US Army School of Nursing - Taps Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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pi.Qn. Camp Cutter Battle Creek. Mich. Representative. A nick I. ' jxe.m.l The slanting rays of the October sun shone brightly, lighting up the little office of Quarters 1, where one by one thirty-seven girls re])orted for duty on the 2Lst day of the month, 1918. Just across the road from this stood the Mess Hall, v -here they were to assemble that evening to take the oath of allegiance, and where also they were to scramble onto the benches at the back of the room to eat their sweet potatoes and celery. A corridor led from this to iheir home. Barracks D, where each was to have her turn as M. P., seeing that the lights were out on time, quiet hour enforced, and the rules of the .Student (lOvernniem followed. Owing to the influenza epidemic eight members of the class, as well as the Director, Miss Bessie Chaffee, were unable to answer the call vmtil November 4. C msequently real class work did not begin until that time, although demonstra- tions and ward work, under the supervision of Aliss W ' essinger, began immedi- ately. Miss Katherine Dougherty. Chief Nurse, and Col. Ernest E. Irons, Com- manding Officer, took .special interest. Busy days passed, with drill under Captain Mennefee. skating on Iiaglc Dake. dances at the Red Cross House to the excellent music of the Base Hos- ])ital Band, and movies at the ' ' Y and K. of C. as forms of recreation. Cirad- u;dly, because of ill health, the call of the old life, or victims of Cupid, .girls resigned until only twenty-six completed the ])robationarv period. Following this came night dutv in laboratorv. operating room and the arrival of twenty Bluebirds ' from Camp Shelby. Miss. Then radical changes. Colonel Irons was transferred to the Surgeon-CieneraFs Office, the Base Hospital closed, and the original class was sent to Cam]) .Sherman. Ohio. April 1st. leaving the remainder of the class with our Chief Nurse and Director to be sent to Fort McPherson, Ga. .A hot but pleasant summer was passed at Camp .Sherman, with horseback riding, trips to the Pie House and Exchange Theater, walks over the hill and picnics by the Red School House in ofi ' -duty hours, until the middle of August, when division came because of affiliations. Three of the number were sent to Belle ue, N. Y.. ten to F ort Sheridan. III., and thence to the University of Minnesota Hospital at Minneapolis, and tlie remainder to .San Francisco. Cak. for their affiliations and Army work at the Letterman Cjeneral Ho.spital. On this, the eve of graduation, one girl is doing jirivate duty in Chicago, having finished the course January 21st, nine are in the Yest, and eight, the remainder of the class, are in New York and at the ' alter Reed General Hospital. To the class many ])!easant as well as unpleasant experi- ences have come, but none will hold such a hallowed place in the heart of each girl as those of Camp Custer at Battle Creek. Mich. We wish to express our appreciation to our most highly esteemed Command- ing Officer, Colonel Ernest E. Irons, and those who worked with him so loyally and patiently for the interest of our school. 1921. J oiw liinidrrd mid sc ' ciily-fiTC

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V. ft6.a ' Q maemS , , CAMP CUSTER 1. SmiKNTs Past Time 6. Miss DoucHtRTv asd Miss Chaffee 2. OuK First Sorkow 7. Camp Custer 3. Affiliation 8. Barracks D 4. Blue-I!IRI)s Oct. 21st, 1918 9. Bathinx Beach 5. Affiliation at Union Hospital, Minn.. Oct. 21, 1919 -1921 1 one hundred and seventy-four

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I aQ.a 1. Entranck 2. . Party FORT DES MOIXES .3. Fort ]5es Moinks 4. Fir I ' .pinKMK 1921. mil- hiiiidrfd and srvc ' iitv-six