website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown,
Wisconsin
Bethesda
Lutheran Home
Bethesda
Lutheran Communities
Founded
1904
1904
On
1905
(Feb
23) After considerable discussion the
assembly (Madison) today ordered two engrossments of the Racek bill exempting
forty acres of land belonging to the Evangelical Lutheran home for Feeble
Minded at Watertown from taxation. The authorities of the home, which has been
conducted in rented premises for several years, have purchased a tract of land
near the outskirts of Watertown and are now engaged in raising money with which
to erect the necessary buildings for the institution. The bill was opposed on the grounds that it
might open the door to abuses by enabling asylums and sanitariums conducted for
private gain to escape taxation.
(June
4) W. K. Weissvrodt, superintendent of
the Lutheran Home for Feeble-Minded and Epileptics, left Monday for Vineland,
New Jersey, where he will attend a meeting of the Association of Officers of
American Institutions for Idiotic and Feeble-Minded-Persons. On his return he will stop at Elwayn, Pa.,
Polk, Pa., Columbus, Ohio, and Fort Wayne, Ind., to inspect the homes there and
secure ideas as to the best plans for the proposed home to be built at
Watertown. He will arrive here June 9.
1905
(July
14) We are informed, that the trees on
the beautiful grounds where the exercises of the Ev. Luth.
Home for the Feeble Minded were held Sunday, are to be
cut down and the land platted into residence lots. It is a shame. The land
should be purchased by the city and converted into a park. There are only two
small parks in the city, which are all out of proportion to its population and
prospective growth. It is a matter that should receive the attention of the
mayor and common council at its regular meeting.
1905
Last
Friday the board of Lutheran Home for Feeble Minded and Epileptic met at St.
Mark's Church . . . W. K. Weissbrogt, Supt. of the Home reported 40 inmates at
present and that 6 more were admitted. This is the capacity of the Home so at
present applicants for admission must wait until vacancies occur. The large
number of school classes makes it necessary to give Supt. Weissbrogt assistance
in the shape of a second assistant which will be engaged as soon as a suitable
person is found. The school is progressing nicely, and at present preparing a
program for a Christmas service which will take place in one of the Lutheran
churches on Second Christmas Day eve.
1905
12 22
CHRISTMAS AT THE LUTHERAN HOME
FOR FEEBLE MINDED AND EPILEPTICS
The children will have a Christmas tree
at the Home, and receive their presents early on the first Christmas Day. On account of lack of room this affair must
be of a private character.
But to give all friends of the
institution a chance to celebrate with us, arrangements have been made to
render a Xmas program at St. John's Lutheran Church. Corner N. Fifth and Cady streets. This children's service will be held December
26, 7:15 p.m.
1908
01 15 Milwaukee
News: Plans have been prepared for a
home for feeble minded and epileptics, in Watertown, Wis., and when the
building is completed, the temporary home at 1380 Humboldt Avenue, this city
[Milwaukee], will remove to the new quarters.
It is estimated that the building, which will be of solid brick, three
stories high, will cost $25,000, and will furnish accommodations for sixty inmates. There are thirty-nine children in the present
home, with a waiting list of 175 now on hand. In view of these conditions the
plans for the new building have been prepared with a view to the enlargement
without defacing the architecture, from time to time, as the finances will
permit. The home is supported by the
synodical conference, and a site for the building embracing forty acres of land
with the corporate limits of the city of Watertown has been donated by the
congregations, in the synod, independent, of the synod itself. WG
09 11 On Lutheran Feeble-Minded Home site purchased last year in this
city, it was decided to begin work on the building this fall. Cost of the home will be about $30,000. WG
10 02 F. J. Winker, who
purchased the "Faith Home" in the Fifth ward last
week at sheriff’s sale for $1675.50, has had an offer for it at a considerable
advantage. WG
10 16 Site
for new home visited; site for building staked out WG
1909
03
26 Bids
for new Lutheran Home for Feeble Minded
WG
07 02 Lutheran
Home Corner Stone Laid
A
large number of people attended the laying of the corner stone of the Home for
Feeble Minded [Bethesda] now being built in the southeastern part of the third
ward, on what is known as “Boomer’s Pasture.”
In the corner stone were placed copies of the local newspapers, the
names of the president of the United States, of the governor of Wisconsin and
the mayor of Watertown, with a brief history of the erection of the home and
the movement for the establishing of it.
Rev
H. F. Eggers, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church,
officiated. The English address was
delivered by Rev. O. Hagerdorn of Milwaukee, and Rev. J. T. Boeger of Racine
spoke in German. W. K. Weissbrodt,
superintendent of the Feeble Minded Home in Milwaukee, read the history of the
home since it was established. St.
