THURSDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2021

“It’s at least 102 years old. The earliest mention of the medical library was in 1919, but we think it may actually be older.”

Jeffrey Swindoll, librarian at the Richard D. Haines Medical Library in Temple, holds an old microscope used by early Scott & White doctors. David Stone | Our Town Temple

Medical library houses BSW artifacts and aids staff in research projects

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple exclusive

Tucked away on the third floor of Baylor Scott & White’s Medical Education Center, behind the well-known 31st Street hospital and clinic, is a massive medical library that few know exist other than doctors, nurses, interns and med students.

The Richard D. Haines Medical Library, adjacent to the Texas A&M Health Sciences Center, is an 11,000-square-foot facility that houses more than 57,000 electronic books, 50,000 electronic journal subscriptions and Baylor Scott & White historical archives.

“We have photographs, manuscripts and all sorts of records,” said Jeffrey Swindoll, one of the facility’s librarians. “We also have dishes from Temple Sanitarium, old medical equipment and a moulage collection with more than 3,000 pieces.”

Despite being somewhat of a Temple secret, the library isn’t new. Far from it.

“It’s at least 102 years old,” Swindoll said. “The earliest mention of the library was in 1919, but we think it may actually be older.”

The original medical library — it really didn’t have a name in it’s early years — was located in the Woodson Building on Avenue G. It later moved to the West Building on the campus of the old Scott & White Hospital. The West Building was torn down in 2012, many years after it was vacated by the library.

“When Scott & White moved to the Hill in 1963, the library also moved to the new building,” Swindoll said. “It was originally located in the basement across from the mailroom, which was convenient because all of the journals and subscriptions were delivered by mail back then. That’s changed — today we get 15 or so journals by mail. The rest come electronically.”

The library was named after Dr. Haines in 1986 two years after his death. Haines was a prominent gastroenterologist and later became president of the hospital and the Scott & White Foundation. Haines served the Temple facility for 13 years.

In 1998, new construction led to the hospital’s laundry facility moving into a new building, and the library took over the old laundry area. Then, when the Medical Education Center opened in 2003, the library had a permanent home.

“We got a remodel in 2019 and we were planning to have a centennial celebration,” Swindoll said. “COVID kind of ruined that, though.”

While the present-day library doesn’t have near the “paper” books it did in earlier days, it has an immense collection of electronic media.

“Doctors, nurses, staff and students can access the library from just about anywhere,” he said. “We not only serve the Temple hospital, but Waco and College Station as well. You can pretty much access research materials from anywhere.”

While definitely Internet accessible, the library has plenty of room for those who visit in person. There are more than 20 computer stations, a conference room and a cafe-like area where people can eat lunch while doing research on their laptops or phones.

“When we remodeled, we leaned toward conversational areas,” Swindoll said. “We tried to get away from the image of a bun-haired librarian saying ‘Shhh.’ We have space for people to read newspapers, charge their phones and plug in a laptop.”

Swindoll said most people think of the library as a doctor’s-only club. That’s not true.

“We’ve never been closed to the public,” he said. “We have patients and families of patients come in to use a computer or print something out. COVID has made entry more restrictive, but hopefully that will soon go away.”

Other than physical and electronic books and journals, the Haines Library also is home to a great number of Scott & White artifacts.

A large file room has hundreds of files and boxes containing light-sensitive papers, old medical equipment and moulage collection.

The moulages are wax representations of body parts and food items created by staff artists. They were used in teaching and in traveling medical exhibits, Swindoll said.

“It’s still one of the largest collections of wax medical models in the United States,” he said.

The collection was created between 1932 and 1955 by husband-and-wife artists Kenneth and Margaret Phillips. The moulages won numerous awards at exhibitions and medical conferences around the county.

The Phillips came to Temple in 1924 from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., at the urging of Dr. Arthur Carroll Scott, one of the founders of Scott & White.

“Kenneth went to work illustrating medical papers and creating animated films for the hospital, and Margaret cared for their growing family at first,” Swindoll said. “But in 1932 she began making wax models of body parts, food, and diseases in various stages of growth. She made about one model every week.”

Hospital administrators were impressed, and by 1935 she was employed full time and worked alongside her husband making models for exhibits and educational purposes.

At one time, the collection included many wax food items, but now only two remain — wax green beans and asparagus. The others met an unfortunate end.

“Someone thought the wax food needed cleaning so they put the models in a dishwasher,” Swindoll said. “It didn’t work out.”

