Firland Sanatorium School of Nursing - Fir Log Yearbook (Seattle, WA)

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CLASS PROPHECY EN years ago I little thought that l943 would find me on board a palatial yacht in mid-Pacific bound for the Samoan Islands. I am traveling companion and social secretary for Miss Frances McPherson, our one time Firland colleague and beloved night superintendent for many years. During that time, it will be recalled, her life seemed to us very quiet and uneventful. Had we known of the thrilling adventures and wide travels she then enjoyed, all in the realm of fancy, we would probably have been just as astonished as was Miss McPherson herself, when, in 1934, a long lost and distant cousin died and the hand of fate unsuspectingly dropped into her lap a fortune of close tc a BILLION DULLARS and with it came a chance to make all those dreams come true. So well has she planned the trail that for the past ten years our travels by land, sea, and air have encompassed only the most interesting places and the most thrilling adventures. During the past year we have been doing some extensive research work. The Firland Mother wanted to know what had become of her children. Wfell, we have found them all, and each has gladly consented to a published account of her where- abouts and occupation. You will be proud of them all, too, although perhaps somewhat surprised to discover so many loop-holes in the fence around the Pie d of Public Health Nursing. I will try to take you all with us to meet the Firland nurses as we found them, and if this account jumps around the world too much, you 1TILlSl rememl er that we are writing of no ordinary nurses, but of women who have always dared to leave home when destiny commanded. VVe were in London and had been invited to a gathering of some of the literati and leading scientists and pathologists of Europe to honor Mrs. Ada Babcock, former Firland laboratory technician and now world famous for her discoveries and book on the subject of the Further Use of Cold-Serum in the treatment of a great number of contagious and infectious diseases, from whooping- cough to leprosy. Mrs. Babcock travels with her son as pilot in their private plane and thinks nothing of a hop across the Pacihc or Atlantic. Here my account will also hop the Atlantic and back to Seattle to hnd Rose Paschich of Isolation memory now married very happily to a wealthy merchant. Always verv fond of chillren, Rose is now blessed with ten of her own, live of each. At the time of our visit, although perfectly contained, she was somewhat preoccupied, and no wonder! Five of the children were having a mild attack of diphtheria, while the other five had scarlet fever. All, however, were almost cured and Rose was justifiably proud that there had been NO CROSS INI7IiCTlONS. Back to Europe and to Paris, where the Consul. knowing that we were Americans, was most impatient to acquaint us with the toast of the town, Comtesse Helen Montesquieu de Terray. whom we found to be no other than our Helen Thorle, Virland dietitian. Our pleasure was doubly enhanced when she told us that Alice Ruger was her house-guest. and she urged us to remain for the week- end. Alice, Helen said, is adored by my three children, but she, herself, though -34-- H13

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- .. ......, , , EoMay Priem, Royal Alexander Hospital ? I know a lot about flowers. Try and remember it until I get these hospitals straightened out, will you? Mildred Rountree, Riverside Hospital ? Yes, and you have Kentucky after that, haven't you ? Kathleen Elliott, Murray Hospital. Is that in Montana ? No, it is in Butte. 'fMary Kaiser, Mercy Hospital? I came all the way from North Dakota to Seattle on a trainf' 'iLucille Bennett, University Hospital Training School ? Yes, both Elsie Jensen and I came from Iowa and we are going back on our vacation. Therese Erickson, Virginia Mason ? Yes, and I think it is a grand training school. Did you girls see a car drive up? Oh, yes, there is Marie Eichacker and Amelia Hall. Before you girls sit down will you give me your Alma Maters. Miss Eichacker from Mercy Hospital in Anamosa, Iowa, and Miss Hall from St. An- drew's Hospital in Minneapolis. Thank you. l'Lena Buess, lput your sewing away. Did you train in the lane C. Stormont Hospital in Topeka, Kansas? Yes, I have that rightf, There are two girls here from Providence Hospitals. Virginia Maxwell from Seattle, and Clive Carlson from Everett. You say you want to sing, Virginia? You have a very lovely voice and I will call on you later for one of your favorite songs. Doris Edwards, I have Portsmouth Hospital at Portsmouth, New Hamp- shire, for your training school. That is correct, isn't it? INC have two nurses from Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, and I have just one accounted for. NVill the other nurse please signify by raising the right hand. Victoria Casson? Thank you. And Mattie Haskeiv from Bryce Hospital in Tuscaloosa, Alabamaf' Now, Miss Anna Karlsson is going to give us a little talk on The Art of Keeping a Supply of Dressings on Hand. Before you begin, I have you from Batt.e Creek Sanatorium, B. C., Michigan. That is right, isn't it ? Delanto Ludington, is she here? Oh, you say St. Luke's Hospital in Belling- ham! I d.dn't have to ask you.', Tale want to know where the teacher trained, fthe girls all chorusedj Quiet, quiet, please! I'll tell you. St. Vincent's Hospital in Portland, Oregon. Now, this has been an unusually good class today. How would you like to go down to the beach tonight and have a party, a big fire, go in swimming and have lots of fun? That is hne. Wle will all meet on the beach at seven o'clock.U Class is dismissedf' - 33 -- 'ri Q Jimi 194 I Ill, lllllln rllll If 'Q 'EF nf-..-. E -- -,: , Q .ya .' ju-gff 1 E -' 'f ...tw :Q I 11- 13: J-v