John’s church band and the mixed choir of St. Mark’s
Church furnished music for the occasion.
The corner stone is a plain block of sandstone and on its face is
inscribed “A. D. 1909.”
The
building will be a three story brick and basement, the main building 48x87,
with two wings 35x74 feet and 28x74 feet.
Alderman Charles Huenefeld of Watertown has the carpenter contract and
Henry Schmidt of Milwaukee the contract for the mason work. Otto Biefeld & Co. has the
plumbing contract and Grossert & Kuehn the sheet metal work. The building will be steam heated, electric
lighted and contain everything modern.
It is admirably situated on the west bank of Rock River and will be a
very pleasant home for the feeble minded people to be housed in. It will accommodate about 80 pupils and the
superintendent and family. The contract
calls for it being finished by October 15.
WG
1910
02 25 Says
Resignation was Voluntary
“The
rumor that the board of managers asked me to resign from my position as manager
of the Evangelical Lutheran Home for Feeble-Minded Children at Watertown is
entirely without foundation,” said William K. Weissbrodt,
manager, when called on the telephone yesterday as to a report that he
resigned.
“I
left my Milwaukee home at 1308 Humboldt Avenue three months ago to go to
Watertown, when the institution of which I am manager was moved here
[Watertown]. I understood that certain members of the board thought that I did
not manage the finances of the home to the best advantage, but the board as a
whole was not dissatisfied. If there is
any extenuation needed for the fact that I did not do all that I should have
liked to accomplish in connection with the management of the home, I believe it
is furnished in the fact that I was shorthanded and was doing the work of two
men. I intend to go back to Milwaukee
and shall go into the public schools as a teacher again. The board and I are parting the best of friends.”
— Milwaukee Free Press / WG
05 09 WDTimes
Lutheran
Home Dedicated Sunday
Vast Assemblage Witness
the Ceremonies in the Morning and Afternoon
MUSICAL SOCIETIES TAKE
PART
New Home For Feebleminded Children Formally
Dedicated With
Appropriate Exercises
Many Ministers Present
The
new Lutheran Home for Feeble Minded Children recently constructed in the Third
ward, was formally dedicated with appropriate services Sunday. The program
included services in the morning and afternoon, as a vast assemblage was
present on both occasions, several hundred people coming from Milwaukee in the
morning. Excellent arrangements had been made to look after the comfort
of the visitors and the wants of the inner man were supplied on the grounds,
dinner being served for all who desired to partake.
The
Northwestern University band and the mixed choir of St. Mark's and St. John's
churches, together with a choir from Milwaukee, assisted in the program. The morning services were conducted by the
Rev. C. Gausewitz of Milwaukee and were in German. In the afternoon the
Rev. W. Uffenbeck of Portage conducted the services and the English address was
delivered by the Rev. H. Fredrich of Hellenville. The ceremonies were
very impressive, the large audience at times joining in the hymns. The
following program was carried out:
|
Morning |
|
|
Music |
N. W. U. Band |
|
Hymn |
Choir |
|
Hymn |
Congregation |
|
Dedicatory services |
|
|
Sermon |
Rev. C. Gausewitz |
|
Hymn |
Choir |
|
Hymn |
The Children |
|
Hymn |
Congregation |
|
Benediction |
|
|
Hymn |
Congregation |
|
Afternoon |
|
|
Music |
N. W. U. Band |
|
Hymn |
Choir |
|
Hymn |
Congregation |
|
Sermon |
Rev. W. Uffenbeck |
|
Hymn |
Choir |
|
Sermon |
Rev E. Fredrich |
|
Hymn |
Choir |
|
Hymn |
Congregation |
|
Benediction |
|
|
Hymn |
Congregation |
The
cornerstone of the building was laid with impressive services on
1910 Boomer's Woods
10 21 The trustees of the Lutheran
Home for the Feeble Minded have purchased of Chas. A. Vaughan, Boomer's woods,
south of the home in the 3rd ward. The
tract contains 80 acres of fine land and is a valuable acquisition to the
property now used in connection with this home. WG
10 28 A number of Wisconsin
charitable and educational institutions are beneficiaries under the will of
Mrs. Augusta Vogel of Milwaukee, which was filed last week, disposing of an
estate of $100,000 personal and $15,000 real property. The Evangelical Lutheran Home for the
Feebleminded, Watertown, is given $5000, Lutheran Altenheim
Society $2000, Milwaukee Protestant Home for the Aged $2000, Northwestern
University, Watertown, Milwaukee Protestant Orphan Asylum and the Children's
Free Hospital, $500 each. WG
12 09 On Tuesday the state
board of control was in the city and inspected a site in the northwestern part
of the city for a home for feebleminded.
