cont

A iste RY of
JAMES DECKER MUNSON HOSPITAL

 

community of Traverse City was without a general hospital un-
#11 1915 shen the late Dre dames Deoker Manson, Superintendent of the
fraverse Gity State Hospital, was instrumental in orcating a General
Hospital Division of the Stabe Hospital by Act. No. 33, Public Acts
of 1915. An old building on the State Hoapitel grounds was set up
with a bed capacity of 22, This served as the general hospital for
this recion until 19256

Certein profits accrued from the operrtion and, with this money
as a nucleus, a new structure was built. at the present eite-on the
north end of the State property. Additional funds were advanced from

General Rind, with a total expenditure of approx! ly $250,000.
The building was’ complete in 1925 with a capacity of (55}beds. It was
named the James Decker Munson Hospital, elthougn legally it wae still
the General Hospital Division of the Stete Hospitel. Funds advanced
fromt the Gexeral Fund as a loan were later onngclled by the Governor
and Adminstrative Board.

£

Soon after the opening of the”hospital, the Hannah-Lay-Morgan
interests built a convalescent pavilion on the north end of Munson
Hospital. In 1935, the Children's Fund of Michigan asked permission
to erect a Glinie adjacent to the Munson Hospital. With the aid of a
Legislative Act. No. 39 of 1935, grouné was leased and the Clinte
building completed in 1936. This Clinic was built to care for pedia-
tric problems and is affiliated with the Pedistries Department of the
University of Michigan Medical School. It #S’under the control of the
Children's Fund of Michigan until May 1, 1954, at waich time the lease
expires. There are 12, beds on the third floor of the Giinio building
which are operated by the Mungon Hospital.

With the establishment of the Central Michigen Ghildrents, Glinte,
it was a neturel sequence that facilities be made available for the care
of orippled children. In 1938, the Hannah-Lay-Morgan Pavilion was con-
verted into wards, with the addition of about 49 beds, lergely for the
Use of the Orthopedie Department of the Munsoi Hospitals At the same
dime it wes necessary to establish a complete physiotherapy departments
Fhe Kivante Club of Braverse City sponsored a therapeutic pool, donating |
$4,800.00 for that purpose. The Munson Hospital added some $5,000.00
gqom cernings to complete the Physiotherapy Department including a brace
shop, equipment end materials. At about the same time, the X-Ray Deo
partment was enlarged and new diagnostic and therapeutic equipment pur
chased. -iith the establishnent of these departments, unconditional: are
Broval of the hospital was obtained? from the Michigan Grippled Gntlaon'a
Commission, the Ameriean College of Surgeons, ea well as the Machigan
and American Hospital Associations.

 

Utilities, such as steam, hot water, laundry, etc., were provided
py the Traverse City State Hospital and cnarged to the Munson Hosottex
Fund. Some utiliitee, such as electricity, were purchased direétly
from the city of Traverse Gity. Other supplies were requisitioned and
purchased through the Central’ Purchasing Department at Lansing.

 

 

During All of thie time, the-Munson Hospitel was administered by

the efministrative etarr of the Spete Hospital. As the munber of ad~
I TAeEsone of bed patients increased, it became evident that some change

in the Munson Hospital's statue should be accomplished. After carefor
gonsideration of the problem by locel oitizens and the Michigan State
Hospital Commission, special legi-lation was intueduced and passed by
ot. No. 129 of the 1945 State Legislature, scparating the Kuncon Hogpitel
fron the Praverse City State Hospital. Thie separation becowe offosiiec
onaaeri2 27, 1945, making Munson Hospitel a separate State institurne,
ynder the direct’ cuvervision of the State Hospital Commission, with a

Superintendent appointed by the Gommission, and a loool aévisory board

 

IIe

With the tremendous inorease in use of hospital beds, Munson
Hosvital became over-orowded and had a long waiting list.’ Tt was
evident to interested local oltizens that an expaneion was rapidly
becoming necensary. Plens were made to raise funds for such on ex=
pension ené during the summer of 1946, pledges were mede for $549,000.
to be paid over @ period of five years. At the present writing,
February 1949), aporoximately $315,000.00 of thie amount is hela in
eeeh or government bonds.

 

The local Advisory Board created more interest among the looal
people in the problema of the local hospitel, and, for a number of
reasons, it wee felt that the unit should have more loeal control. Con-
sequentiy, further legielation wes deemed adviesble. te 1947, authority
wes given by Act. 223 of the 1947 to the Departuent of Mental Health
' (rornerly the State Hospital Gommiaston) to lease the existing nos-
| pitel, Ancluding all of its land, buildings, equioment, etc., for &

' term of fifty years to a& non-profit corporation. Such a corporation
wee formed ané the lease put into effect on January 1, 1948. 1c

James Decker Munson Hospital Corporation consists of a Board of eleven
Benbers and a Hospitel Henberehip of 100. The Lease calle vos an annual
rental of one dollar. Plane are now under wey to expand the existing
factlitiee by the erection of a nes wing, and alteration, in part, of
the exicting butlding. :

 

In 1948, the Gongress passed the Hill-Burton Act under witch set
federal money 1s made available to the various States as grante-in-aid
for the oonstrnotion of new, or the expansion of extsting hoepitel
beds. There are certein rules and reguintions set down by the Act i
governing the use of such funds. The Munson Hospitel Board hopes to |
Share in these federel funds and has made apolication for a grant hich
would make available fifty perecnt nore than the amount raised locally.

In order to qualify, it is necessary for the Board to have title to the

Property. Gonseauently, a request is now being made in the form of
jegislation which woul’ transfer the title of the James Decker Munson
Heapitel, Inc., from the State to the existing Corporetion

 

 

194 - 1969