216 Jewish Hospital of St. Louis
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A MONTHLY COMMUNITY PUBLICATION OF * the JEWISH HOSPITAL of St. Louis VOL. 14 — No. 2 FEBRUARY, 1965 216 S. KINGSHICHWAY, ST. LOUIS, MO. 63110 <y-f-oi.hitaL w~amiLi£.i. Shoenbergs Contribute To Hospital Development (The following story is one of a series in which 216 will feature individuals or families who have influenced the hos- pital's development through the years. Without their continuing interest, guid- ance and support, Jewish Hospital could not have achieved its present high stand- ard' programs of patient care, research and education.) Moses Shoenberg and his descendants: On June 9, 1929, the Moses Shoenberg School of Nursing was dedicated at 306 South Kingshighway. A gift of $300,000 given by Mr. Shoenberg's widow, Dollie and his only son, Sydney, made possible the construction of a nurses residence and school of education. The building was de- SIDNEY M. SHOENBERG CHARLES AND RICHARD YALEM join Dr. Morton D. Pareria, surgeon-in-chief, and Dr. signed for and hailed as "one of the most Stanford Wessler, physician-in-chief, in seeing the latest model for the Charles and modern and efficient homes and nursing Florence Yalem Research Building. Construction will begin in mid-1965. schools in the country." His wife was the former Dollie Bern- heimer of Quincy, Illinois. "This building", said Dr. Frank H. Vizetelly, editor of Funk and Wagnalls, In the same family tradition, Sydney Mr. & Mrs. Edison Establish and main speaker at the dedication, "is M. Shoenberg is a vice-president and a typical of the spirit and high ideals of the director of the May Company, director of $10,000 Unrestricted Fund Shoenberg family." Moses Shoenberg and the First National Bank and the St. Louis his descendants have displayed a continu- Union Trust, a director of CIT Corpora- Jewish Hospital received an endowment was an original sponsor of the hospital ing philosophy of concern for Jewish tion of New York, and a member of the gift of $10,000 in December from Mr. and newspaper, 216. Hospital. firm, Sydney M. Shoenberg and Company. Formerly, Mr. Shoenberg served as a Mrs. Harry Edison, according to Joseph The Edison families have long contin- Moses Shoenberg was one of the original director on the board of the Y.M.H.A. F. Ruwitch, president of the hospital. ued to support the building, research, and contributors to the building of Jewish The donation will be used to establish educational projects of Jewish Hospital. Hospital in 1901. Following in his father's As a staunch supporter of the Jewish the Mae and Harry Edison Unrestricted As a tribute and in honor of Mrs. Mae footsteps, Sydney M. Shoenberg not only Hospital and member of the hospital Endowment Fund. This contribution is es- Edison's parents, Tillie and Max Good- gave money for the nursing school build- board of directors in 1923, he observed, "I pecially significant with funds slated for hartz, a contribution designating two rooms ing, but by 1951, had given a total of owe a duty to my less fortunate brother the hospital unrestricted endowment pro- in their memory was made, and a bronze $700,000. $100,000 was given to the build- . how can any thinking person who gram . the major source of income for plaque commemorating their memory was ing fund in 1951 which contributed to en- enjoys the blessings of health go through the outstanding medical projects which are so established. larging the hospital by 200 beds. He do- a hospital without a feeling of thankful- now being developed. Another outstanding contribution by the nated an additional $100,000 in 1952 to ness at his own good fortune and a cor- Edison families were gifts during the responding obligation to make things a Mr. Edison, chairman of the board and enlarge and modernize the X-ray depart- capital funds drive, totaling $114,461. little easier for those wracked with pain. treasurer of Edison Brothers Stores, Inc., ment, as a memorial to his mother Dollie, These funds were used to help establish who died February 28, 1949. And if that individual is fortunately en- is well-known in St. Louis for his business the Jewish Hospital heart station. The dowed with more than his share of the In October, 1959, a second residence activity, civic and philanthropic endeavors. heart station was dedicated in memory of world's goods, how can he resist the im- for nurses was opened at 4949 Forest Park He has been on the Jewish Hospital the five Edison Brother's parents, Sarah pulse to give a small part of his surplus Boulevard, made possible by another board of directors for many years, and and Abram Edison. wealth to provide additional and more