They were here on invitation of the Watertown Advancement Association. The members of the board here were: W. H. Graebner of Milwaukee, president of the board; Judge Cowie of Whitehall, Dr. A. J. Frisby
of Milwaukee, and A. D. Conover of Madison.
WG
1911
05 11 Festival at
Feebleminded Home
The
annual festival of the dedication of the Lutheran Home for Feebleminded will
take place at the home in the southwestern part of this city. There will be religious services in the
forenoon at 10:30 and in the afternoon at 2:30.
The Revs. Chr. Sauer of Juneau, J. F. Gericke of Lebanon and H. G. Moussa
of Jefferson will be the speakers. Rev. Moussa, former professor and athletic director of
Northwestern College, will address the assemblage in the English language. The mixed choirs of St. John's and St Mark's
churches of this city and St. Stephen's Church of Milwaukee will
participate. The N. W. C. band will
furnish the music. Dinner and supper
will be served at the home. All friends
of the children and of the institution are cordially invited to attend. WG
1924 The name Bethesda appears for the first time.
1949 Good Shepherd
Lutheran Home of the West, later known as Good Shepherd Communities,
established by Bethesda WDT
1954 Constantly
increasing requests and applications for admission to the Bethesda Lutheran
Home here have resulted in more and more emergency entries of patients for whom
immediate care must be provided, with the result that the home is now
constructing additional facilities to meet the need, it was disclosed today in
a report by officials of the home. The institution has become more and more
overcrowded as a result of the new admissions and something had to be done to
reach a solution, the report pointed out. Early in the spring of 1954 the board
of directors of the home decided to build the most economical facilities
possible which would serve the largest number quickly. The building was planned
later to be used for other purposes when sufficient room became available in
permanent quarters. For this purpose a Quonset type construction was decided
upon. Construction has been started on the emergency dormitory to house 25
older boys and men. A
couple to serve as house parents are already at Bethesda in the persons
of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Hedricks. The building is to be of steel construction with
adequate insulation and all modern conveniences. A steam convector heating
system is to be used in the living quarters while the large bedroom is to be
heated by Modine radiators. 11 12
1955 An
announcement revealing recent activities and future plans at the Bethesda
Lutheran Home was issued here today following the annual meeting of the board
members of the institution. It is estimated the planned building program at
Bethesda Lutheran Home will amount to approximately $2,000,000 in the
construction of a four-story hospital type dormitory for aged patients, and to
include an infirmary and various types of therapy. A new school of ten rooms
and junior size gymnasium is also to be constructed. Finally, the remodeling
program will be completed as a part of the building program. 10 22
1955 The
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, of which St. John's Church of Watertown is a
member, today announced plans for its $5,000,000 building campaign which is to
be held Sunday, March 20 in 4,000 churches of the synod throughout the United
States. The Bethesda Lutheran Home is one of five auxiliary organizations of
the church body which is to share in the funds of the campaign. The Bethesda
Lutheran Home's share is $1,700,000 which is to be used to complete a vast
remodeling program at the institution and to erect new dormitories and a school
for the mentally retarded persons for which it provides care and training. 02 25
1956 Plans
are well advanced for a two million dollar expansion program at the Bethesda
Lutheran Home, it was announced yesterday by the Rev.