Dozens of boxes hold Baylor Scott & White medical moulage collection (this is just a few) inside the hospital’s Haines Medical Library. Moulages are wax models of diseased body parts that were used in teaching and in the hospital’s mobile medical exhibit. David Stone | Our Town Temple

In addition to paper and electronic books, archives and vintage medical equipment, the library features about 20 computers where doctors, interns, nurses and medical students can conduct research. David Stone | Our Town Temple

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OUT ON THE STREETS…

Temple’s original streets are easy to navigate, if you understand the founding fathers’ thought process. The story explains. David Stone | Our Town Temple

Old Temple street system started at intersection of Main and Central

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple

Have you ever wondered how the streets of Temple got their names? I’m talking old Temple, before there was anything west of what is now I-35 and long before southside development.

The street system going south of downtown is as easy as A, B, C, but the east-west 1, 2, 3 part is a little harder to latch on to.

Let’s start downtown, where the intersection of Main and Central is the nexus of the Temple universe. Everything starts at this intersection. Going south from Central, it’s easy peasy…A, B, C, D, and so on. It’s simply the Avenue Alphabet for streets running east-west.

Town fathers decided to name north-south streets numerically, but with a twist. Streets going east from Main Street and running north-south were named with even numbers — 2, 4, 6, 8 (that was changed to MLK much later) and so on. The north-south streets west of Main were named with odd numbers.

Ok, so that’s the easy part. Now for the streets north of Central. Hmmm….numbers and letters are taken, so founding fathers decided to name streets after prominent residents.

Adams was named after Capt. Julius Jeremiah Adams, who came to Temple from Lafayette, Alabama, in 1881 or 1882. He was a Confederate veteran, having enlisted for service at the age of 15. The Adams family (get that song out of your head — wrong family) operated Central Hotel on Avenue A. A son, Frank Adams, would later own a grocery store on East Adams.

Barton Avenue was named for Dr. Robert Wilson Barton, one of the founders of King’s Daughters Hospital and a son of Dr. Welborn Barton Sr, a native of South Carolina.

In 1854, Welborn brought 100 families by wagon train to Burnet County, Texas. He moved his family to Salado in 1865, and bought one of the first lots sold when Temple was founded in 1881.

Calhoun Street was named after Augustus Henry Calhoun, who came to Temple from Georgia. He was employed by Santa Fe Railroad, and his son, Augustus Lee Calhoun, opened a garage that was popular for decades.

Two brothers, F.F. and P.L Downs, came to Temple in 1882. They were born on a plantation known as Downsville and were raised by an aunt who started the First National Bank of Waco.

The brothers, with a considerable amount of cash thanks to the aunt, set out in a horse-drawn buggy for the new town of Temple to start a bank of their own. Unfortunately, they encountered a bit of rain along the way and the buggy got stuck in the mud near Troy. A friendly farmer helped them out and even put them up for the night.

By nightfall the following day, the brothers had purchased a building in Temple and hung a sign out front: Bell County Bank, Downs Brothers, Proprietors.

French Avenue may have been named after Jake French. His home was on the corner of Main Street and what is now Nugent.  A rancher, French shipped 300 to 400 head of cattle on a regular basis to Fort Worth via the Katy Railroad. He moved to Fort Worth in 1908 to work with a cattle commission.

The Irvin brothers were early businessmen in Temple. Joe had a grocery store and John had a candy business on the corner of First and Central. John attended a meeting one night where the topic was naming the street he lived on. A business associate suggested “Irvin” and the name was accepted.

Other streets likely were named after local residents of early Temple.

Resource: Backtracking 100 years

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Crunch Fitness to open in Temple

Our Town Temple

Crunch Fitness will open a $4 million, 35,000-square-foot fitness center in Temple in early 2022.

The gym will be open 24 hours a day and will feature cardio and strength training, along with Ride spin classes and a group fitness studio, according to franchisee Tony Hartl.

“We’re so excited to bring an outstanding and affordable fitness offering to Temple,” he said. “With world-class equipment and amenities, round-the-clock hours and memberships that start at $9.99, we can’t wait to open our doors to Temple residents.”

The gym will be located at 4501 S. General Bruce Drive, in the Cinemark shopping center.

Crunch Fitness will be hiring more than 100 people, including managers, fitness instructors, personal trainers, customer service representatives, baby sitters and facility technicians.

Applications are available at epiccrunchjobs.com.