Shoenberg gift of $100,000. This dormitory comfortable quarters for this work." for 47 nurses will continue to be used in conjunction with the main residence, until In 1946 he was elected to the City Art IIIrs. SJra Simon Continues the new nursing addition is completed in Museum's Board of Control. As a bene- 1966. During the last capital fund drive factor of the arts, he donated many im- ^/Lnnual \£ifts cJo diospttal the Shoenberg family gave $250,000. From portant works of art by Gainsborough, 1920 through 1964, they have contributed Van Dyck, Hoppner, Romney, Rodin, Utrillo, and Raeburn. A gift of $12,000 was presented to II -i ! I ■> a total of $1,365,844. Jewish Hospital in December by Mrs. Ira Moses Shoenberg died in 1925 at the Sydney M. Shoenberg and his wife, the Simon. This latest in a series of annual age of 73. Called the Merchant Prince, former Stella Hays, have three sons, Syd- gifts was donated to the Ira and Herbert he achieved this title by serving as one of ney M., Jr., John M., and Robert H. Simon Research Fund established in the founders of the May Department Both Sydney M., Jr., and John serve on memory of Mrs. Simon's late husband Stores Co. He was active as vice-president the Jewish Hospital Board of Directors. and his brother, Herbert Simon, late in the business until age 69. Born in Day- John was President of the Board from husband of Mrs. Mildred Simon. The ton, Ohio, he started his first business, a 1958 to 1963 and is now a Life Member fund, first established at Jewish Hospital small haberdashery, at the age of 22. of the board. In addition, he has served in 1960 with grants totaling $18,000, has Shortly after, he went to Leadville, on the board of the St. Louis United grown to a total of $132,000 by the end Colorado where he joined his brother-in- Fund, the Jewish Federation, the Jewish of 1964. law, David May to establish a firm known Sanatorium, the Neighborhood Associa- This resource for unrestricted research as May and Shoenberg. tion, and has been active in the National was established by members of the Simon Conference of Christians and Jews, and In 1892, he came to St. Louis and pur- family to be used for the study and treat- the Planned Parenthood Assoc. chased the "Famous" store; then the D. ment of cancer, mental and nervous dis- Sydney M. Shoenberg, Jr. was active eases, or any other diseases which the Crawford and Company; and later the William Barr Dry Goods. This was the and served as treasurer in a St. Louis Uni- Research Committee of the Hospital Board versity campaign drive. He also served of Directors may approve. beginning of the May Department Stores Company chain. on the Community Chest Board, and is a Pilot projects which have already been former director of the Jewish Federation In addition to his department store approved by the Research Committee and the Y.M.H.A. under terms of the fund include: a study activities, he also founded the Eagle Dis- Robert Shoenberg is vice-chairman of to determine the reasons why miscarriages count Stamp Company, and was Chair- result in women with psychiatric problems; man of the Board of the Commercial the Red Cross, a director of the City Art Museum, and a board member at the and a study to analyze some of the bio- MRS. IRA SIMON Investment Trust, Inc. of New York, a Central Institute for the Deaf. chemical characteristics of the skin to de- director of Maloney Electric Company, termine how to make skin grafts grow standing in recognizing the value of and a director of the First National Bank The three brothers are associated with more rapidly. The latter study will also scientific research to humanity. After of St. Louis. He was past president of the their father in the investment firm of supply information about factors influenc- having gone through the pain and agony Federation of Jewish Charities, and of Sydney M. Shoenberg and Company, lo- ing skin cancer. of caring for her husband, who was afflict- Temple Israel, and was a director of Jew- cated in the Boatman's National Bank By her continuing support, Mrs. Simon, ed with cancer, she has chosen this impor- ish Hospital, the Jewish Sanatorium (to Building. the former Laura Hartman, exemplifies a tant way of perpetuating his memory. which he contributed a building) and the Jewish Hospital is grateful for and woman of generosity and kindness. Laura Simon is a vivacious, well-liked Columbian Club. proud of her continuing association with According to a close associate: "She woman, considerate of her family, friends He was a member of the staff of Gov- the outstanding Shoenberg family of St. is endowed with foresight as well as under- and the community." ernor Hadley of Missouri.