Clarence F. Golisch, superintendent. “We are bursting at the seams,” the
superintendent said. He reported that the institution is caring for 466
patients, which is many more than state regulations allow. After the expansion
program is completed, the institution will accommodate 750 patients. He
prophesied, because of the great demand for the type of care offering by
Bethesda, that eventually there would be a thousand patients with the expanded
facilities designed for 750. 01 04
1956 In a
letter which Bethesda Lutheran Home officials have sent to the Water Commission
here, the needs for better fire protection at the institution, through added
water facilities being made available in the area, are being stressed. The
letter asks extension of a six-inch water line for a distance of 2,225 feet to
be part of the proposed project. This would enable more water hydrants in case
of need in fires and the installation would favorably affect the institution's
fire insurance rating. 05 11
1956 A
notable milestone in the history of the Bethesda Lutheran Home took place
yesterday afternoon when ground breaking ceremonies were held for two new
buildings - a hospital or adult building and a school. The cost of the two
units will be $2,000,000. The new facilities will enable the institution to
handle 750 patients, which is almost 300 more than the
current population. The first shovel of dirt for the new adult or hospital
building was turned by Louis Pingel, who until his retirement has been
superintendent of the institution for nearly 30 years, whose long range
planning has included the present building program. The second shovel was
turned by Dr. Otto F. Dierker, president of the board; and the third by the
Rev. Clarence F. Golisch, superintendent. The first shovel of dirt for the
school was turned by Chaplain Adolph M. Harstad. Other shovels were turned by
Arthur Mallow, member of the board, and Walter Manthey, treasurer and member of
the board. 06 17
1957 The
two newest buildings at the Bethesda Lutheran Home which are now nearing
completion are to be dedicated on Sunday, Oct. 20. Those buildings are the $1,300,000 Ritter
Memorial Dormitory, partial use of which has been promised in September, and
the new $200,000 Pingel School, named in honor of Louis Pingel, for many years superintendent of the home. The new dormitory includes a geriatric area
for older patients and a completely equipped infirmary. There is also special space for emotionally
disturbed residents. The Pingel School
building has nine classrooms, with additional classrooms if needed, as well as
recreational space, teachers' offices and the like. Orville Madsen and Son, Minneapolis, are the
general contractors and the architects are Edgar A. Stubenrauch and Associates
of Sheboygan. 08 13
1957c Slide
show
1958
01 29 Louis Pingel, “The Grand Old Man of Bethesda,” honored. Associated with the home for 50 years WDT
04 03 Plans announced for dual dedication services on
Sunday, April 13 and Sunday, April 20, for newly completed Louis Pingel School, the Linda Ritter Memorial Dormitory, and the
Manual Arts School. WDT
04 11 The first of two dedication services for the Louis Pingel School, the Linda Ritter Memorial
Hospital and the Manual Arts School at the Bethesda Lutheran Home was held
yesterday afternoon at the home. WDT
Bethesda Thrift Shop started WDT
07 22 Plot
of ground deeded to the Watertown Historical Soc so to erect a log cabin on
the site, in addition to historical marker.
WDT
10 16 Ed Rindfleisch new president; retirement of Dr.
Otto F. Dierker WDT
12 19 New life-size figurines
enhance Christmas scene at home WDT
1959
03 20 Earl E. Mundt, resignation of; superintendent
of BLH for many years WDT
08 01 Col. Clarence F. Golisch, executive
director of Bethesda, ordered to report for duty, Army Reserve WDT
1979
04 02 Bethesda 75th Anniversary Service WDT
1980
10 22 Three buildings at Bethesda Lutheran Home
have been demolished to make room for a badly needed parking lot. The oldest unit, the Eggers building, was
erected in 1909 for a cost of $35,000.
The second section of the Eggers building was constructed in 1913. In 1922 the Tetzlaff building, part of a
$175,000 building project, was put up.
It was connected to the Eggers building by a long corridor which after
remodeling to the front and rear became the Prange building. In recent years it housed administrative
offices which have been moved to the remodeled Pingel School building. None of the demolished units met state fire
codes and residents hadn't lived there for three to four years. Besides tearing down the three buildings, the
back wall of the chapel, which was the front wall of the Tetzlaff building, was
also destroyed. A new wall and gift shop
will be constructed. In addition to the
gift shop and parking area, Bethesda opened its new lobby about two weeks
ago.
11 26 Bethesda Lutheran Home will lay the
cornerstone for its new chapel and spiritual life center at 2:30 p.m.
Sunday. An open house in the home's
newly remodeled areas and presentation of the 1980 Pool of Bethesda Award are
also planned in conjunction with the event.
Following the ceremony, the 1980 Pool of Bethesda Award will be
presented to Dr. Clarence Golisch, who headed Bethesda from 1950 to 1972. The award was created by the home in 1979 to
recognize outstanding contributions of service and leadership in the field of
mental retardation. Previous recipients
are Dale Evans Rogers and Chaplain Herbert Munderich of California.
1982
11 27 A $717,000 project at Bethesda
Lutheran Home will result in the relocation of 46 residents to updated quarters
and the addition of two services. The
13,107-square-foot lower level of Dierker Building C will be partitioned into
10 four-bed and three two-bed rooms.
Each room will have bath and toilet facilities and built-in
wardrobes. The residents will be moved
into Dierker C from the third floor of the Ritter Building, which will be
converted into a resource and diagnostic center.
