Friday, March 27, 2009

YMCA - Gordon Ave.

Here is another photo I found in a 1954 Guardian from our archives (SHGV). We are doing research on Dr Norman Bethune and he apparently had a clinic there on saturdays in the middle 30s and we are looking for evidence of this. There is only a short sentence in the book by Roderick Stewart to that effect and this is the only mention we have found so far. Any help would be welcome.

Guy

3 comments:

Les F said...

Guy , I just returned a book to the library ,titled 'Bethune' a rather small (thin) copy & I read of his exploits from his home in Ontario ( cottage country actually)..where i got to spend many summers at my Aunt & Uncles cottage,.... but I did not see that part about the free clinics held in Verdun,....
I did read that he was entirely into helping 'people' poor were his specialty,as he thought tat everyone should have good health care,..based on his learnings that Tuberculosis was read in two variety's , a 'poor mans tuberculosis' & a richmans tuberculosis............his learnings taught him that the rich man lived , the poor man died,....based soley on the fact that a rich man sought treatment earlier than a poor man,due to expense,and so a poor man waited too long ........
However I did read the Roderick Stewart version but I wasn't drawn towards that reference to Verdun,but more towards his want to aid poor people,,.....it went on to say that he became the head surgeon at Sacred Couer or something like that ,in the Cartierville area, after he moved on from Montreal,.....Odd though how he died ,just shy of wanting to return to his native land Canada, after contracting blood poisoning,during an operation ,where he wasn't wearing gloves & operating on a chines soldiers infected brain wound.......
Maybe I reserved a different book ? but it was entitled "Bethune" by Roderick Stewart,......and at the top of the book was noted 'Canadians' ..........looked like a series of famous Canadians' I guess....
I will go & check it out again, can you do the same, because I was wanting to scan the Verdun part to share with te Verdun Connections group........... Thanks if you can ,.......HF&RV

Diane Roberts said...

Was there another YMCA around Ville Lasalle in the late fifties? I seem to recall attending dances there and not on Gordon St....Diane

Guy Billard said...

Diane,
Yes I heard of that YMCA around LaSalle wich no doubt replaced the one on Gordon after it was demolished. I am looking for information on the LaSalle one and also a photo.
Guy