
Long Island Jewish Hospital Groundbreaking Ceremonies

( NYC Board of Education Photo / WNYC Archive Collections )
The groundbreaking of the research facilities for Long Island Jewish Hosptial (LIJH). Speakers include: LIJH's Jack Liebowitz, Irving Felt, President of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, Eugene Nickerson, county executive of Nassau County, Dr. Peter [Roges], executive director of LIJH, and Mayor Robert Wagner.
Host Jack Liebowitz laments that the festivities will not go on for days. He will preside over the afternoon's festivities. He thanks the attendees for coming.
Richard Tucker sings the national anthem with the Merchant Marine Band.
Rabbi Sandro of Temple Beth-El will provide the invocation.
[There is a gap in the audio]
Liebowitz notes the milestone in the hospital's development. We are 11 years into its existence. The idea began in the 1940s for a medical center in Queens/Long Island. A number of founders are in attendance. He names some of the prominent attendees. The hospital is a place where education and research goes along with patient care.
He talks about the growth of the hospital - it had a greater occupancy than any other hospital in NYC, necessitating its expansion. The expanded buildings include a research building. Funding came from both private donors and the federal government.
He counts the number of people attending at 700.
The program will cost 15 million dollars - there is a long way to go.
Liebowitz introduces the President of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. The LIJH is the first hospital built since the Federation came together. The President is Irving Mitchell Felt.
Felt is grateful to be a part of the LIJH and the Federation, and of the opening of the teaching and research facilities building. The building is part of a City of Life Building Campaign. He notes other buildings that are part of the City of Life program. This is the largest philanthropic effort every undertaken anywhere according to Felt. He recounts the link between the LIJH and the Federation.
Felt pays tribute to the founding president of the hospital, Saul Epstein. The auditorium is dedicated to Epstein and his wife. The pavilion is dedicated to Liebowitz' wife Rose, former president of the Women's Service Guild.
He thanks Ben Schwartz and his brothers for their donation of the Samuel and Lina Schwartz Research Institute.
Felt thanks those who have made the Federation and the LIJH, one.
Liebowitz notes the arrival of Mayor Wagner, who he argues holds the second most important position in America. He notes Wagner's concern for the people of New York.
Wagner jokes about the rain. He thanks those who have been working on the LIJH. He talks about the partnership began last July (1964) with the LIJH and NYC - the LIJH would take over for a failing Queens hospital. He talks about Medicare's potential impact on health care in the United States. He talks about change in the health care and the LIJH's role in providing it. He talks about the changing demographics in Long Island and in New York City.
The LIJH is different from the majority of community hospitals in three respects:
1. Department heads are full-time
2. There is an emphasis on teaching. It is the only teaching hospital in Long Island
3. It is a research hospital, doing more research than hospitals two or three times its size.
He thanks president Jack Liebowitz and Peter [Roges] and his staff for putting together the teacher's college.
[There is a cut in the audio]
Wagner reads a proclamation in honor of LIJH, naming the day Long Island Jewish Hospital day.
Liebowitz reads letters to people who could not attend, including Nelson Rockefeller, Senator Robert f. Kennedy, Senator Jacob Javits, He introduces Eugene H Nickerson.
Nickerson jokes about the whether in Nassau county (following Wagner's joke). He notes the importance of the union of Nassau and NYC in the LIJH. He talks about Nassau's pride in the hospital. 1/3 of its patients are from Nassau and 75% of employees are from Nassau County. He talks about the importance of its unique clinics for Long Island. He talks about the surprising relative youth the hospital.
[There is a gap in the audio]
Liebowitz introduces Dr. Peter Roges, executive director of the hospital.
Roges thanks his staffers for putting together the day's events. Roges talks about the role of the community hospital. He notes the idea of the Great Society. The LIJH is a microcosm of the Great Society. Excellence of Care, Education, and Research are the foci of the LIJH. He draws out the LIJh is Great Society metaphor. He notes its many unique programs, especially for handicapped children, and its educational role. He discusses near and distant goals
Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection
WNYC archives id: 150577
Municipal archives id: T1365
This is a machine-generated transcript. Text is unformatted and may contain errors.