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she has had many marvelous offers, is still single and as timid as ever. just then Alice walked in with a jig-saw puzzle under her arm for the chil lren. To our question she replied that it was one she had spent many hours working at Firland and which she has kept through all these years. Incidentally she confided that while there were jig-saw puzzles to be worked she had no time for marriage. In New York we had gone to the leading opera house to witness the debut of a ballet dancer who gave promise of being a second Pavlowa. The lights blazed one name, Prusaki. As we sat in our box looking over the program, although the name seemed somewhat familiar, we were ill prepared for the shock which befell us when the fairy-like figure in tights and ruffles floated lightly across the stage and poised daintily on two toes directly in front of us and we recognized- Katherine Prusak. It was then we recalled that while at Firland she had confided in us her smouldering ambition to be a classic dancer, but she seemed to figure in a dream as she floated through her own interpretation of The Wfind in the Trees. As for Lena Buess what could be more natural than to find her a very success- ful kindergarten teacher in Topeka, Kansas. The children seemed to learn so easily and made the most intricate things. Even the teacher looked so happy and interested. Caroline Tamborini is another who has had the courage and tenacity of purpose to follow the urge of her greatest talent. She is now an artist with a studio in- Seattle and is fast becoming famous. So greatly has her influence been felt that Seattle is now the leading art center of the west. We found one secret of the popularity of her paintings when we visited the artist while she was at work on a painting which was to depict the f'Spirit of Social Wfelfare in Seattle and found no other than Lucille Bennett, posing as model for the heroic figure. The Samoan Islands boasted of a most modern and well equipped hospital. Always eager to see the best in that line, we hastened to visit it. Somehow, as we saw everything in such perfect order and such serenity pervading the atmosphere of the place, we were not a bit surprised to be greeted as charmingly as of old by the Karlsson sisters, Anna and Eva. Probably you have heard of the new Boys' Reformatory in Texas? It is built on Marie Laubach's Texas ranch. The people of the county built it at Maries instigation and she is the Superintendent. Although it is a small institution and comparatively new, it is already famous for the miraculous transformations seen in the characters of so-called delinquents who have graduated there. The boys never forget Marie, but seem to consiler her their second mother and the institution their second home. Marie was glad to explain her method of approachf' It consists simply in loving them enough and feeding them enough. In Louisville, Kentucky, we visited our former Mildred Rountree. in her beauti- ful Colonial home. She is now married to a childhood sweetheart and instead of the solitude-loving Mildred we once knew, we found her a leader in the social whirl. So you see appearances are deceivingg we cannot know the under-currents. She has a lovely little girl of eight with long golden curls and a talent for the violin. Mary Kaiser is still in Seattle and well it is for that city that she consented to stay. Une of the big hospitals might have looke'l the world over and not have found a nurse more perfectly adapted to solve its lproblems of management. We -35- we Wfidhiliil 9 it