Remember---they 'old school nurses' had it rougher, but they could teach us alot! Nursing school's 50th anniversary bringing '23 sisters' back together - Peterborough Examiner - Ontario, CA
In the 1950s, there weren't a lot of options for women when they wanted to pursue a career: teaching, hairstyling; maybe secretarial work.
In Peterborough, women with ambition often attended the St. Joseph's School of Nursing.
Three Peterborough women, who graduated from the school five decades ago and went on to long and happy careers in the nursing field, reminisced recently about how times have changed.
They used to have to wear a blue dress with an apron and were not permitted to wear slacks; their white shoes had to be polished during roll call. They also recall it was proper procedure to stand up when a doctor entered the room.
These women were three of 23 students who graduated in 1960 and now many are returning for the class' 50th anniversary during the school's alumni dinner tonight.
About 200 people, in total, are expected, including 18 women from the 1960 class, say the three grads who spoke withThe Examiner--Sister June Nash, of Mount St. Joseph, as well as Eileen Rutherford and Nancy McCarthy.
(Four grads from 1960 are deceased, they say.)
Nash, Rutherford and McCarthy remember their time at the nursing school fondly.
Other classmates have sent emails stating how much they're looking forward to the event.
"My memories of our three years together are like being with family and the bonding that took place with our classmates was due to having a nurses' residence where we were there for each other," one woman wrote.
Anne Merriles wrote, "I remember telling my mom shortly after we entered training that it was like having 23 sisters. And I still feel that way about them, after 50 years!"
When they entered the school, in 1957, most of the women were in their late teens or early 20s and came from across the area including Tweed, Lindsay and Kirkfield.
Nash, Rutherford and McCarthy say they recall most vividly the strict uniforms with the white cap. They had to ask for special permission to wear pants, even if they were going ice skating, they say.
Nash says she nursed while wearing a habit, which was a requirement, because she was a nun.
Rutherford recalls that not as many of the supplies were disposable as they are today. Glass syringes and needles were used, sterilized, and then re-used, they say.
Some things never change: The women recall the tough work of nursing and how difficult it would be if they were caring for a patient who died.
They used to meet up in the common room to commiserate.
"There was a lot of camaraderie, though," Rutherford says. "It was generally a happy and exciting time."
After graduating, Nash went on to work in Saskatchewan for nine years before returning to the now defunct St. Joseph's Hospital, which had been in East City, where she served as director of nursing.
Rutherford and McCarthy both went to California, after graduating, as the U.S. state had been hiring a lot of Canadian nurses at the time.
Rutherford returned after a few months to work at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay.
McCarthy returned straight back to St. Joseph's Hospital.
Now retired, the three women say their careers were blessings.
"Nursing is a vocation, not a job," McCarthy said. "We were taught to preserve the dignity of the patient."
While the women say they're excited about the upcoming celebration, they add members of the 1960 class have reunited before. They've met during previous alumni dinners and many from the class got together when St. Joseph's closed.
"We all hold wonderful memories of our days at St. Joseph's Hospital and there was a lot of sadness when it closed," Nash says.
Their reunion is extra special because it's the 50th anniversary, they say.
It will be a time to laugh and reminisce.
"We worked hard," Nash says with a smile. "But we also had a lot of fun."
In the 1950s, there weren't a lot of options for women when they wanted to pursue a career: teaching, hairstyling; maybe secretarial work.
In Peterborough, women with ambition often attended the St. Joseph's School of Nursing.
Three Peterborough women, who graduated from the school five decades ago and went on to long and happy careers in the nursing field, reminisced recently about how times have changed.
They used to have to wear a blue dress with an apron and were not permitted to wear slacks; their white shoes had to be polished during roll call. They also recall it was proper procedure to stand up when a doctor entered the room.
These women were three of 23 students who graduated in 1960 and now many are returning for the class' 50th anniversary during the school's alumni dinner tonight.
About 200 people, in total, are expected, including 18 women from the 1960 class, say the three grads who spoke withThe Examiner--Sister June Nash, of Mount St. Joseph, as well as Eileen Rutherford and Nancy McCarthy.
(Four grads from 1960 are deceased, they say.)
Nash, Rutherford and McCarthy remember their time at the nursing school fondly.
Other classmates have sent emails stating how much they're looking forward to the event.
"My memories of our three years together are like being with family and the bonding that took place with our classmates was due to having a nurses' residence where we were there for each other," one woman wrote.
Anne Merriles wrote, "I remember telling my mom shortly after we entered training that it was like having 23 sisters. And I still feel that way about them, after 50 years!"
When they entered the school, in 1957, most of the women were in their late teens or early 20s and came from across the area including Tweed, Lindsay and Kirkfield.
Nash, Rutherford and McCarthy say they recall most vividly the strict uniforms with the white cap. They had to ask for special permission to wear pants, even if they were going ice skating, they say.
Nash says she nursed while wearing a habit, which was a requirement, because she was a nun.
Rutherford recalls that not as many of the supplies were disposable as they are today. Glass syringes and needles were used, sterilized, and then re-used, they say.
Some things never change: The women recall the tough work of nursing and how difficult it would be if they were caring for a patient who died.
They used to meet up in the common room to commiserate.
"There was a lot of camaraderie, though," Rutherford says. "It was generally a happy and exciting time."
After graduating, Nash went on to work in Saskatchewan for nine years before returning to the now defunct St. Joseph's Hospital, which had been in East City, where she served as director of nursing.
Rutherford and McCarthy both went to California, after graduating, as the U.S. state had been hiring a lot of Canadian nurses at the time.
Rutherford returned after a few months to work at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay.
McCarthy returned straight back to St. Joseph's Hospital.
Now retired, the three women say their careers were blessings.
"Nursing is a vocation, not a job," McCarthy said. "We were taught to preserve the dignity of the patient."
While the women say they're excited about the upcoming celebration, they add members of the 1960 class have reunited before. They've met during previous alumni dinners and many from the class got together when St. Joseph's closed.
"We all hold wonderful memories of our days at St. Joseph's Hospital and there was a lot of sadness when it closed," Nash says.
Their reunion is extra special because it's the 50th anniversary, they say.
It will be a time to laugh and reminisce.
"We worked hard," Nash says with a smile. "But we also had a lot of fun."