Things: Val Fallon On Hospital Fundraising
Carnival First Benefit Held To Aid Hospital
Way back in 1888 Elizabeth was mindful of the necessity of assisting in the support of its only hospital, the Elizabeth General. The practice was contagious when the Alexian Brothers Hospital was founded four years later. And then at the turn of the century St. Elizabeth Hospital was founded. The benefit programs that had been held for the other two institutions formed a pattern for the new one.
These benefits found effective value right at their very beginning. For the success attained was inspiration for future programs, each suggesting that extra effort be made in order to surpass the funds realized at previous affairs.
The General Hospital as such was incorporated May 9, 1879, and the building was opened for patients November 15,1889. It was situated in Jaques St. Realizing the need for funds the hospital’s Ladies Aid Society conducted a program titled “Fashing Thursday and Dreamland Tree” at the Temple Opera House on Dec. 10, 11 and 12, 1888. The project served as an invitation to the city’s young women and men to join in the presentation of the affair.
Carnival of Venice
The project was based on the carnival in Venice in that on the Thursday of “Fashing” everybody, rich and poor alike, indulge in public amusements in full mask and disguise. All of it was given in pantomime.
The second part of the program was a carnival. There was dancing, tableaux and chorus singing. The carnival fair followed each evening performance, and was held on the opera hose stage. The admission was 10 cents a person.
A feature was the gondola booths where various articles were on sale. The café de Gondolier provided refreshments and entertainment. Sixty children gave a medley of Mother Goose rhymes, tableaux and melodies. All were dressed in nursery attire.
Among the children were Kate Olmstead, Emma Florance, Ella Jones, Amy West, Edward Olmstead, William T. Jones, Frank Woodward, Bertie Moore, Edwin Meister, Arthur West, Weston Gates, Samuel Bogart, Waldemar Haywood, Violet Green, who was Mistress Mary, Emma Odiorne, Ella McLean, Emily Grey and Bessie McLean, who were flowers, Pauline Darach, Florence Stillman, Ellen Norton, Wille Jones, Grace Cole, Madge Oldstead, Archie Sawyer, Blanche Morrell, James Irwin.
Ferdinand Armstrong was Old King Cole; Harry West, first fiddler; Clarence Morrell, second fiddler; Arthur Knapp, third fiddler; Arthur Messiter, bowl boy and Walter Brewster, pipe boy.
3-Day Success
The three-day program was a huge success and gave deep satisfaction to the aid society was Mrs. Alonzo Pettit; first vice-president Mrs. J. Otis Pinneo; second vice-president, Mrs. D. Blake Bonnett; third vice-president, Mrs. Mary H. Mahan; fourth vice-president, Mrs. Benjamin Urner; secretary, Mrs. Frederick W. Vincent, and treasurer, Mrs. Palmer H. Charlock.
In order to move from Jaques St. the hospital purchased land at Reid and East Jersey Sts for $5,000. About $10,000 was pledged toward the new buildings which would cost from $25,000 to $35,000.
Lebbeus B. Miller works manager of the Singer factory, was president of the board of managers; J. Augustus Dix was vice president; William T. Day, secretary; Charles H.K. Halsey, treasurer, and Samuel S. Moore, financial secretary.
Composing the board of managers were Mr. Halsey, Elwood Phares, Henry Pfarrer, Ferdinand Reichardt, Elias D. Smith, Palmer H. Charlock, Cornelius H. Clark, Benjamin Urner, R.W. Woodward, George P. Matthews, Calvin B. Orcutt and Patrick J. Ryan later mayor of Elizabeth.
The president of the medical staff was Dr. James S. Green and the secretary was Dr. David M. Miller. The medical and surgical staff Dr. Green, consulting surgeon, Dr. J.S. Crane, consulting physician, surgeons Dr. Green, Dr. Alonzo Pettit, Dr. Victor Mravlag, Dr. Miller, and physicians. Dr. Pinneo, Dr. Thomas N. McLean, Dr. William A.M. Mack, once Elizabeth’s Mayor, and Dr. Norton L. Wilson.
Alexian Dance
In those days the Alexian Brothers Hospital was in its infancy and required all the help it could get to finance the erection of its first building at Seventh and East Jersey Sts.
One of the first benefit affairs was given in Turn Hall in the form of a dance for which extensive arrangements were made. A feature of the affair was the homemade dinners served to guests, all the food having been prepared in their homes by the woman members of the committee and trucked to the hall. The decorations were elaborate, even to a canopy that stretched from the building to the curb. It was under this canopy that women guests arriving in their carriages could find protection against inclement weather.
Then on Tuesday evening May 24, 1904 a grand concert of an exceptionally high order” was given in Jacobs Theater. Miss May Husbands of 528 Westfield Ave. owns a copy of an appeal for support sent to many residents of the city by Brother Prosper, one of the Alexian Brothers originally assigned to Elizabeth. Part of the appeal after assuring an excellent concert said “Owing to the severe winter, the demands upon the resources of this institution, by reason of the largely-increased number of applicants for medical and surgical treatment, have been greater than ever before.
“The doors of the Alexian Brothers Hospital are never closed to suffering and needy humanity irrespective of religion, color or nationality and no one is rejected for lack of funds.”
Every year affairs for each of the city’s three hospitals have been arranged by various units connected with the institutions, the heaviest patronage coming from women since most of the benefit programs consist of bridge games and dessert fashion shows. The Alexian hospital foundation conducts a dance every year the proceeds going to the hospital’s many projects. This year’s dance is Nov 5 at the Winfield Scott Hotel.
(Transcribed from the Elizabeth Daily Journal, Thursday Evening Edition, October 7, 1965, page 37)
This information was last reviewed or updated on September 20, 2026. Adjustments may be made to this page as new information is added, making this a continual work in progress
