The Relationship Of Scottish Rite Freemasonry And Children's Healthcare Of Atlanta
Earl D. Harris,
33°, Deputy in Georgia
31 Meadow Way, Covington, Georgia 30014–1642
Today, the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, as in the past,
continues its tradition of assistance to all the children of Georgia.
Photo: Ill. Clarence E. Horne, 33°, Personal Representative
in Atlanta, and Ill. Earl D. Harris, 33°, Deputy of the Supreme
Council in Georgia, visit with patients at Children's Healthcare
of Atlanta.
"As the child is, the world of tomorrow
will be." The Scottish Rite Masons of Georgia have believed
in this anonymous quote for 85 years. The founding fathers of
Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children were asked and they
accepted the challenge to raise funds to begin the Scottish Rite
Hospital. According to the DeKalb Historical Society, "it
is the very first Crippled Children's Hospital in the country
and possibly in the world. We are certain it is the first of its
kind sponsored by Masons." The Scottish Rite Masons of Georgia
have provided leadership and financial support throughout the
years since 1915. The influence of this facility on (a) the medical
services for children, (b) the specialty of Pediatrics and (c)
the name changes of the facility, are of great significance. Masons
everywhere agree that by helping children, we are living up to
"a belief in God, country, and helping mankind."
From the founding days of Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children in 1915, there were many crippled children whose parents were unable to pay for services. So began the policy which still exists today, that no child shall ever be turned away because of the parents' inability to pay. This meant that in the early years Scottish Rite Masons often reached into their wallets to meet the weekly wages of the nurses and other staff members. The doctors volunteered their time, including the first Medical Director, Michael Hoke, M.D. Atlanta ladies, including many Masons' wives, also volunteered, making clothes, rocking and feeding the children. Patients often spent weeks, even months, recovering from surgical procedures and the children always received loving and personal care during their hospitalization, as they do today. The Board of Trustees, including many who were Scottish Rite Masons, found ways to answer the financial needs of the hospital. And more than that, they also found the dollars needed for the purchase of land, buildings, and expansion of the facilities.
The specialty of Pediatric Orthopaedics grew from these early crippled children's facilities. The epidemics of polio in the 1940s and 1950s, crippling many children, created the urgency for this particular specialty. In due time, one of the first Pediatric Orthopaedic textbooks had its origin at Scottish Rite. This text continues to be updated and used in virtually all medical centers treating children in the country today.
In 1932, the American Academy of Pediatrics began its advocacy for children on a national level. Specialization in Pediatrics grew as we learned again and again: the newborn, the infant, the child, the adolescent—all require special solutions. This also meant that more highly trained individuals—children's nurses, doctors, social workers, chaplains and other staff—were essential. Also, unique children's full-service hospitals with special equipment began to be developed. Egleston Children's Hospital, caring for medical and surgical problems of the child, opened in Atlanta in 1926 with its goals and determination to begin a journey to meet these special healthcare needs.
With the increased growth in the southeastern population in the 1970s and 1980s, both Scottish Rite and Egleston moved to expand facilities and services. In 1976, the Scottish Rite Board of Trustees made the decision to push toward becoming a full-service children's hospital. A new facility was constructed in north Atlanta and named the Scottish Rite Children's Hospital. Additional beds were added in 1981, and in 1987 the addition of the Callaway Acute Care Center significantly increased the capacity for intensive care, emergency care, and out-patient surgery. The completed facility was then named Scottish Rite Children's Medical Center, and the hospital itself was designated the Wilbur & Hilda Glenn Children's Hospital. (We are deeply indebted to the T.K. Glenn, Wilbur F. Glenn and Fuller E. Callaway families for their timely and effective support over many years.)
Summarizing the changes of the past twenty years, the Scottish Rite facility grew from 8 to 18.5 acres, 50 to 165 beds, 35 to more than 400 doctors. Also, pediatric specialization continued to increase. In this time, Egleston moved to the Emory University School of Medicine campus and expanded its programs to include the education of medical and nursing students as well as pediatric interns and residents. It began the development of programs in heart surgery, organ transplants, and cancer treatment.
During this period of growth of both institutions, revolutionary changes in American medicine were taking place due to increased medical specialization and advancements in medical technology. The cost of medical care increased greatly. Managed Care came into being because of increasing pressure on costs—more care for less pay. The federal program of Medicaid, the children's "Medicare," also began to pay less to children's hospitals. Some children's hospitals considered closing, others have merged.
Due to growth in the number of children, increases in pediatric specialization, the Medical Revolution and consequent pressures in providing the best possible care to children, Egleston Children's Hospital at Emory and Scottish Rite Children's Medical Center, in the late 1990s, began discussions of a possible merger. In 1998 the two facilities concluded that a merger was absolutely essential to the ongoing and expanding health care needs of our children. These two institutions, with a combined history of over 159 years of serving children, joined under one Board of Trustees, one CEO, one CFO, and one V.P. of Medical Affairs as Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston. There is now one foundation, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation. We are recognized as one of the top five most capable children's facilities in our country today. There are 43 different pediatric specialties on the two campuses, with 400 beds and access to 1,200 physicians and dentists. We are more than a hospital, as our new name reflects.
We are a new complete system of care for children, including a large community education service. We also have an information advisory telephone line (404–250–KIDS) for any parent with a sick child. This community service line received 500,000 calls last year, at no cost to the caller. We teach young doctors and nurses, and do both basic and clinical research. Combined expenses have been reduced.
Yes, our name has changed to better represent the variety and complexity of our services. By the early 1920s, Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children became a regional center for crippled children. Today, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is a regional referral center for all children's health problems, including heart conditions, cancer, and organ transplants. The mission of excellence in patient care remains the same, and the educational and research capabilities have increased.
The entire facility is community owned; therefore, it needs and depends heavily on community support. In order to continue our life-long policy and practice of "no child is turned away because of the parents' inability to pay," the new institution is, as it has been since 1915, the charity of Scottish Rite Masons of Georgia. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston form the perfect legacy for all children. Scottish Rite Freemasons—in fact all Masonic members—can take great pride and inspiration in the exceptional quality and complete health care provided by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to children from all parts of Georgia and many beyond.