Ladies and gentlemen. May we start I think this kind of excitement really should go on for days it's like one of these options a Polish or any kind of a festive occasion and I like It's rather than standing up here and speaking. And I introduce myself I'm Jack Liebowitz it says here and I'm the president and I've been privileged and honored to preside of this afternoon's festivities we have many people here who have come to celebrate with us people in the civic field representatives of the city county state and federal governments representatives of the medical profession and all you wonderful people here none of you are right less than anyone else and we're happy to greet you here. In addition I am very happy to say that we have a man here who came from Pittsburgh at two thirty to be with us he is a dear friend and neighbor was never missed any occasion for celebration as far as long as hospital is concerned Mr Richard Tucker who sang the last night in Pittsburgh here at two thirty to sing the national anthem farce accompanied by the Merchant Marine Academy band who are here as a courtesy through Admiral Rear Admiral Gordon McClintock who has been a friend of the community for many years. Can I ask Richard not to stand up and sing the national anthem with these kind of. Thank you please remain standing for the invocation by Rabbi Sandro of Temple Beth have Cedarhurst. Also the car seat. Of the globe. Watched run. Run. Run. Oh no I. Won't. Eat. Oh it won't take. The. Load of the. American. Eternal God. Creator of the universe father of all human beings regardless of race color or creed we come to the because we have minds that seek to understand the meaning of our existence. The mysteries of life are too deep to fathom. Yet we cannot believe that the mystery has no explanation. We cannot think that life is a process without meaning a creation without a creator or lacking purpose and destiny it is in the that we find the power behind all the meaning running through all the purpose that crowns all we come to the today because we are workers we are concerned for our homes for America for the welfare of all mankind if. We become die helpers when we devote ourselves to the task of healing the aid to the aid of those who suffer both physically and emotionally. Give us the vision to continue our labors for the distress for the beaten among our fellow man conquering disease opening the doors of this hospital on him unimaginable vistas of discovery bringing love and compassion to all the children strengthen all agencies that practice loving kindness that seek peace and pursue it may die spirit on this day lift us above the antagonisms in this world above prejudice and then to pathy. Bless our hearts with magnanimity and generosity and his sincere care for all sorts and conditions of our fellow man. As the psalmist said the he no I do not a new establish the all the work of our hands awaken us so that in praising by name we may then go forth from this hospital and all hospitals like it to serve the cause of the cause of humanity. I mean. Thank you Richard thank you Rabbi sound of. Both the national anthem and your prayers. Were certainly comforting at a time. A milestone in his growth and development. We cannot help but feel proud of the stand here and reflect on all that has gone on within these hospital walls during its eleven years of service to the community as we take pause to for a few moments to think of that small group of men who in the late one nine hundred forty S. had a vision of a community hospital dedicated to the medical center idea of and who did not cease their labors until the vision became a tangible realization of their dreams. A number of a hospital founders are here with us today rightfully sharing the joys of this wonderful occasion. For them this groundbreaking as particularly profound meaning. Their foresight energy and determination has truly brought meaningful rewards and deep inner satisfaction. Outstanding among these men of saw Epstein first president of a hospital want to stand up so. I cannot say enough in praise of our border trustees who in these eleven years of never lost their enthusiasm nor ones to be and from their dedication to the ideals of excellence they don't only have given of their generously of that time but have contributed substantial sums towards I'll build in program I would like them all to trustees to please stand up. And I asked to sign some feel who is president of the women's service guild and wonderful organization that has assisted us all here. And Soward was of these men on the board. They sought out exceptional medical talent and going one step further in a sign of that quality patient care and a man of the presence of full time chief some a very professional services. For this decision a relatively new concept at a time for a hospital like ours that more than any other factor determine the Carswell I.J.A. choice to take. Out of the hospital were a constant learning teaching and scientific investigation were tied up with patient care. These pursuits became an inherent part of the hospital's daily life. And as with any living concept has grown with each passing year. In US fortunate that we found such man whose ideals and concepts coincided with the thinking of the more. From the