POSTCARDS FROM THE PAST

Temple’s original Dr. Pepper plant, located at 402 S. Main Street, produced 30,000 bottles a day. Three brothers — Sam, Theodore and Buster Floca — formed the plant, and when this photo was snapped in 1955, a king-sized can sold for a dime, a small can sold for 7 cents and 20 people worked in the plant.

AROUND TOWN WORK BEGINS ON HAWN

A crew assembles scaffolding in advance of the renovation of three downtown landmarks — the Hawn Hotel, the Arcadia Theater and the Sears Building. Another group of workers could be seen hauling debris — mostly sheet metal — out of the building. Another project is going on across Central from the Sears building where workers are renovating the Professional Building. The Hawn, Sears building and the Professional building will rented as apartments. David Stone | Our Town Temple

WHAT’S HAPPENING, CENTRAL TEXAS?

Central Texas largest and most complete calendar of event:

November

November 4, Thursday - Spur Classic Sporting Clay Shoot, Weber Shooting Range. 8 a.m.

November 4, Thursday - Teen Dungeons & Dragons for beginners. Temple Public Library. 5-7 p.m.

November 4, Thursday - Live comedy with Cody Woods at Corkys. 7 p.m.

November 4, Thursday - Brown Bag Bingo, Sammons Community Center Bring a brown bag with a small, non-food Bingo prize inside. 5 p.m.

November 5, Friday - First Friday Block Party: Veterans Day. Fun, food, music and shopping downtown Temple. 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

November 5, Friday - The Stillhouse Howlers, 11 E. Central. Fundraiser for Weird Dough’s Bakery, 9 p.m.

November 5, Friday - Britton Pyeatt at J Kowboy Wine Bar. 9 p.m.

November 5, Friday - First Friday Artist-2-Artist Showcase. 5 S. Main, Temple. 5 p.m.

November 5-6 - Ribs & Rods car show and bbq cookout, Bend of the River.

November 6, Saturday - Rucks on Main Veterans Day 10K March. Pack you bag with canned goods to donate at the end of the ruck. Register at  www.rucksonmain.org/registration.

November 6, Saturday - Game of Thrones Trivia Night, Fire Base Brewing. 6-9 p.mm.

November 6, Saturday - Chris Hillman, Texas Music Series,Cultural Activities Center. 7:30 p.m.

November 6, Saturday - Holiday Craft Bazaar at Gober Party House. Handmade and original items. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

November 6, Saturday - Fire Safety Family Day at Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

November 6, Saturday - Preschool Story Time at Temple Public Library. 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

November 7, Sunday - Temple Symphony Piano Trio featuring Suzanne Jacobson on violin, Cory Blaise on cello and Kiyoshi Tamagawa on piano. Cultural Activities Center. 3 p.m.

November 7, Sunday - Downtown Drag! A drag show at Corkys Wine & Beer. 7 p.m.

November 9, Tuesday - Baby Bookworms for ages 0-12 months at Temple Public Library. 11 a.m.

November 9, Tuesday - Czech Film Night & Matinee at The Beltonian. Free admission. 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

November 10, Wednesday - School-Age Story Time for K-3rd Grade at Temple Public Library. Features short film, stories and constructive play. 4:15 to 4:45 p.m.

November 11, Thursday - Veterans Day Celebration and Patriot Way Brick Walk sign dedication. 8:30 a.m.

November 11, Friday - The College of Visual & Performing Arts presents One Voice in concert. Sue & Frank Mayborn Performing Arts Center, Baugh Performance Hall. 7:30 p.m.

November 13, Saturday - 2nd annual Blue Santa Toy Run at Fire Base Brewing. 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

November 13, Saturday - Preschool Story Time at Temple Public Library. 10:30 a.m.

November 11-14 - "Our Town," a Pulitzer Prize winning play by Thornton Wilder, Temple High School, Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. More information at: http://www.ThespiansR.Us

November 11-14 - The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Beltonian Theatre, 6 p.m.

November 12, Friday - Bike Night at Horny Toad Harley. Live music by Scratch 3, beer, giveaways. 6-8 p.m.

November 13, Saturday - Market in the Vines. Take a walk through the vines and shop with over 50 vendors! Free to the public. 3 Texans Winery. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

November 13, Saturday - Downtown Temple November Market. his will be our second to last market of the year and just in time to start your holiday shopping for all your friends and family. From soaps to jewelry, baked goods & jams, even custom wood working items, our market has something for everyone. 2 N. Main, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

November 13, Saturday - A Night in Vegas…St. Mary’s Catholic School Casino Night. Live auction, silent auction, games, drawings. Benefits the school’s educational programs. Cultural Activities Center. 6 p.m.

