James Walker Memorial Hospital School of Nursing - Epitome Yearbook (Wilmington, NC)

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HISTORY or JAMES WALKER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL The first brick was laid for James Walker Hospital May 22, 1900. The building was donated and erected by James Walker, a native of Douglas, Lanarkshire, Scotland, April 29, 1826. These words are inscribed on his tomb: “After a frugal and industrial life James Walker left to the af¬ flicted and suffering a lasting memorial of his beneficence in yonder hospital which bears his honored name.” He donated this hospital with the understanding that its management would never enter into politics, that no member of the board of managers could be appointed from either city or county government and that the city and county would guarantee to appropriate at all times sufficient funds to provide adequately for the care of the indigent sick. James Walker, the constructor of the hospital, died March 15, 1901, before the building was completed June 1, 1901. The first superintendent of the hospital was Dr. Thomas R. Little. The original building completely furnished for 50 patients still stands and is part of the hospital. Additions have been made to this building as the years have passed. Mr. W. H. Sprunt saw and realized the necessity of caring for the Negro in this city and county, and as a donation built a separate building for the care of these patients. This contained a ward with 52 beds and a dispensary on the first floor, and until 1921 the second floor was used for the nurses’ quarters. While it was not the intention of the hospital to receive patients with infectious diseases, such cases have to be cared for in certain in¬ stances, so Mr. Sam Bear, Jr., donated a separate building for these patients as a memorial to his brother in 1915. The third addition to the hospital was made by a generous benefaction of Mr. and Mrs. James Sprunt in 8

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3n ? clobEii iWemorp Dr. John E. Evans He was a friend whose heart was good; Who walked with men and understood; His was a voice that spoke to cheer, And fell like music on the ear. His was a smile men loved to see; His was a hand that asked no fee For friendliness or kindness done. And now that he has journeyed on, His is a fame that never ends; He leaves behind uncounted friends. 7

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1917, who built as a memorial to their only daughter, Marion, an annex devoted to the care of maternity patients and children. This annex bears the name of Marion Sprunt. A new wing was added to the hospital in 1937, which increased the capacity of t he beds to 188. In 1943 the Federal government aided James Walker Memorial Hospital in the construction of an additional building. The administrative offices were moved to this new building from the original building in the early part of 1944. In this new building 120 patients may be cared for making James Walker Memorial Hospital a 300 bed hospital, exclusive of bassi¬ nettes. In the basement of the building is a separate dispensary for the treatment of white and Negro patients, a modern well equipped laboratory, drug room, and a morgue with equipment for the performance of autopsies. A new unit for isolated cases is on the first floor and will accommodate ten patients at one time. The second and third floors are used for ward and private room female patients. In memory of Dr. A. D. McClure, of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, the city of Wilmington donated $100,000 to build a modern nurses home to accommodate 50 nurses in 1921. It was necessary for the home to be enlarged in 1926, 1937 and 1943. A charter was granted the James Walker Memorial Hospital on February 5, 1903 to organize and maintain a school for nurses. The first superintend¬ ent was Miss Lilly Heller (Mrs. Thomas R. Little), of Greensboro, N. C., and the first graduating class was composed of Miss Florence Hayes (Mrs. Morris Caldwell ) of Wilmington, and Miss Alberta Robinson of Dunn. The James Walker Memorial Nursing School is an accredited school and is one of the largest nursing schools in North Carolina. Ernestine Howard, Hospital Historian. 9