outset they have been the catalyst for greater growth and scope a program which has made this institution outstanding. I will ask the chiefs of service who are known by their deeds I would like you to take a look at the. Nuts from these and all moving innings strong community leadership outstanding medical talent substantial Federation support a Long Island Jewish Hospital was destined to succeed. However in eleven years we have gone far beyond our greatest expectations. Progress has been dramatic each year new services were added new recognition given the new responsibilities fulfilled the pace became Excel arena and increasing numbers of people came seeking its care hospitals occupancy rates are far beyond dollars and on the other hospital in the from Holland area. Waiting list became daily occurrences there was no alternative the hospital had to expand. Health conscious. Community to manage a larger Long Island Jewish Hospital. Planning for this current phase of our building program was a long and arduous task under the April Chamish up of vice president Vern stand up to us. Working with our architect lawyer Alan they were sent over I am alone. We believe that our expanded buildings will provide necessary facilities for meeting the needs of our growing community. One of the most important additions will be a separate research building this one bromide So all the needed space for members of the medical staff to conduct the rule research projects. This building has been made possible by a grant of approximately nine out of the sixty two thousand dollars from the federal government and a gift or one million dollars from our city member of the board B.D. Schwartz and his family of the brook Dale foundation. And so all of this and on this Sunday April eleventh one nine hundred sixty five we begin a new chapter in the stirring history of the Long Island Jewish Hospital. Building programme was on its way. The fact that a lot of seven hundred of you. Friends neighbors members of the hospital family have come here to commemorate this occasion is tremendously encouraging to those of us on the hospital board of trustees we share the responsibility of accepting the people's mandate for a great hospital. I go all those unnecessarily high right certainly within reach this is a fifteen million dollar expansion program I'm pleased to report that he played in three hundred thousand dollars has already been raised there are still off. I would like to add here that five million of that came directly from of water trustees. There are still a long way to go with we be with you here today and sensing your enthusiasm as made me even more confident I know the job will be done I know that many of you will want to share on the glories of Elijah pages next chapter and I know that you feel as I do that a gift or ospital is one of a measurable worth and deep personal satisfaction. For the board of trustees and the hospital administration I want to thank you for joining us here today it is good to be among so many friends. Our next speaker. Is the president of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. As all of you know. This hospital is affiliated with the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. This hospital was the first. Hospital built since Federation. Has been authorized and in the first building campaign they contributed a half a million dollars from the free funds a federation towards the cost of this hospital all during these years as deficits are incurred in the operation of this kind of a hospital and they have generously support of this hospital and the community has responded through contributions which they made directly through Federation. President of Federation as a humanitarian we devoted many years of his life to strengthen the network of health and welfare and social agencies that make up Federation is my pleasure to introduce Irving Mitchell felt president. Liebowitz. Honored guests and ladies and gentlemen. It is a rare privilege for me as president of Federation. And for Federation. To participate in this exciting groundbreaking ceremony. For the new treatment. Research and teaching facilities. Of this great hospital. For our federation. And the community in general. This groundbreaking symbolizes. What is taking place. As part of our nearly two hundred Million Dollar City of Life building campaign. In close proximity. The Edward B. Elson activities therapy building. Of federations hillside hospital. Has been completed. And the Samuel field and Gust of Hartman community centers have come into being. Dozens of pro jacks have been completed and dozens more are in construction and planning. As part of the largest economy and all voluntary philanthropic effort. Ever undertaken. Anywhere. Any time. These are the massive efforts. Of transforming federations one hundred sixteen medical and social welfare agencies. Into a city of lights. To serve all the people. In Greater New York who need help. One of the soaring accomplishments of this or any generation. For Federation. And this great hospital in particular. This groundbreaking. Symbolizes something more. Because this is the first hospital. Ever built from the ground up under the Federation banner from the very beginning this hospital and federation. Have walked