Week 2

This week, I focused on finding out more about how Washington Square Health Foundation began.  The foundation started in 1986, when Henrotin Hospital closed.  Henrotin Hospital was located at 111 Oak Street in the gold coast, and was known for their expertise in treating gun shot wounds, likely due in part to the hospital's proximity to Cabrini Green.

The hospital closed because of declining hospital bed occupancy rates and other financial problems.  The money from the sale of the hospital was used to start Washington Square, whose board of directors was initially composed of individuals on the board of Henrotin Hospital.  Washington Square was initially a public foundation, but later converted to a non-profit.

I looked further into Henrotin Hospital's past by researching Dr. Ferdinand Henrotin, who the hospital was named after when it opened.  The Henrotins were one of the first Belgian families in Chicago.  Dr. Henrotin served as Cook County Physician in the mid-1800s, and was one of the most famous surgeons in the midwest at the time. When Chicago's first policlinic hospital opened its doors in 1907, it was named after Dr. Henrotin.  Henrotin Hospital was very successful for several decades, and was the first hospital in Chicago that was not religiously affiliated.

I spent this week looking up old Tribune and Sun-Times articles to find information about the old Henrotin Hospital, and spent more time speaking with the staff of Washington Square to learn about some of the founding board members of the foundation.

Week 1

This week, I started my history internship at Washington Square Health Foundation.  Having worked there for nearly two years as a public health intern, I was excited to get the opportunity to finally learn more about the Foundation's history!

Washington Square Health Foundation is located in the John Hancock building in downtown Chicago.  The foundation grants funds to local hospitals, schools, and other institutions.  These funds cover direct healthcare services, medical equipment, medical education, and medical research.  Washington Square targets their funding towards areas of Chicago that are often lacking in access to adequate healthcare services.

Throughout the semester, I'll be doing a mixture of archival work, interviewing various individuals, and recording board member's accounts of the foundation's 25-year history.  I'll gradually be piecing together the information I gather chronologically, and working on a paper discussing the history of the foundation since it's beginnings in 1986.

This week, I spent some time talking to the Executive Director of the foundation, Howard Nochumson, about some of the people I might want to interview while working on the project.  He also suggested some places to start looking for historical information in the office-- board meeting minutes from the past 25 years, board member biographies, and information about the organizations that have received grants in the past.

I'm looking forward to finding out more about the beginning of the foundation next week!