Born in Hodges Hospital, Scottsboro, Alabama

Hodges      

Hospital

Scottsboro,     Alabama

   Gone but not forgotten...

I took this photo of the Hodges Hospital building several weeks before it was torn down.

Well, the blog is set up and I am on my way!

I was born in Scottsboro, Alabama in what was the old Hodges Hospital, which was located on Laurel Street. My mother told stories about that place that were almost unbelievable. Quaint, interesting, but almost unbelievable. She described a nice facility designed to accommodate the people of the area. The staff was small scale, but adequate and the building was clean and sound. She as a first-time mother was glad to have such a nice facility available for her. I have "compared notes" with some of my friends born in the same time frame and was surprised to find out that a considerable number of births took place at home. It is really hard to imagine just how far everything has advanced. My mother described the rooms as very small with no room for much more than a bed and a night table. We must remember I was born in 1951 and the modern conveniences known now were not known then. She described in detail a small chest-type cabinet with two drawers that stood in the corner. The bottom drawer was for your personal items. The top drawer was used as a baby bed. You heard me right. I was told that a nice fluffy blanket padded the drawer making it safe for me and close to her bedside for added protection. I, of course, asked just how safe was that for a new baby, but evidently it was strong and sturdy because I am still here. Her room was on the second floor. To my knowledge, the hospital had only two stories, so I guess I was born in the "penthouse". I can't verify this because I was only on the ground floor once, a few years before the building was torn down. I remember the building as it stood in its late years. Time had really taken its toll on the building and it was completely unusable and stood empty for years before it was finally torn down. Historically I don't know when the hospital was constructed and open to the public and I don't have a record of the date it was actually torn down. If I had researched a little further, that information is available as public record. I don't remember her story containing anything about the food, but I do remember that the hospital bill for my delivery was $55.00. I don't think that included the doctor fees. I, somehow, feel that I am worth that! After my mother's stay in the hospital, she and my father took me home where I had a special little bed just for me. No more drawers! I have three brothers, Billy, David, and Michael, and one sister, Linda Carol. My brother Billy and I were the only two delivered in the Hodges Hospital. My sister Linda Carol entered this world in the Jackson County Hospital, which has recently been re-named Highlands Medical Center. Linda Carol was not only born there, but spent the bulk of her life there as a nurse. A very good one! I have some really good stories I will share about Linda Carol in a later blog. Believe me, there are many to tell. One that just popped in my head was how as a young child she chewed the toes and fingers off all my dolls! Enough now about Linda Carol. Looking back now , I wish I had asked more questions, talked to more relatives, and took notes. I should have better labeled my photos, journal stories, and just listened closer. We should talk to our children as soon and as often as we can. By sharing stories, they in turn will pass the heritage to the next generation. I truly cherish the memories I have of my family and friends. I hope this blog will be an addition of memories for my grand-children to carry forward with 
theirs and share with their future families. This is my life, one day at a time.

                                                                           
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©Deborah L. Burgess
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How Did I Get The Name Do-Dot?

Claire Thomas Dean, Jr.

I thought it would only be appropriate to start my blog with a question that I am asked frequently. "How did you get the name Do-Dot"? When I was young, but old enough to remember, my uncle Thomas Dean pinned this name on me. The photo is one of his earlier Naval shots.

I was born on September 24, 1951. My father was W.H.Johnson, Jr., more commonly known as "Shag" and my mother was Joycelyn Dean Johnson, commonly known as Joyce. Claire Thomas Dean, my uncle, was my mother's only brother. Uncle Thomas was my favorite! He was the one who kept a journal of every single penny that he made and how he spent it, but he was such a good person. If he took me to Payne's for a coke, he wrote that nickel down! He always wanted me to succeed in everything, so he constantly would come up with fun ways to help me learn. I remember the times that he offered to pay me $5.00 if I could learn and quote the presidents of the United States without any hesitation or help. Keep in mind that $5.00 in my early childhood was a "bunch" of money. To the best of my memory I was about 7 or 8 years old at the time. Needless to say, I would take his challenges every time without hesitation. I might add that I collected a considerable amount of money in this endeavor. I was only 8 years old when Uncle Thomas graduated from Auburn University, on a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship, with a batchelor of Science in Science and Literature. After graduating he commissioned an Ensign in the Supply Corps of the U.S. Navy. At this point, I knew that he would not be at home as much and my favorite uncle would be traveling the world. Even with his Naval career he did not abandon me. He would still challenge me and help me via "snail mail" and we would play catch-up when he came home. His goal was to make me a stronger person and help me learn. I see that now although I didn't realize it at the time. As he traveled the world he would find and send me such interesting items about the country where he was. He would send books, dolls, science kits, anything to learn and there was always a story that went with each gift. He didn't consider the item to be a "toy", it was a learning tool. Although, at the time, I sure did have fun with the dolls! His life story is an interesting one and I am going to post a dedicated blog just to him in the near future. He was born and raised in a Christian home and he was a major part of my life. I can still remember, as he would give me the $5.00 I had earned, saying, "Good job, Do-Dot!, you are so smart! " The name just stuck. As I grew older, I decided that Do-Dot was not really "cool" so I just hid it back with my other memories. Several years ago I needed a nickname for a program that I was installing on my computer. I thought and thought and nothing came to mind. Out of the blue, bingo! Do-Dot! It stuck!
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