By Kelsey Koym, Archivist and Special Collections Librarian
This post is an exciting announcement that the photos used in the Centennial Hermann Hospital Exhibit taken from IC 086 Hermann Hospital Records are now in McGovern Historical Center’s online portal AToM. There are a few early pictures worth highlighting about the patients and staff of Hermann Hospital, now called Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. Some of these pictures have never been seen by the general public before now.
This is a black and white photograph of the main entrance of Hermann Hospital. The picture is undated; however, it could have been taken as early as 1925. For example, the statue in front of the doors is an original sculpture from the 1925 building. Today this part of the hospital has been built over and the Patio of the old Main Entrance is no longer accessible. The name of the photography company is in the bottom right corner, Schlueter’s Houston Tex. indicating this is a photo done by Frank J. Schlueter. Frank was a photographer in Houston, Texas who captured Houston’s changing skyline through the early to mid twentieth century. His photographs of Hermann Hospital may be some of his earliest works.
This is one of my favorite pictures found in the collection. We do not know the names of the nurses in the photograph, but they are clearly having fun. This photo is a part of a series of photographs taken from a Nursing Hermann Hospital scrapbook, so we at least know the two worked at Hermann.
Above are the front and back of the photo IC086-b433-f1-033, Pediatrics on Christmas. This photograph was taken in the pediatric wing of Hermann Hospital during Christmas in 1945 according to the inscription on the back. The back also reads, “Left to Right, Bottom row: Dr. Robert Lonas; Betty Barnard; Shirley Butler; Gene Bla[i?]s; Miss Julienne Van Dengze, Supervisor. Top row: Dr. James Burt-Intern; Staff Nurse; Martha Dau Watson.” These inscriptions are incredibly useful and fun because it is always nice to be able to put names to smiling faces.
This photograph was taken sometime in the 1930s and according to the inscription on the back was taken at Hermann Hospital and depicts Medical Records Librarian Vivian Maddox. She is posed next to Hermann Hospital’s pet/mascot at the time, which was referred to as the “sweetheart” of the Hospital. We are not quite sure what the name of the donkey was, but there are at least two references to the Hospital’s pet as sweetheart. What I love about this picture is the genuine look of joy on Vivian’s face to be near the donkey.