The Physicians of VBC Honored March 1949

Submitted by JoAnn Bradford

Note: Dennis, My mother seemed to have saved the articles I have sent you. She seemed to have saved a lot of old articles. But Old Dr Hall delivered her, delivered me and doctored my oldest daughter Linda. Mom's family lived at his old house at Eglantine at one time, I think that is where my sisiter Laverne was born and my uncle Howard Lee Potter was born there. JoAnn

Special Services at First Baptist Church, Clinton, Sunday, March 20th., 1949

The physicians of VBC were honored at a service held in First Baptist Church Sunday, March nth. 1949. Seven physicians were present.
Rev. Claud Jenkins, pastor, took his subject "Christ, the Great Physician." His text was from Luke 4:18 and Col.4:14. he compared the life of our rural physicians to that of Christ in that they have to lead such a busy lives, working seven days a week and subject to call 24 hours a day.
Each physician and his wife was presented a carnation by Dewey Davenport at the beginning of the services. At the close of the services photographs were made of the doctors and of their wives present. Interviews show the following interesting things about their lives. The youngest doctor present was 66 years old and the oldest 85 years old. Other interesting things about their lives are given below.
Dr. F. M. Clark of Shirley in 70 years old. He began the practice of medicine in 1900. Dr Clark said he had delivered well over 2,000 babies. He states that he delivered one boy who now has 13 children whose births he also attended. Dr. Clark is the father of nine children. His hobby is bees and chickens, his recreation is fishing.
Dr. R. L. Dawson of Bee Branch is 69 years old. He began his pratice at Formosa in 1903, moved to Wooster, Faulkner County, in 1908 and came to Bee Branch in 1941. His practice takes from Greenbrier, in Faulkner County to Clinton in Van Buren County. For many years he covered his pratice on horseback and by horse and buggy.
Dr. H. J. Hall of Clinton, who is 67 years old, graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine in 1910 and began pratice at Higden, Cleburne County, that same year. After 27 years at Higden, he moved to Clinton, September 1, 1938. Dr. Hall takes great pleasure in keeping a record of births of children he attends. His records show that he has delivered 2,341 babies. He services an area of approximately 50 square miles and well over 800 families on a total of 3,200 people. Each year he donates over $1,000.00 to charity. All during the war Dr. Hall served on the medical examining board and is still serving. He also serves as coroner of Van Buren County. He has three sons and one daughter. His three sons served in World War II, two of them them overseas. John H., the second son is attending University of Arkansas School of Medicine. Dr. Hall's hobby is farming and his favorite sport is baseball, having played this game until he was 45 years old.
Dr. W. S. Hutto of Clinton is 73 years old. He began his pratice in 1898 in Bono, Faulkner County, in 1908. He has kept no record of babies delivered but feels it would be well over 4,000. He is the only doctor in the county who has praticed surgery. While operating the Hutto Hospital just outside of Clinton on Highway 65, he performed major operations and lost one case. Dr. Hutto's hobby's is trading and building. He has built 17 houses in Clinton. His favorite sport is fox hunting.
Dr. W.S. Rogers of Clinton is 66 years old and started his pratice March 20, 1905, at Choctaw. He moved to Clinton, March 18, 1940. He has the distinction of being the only doctor who has done all his pratice in Van Buren County. His hobby is farming, and his favorite sport is baseball. He pitched baseball until he was 46 years old.
Dr. William A. Witt, 85 years old, was born at Quitman, Cleburne County, and began his pratice in 1902. He has spent the past 31 years in Van Buren County at Nego, in the northwestern part of the county. From 753 cases, he has delivered five sets of twins and one set of triplets and has never lost a mother. In all his 47 years of pratice he has made four calls in a car. He`walks or rides horseback to attend his patients. His hobby is farming and his form of recreation is playing the violin. For many years he played for square dances in his community.
Dr. Hunter is retired. Since his retirement he has been engaged in farming. He also spent many years teaching in Van Buren county schools. his hobby is singing, a recreation also shared by his wife. They sang a duet at the service to honor the doctors.