilator some distance into the field. Sister Richardis said to Sister Lauda: “This is enough now, let's pack up our trunks and go home.” Sister Lauda answered: “We don’t have time now, we have to clean up this mess.” The crops were ruined and so the patients had no money to pay their bills. At times, there was not even a dollar on hand.
In order to pay the interest on the hospital debt and to buy needed supplies, the Bishop suggested that the sisters go out on a begging trip. Not much came in. They also cultivated a vegetable garden and raised chickens, in order to provide food for the patients and themselves.
Four more sisters arrived, 1913, to lighten the work load. And two more times after that. March, 1914, the hospital was completely filled for the first time.
During the terrible flu epidemic, 1918, all the doctors became sick except Dr. Perkins, who worked day and night. The sisters also contracted the disease.
When Drs. Long and Nachtwey returned from the military service, 1919, the patient census took an upward swing. Renovation and construction could not be delayed. Two more acres of land adjoining the property were purchased in anticipation of future expansion.
The original structure had undergone many phases of renovation and addition. One was completed in 1926, another in 1931, and again in 1951 (the greater part of this being used now for the alcoholic and drug unit). It was replaced by a completely new facility, 1966. The original building was razed February, 1967.
Ownership of the hospital passed to the sisters when they purchased it from the Bishop, 1922.
While the hospital was making great strides of progress professionally and technically, amid the anticipation of seeing an expansion project coming to completion, a terrible spectre was poised over the lives of the sisters ready to strike a fearful blow. Between February 15-22, 1926, five sisters were struck down by death in quick succession. Dr. H. M. Banks, acting dean of the medical department of the University of North Dakota, reported that the deaths were due to encephalitis — an infectious disease, the exact nature of which is still imperfectly understood.
Perhaps the first 14 years of the history fo St. Joseph's Hospital and the sisters can best be characterized as an adventure in Faith. These were years and events which demanded of these religious women, not merely an outstanding degree of bravery, but a strength which can best be termed valiant, above and beyond the call of duty. Then basic source of unity, that which held them together and reinforced their apostolic commitment, was simply their vital faith, hope and charity.
Bishop Vincent Wehrle, founder of St. Joseph's Hospital, died in Bismarck, Nov. 2, 1941, age 86.