Ground broken for medical center 50 years ago

Saint Francis Medical Center has been a part of Cape Girardeau, in one form or another, since 1875, when three Franciscan Sisters -- Philomena, Engelberta and Felicitas -- began caring for the ill in a two-story frame house on Themis Street. Their "hospital" could accommodate a dozen patients.

Several locations and many patients later, ground was broken for a new facility at Route K and Mount Auburn Road in February 1973 after years of planning.

A photo gallery from the ground-breaking ceremony can be found here.

Published Monday, Feb. 19, 1973, in the Southeast Missourian:

The Most Rev. William W. Baum, bishop of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese, turns the earth with a shiny chrome-plated space to mark the start Saturday of the new Saint Francis Hospital. Standing at right are other participants and their shovels, while a crowd of several hundred views the ceremony. (Southeast Missourian archive)

REFLECTION OF COOPERATION

The spirit of cooperation demonstrated through six years of planning and waiting was again reflected Saturday afternoon in ground-breaking ceremonies for the new $13.5 million Saint Francis Medical Center.

Under sunny skies and cold, crisp winds, more than 200 persons gathered on the site of the new center at Route K and Mount Auburn Road to watch Sister M. Virgilia (Beikler), hospital administrator, toss the first spade of dirt into the air.

Others turning dirt with shiny new shovels were: L.R. Roper, president of the hospital Board of Trustees; State Sen. A.M. Spradling Jr. of this city, representing the Missouri Senate; Dr. Charles P. McGinty, chief of the hospital medical staff; the Most Rev. William W. Baum, bishop of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Catholic Diocese, and State Rep. Richard D. Rabbitt, speaker of the House.

They were also among speakers on the program.

Construction was set to begin today, but has now been delayed until Wednesday. The project is expected to be completed in late 1975.

Dr. McGinty said, "We appreciate the cooperation we see here coming to fruition this afternoon."

Bishop Baum blessed the tract before the ceremonial breaking of ground took place.

Tribute to the Sisters of St. Francis, the board, medical staff, hospital auxiliary, labor organizations and citizens of the area, who helped make the day possible, was a theme running throughout the program.

Master of ceremonies was Raymond T. Ritchie, head of the hospital physical therapy department. He said the religi0us have always been associated with hospitals since hospitals were recognized as such, and the Sisters of St. Francis have carried on this tradition of charity and service to mankind.

He said the sisters have been in Cape Girardeau 98 years, starting with six beds in a location on Themis and moving to eight and 10 beds in a place on William. "It's quite a record," he said.

Bishop Baum also emphasized that healing ministry has always been a part of the ministry of the church. "We need this kind of service today very much. We've made enormous progress in medical science and healing arts, but we must always bring to the exercise of these arts hearts that are filled with compassion, and the spirit of St. Francis is that," he said.

Rep. Rabbitt pledged to work with representatives and senators of this area on the project. "I think you are continuing in the great American tradition of providing health service for the people in the state through individual initiative and personal sacrifice," he said.

Congratulations from Sen. William J. Cason and the Missouri Senate were relayed by Sen. Spradling. The message read, "May your new hospital ever be a blessing to the people of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois."

"I know there have been many times when there was a question in many peoples' minds if this day would ever come," Mr. Roper said. "There never was any doubt in Sister Virgilia's mind, and she kept the rest of us determined and working and in turn, the citizens of this community," he added.

Sister M. Virgilia (Beikler), administrator of Saint Francis, vigorously turns the first spade of earth while at the same time clutching papers used in the dedicatory program. (Southeast Missourian archive)

He said Cape Girardeau is the hub between St. Louis and Memphis, Tennessee. "It's a medical center. We are fortunate in having two good hospitals, or will have when Southeast Missouri Hospital completes its expansion and St. Francis gets its new hospital finished," he said

Foresees growth

Mr. Roper said he expects Cape Girardeau to grow as a medical center and, as facilities become available, the medical staff and specialists group also to grow.

He thanked the labor organizations and building trades and their members for their help. "They came to St. Frances, we had meetings, and they are going to work with us to get this hospital built as quickly as possible," he said.

Dr. McGinty said, "I think this is a continuation of the spirit of cooperation that we've seen develop over the past years between all the medical and related facilities in Southeast Missouri."

He said the two hospitals and the Cape County Medical Society have formed a Cape Girardeau Area Health Planning Council in an effort to plan ahead and avoid duplication of expensive equipment and facilities. A feasibility study also has been ordered by the county medical society n the possibility of developing a foundation for medical care in the southeast area of the state, Dr. McGinty said.

Sister Virgilia paid tribute to other sisters who worked during the 98 years, "through poverty of having nothing and no place to work, and to having to go back and forth on the tugboat on the Mississippi River to do their shopping, to the present transportation of Interstate 55."

She recognized three men who, she said, had worked with her on the project since 1967-68 -- A.W. Zimmer Jr., H.G. Schmitz and Thomas L. Meyer -- and took all others who helped, saying, "It's not been a one-man project."

Others on the program were: U.S. Rep. Bill D. Burlison of the 10th District; Sister Irene, president of the Board of the Catholic Hospital Association and of St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee; the Rev. James N. Thompson, pastor of St. Vincent's Catholic Church, and Dr. Edwin C. Brasington, pastor f First Presbyterian Church. The Golden Eagles Marching Band of Southeast Missouri State University provided music, and Dr. Mark F. Scully, university president and member of the hospital board, was general chairman.

State Rep. Gary W. Rust of Cape Girardeau and Marvin E. Proffer, Mayor Howard C. Tooke and Dr. E.D. Campbell, the latter representing the St. Louis University Medical Center, were among platform guests.

Plans for this initial stage of development call for 160 beds in acute care, mental health and vocational rehabilitation. McCarthy Bros. Construction Co. of St. Louis has the contract.

The 252-bed medical center was dedicated Oct. 3, 1976. Cost of the hospital was $13.5 million. Combined with a 92-extended care wing, the total cost of the facility was $17 million.