Rotary Clubs Honoring Arthur James, Ohio State University Cancer Center Namesake at St. Clairsville-Area Native

Area Rotary clubs are partnering with local colleges to celebrate the life and history of the late Belmont County native Arthur G. James, namesake of the Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital & Solove Research Institute, and to raise funds for the fight against cancer.

The plans were announced Friday at Belmont College. The event will be at 6:30 p.m. today at Shannon Hall at Ohio University Eastern. There will be no charge for admission, but donations will be accepted for the Rotary Kick Cancer Research Endowment Fund.

Tom Morrison of the Barnesville Rotary Club was inspired to help organize the event after hearing a presentation from fellow Barnesville Rotarian Nancy Napolitano.

James was born Arthur Giangiacomo in 1912 in the former mining town of Rhodesdale, located northeast of St. Clairsville near the Ohio River. He was the son of a coal miner and the third of eight children of Italian immigrants. Rhodesdale no longer exists, but his family owned a grocery store and restaurant in the St. Clairsville area.

He graduated from St. Clairsville High School in 1930 as co-valedictorian before attending OSU.

After continuing his education at Duke University in North Carolina, James returned to Ohio and became a surgeon in Columbus.

"It was a very well-kept secret to me, and I thought: 'Wow, what an amazing thing,'" Morrison said.

He said James' grandson, Arthur James, will speak at the event.

"To go ahead and talk about Dr. James and his childhood in rural Belmont County," Morrison said. "He pushed for a cancer center in Columbus. He performed surgeries and did medical work at the Columbus cancer center at the time. ... His goal and dream was to have a cancer center in Ohio."

Morrison said James would seek out influential friends and backers and form a coalition to build a center. Construction started in 1983 and in 1987, OSU unveiled a cornerstone and surprised James by naming the cancer center after him.

Morrison, who said the public is welcome to attend tonight's event, noted its purpose is twofold -- educating people about James' impact, and raising funds for cancer research at OSU.