hand in hand on the great and exploratory road of the medical sciences and patient care. It is particularly appropriate today. To pay tribute. To. The hospital's founding president and now president emeritus saw life. For his role in making all of this possible and we also pay tribute to him. For and Dowling The Evelyn and saw that steam auditorium and teaching center. The current president Jacques Playboy. For his great vision and rare devotion and who in DAV The Rose S Liebowitz the Morial pavilion. In loving memory of his light wife who was the first president of the women service guild of the hospital. And again the appreciation of all of this to your assistant treasurer Ben Davis Lord. And to his wonderful brothers for their great generosity. In dedication to their beloved parents they haven't died down the perspective Samuel and Lena Schwartz Research Institute. Enclosing all of us a federation. Take pride in. The accomplishments of. All of you professionals and volunteers alike. Who helped to make this day possible so many of the men and women and families who made this hospital great have also helped to make Federation great. We are all one. And we are all thankful. Thank you or me I should like to say that present here today is Dr Murray's Hexter. Was executive vice president of the Federation. Why look to with great kindness and all because he's the man who. Gives this house of vention every year he sighs which I admire him as a man and as a sculptor in case you don't know and I'm happy that he came out here in this weather to be with us. In part man I just arrived. On one of the important duties that he has I don't really know how he finds time to do all of them. You haven't happened is seven the labor of management. Yesterday. To my mind he occupies the second most important position in this country and I mean I seriously. His days filled daily with crisis upon crisis. And he manages to perform most famously to the satisfaction of the people of New Yawk who continue to use support him by electing him and will do so or the next time he runs to. One of his great concerns his interest in the health and welfare of the people of New York. And one of the things he will tell you about. Other steps that he has taken. To better the care of municipal hospitals for the people who use the hospitals and he has taken a dramatic stand which has worked out. Very well indeed it is my great pleasure to introduce the mayor of the city of New York the honorable Robert outweigh. Members of the clergy. And friend Howdy Jackie this here Gene Nixon I just want to tell Jean that. It's the sun is shining in New York City. Everything felt. Taka ladies and gentleman. Gives me a great pleasure to join with you on this important occasion to pay tribute to those who have been working so tirelessly on the fifteen million dollar expansion program of the Long Island Jewish Hospital. This hospital spanning the Queens Nassau county lines serves many citizens of New York City as well as a vessel last July the city of New York and into an extraordinary contract with a Long Island Jewish Hospital whereby this fine two hundred sixty eight bed hospital with its outstanding staff agreed to organize manage and oversee the medical program for the fourteen hundred bed Queens Hospital said it as a result of this arrangement I am pleased to report to you that there has already been a substantial improvement in the quality of patient care and a major upgrading of the educational program for interns in residence at the Queen's Hospital said it. Is both appropriate and threatening that Long Island Jewish Hospital should be undertaking an expansion program at this time. The need and the demand for more and better health services are at an all time high in this country. Growing population the increasing lifespan the numerous advances advances bayed in the treatment of the yield and the handicapped technological breakthroughs of the pharmaceutical industry all are constantly adding to the demand the new medical care Medicare legislation now on the point of approval after so many is of F. what will have a tremendous impact and place tremendous new responsibilities on our health care facilities it is clear that the medical profession all levels of government and a concerned citizen really will all need to join hands and work closely together if a nation's health needs to be met to meet this demand our health facilities and on medical profession will be tested as never before. We may look for the next years to be years of change for and in the health professions as well as in many other fields. And all lists I look to the Long Island Jewish Hospital to serve as a lighthouse in a surging sea and this strike County area on Long Island Jewish Hospital will have a profound influence on whatever changes are needed or are going to occur regardless of efforts to restrain them. Long Island is one of the fastest growing population centers as we know in the United States when this hospital opened its doors only eleven years ago it was serving a Tri County Long Island area of three million two hundred thousand residents today the figure is three million nine hundred thousand five years from now they say the number will be four and one half million. New and pioneering approaches will