Community Corner
First Planned Hospital Built in 1950s
While there had been at least one other hospital in Paulding County, the facility built by Dr. Frank Sparti was the first constructed specifically for a hospital.
Dallas Hospital was built in the 1950s with two entrances, one for its white patrons and one for African-American residents.
That was a law that Dr. Frank Sparti, who ran the facility, didn’t like.
“Dr. Sparti hated that and from all accounts, he made the ‘colored’ section nicer than the white section,” said Betty Sparti, the doctor’s daughter-in-law. “He had been the child of Italian immigrants and barely spoke English when he was young and had felt the effects of prejudice. As the child of Italian immigrants, he had to walk through Irish neighborhoods on the way to school, and he had to fight his way to and from school every day. Although he had to adhere to the practices of the time, he didn't have to like them.”
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The building, which now houses the Dallas School of Dance, wasn’t Paulding County’s first hospital, but it was the first building to be built with the specific purpose of being a hospital. Dr. Joe Matthews had a hospital where the town parking lot in front of the Dallas New Era now sits. The former Paulding Hospital had approximately 10 beds. Sparti sold it when the main Paulding Memorial Hospital was built in Paulding around 1958.
“But as I understand it, those buildings were houses that were converted for use as hospitals,” Betty Sparti said. “Dr. Sparti's was the first building planned for use as a hospital when it was built.”
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Sparti moved his family to Dallas in 1951 when he was hired by Dr. Joe Matthews. After working with Matthews at Matthews Hospital on Main Street in Dallas, Sparti left Matthews’ practice to build and set up Dallas Hospital, bringing Matthews’ nurse, Mary Dean Christian, to work for him. The family home was located on the hill behind the hospital.
Sparti was trained as a doctor of osteopathy, which is different than other doctors at that time. Although they received the same medical training, doctors of osteopathy also did spinal manipulation similar to chiropractors. Sparti worked with local legislators to successfully change laws governing doctors of osteopathy. For example, at that time, Sparti was not allowed to sign birth or death certificates, something that his nurse was able to do.
In 1958, the Spartis left Paulding County and moved to Miami.
