2021 Fall Newsletter

TO: MIAMI CO. HISTORICAL MUSEUM From: LLOYD L. PECKMAN BERENICE WALLACE, SECRET DONATIONS: In our Winter of 2019 Quarterly, Larry Lybarger cre ated a very nice report on Mrs. Wallace's charitable contributions to our community and the larger area, as far north as Michigan University, her Alma Mater. He mentions the Eye Foundations of KU which is in correct. It was located across the street from Truman Medical Center. My wife and i are both, referred patients at Sabates Eye Center off 112th and Nall. There I noticed a 10- page history booklet taken from the Kansas City Star Sunday Magazine dated November 20, 2011. I was shocked to see on the first page in bold letters the name BERENICE BOYD WALLACE, who owned Paola Lumber as a very significant donor to Sabates charitable EYE FOUNDATION. Dr. Felix Sabates desired to form this retinol research and training center to train other doctors in what he knew. He cared for her detached retina in about 1970. It is a very serious con dition that I had in 2001, so I am familiar with it. The rest of the story is this? As background, Felix Sabates was a very bright and a white Cuban and got his doctors degree from Havana University in about 1955. He immigrated to New York and studied at New York University, Harvard and Bos ton colleges and especially under Dr. Charles Schep ens who created the first techniques for reattaching the retina. He later moved to Columbia Mo. and established a very successful eye clinic there and then moved to Kansas City; where he created his own specialty per sonal eye centers. That is when in 1970 when he treated Berenice's de tached retina, he asked her for money and explained to her what it was for. She donated it with the pro viso that "but if you ever tell anyone I am giving you the money, I will not give you any more". She reports about those damn-Democrats, and probably did not want her Paola Republican friend to know about giv ing to Truman Medical Center. After that each winter at IRS tax time, she donated an offsetting amount of

money to the foundation. It reports that when she died in 1991, she left half her fortune to the Eye Foundation. The Eye Foundation Library was dedicated in her name and her name is inscribed on its wall. The Eye Founda tion has graduated 140 specialized Ophthalmologists that practice all over the world. One takes care of the King of Spain.

It should be noted that Berenice's husband, Clyde Wal lace died after 6-month of marriage, leaving her a wid ow the rest of her life. Her substantial fortune did not all come from the Paola Lumber. She inherited a large amount from her Mother Sadie Boyd and Grandfather Henry Marshal McLachlin. He is the man who wrote the yellow 5-dollar book we have in our left front window. He wrote about Paola in the early day after 1857. Even tually between 1880 and 1900 he ended up owning half interested in Little Bay Lumber Co. at Little Bay, Arkansas. It harvested more than 25,000 acres of hard yellow pine which was shipped all over the midwest and as far as Ohio. Probably every One by twelve piece of barn siding in our area came from there. Over a one-hundred- year period, it has weathered very well. For instance, the Osage Trading Post labeled board at front of our Indian Room came from a 120year old barn east of Block. It is remarkable that this family fortune and others in our community have helped many people. Lloyd L. Peckman BERENICE BOYD WALLACE

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