Seattle Women Storm the Hospital Board—and Split Over How to Do It

Last evening the lecture room of the First Presbyterian church was filled with women representing every rank of life in the city. They had gathered in answer to a call issued by the officers of the General Hospital Association for the formation of a woman's auxiliary to the hospital. Fully fifty women were present and all took an active interest in the proceedings, showing a familiarity with the rules that augurs well for the movement. About a dozen men were present, including several officers of the association and Dr. A. Virtue, secretary of the Seattle General Hospital. Judge Greene presided, with Mr. Virtue as secretary, and after a few opening prayers by Rev. Dr. Alison, Judge Greene read the section of the bylaws providing for the organization of the woman's auxiliary.

The bylaws declared that an auxiliary society “composed exclusively of benevolent women” should be encouraged by the board of governors, and that it should be accorded such rights and privileges and relations to the work and finances of the corporation as the board should approve. The executive committee was given power to make rules for correlating the auxiliary's work with that of the hospital and training school.

Judge Greene explained the objects of the hospital and auxiliary and what was expected of the women. Miss Gilmour did not favor organizing a separate auxiliary. She favored placing women on the board of the general hospital and placing them on an equality with men in the conduct of the hospital's affairs. Mrs. D. Thomas disagreed. The woman's auxiliary should be a distinct body, she said, and yet be successful in its work. It was a gigantic undertaking that involved much work and covered a broad field of action; she was satisfied that it should be a separate body, but closely allied with that of the men. Mrs. Belle W. Cook endorsed Mrs. Thomas's remarks and thought there should be no hair-splitting in the movement.

Judge Greene said that nothing in the articles of incorporation prohibited women from becoming members of the board of managers or trustees, but that the auxiliary society was for the purpose of bringing together the women best fitted by nature and education to exert those influences that would further the interests of the general hospital. After a further protest by Miss Gilmour, the motion to organize was carried.

The chair appointed a committee on nomination—Mrs. O. V. Doe, Miss Hamlin, Mrs. H. H. Ames, Mrs. Thomas and Miss Jenkins—and a committee on constitution and bylaws—Mrs. McCullough, Mrs. E. W. P. Guye, Mrs. S. J. Kennedy, Mrs. J. H. Allen and Mrs. A. Alison. During a ten-minute recess, Rev. Dr. Alison spoke on the good work accomplished by women's auxiliaries to the Philadelphia hospitals, and Judge Greene followed in the same strain.

The committee on nominations reported Mrs. J. M. E. Atkinson for president; Mrs. John Smeary, first vice president; Mrs. Belle Cook, second vice president; Mrs. J. Wright, third vice president; Mrs. J. Allen, fourth vice president; S. Aronson, secretary; Mrs. F. H. Fehren, treasurer; and a long list of managers and an executive board. The committee on constitution and bylaws reported in detail: the auxiliary was to aid the board of governors by providing reading matter, bedding, kitchen and tableware, delicacies and comforts for the sick, subject to the general direction of the board and the medical staff. All persons contributing for a year were to become members; officers were to be elected annually; and the board of governors was to serve as the auditing committee. The committee reports were stopped after further discussion, and the meeting adjourned until 1 p.m. Saturday at the Chamber of Commerce.