The Free Library of Philadelphia, northeast corner of Thirteenth and Locust Streets, chartered, 1891, from endowment fund, left in will by William Pepper, M.D., LL.D., for a free library in the city of Philadelphia: opened temporarily in City Hall; removed to old Concert Hall, 1217-21 Chestnut Street, now in old building of College of Physicians; contains bust of Dr. Pepper, by Carl Bitter, and portraits; a large new library building is in process of construction on the Parkway, Nineteenth and Vine Streets. Growth and usefulness, from its inception, are due to the management of the late Dr. John Thomson, Librarian; now includes a main building, 26 branches, as well as deposit stations and traveling libraries; total circulation for home use in 1916, 2,767,310. Hearty coöperation exists between the public schools and the Free Library; school extension lectures are given to the children of the grammar grades; and “story hours” are weekly events for younger children in the branch libraries. Reference and periodical departments contain works on art, architecture, and archæology, extremely valuable to the practical student and designer; here are facsimiles of many most noted, of early printed books and manuscripts, Bible codices, etc.; the “open shelf” system is used in all departments. Fine buildings of the branch libraries have been developed in their architectural proportions and decoration, on the traditions of French and English Renaissance, or local expression of the Georgian; always with top lighting, considered extremely important: in the basement of the branch at Seventeenth and Spring Garden Streets is a large and valuable collection of government documents; the Josephine Widener Memorial Branch, Broad Street and Girard Avenue, has reference books of priceless nature and rare prints, issued before A.D. 1500.
HISTORIC MEDICAL COLLEGES, HOSPITALS, AND DISPENSARIES
Christ Chruch Hospital, Wynnefield Station, Park Trolley and P. R. R.; Gothic stone building; organized, 1772, by Dr. John Kearsley; endowed by Jacob Dobson in 1804; is a home for gentlewomen, communicants of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the Diocese of Pennsylvania; 150 acres; the Board of Managers include three of the vestry, each, of Christ Church and St. Peter’s Church.
College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Twenty-second Street, above Chestnut; founded about 1787, and modeled on lines of The Royal College of Physicians in London. A scientific paper was read by Dr. Benjamin Rush at the first meeting. English Renaissance, brick, laid Flemish bond, with basement, cornices, pilasters, and other trimmings of Indiana limestone; finest building of a medical society in the world, with the largest medical library, save one, in the United States, and a fine collection of portraits of presidents of the Society, painted by most notable artists. This is not a teaching institution, but a Medical Society, composed of men of professional distinction.
Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital, 226 North Broad Street. Oldest homeopathic college in the world; founded in 1848; first located at 229 Arch Street. Consolidated with the Homeopathic Medical College in 1869; moved to present site in 1901. Its collections include the world-famous dissection of entire cerebro-spinal nervous system by Dr. Rufus B. Weaver; Dr. Hering’s complete writings of Paracelsus; Dr. A. R. Thomas’s library of old and rare anatomical books; Hahnemann’s works in the original; it has the most complete library of homeopathic literature in existence. Portrait of Dr. W. B. VanLennep; artist, Henry Rittenberg.
Home of the Merciful Saviour, 4400 Baltimore Avenue, on grounds adjoining the Clarence Clark Park; incorporated, 1882; eight houses and chapel, all memorials, with a summer home at Avon-by-the-Sea. A home for crippled, homeless, and helpless children. First of its kind in America where vocational training is taught.
Hospital of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Front Street and Lehigh Avenue. Main group of buildings, pure Norman. Founded by the Right Rev. Alonzo Potter, Bishop of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Caspar Morris, in the ancestral home of two parishioners on the present site. Jenny Lind made the first cash contribution.
Jefferson Medical College, Tenth and Sansom Streets; founded through the efforts of Dr. George B. McClellan; opened, 1825. Present building erected, 1904.
Jefferson Hospital, Tenth and Sansom Streets; last word in hospital construction and equipment; originated in the Infirmary established in Jefferson College, 1825; present site was bought, 1875, and the building opened for use in 1877. Amphitheatre is one of the largest in the world. Museum contains casts and wax models of interesting cases. Notable portraits in the building are Dr. Forbes, by Aikens; Dr. DaCosta, by Vonnoh; Dr. Keen, by Chase; Mr. William Potter, by Breckenridge; Dr. William Pancoast, by Uhle; also bronze bust of Dr. Marion Sims, by C. Duboi, Paris, 1876; marble bust of Dr. George McClellan; bronze busts of Daniel Webster and Thomas Jefferson.
Jewish Hospital, Logan Station; Old York Road and Olney Avenue, entrance is marked with six granite columns from the old United States Mint, formerly on Chestnut Street. Includes twenty buildings, on twenty-two acres of ground, with modern scientific equipment for treatment of sick, care of aged and incurable. A number of art works said to be of considerable value are here.