From article "Conditions Today at OSH" OREGON JOURNAL, February 9, 1947.
I had the opporunity to tour the new Harbors Facility at OSH last week. For someone who spends a lot of time dwelling in OSH’s past, touring the new, clean and spacious facility was an interesting change of pace. With more discouraging headlines practically every day since then, a 1947 Oregon Journal article I came across today instilled a little Thanksgiving spirit.
In “Conditions Today at OSH,” reporter Tom Humphrey details the many problems OSH was facing in 1947, including inadequate facilities and staffing. One of the most striking examples given was the state of the bathroom facilities on Ward 19. The image to the left depicts the two toilets being used by 92 female residents living there. If that weren’t bad enough, all 92 women also shared a single bathtub for bathing.
Contrast that with the new Harbors facilities, featuring not only private rooms, but private bathrooms attached to those. In the new wings of the hospital, single and double rooms with adjacent bathrooms will mean that residents will be sharing facilities with, at most, one other person. That’s something to be thankful for.
As mentioned in the dedication ceremonies at the new facilities last week, we have a long way to go in improving the facilities and programs at OSH. Let’s not forget to celebrate, too, how far we’ve come.
