Carrie Tingley Hospital records

Collection

Identifier: HHC 337

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Carrie Tingley Hospital records consist of 26 document cases, four oversize boxes, a 16mm film, and one oversize folder. The records date 1936-2000. Types of records include minutes, correspondence, clippings, blueprints, and other items. The first three and a half boxes are about the Facilities; several of the blue prints from this sub-series are found in map drawer #3. While Facilities includes correspondence and communications, Administration has so many instances of correspondence that it has its own sub-series titled “Correspondence and Other Communications.” Administration also holds information about accreditation and personnel and is the largest series in the collection.

The next biggest series is Governance, which contains board and committee minutes from 1936 to 1993. The meeting minutes contain where the meeting took place, who was attending, and what was discussed. Along with minutes there are memorandums and correspondence between the boards and other agencies. Carrie Tingley Hospital cared a lot about public relations and kept newspapers, journals, and magazines from 1940 to 2000. Some of the newspapers and clippings are in poor condition.

Digitized board of directors minutes are available to view here.

The original accession number was P01-069.

Dates

1936-2000

Conditions Governing Use

These records are open to researchers. Standard copyright laws apply. User is responsible for all copyright compliance. Limited duplication of print materials allowed for research purposes.

Biographical / Historical

Carrie Tingley Hospital for Crippled Children was created on December 1, 1936, in Hot Springs (now Truth or Consequences), New Mexico. It was named after Governor Clyde Tingley’s wife, Carrie Wooster Tingley, because of her love for helping children. The hospital’s goal was to give high-quality orthopedic care, specifically associated with the polio outbreaks of the early 20th century, to New Mexico’s low-income children. The hospital was located in Truth or Consequences because of its abundance of natural hot springs, a therapeutic treatment for polio at that time. The hospital stayed there until 1981 when the hospital was relocated to Albuquerque.

Carrie Wooster was born and raised in Bowling Green, Ohio. After being diagnosed with tuberculosis, she and her mother set out for Arizona. On the train ride down, she had an attack and was admitted to a clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico. About a year later, Clyde Tingley, moved to New Mexico and married Carrie. He was a politician who was elected governor in 1935.

It was Clyde Tingley who approved the funding and creation of Carrie Tingley Hospital for Crippled Children (now Carrie Tingley Hospital or CTH). He dedicated the hospital to his wife who spent her life helping people, especially children. The Board of Directors was chosen by Governor Tingley on December 1, 1936. The Board worked on preparing the hospital and declared the opening day September 19, 1937.

The Board of Directors was elected by the governor for terms of about four to five years. Initially comprised of three people, the Board was responsible for several things including all of the hospital’s financials and its personnel. Meetings were held monthly and have well-kept minutes. The Board selected nine members for a Medical Advisory Committee. This committee was responsible for doing periodic analyses of how the hospital was operating and made recommendations to the Board. The committee eventually morphed into the Hospital Advisory Board after CTH moved to Albuquerque.

All of the boards and committees were charged with ensuring Carrie Tingley Hospital operated smoothly. The Board of Directors served as the primary board until the hospital moved under the auspice of the University of New Mexico. At that time the UNM Board of Regents assumed responsibility for the hospital operations. In 1992 the hospital officially changed its name to Carrie Tingley Hospital.