It  was   chartered  in   1865,  its  incorporators,  in
their   initial   statement,  substantially  declaring
their  object  to  be  the  establishment  of  a  free  hos-
pital under  the  control  of  the  Protestant  Epis-
copal  Church,    which  should    be    open    to    the
afflicted  poor,    without   distinction    of    race    or
creed.     The  hospital  was  opened  on  a  small  scale,
but  steadily  increased  until  1879,  when  re-incor-
poration was  effected  under  the  general  law.     In
1885  a  new  building  was  erected  on  land  donated
for  that  purpose,  at  a  cost  exceeding  $150,000,
exclusive  of  §20,000   for   furnishing.     While  its
primary  object  has  been  to  afford  accommoda-
tion, with  medical  and  surgical  care,  gratuitously,
to  the  needy  poor,  the  institution  also  provides  a
considerable  number   of    comfortable,   well-fur-
nished private  rooms  for  patients  who  are  able
and  willing  to  pay  for  the  same.     It  contains  an
amphitheater  for  surgical  operations  and  clinics,
and  has  a  free  dispensary  for  out-patients.     Dur-
ing   the    past    few    years     important    additions
have  been  made,  the  number  of  beds  increased,
and    provision    made   for   a   training   school  for
nurses.     The    medical    stall    (1896)    consists    of
thirteen     physicians     and     surgeons     and     two
pathologists.
ST.  MARY'S  SCHOOL,  a  young  ladies'  semi-
nary, under  the  patronage  of  the  Episcopal
Church,  at  Knoxville,  Knox  County,  111. ;  was
incorporated  in  1858,  in  1898  had  a  faculty  of  four-
teen teachers,  giving  instruction  to  113  pupils.
The  branches  taught  include  the  classics,  the
sciences,  fine  arts,  music  and  preparatory  studies.
The  institution  has  a  library  of  2,200  volumes,
and  owns  property  valued  at  §130,500,  of  which
$100,000  is  real  estate.
