Mary E. Wilson Home for Aged Women
"The drive in Greene County for $12,000 for the purpose of erecting a 16-room annex to the Mary E. Wilson Home for Aged Women will be launched Monday with a noonday luncheon at the Chamber of Commerce, attended by the board of directors and the workers for the drive. The campaign, which is to be conducted in Greene County as well as in Springfield, will end Saturday.
"Mrs. Mary E. Wilson, who presented the home to the city two years ago last April, started the drive with a donation of $525. Since the home was opened at 924 North Main Street two years ago it has never had a vacant room, but has been forced to turn away many old women who have applied for a home there. At present every room is full, and it has been necessary to place a bed in the living room for one old woman who has no other home.
"The annex to the home will be made from a building now on the premises, which will be moved next to the present building and remodeled to make 16 additional rooms. One room will be maintained as a hospital ward so that it will not be necessary to send the women to a local hospital when they become ill.
"Women are admitted to the home not only from Springfield, but from the entire county, and for this reason contributions will be solicited throughout the county.
"The home is not entirely a charitable institution, the women paying part of their expenses. But the remainder must be met by popular subscription. The home has no debts, so the entire $12,000 will be used in building the annex.
"Mrs. Ed V. Williams will be campaign chairman. Mrs. Fred Patton and Mrs. C.F. Hatten will be chairmen of the drive in the city. Mrs. Harry Durst and Mrs. Harry Patton will be chairmen of the county drive. Mrs. Harry Cooper will be campaign treasurer…"
Republican, March 28, 1920
The photo, above left, accompanied the newspaper article. The image, lower right, was published with a newspaper article in 1951.
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