From the beginning, women of vision led the auxiliary which began in 1919, and joined the City Federation of Women's Clubs in 1920. In the late 1920's a billboard stated, “Welcome to Temple, The Hospital Center of the South”.
Dr. Lewis Robert Talley, our founder's husband was born in Temple. He attended Temple schools, Baylor, and the Medical College of Philadelphia. Dr. Talley did post graduate work at Johns Hopkins. He started his practice in 1908 and was also chief surgeon for the Missouri, Kansas, Texas Railroad for many years.
Mrs. L.R. Talley, Madeline Kyle, was born in Temple in 1895. She went to college at Belcourt Seminary in Washington D.C. and represented her school in 1913 at President Woodrow Wilson's Inaugural Ball. Her gown was sent to her from Europe by her Aunt Sallie Kyle, an artist, who studied and remained there to teach.
Madeline Kyle married Dr. Lewis Robert Talley in 1915 and moved to Temple. She was active in many clubs as a young bride. Mrs. Talley was a member of the City Federation of Women's Clubs and founded and became the first President of the Bell County Medical Auxiliary in 1919. In 1920 she was the Secretary-Treasurer of the District Medical Auxiliary of Central Texas. In 1942-43 she served a second term as President of the Bell County Medical Alliance. She also served as president of the following Clubs: the Music Club, the Domestic Science Club and the Temple Garden Club. Those four clubs are still member clubs of the City Federation of Women's Club. She was also a Baptist and a Sunday School teacher for many years.
Mrs. A.C. Scott, Sr., Maud Marcia Sherwood, was born in Chicago in 1868 and grew up in Gainesville, Texas. She married Dr. A.C.Scott, Sr. in 1889. She moved to Temple with her husband in 1892. In 1920, Mrs. Scott was the president of the District Medical Auxiliary, the same year Mrs. Talley was the Secretary-Treasurer. She served as president of the BCMA 1924-1925. At the Texas State Medical Auxiliary Convention in 1927 at El Paso, Mrs. Scott was named as an Honorary President for Life. The parlor at Grace Presbyterian was named in her memory.
Mrs. G.V. Brindley, Sr., Arabella Owens, was born in Elgin, Texas in 1892. She graduated from Kidd-Key College in Sherman, Texas with a major in speech. Dr. G.V. Brindley, Sr., a surgeon and one of the early medical partners at Scott and White Memorial Hospital, brought her to Temple in 1913 after their marriage. Through the years she worked in many civic, social and educational groups. In 1935 she helped the author, George Plunkett Red (a woman) write about the “Medicine Men in Texas”, by providing Bell County information on four deceased physicians. Dr. R.R. White, Jr. was one of those pioneer surgeons included in the book.
She was president of the City Federation of Women's Club in 1934-35. President of Bell County Medical Auxiliary in 1929-1930; District President and State President of the Texas Medical Auxiliaries. She served as president for the following Clubs: Woman's Study Club, Domestic Science Club, United Daughters of the Confederacy, and Daughters of the American Revolution.
In 1951, she was selected outstanding woman in Temple by the Jaycees. In 1954, she was named the outstanding woman of the fourth district of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs; and in 1956 she was chosen Texas Mother of the Year by the American Mothers Committee of Texas. A life member of the board of the Temple Public Library, she served on the board for 40 years and in 1964 was instrumental in obtaining the former post office building to house the library.
She spent more than 60 years doing church work and working with Baptist youth along with her volunteer work in Temple. Her husband often took her with him to make rounds on the week-ends, when patients needed cheering up. In 1975, the Temple Rotary honored her by making her its first Paul Harris “Fellow”. In 1963 until her death in 1981, she had been one of the sponsors of the G.V. Brindley, Sr. lectureships in surgery each August at Scott and White Memorial Hospital.
Also included in the history of Bell County Medical Auxiliary/Alliance was a significant project, started in the 1950 decade. The Vision and Hearing screening of pre-school children. Members screened thousands of children for over sixty years. Since 1983, and still continuing, members have delivered “Meals on Wheels” to seniors in our community. From 1990-2012 the Alliance partnered with Altrusa to sponsor the Caring Ball Gala with proceeds going to the Temple Community Free Clinic (now Temple Community Clinic). Our members also volunteered at the Free Clinic, interviewing clients for eligibility. For the last fifty years, the Alliance has provided the luncheon for the City Federation of Women's Clubs Bazaar or Spring Faire. Together with the Bell County Medical Society, scholarships have been awarded for decades for health science students in our county. For many years, the non-event fundraiser has given grants to numerous local, benevolent groups.
Over the years, the name has changed to Bell County Medical Alliance. However, the goals remain steadfast: to serve the health care needs of the community and support physicians and Alliance members.