1985
01 25 Bethesda employees honored WDT
02 22 Alexander Napolitano, executive director,
10 years of service WDT
04 28 Bethesda recently honored 7,700
volunteers who gave nearly 90,000 hours of service during 1985 in recognition
of National Volunteer Week. A
volunteer’s name is engraved on a plaque in Bethesda’s main lobby for 5,000
hours of service and a star is placed by the name for every 2,500 hours of
added service. Elsie Degnitz
of Watertown received second stars after completing 10,000 hours of service.
Wanda Fischer, Oconomowoc, had a star added by her name for 7,500 hours and
Dorothy Person, Watertown, had her name placed on the plaque for 5,000
volunteer service hours. Certificates of
appreciation for 4,000 hours of service were given to Anita Steffen, Watertown,
Harvey Krueger, Watertown, and Maxine Dargue,
Waupun. WDT
1986
10 01 Eight employees who have worked a
combined total of 100 years at Bethesda Lutheran Home are being honored for
their service this month. Heading the
list are Verena Papiernik,
residential aide, and David Tietz, print shop
supervisor, both of whom began working at Bethesda 25 years ago. Other staff members receiving service awards
are: Bonnie Sprengel, licensed practical nurse, 15
years; Audrey Hale, clothing aide; and Phyllis Guetzlaff,
social service clerk, 10 years; Roberta Roe and Roxanne Grimmer, residential
aides, and Russell Fathauer, director, each for five
years. WDT
1992 Bethesda Lutheran Home
renamed Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services.
1997
07 06 Dr. Alexander L. Napolitano, executive
director at Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services Inc. for the past 23 years,
will retire at the end of the year.
Napolitano, chief executive officer of one of the nation's largest providers
to people with mental retardation, will retire on Jan. 1, 1998. Served as executive
director since Feb. 1, 1975.
During Napolitano's tenure, Bethesda has grown from the Watertown campus
and two local group homes to 39 Bethesda-owned facilities, nine supported
apartments and four service offices in 11 states. WDT
12 14 Dr. F. David Geske has been named
executive director WDT
1998
09 18 Dr. Alexander Napolitano honored, administration
building named after WDT
11 18 Watertown Community Child Care move to
Bethesda; conditional use permit approved
WDT
1999
08 24 Restructuring; seven living areas
headed by program directors
09 02 Harvey Krueger, volunteer WDT
11 17 September Bethesda Country Fair, $160,000
check WDT
2000
08 28 Open house scheduled to celebrate the completion of
two new homes for clients who live at the Eickstaedt Home. The open house is
scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. The two homes are located at 1621 and 1633
Carlson Place. The homes offer clients
the opportunity to live in a more community-based setting than the Eickstaedt
Home, which is adjacent to the grounds of Bethesda's Watertown campus. WDT
12 29 Bethesda is planning a $7 million to $10 million
construction project at its Watertown campus to be completed by 2004, the year
the organization turns 100 years old.
The Dierker buildings on the campus' southwest
side will be remodeled in the first phase of Bethesda's long-term master
plan. The plan contains projects intended
to create a more residential environment and less institutional-looking
campus. A new building will be
constructed adjacent to the Dierker buildings and is
part of the $7 million to $10 million project to begin in June next year. The addition of an entry way on one of the Dierker buildings also is included. WDT
2001
08 20 Approximately 300 people attended the groundbreaking
ceremonies Sunday afternoon at Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services, Inc.,
making way for the future. People came as
far away as Texas, said Dr. David Geske, chief
executive officer at Bethesda. Bethesda
was given the go-ahead by the Watertown Plan Commission in June to renovate
existing residential buildings, construct a new corporate office on the campus,
as well as renovate other structures.
The project will total about $46 million. Included in the first phase of
the project will be renovation of the Dierker
residential building. The new
residential living areas will provide a more homelike environment for the clients,
who will have their own private room.
Dining and kitchen areas will be built on each floor. WDT
2006 Good Shepherd Communities becomes Bethesda subsidiary
2007
11 15 Annual Country Fair at the Dodge
County Fairgrounds discontinued. WDT
2009
03 05 Bethesda Fire Pit Project WDT
09 01 Bethesda Changes Name to Bethesda Lutheran
Communities WDT
Merger of Bethesda and Good Shepherd Communities
2010
05 15 Dr.
John E. Bauer, president and CEO, elected to board of Lutheran Services in
America (LSA) WDT
2011
02 03 Watertown
Challenge Assn triathlon to benefit Bethesda Lutheran Community
Services WDT
08 27 Rebecca
Kleefisch tours Bethesda WDT
Cross References:
History of Bethesda Lutheran Home,
Bethesda website
Weltbuerger Printing Co did considerable work for
Bethesda and their clients
