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Archiver > KSMIAMI > 2000-04 > 0956881814
From:
Subject: Re: [KSMIAMI] Osawatomie, KS
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2000 20:30:14 EDT
Hi- This is in reply to your two e-mails asking about the hospital at
Osawatomie. I grew up in the country southwest of Osawatomie and graduated
from Osawatomie High School. Some of my ancestors were in Osawatomie from
the days of its beginnings, so I happen to have some information on the
hospital. (I don't recognize any of the names you mentioned in your other
e-mail.)
The hospital is known as the Osawatomie State Hospital, or the State Hospital
for the Mentally Ill. It was established in 1864, and one of my relatives,
Charles Adair, donated some of the land for the hospital. There are a number
of buildings on the grounds there now. I remember when I was a student at
Osawatomie High School that we once had a French family in the school
district. The father was a French psychiatrist who was working at the
hospital for a while. His daughter, who was in the second grade, spoke no
English when they arrived in Osawatomie, but was speaking fluent English with
a perfect local accent within one month of her arrival. (This is what
happens when a young child is immersed in a previously unknown language.) I
remember also Dutch people being in town because of the hospital, and I
suppose there were other foreign doctors as well.
I don't know much about the present condition of the hospital as I'm 59 and
haven't lived around Osawatomie since I was in college. I don't know if you
even are interested in this much information - but here it is, anyway!
I don't know where you live, but guess if you were very familiar with
Osawatomie, you would have known something about the hospital. I would like
to mention that the correct pronunciation of the name "Osawatomie" is with
the beginning "O" being a long one. It rhymes with the "O" in Oklahoma.
Many people pronounce Osawatomie incorrectly, even some of the local people.
I have found this very frustrating. Sometimes when I've corrected people on
the pronunciation, they continue to say the word incorrectly. I suppose
whatever one is used to seems right. The town was named because it is
between two rivers - the Osage and the Pottawatomie. These two river names
were combined to form the name Osawatomie, which is why it should be
pronounced with a long O. The Osage is now officially called the Marais des
Cygnes, which is French for "Marsh of the Swans."
Well, that's probably a lot more info than you wanted!
Rosalie
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