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Why Rotary? |
| FROM: |
Care Of The Crippled Child |
| ORIGINAL CAPTION: |
Edgar Allen
Gates Hospital for Crippled Children -- 1915
Why Rotary?
A brand new hospital -- "Gates" -- doors open, staff ready to give care -- but few patients!. . .
There was need but why didn't the parents bring their children for treatment?. . .
It may have been a false sense of shame, or guilt, on the part of many parents; too many crippled children were "hidden" in those days. . .
It may have been a lack of funds (even at $1.00 per day for care!). . .
It may have been doubt. . .lack of knowledge of this source of help. . .
Whatever it was, Edgar Allen, who joined Rotary in 1919, felt that something should be done about it, and that Elyria Rotarians could help. . .
What was needed, he felt, was some organization to "span the gulf between the parents and the hospital". . .
In April 1919, with the encouragement of Sam Squire (Charter Member -- Elyria Rotary), Rotarians from Elyria, Cleveland and Toledo formed the "Ohio Society for Crippled Children", composed entirely, at the time, of Rotarians. . .
By the end of 1919 the Ohio State Legislature had passed the "Comings Bill" (submitted by William R. Comings, superintendant of schools in Elyria), providing for hospital care for Crippled Children. |
| CREATOR: |
n/a |
| DATE: |
1973 |
| DIMENSIONS: |
6 x 8 in |
| PUBLISHER: |
Elyria Rotary Club |
| SOURCE: |
Elyria Rotary Archives |
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