November 14, Sunday - St. Mary’s Traditional Turkey Dinner, KC Hall at 2218 W. Ave D, limited seating or to go plates, $12 plate includes Turkey, dressing, roll, gravy, coleslaw, green beans, cranberry sauce and dessert. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

November 16, Tuesday - Tarok Card Party & Lessons. Czech Heritage Museum. 7-9 p.m.

November 18, Thursday - Turkey Day Table Art. Need some centerpieces for your big Thanksgiving dinner? What’s better than an adorable handmade craft made by your little turkey? Kids will make different types of table art for you to display. Register at templeparks.com. Open to ages 2-6. $7 per child.

November 19, Friday -  Yuletide Tour of Homes. To purchase tickets, visit www.TempleChildrensMuseum.org/events.

November 19, Friday - Book Cellar Investigation. $20 per person. 8 p.m. to 11:55 p.m.

November 19, Friday - Justin Hewitt at O’Briens. 9 p.m.

November 19 through January 15 - Facing the Inferno wildfire photo exhibit opens at Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum.

November 20, Saturday - Casey Donahew at Bell County Expo Center’s Assembly Hall.

November 20, Saturday - Facing the Inferno wildfire exhibit opens at Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum.

November 20, Saturday - Game Show Night by Texas Red at Fire Base Brewing. 7-9 p.m.

November 20, Saturday - Belton Market Days. Downtown Belton. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

November 20, Saturday - The Gathering. Native American music, dancing, food. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for picnicking and fun. Yetti Polk Park in Belton. 11 a.m.

November 25, Thursday - Thanksgiving Outdoor Movie Night at Barrow Brewing in Salado. “A Christmas Story.” 6 p.m.

November 27-28 - Kris Kringle Mart presented by KC Council 3444, 2218 W. Avenue D, Temple. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

December

December 2 — Die Hard at The Beltonian. It IS. a Christmas movie!. 6 p.m.

December 3, Friday - Sammy G’s Toy Drive Block Party at Fire Base Brewing. 7 p.m.

December 3-5 — Disney’s Aladdin Jr. at Temple Civic Theatre.

December 4, Saturday - Barrow Brewing Christmas Market, Salado. Noon.

December 4, Saturday - Santa at the Depot, Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum, 5-8 p.m.

December 4, Saturday - Lance Wade Thomas rocks O’Briens. 9 p.m.

December 4, Saturday - Temple Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert featuring soprano Priscilla Santana and tenor Brian Joyce. Temple High School. 7:30 p.m.

December 4, Saturday - Chisholm Trail Christmas Ball featuring Rick Trevino. Bell County Expo Center. 6 p.m.

December 4-5 - Kris Kringle Mart presented by KC Council 3444, 2218 W. Avenue D, Temple. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

December 6, Monday - The 75th Annual Christmas Parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. This year's theme is “The Magic of a Traditional Christmas." Details will be made available on templeparks.com.

December 10 - Bone at O’Briens. 9 p.m.

December 10-12 — Disney’s Aladdin Jr. at Temple Civic Theatre.

December 11, Saturday — Downtown Temple Holiday Market & Food Truck Frenzy. We are excited to partner our market with a Food Truck Event! Come join us and support local businesses in our area! 2 N. Main Street. 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

December 11, Saturday - 5th annual Holiday Extravaganza at the Troy Community Center. Shop with local small businesses. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

December 11, Saturday - Tucka Texas Takeover with LJ Echols, Fat Daddy and Mr. Smoke. VFW Post 1820, Temple. 7 p.m.

December 17, Friday - Matt Cearley & The Rowdy Few, O’Briens. 9 p.m.

December 23, Thursday - Santa & Elvis at Fire Street Pizza. 6-9 p.m.

December 31 - January 1 - Texas Elite Pole Vaulting. The Expo Explosion, the second largest indoor pole vaulting event in the country. Bell County Expo Center’s Garth Arena.

December 31, Friday - New Year’s Eve at O’Briens with the Jason Custer Band. 10 p.m.

December 31, Friday - New Year’s Eve at Bo’s Barn with the Craig Howell Band. 9 p.m.

January

January 29, Saturday - Parker McCollum Red Dirt Mardi Gras at Bell County Expo. 8 p.m.

LIST YOUR EVENT! Email info to OurTownTemple@gmail.com with “What’s Happening” in the subject line. Keep it short and sweet — what, when and where. You may include a short description. You must include a phone number for verification purposes. The phone number will not be published unless requested by submitter.

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