be essential to meet the health needs of the people of New York and the Long Island Jewish Hospital was founded on the idea that a community hospital must chart new directions and that these directions must be adapted from those of the nation's great medical centers the far side of the leadership of the Long Island Jewish Hospital has resulted in a method of patient care that differs in three important ways from the usual approach of community hospitals first heads of departments full time devoting all of their energies toward excellence in their medical specialties Second there is a major emphasis on teaching positions on the House staff highly coveted and the Long Island Jewish Hospital is in the enviable position of being able to select the best talent available the affiliation of Long Island Jewish Hospital with a medical school adds greatly to its stature as a teaching hospital and is the only such hospital in Long Island. And finally there is the emphasis on research research is the backbone of scientific progress and Long Island Jewish Hospital has consistently undertaken more research projects than hospitals two or three times its size and this time I would like to pay a personal tribute to Jack Liebowitz the president of this hospital and to the dedicated group of trustees who have formulated this unique program of medical care I would like also to salute an exceptional young physician Dr Payne Peeta rug rats and his staff for implementing this program your achievements speak for themselves indeed this community hospital could well serve as an example for others to follow in providing more and better medical services to the people of on nation and it gives me great pleasure now to read to you the official proclamation of the city of New York which is as follows Whereas in the last decade Long Island Jewish Hospital in the Philly it of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York has made a distinctive mock on the community it serves and where as the Long Island Jewish Hospital established a reputation of excellence in its pattern of patient care which merges modern scientific knowledge and compassion for humanity and whereas because of the quality of care rended and the caliber of its physicians. I have been asked by the city of New York to organize and be responsible for directing patient care service of almost fourteen hundred beds at the Queens Hospital Center and whereas it is fitting in proper on the occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of Long Island Jewish Hospital and for continued excellence in medical care we publicly acknowledge this dead therefore I Robert F. Wagner may in the city of New York do hereby proclaim April eleventh thousand nine hundred sixty five as Long Island Jewish Hospital day in New York City and I do pay tribute to the distinguished board of the rich trustees and the splendid medical staff for the noble work and I do further called to the attention of the citizens the foresight of these dedicated people to anticipate the medical needs of the community and to carry out that idea to its completion and witness whereof I have fixed the seal of the city of New York we have robbed. You. Of. Have some telegrams of people who really wanted to be a foreigner each other could not flee and not here foreigners from. Governor Rockefeller affords me great pleasure to send cards or greetings to all present a groundbreaking ceremony of the Long Island treatment and research center. The faculty and management as well as the trustees of your admirable hospital merit the highest appreciation for the reputation of enjoys in the medical field you and your fellow trustees are to be congratulated upon the consummation of your diligent noted deference expansionary York Tiffany's which these new buildings to make possible of be of great benefit of the community at large my best wishes for a successful memorable day sincerely Nelson Rockefeller. One from. Senator Kennedy I am very much regret not being able to join you for the groundbreaking ceremony but I hope they will convey my best wishes the Long Island Jewish Hospital has made outstanding contributions I held the welfare of the people of New York and the expansionary of the Celebes is a can significantly significant occasion Robert F. Kennedy. What from Senator Javits is a pleasure to send greetings and congratulations on the auspices cation of the groundbreaking for the treatment research and teaching the size of Long Island Jewish Hospital these new facilities are most welcome indeed In addition I will only enable the hospital increases quality service in the community very wish every wish for much success for the completion of your project pression respects to my own right now regards to all present to give deference as the senator. Has you heard before. This hospital. Is right at the edge of New York City and some of our acreage goes into Nassau but more important we serve I five patients are in Nassau residence and as far self-taught. After all it doctors on the staff are reside in practice in Nassau and it's only fitting and proper that we have you know with us today the chief executive of Nassau County a man who has been a friend of ours a man who has held high the necessity of providing excellent medical care to the people