An event of great importance to this district will be observed at Humboldt on Saturday, August 21st, when an elaborate programme will be carried out to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the opening of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. The program is being prepared by the local Hospital Ladies’ Aid. It is fitting that on this occasion the English-reading public should be offered some of the most interesting historical data of this hospital, which has made very marked progress during its twenty-five years of activity in the Province.

St. Elizabeth’s Hospital is conducted by the Sisters of St. Elizabeth, whose motherhouse is in Klagenfurt, Austria. They are a branch of the Franciscan Order, and their patron saint is St. Elizabeth of Thueringen, whose outstanding charity toward the poor and the sick is well known. The first hospital of the Order was found in operation in Rome as early as 1288, and at the beginning of the seventeenth century the order had 135 houses and 4,300 members. However, through revolution and secularization the number of houses and members have been reduced to about 50 and 1,200 respectively.

Arrival in Humboldt
When, in 1910, the motherhouse at Klagenfurt celebrated the 200th anniversary of its establishment, the Sisters in charge expressed the desire of founding a new hospital. This came to the knowledge of the Rev. Bruno Doerfler, O.S.B., then Prior of St. Peter’s Abbey, Muenster, Sask. Realizing the need for a hospital in the Humboldt district, he immediately got busy. The result was that on April 30, 1911, three Sisters bade farewell to their beautiful native land, their relatives and their friends at Klagenfurt, Austria, and started on their long journey to Saskatchewan. These Sisters were: Sister Augustina Platzer (the Superior), Sister Philomena Jug, and Sister Gabriella Lex, and they arrived at Muenster on May 14.

The Hospital
Accompanied by Prior Bruno, the Sisters interviewed Mayor O.W. Andreason at Humboldt the next day and examined several offers for a site for their first hospital in Canada. They acquired 7 and a 1/2 acres a half mile north of the C.N.R. station from Mr. Phillip Flory, a good portion being donated by this generous friend of the sick. Later the Sisters procured 2 and a 1/2 acres from Mr. Clement Kohle, which brought their land property up to 10 acres.

Mr. Albrechtson of Prince Albert was given the task of preparing a plan of the new hospital, which, since it had to be approved by the provincial government after several changes in the original draft had been made, took several months so that building could not be started before fall. The building contract was given to Mr. I.P. Hansen.

In the meantime the town of Humboldt passed a bylaw enabling the council to donate $2,500 to the new hospital, which bylaw received a large majority vote of the citizens on December 11, 1911. And on September 18 of the same year Sisters Philomena and Gabriella went to Duluth to study the English language at the

Construction of the hospital, which was supervised by Rev. Father Rudolph, parish priest at Humboldt, commenced in the fall of 1911 and was nearly completed October 3, 1912, when it was blessed by the Most Rev. Albert Pascal, O.M.I., Bishop of Prince Albert. His Excellency was assisted at this function by the Rt. Rev. Bruno Doerfler, who had by this time been raised to the abbatial dignity, the Very Rev. Prior Peter, and Rev. Fathers Rudolph and Casimir. The building, 54 by 56 feet, contained two storeys together with a spacious basement and a roomy attic, the last named being the living quarters of the Sisters.

There were a nice chapel, a well equipped operating room and a special sterilization room. Modern water, heat and light equipment had been installed. The capacity was eighteen beds, though more beds could easily find room in emergency cases. The cost of the building was $25,000.

In its report of the blessing of the hospital, the St. Peters Bote of October 10, 1912, tells us that during the ceremony special prayers were said in the various parts of the building. In the Sisters’ quarters Psalms 4 and 83 were recited, in the dining room Psalm 127, in the kitchen Psalm 22, in the cellar Psalm 143, at the entrance Psalm 147, in the chapel Psalm 90, in the sick rooms Psalm 6. A large number of people of the town and surrounding district attended the significant services, at the conclusion of which a banquet was served for prominent town officials and the clergy. On this occasion the Sisters received many substantial gifts from the people, who indeed seemed to appreciate the many advantages of a good hospital at Humboldt.

Help Arrives
The community of three Sisters who arrived here May 14, 1911, had a day of great joy July 26, 1912, when they could welcome to Humboldt the following members from the motherhouse at Klagenfurt: Sisters Euphrasia Weiss, Salesia Scheriau, Clementina Possenig, Agatha Loibnegger, Helen Karnicar, Xaveria Mocilnik and Gertrude Bergles (a novice).

Independence
That the Sisters of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital were doing their work well and received good support from the town and district can be seen in this that they did not long remain dependent on their motherhouse in Austria. After a Mass celebrated in honor of the Holy Ghost by the Rt. Rev. Abbot Bruno in the hospital chapel on August 30, 1913, His Lordship declared the community independent in conformity with canon law. The first election of a superior was then held, the heavy responsibility falling upon Sister Pulcheria Wilhelm. In the fall of the same year the first young lady of the Province to join the Sisters at Humboldt, was invested with the habit of St. Elizabeth, her name in religion being Sister Marianna.