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Houston History Launch Events
Click here to link to our past launch events sponsored by the UH Center for Public History Lecture Series.
19.1 San Jose Clinic: Forever Healing – Letter from Editor
We are honored to have partnered with the San José Clinic to tell the story of their first 100 years providing healthcare to Houston’s underserved. Please see the joint letter introducing this issue from Houston History editor, Debbie Harwell, and San José Clinic President and CEO, Maureen Sanders.
Founding of San José Clinic
Malnourishment and disease from Mexican Americans and Mexican’s impoverished communities in 1922 led to high infant morality rate and mothers’ lacking adequate knowledge about childcare. To combat these concerns, Msgr. George T. Walsh enlisted the help of Katherine Carroll and Theodora Kendall to establish a free clinic for the Mexican and Mexican American community in […]
The Catholic Church and San José Clinic
By Miles Bednorz Emerging from the rapidly growing congregation of St. Vincent’s Catholic Church, Annunciation Church became Houston’s second Catholic Church when it was dedicated in 1871 and is the oldest existing church building in Houston. The Catholic Church has always been the foundation of the San José Clinic. Catholic groups and institutions like the Archdiocese […]
San José Clinic in Houston’s Medical Mecca
The San José Clinic’s activities foreshadowed future successes for the clinic, changing tens of thousands of lives, as it took advantage of advancing medical technology, expanding community partnerships, and twice moving to new and larger facilities in the decades to come.
Treating Patients from Head to Toe
By Grace Conroy, Caitlyn Jones, and Debbie Z. Harwell The local Sembradores de Amistad chapter held a fundraiser in 1970 to provide glasses for San José Clinic patients. Club president, Virginia “Vergie” Treviño, left, and fundraising chair Mrs. Roy Molina, right, walk with Beatrice Moreno proudly wearing her new glasses. Photo courtesy of the […]
Respect, Dignity, and Home
By Joseph Castillo Pins added to the map above indicate the early clinic locations in Second Ward. Pin 1: 1900 Franklin (1922-1925); pin 2: 1909 Canal (1925-1954); pin 3: 1919 Runnels (1954-1956); and pin 4: 301 Hamilton (195 6 -2 010 ). Map from Alacrán essay courtesy of the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public […]
Pillar of Refuge, Maria Ramirez
By Joseph Castillo In the forty years that she has been with the San José Clinic, Maria has watched the clinic grow and maintain its family-like community. Her devotion and ability to connect with patients in both Spanish and English make her a beloved member of the San José Clinic community. Photo courtesy of the San José […]
“A Magical Time”: Christmas at San José Clinic
By Celine Pineda Just five years after the San José Clinic was established in 1922, the National Council of Catholic Women (now the Charity Guild of Catholic Women) began hosting a Christmas celebration for patients and community members, many of whom went without during the holidays. Approximately 300 children attended the first gathering, with infants receiving clothing and toiletries and other children visiting Santa Claus, who gave them toys and bags filled with candy, […]
The Women Behind the San José Clinic
By Sarah Chikhani In the early 1990s, Sister Annette McDonagh and Sister Pauline Troncale carpooled to work at San José Clinic in Houston’s Second Ward. Every morning, Sister Annette, a pharmacist in her seventies, would bless the clinic with a splash of holy water and pray that she would not make any mistakes. Recalling the story with a laugh, Sister Pauline, who was CEO of the clinic at […]