of national. Might is my pleasure to introduce our next speaker of the Honor Roll Eugene H. Nicholson. Liebowitz reverend clergy. Mr Tucker. Sting which man Wagner missed fell top drug gats stingless guests and ladies and gentlemen. I am glad that we are still on the West lee side of the queens Nassau Alon and. High when I last May Nassau County it was still Fayad that little and. I notice that since you came the rain seems to have stopped. And. It is fitting that officials of both New York City and of Nassau County should participate in these groundbreaking ceremonies. For more on the quarter of a million residents of Nassau New York City and other sections of the metropolitan area are dependent for medical hospital services on Long Island Jewish hospital lab is the number that have been either in patients or out patients in the eleven years since long on Jewish Hospital was started. We in Nassau I like to think that all of the greater portion of the hospital property is on the Queens side of the law and the. Jewish Hospital is really one of our hospitals. They also proud to point out that at least a part of the grounds as you've heard are on the Nassau side of the line more than a third of the patients admitted to the hospital are Nassau residents and even larger proportion about half of those who come to the various clinics for outpatient treatment are Nassau residents over twelve thousand visits to the clinics were made by Nassau citizens during nine hundred sixty four. Then I believe about seventy five percent of the medical staff and lubing my good friend Dr Peter Rudd gets residents of Nassau County these figures are significant and I've been pleased to hear from those who have been treated at the clinics that even when they are crowded and there is a waiting period all of them are treated with concern with compassion and skill. Through it out patients facilities the Jewish Hospital renders a valuable service to youngsters with medical problems not usually treated at community hospitals by having these specialized clinics for children so close to their homes this hospital makes life much easier for their parents one such clinic in which I have taken a particular interest is the Cystic Fibrosis clinic. For this was a stablished parents had to take their children all the way to babies hospital part of Columbia Presbyterian in Manhattan and there was no comparable service available in all of Long Island every week therefore parents residing as far away from Manhattan as Suffolk County had to take trips to the city so their children could receive the specialized medical attention so essential to their treatment of this disease so you can understand what a blessing it has been to the many parents here in Nassau and Suffolk went on around Jewish Hospital opened the Cystic Fibrosis clinic several years ago and this is only one of thirteen specialized clinics for handicapped children. It hardly seems possible lad the long arm Jewish Hospital is only eleven years old. Almost seems as if we'd always had the hospital here on the Nassau Queens border standing as a guardian of Community Health in the past has been remarkable the future of this hospital gives gives promise of being even more remarkable the building for which we break ground today is a great endeavor on the merits the support of all the people of the metropolitan area and I am pleased on behalf of the citizenry of Nassau County bringing good wishes and support. It has been said that medicine is the only profession that labors incessantly to eliminate the reason for its own existence may the billing for which we are breaking ground and the professional people who will ultimately work here we have a dedicated to that purpose. As for Mr Nicholson running a hospital is a complex complex task combining the skills and talents of many requires coordination direction and insight here at Long Island Jewish Hospital we are fortunate to have as our executive director a man of possesses these qualities and more although you thought he was experienced and respected must feel and plan I can dedicate it he has always believed the compassionate care of the patient comes first I am happy to present our last speaker the executive director of Long Island Jewish Hospital Dr funeral yes. Mayor Wagner county executive Nickerson Mr Felt Mr Liebeler its members of the clergy trustees colleagues distinguished guests and ladies and gentlemen fine may I'd like to take a moment to pay my word of tribute and science to the many members of my staff who made the extraordinarily complex arrangements for today I'd be even more whole hearted in my praise except that one of the jobs was to keep it from raining today but nonetheless I'll say thanks to them for everything else and they really put in some job getting this arranged. The distinguished men and women who are with us today dramatize a significant role and responsibility that a community hospital has as a part of society the ideals that give purpose to our national effort in these times has been a dent to fight by the phrase the great society. I would like to develop briefly the concept that the Long Island Jewish Hospital is a society in microcosm where many of the objectives of the great society are given a tangible personal meaning where people