Remembering
This is Bay Memorial Hospital, a much later iteration of its beginnings - - I remember a smaller single brick building with an appearance somewhat like Lisenby Hospital was in those days, must have been two story, the entrance was south-facing on 6th Street the block west of Cove Boulevard, now MLK, in the late 1940s or early 1950s. My father went there for a tonsillectomy, I remember driving him and Mama there for his admission, and leaving to drive home as he stayed overnight; it wold have been summer 1950 or later, because I remember driving Mama home in our Plymouth station wagon, which my father bought the summer of 1950.
Brother Mac, the Rev McDaniel left his ministry as pastor of First Baptist Church to be the first administrator of Bay Memorial Hospital. A tall, thin, bald man, popular with the kids, he was often seen around Cove School and likely other schools, always being called on for various things. He seemed to like keeping in touch with all of us, and we him.
As I recall, Brother Mac's immediate successor as pastor of First Baptist was the Rev Dr Avery, whose son Laurence graduated with us in our Bay High class of 1953. Laurence was an athlete, not sure but seems to me he played baseball under Coach Bill Weeks. A favorite teacher, Mr Weeks taught us American History in 9th grade and World History teacher in 12th grade. It came as a surprise, but our senior year - - I don't remember who taught the girls, but Mr Weeks was tasked with giving senior boys an hour sex instruction in class one day. Demonstrating, he needed someone to be the girl, and called on Laurence Avery to come up front, lie down on his desk, draw his knees up and spread his legs apart. Laurence was uneasy and we got a nervous laugh.
The cars in the hospital parking lot are all familiar, and good for approximate dating of the photo. From the left, that's a 1940s Chrysler product, looks like a 46, 47, 48 Dodge but may be a Plymouth. The next car is too dark for me to call for sure, but the outline reminds me of a 1949, 50 or 51 Ford. Next, a lighter color, is a Pontiac two door sedan, 1946, 47 or 48 (could be a 1942 but I doubt it); actually, it's a 46 or 47 because the 1948 Pontiac had round taillights and this car's taillights are square. The dark colored convertible looks like a 1949 or 50 Chevrolet to me. Then the corner, and looks like another 49, 50 or 51 Ford. Then looks like an English car that was being imported in the day but I'm not sure. Next is another Ford, year model 1946, 47 or 48 (again, could be a 1941 or 42 but less likely). Next lighter color, a 1949 or later GM car, I'm guessing a Chevrolet with the streamline trunk design. The two toned sedan seems to be a 1949, 50, 51 or 52 Pontiac with the Silver Streak on the trunk lid, but even magnified it's fuzzy to ID. Skipping a space and the last car is a Studebaker, 1950 or later.
This is a car spotting exercise that I love being able to do. Anyone is welcome to correct me, because I can't tell for certain this far back and only seeing the cars' backsides, no side or front views showing their distinctive radiator grills.
Also, I really only remember the earliest Bay Memorial Hospital red brick building, I don't remember this much enlarged building for sure to recall which way it faced.
Thanks, Mike!!
T90