sharing a sense of common purpose strive together to achieve these objectives the goals we have set for ourselves in this hospital are excellence of patient care excellence of education and excellence of research. Let me pursue my analogy of the Long Island Jewish Hospital as a society in microcosm Elijah age as we call it like any society has its history we feel an intense pride in ours many of the men and women who founded the hospital are here with us even today at this relatively early stage in our history they assume heroic proportions in our eyes and properly so for they had the vision the courage and the energy to create this institution and to give to it those characteristics as a teaching and research institution which make it almost unique among community hospitals. As in society at large the hospital provides a setting where government management and labor meet. Employees physicians volunteers and board members work together at Elijah each with mutual respect. Happily our society at the Long Island Jewish Hospital is not a homogeneous one the people who comprise it or individuals of varying backgrounds education experience and skills of different colors and creeds and of different ages from our teenage can describe it to our eighty year old volunteer this rich diversity adds vigor to the hospital a common purpose that binds together our diverse group is service to our community. Each year we care for almost thirty thousand persons close to half of these are entitlements the others come to our emergency room or to our extremely busy outpatient department. In the Queens Long Island community the name of the Long Island Jewish Hospital has become identified with the highest quality of hospital service and with a feeling of concern for the needs of each patient. In our forty eight clinics we offer the most comprehensive range of Clinic care in the area our division of nuclear medicine our cardiac surgery program our human TELEGIN division indeed all the medical activities of the hospital have earned a reputation for excellence and made Elijah H. as a center for referrals from miles around. We have the only adolescent clinic on Long Island and the only premature nursery center. We are the only hospital on Long Island approved by New York State for all categories of care under the state program for handicapped children. One of our newest and most significant community services is our affiliation with the Queens Hospital Center to which Mayor Wagner has already referred. This is a tremendous undertaking and we have assumed it proudly but with a sober awareness of the difficulties involved and the importance of our meeting this responsibility with wisdom and scale in addition we are developing a new relationship with the Long Island hearing and speech society and we hope to strengthen our ties with our sister Federation agency hillside hospital. And society thrives in a climate of intellectual inquiry to sustain and improve any society there must be a continuous programme of education for its members at L I J H We educate ourselves and others we are the only hospital in the Queen's Long Island area as you've heard that is affiliated with a medical school the Downstate Medical Center of the State University. Not only medical students but students of nursing social work and other professional fields come to a large age for a portion of their training our internship and residency programs attracts a period candidates from medical schools throughout the country our educational activities are not confined just to the professionals we believe it is our civic responsibility to extend our teaching role into the community we conduct educational sessions and many schools throughout the area concerning the health hazards of smoking within our own walls we operate a pioneer program of occasional rehabilitation in this program people with arthritis paralytic handicaps and amputations retarded or emotionally disturbed young persons are trained in new skills and given a new chance to participate in the life of the community. A hospital that seeks to educate doctors and a world of exploding scientific knowledge must itself be dedicated to the search for new knowledge our past research has been productive our aspirations for the future are reflected in the research institute that will rise on this site. As is the case with the goals of the Great Society some of our goals are immediate ones demanding urgent attention the prime example is the expansion program we are inaugurating this afternoon other goals are distant ones which must come and our continuing efforts for years to come. One of the nice things about ideals is that we never quite attain them they're always just out of reach so that we must always extend ourselves and trying to achieve them. We shall strive to incorporate the best ideals of medicine and the best goals of our democratic society into every aspect and every programme of the Long Island Jewish Hospital. With your help we shall succeed Thank you. All that's not too much to ask you to stay here for another few moments. While all those who had the pleasure of speaking to us have to know go out on the right and take some showers and actually dig yourself you're waiting here for three minutes unappreciated room on your way.