Methodist Kahler School of Nursing - Link Yearbook (Rochester, MN)

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Jill-gf Quads in Callillonnia On May 14, 1966 twenty-Hve alumni residing in the San jose area met at Ima Klimper Nelson's '40, home for a M-K get together, Three classes which held reunions in Rochester were represented at this California gathering and four M-K alumni who had never before attended this annual get-to-gether in California joined the group this year. Selma Bunge Keithly, '41 and Gladys Coons Rikala, '41, keep up the interest in this club through publicity and personal calls to graduates in the area, and also supply The Link with information and pictures. Front row: CL. to RJ Virginia Klinefelter Edwards '56, Dorothy Robards Hedinger '37, Selma Bunge Keithley '41, Violet Anderson McGulligan '36, Jean McEachern Ryan '36, Rose Morrow '36, A. Betty Morton '40, Thora Rose '41, Gladys Coons Rikala '41, Second row: Virginia Littleton '40, Ima Klimper Nelson '40. Back row: Margaret Rue Peterson '44, Evelyn Bayer Braeger '32, Alice Johnson Hagen '29, Betty Whiteford Haskins '30, Jeanette McCain '38, Mary Wilkins '39, Lenore Olson Sollom '43, Patricia Dye Greene '46, Hilda Schroeder Yakas '32, Ann Desich '46,. Grace Conde Muenchow '40, Barbara Lindquist Peterson '48, Mabel Aasen '35, Arlene Grepps Decker '33, Wax. 1936 Violet Anderson McGulligan, Jean McEachern Ryan, Rose Morrow. Violet and Rose were in Rochester for their class re- union. 31 I I 1956 Virginia Klinefelter Edwards 1946 Patricia Dye Greene, Ann Desich

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Salma gftmle Qfaces Change Readers of uThe Linkn will recall that at inter- vals during the past ten years we have reported on our concern over the steady increase in the cost of publishing HThe Linkw, and the decrease Cexcept for one or two yearsj in the number of alumni sub- scribers and the fact that the 153.00 per year sub- scription rate does not cover the cost per copy. All of the above contributed to the fact that last fall f'The Linkn treasury showed after all 1965 bills were paid there would not be suHicient funds avail- able to pay for this 1966 issue. Your Alumni Asso- ciation was informed of this difficulty and, to meet this yearis commitments and allow time in which to adequately study the fate of this ffgood old friend , the association voted to subsidize the cost for this year's book. Since the magazine has had so few alumni sub- scribers 4200 last yearj, the editorial staff assumed that the magazine no longer is satisfying alumni appetites, and that perhaps the R.M.H. News which is mailed out several times a year to all alumni whose addresses are up-to-date in our files, is satisfying our grads with news about the hospital, school, and Rochester. ffllso it is freej After careful study of the budget and other aspects which affect any publication, it was decided by the Alumni Association to attempt to decrease the cost of the 1966 HLink', by eliminating the Alumni Directory which occupied twenty-two pages of the thirty-two allocated to alumni news. A directory will still be maintained by the Alumni Association but as a separate booklet and will be published only every two years. This will be avail- able to alumni through the Alumni Association and you will be notified later as to its cost per copy. Future Link subscriptions CQ' there is a Link l would not include a directory. This brings me to the central point of these pre- liminary remarks. What the fate of The Link will be after this year is at this time unknown as it seems doubtful that the Alumni Association can continue to provide funds from its treasury each year to underwrite the cost for so few graduate subscribers. And now, what of f'The Link's'i future? Publi- cation may be suspended, or a new publication, more like a yearbook type for students, might evolve. The decision rests with the Alumni Associ- ation and administrative department of the school. Whatever the decision you will be informed--and so another change is pending! October 28, 1966 Since the above information was written the fate of The Link has been decided. It will continue to exist as a school yearbook type of publication re- cording those activities which students feel are of sentimental and historical importance. The finan- cial support will come from the student subscribers and the school. As a student publication, the format and contents of the student section of previous issues will be re- tained and could increase as the budget permits. The removal of the alumni directory and alumni news section from the book will however reduce the size of this publication. Although The Link will no longer carry alumni news any alumnus who wishes to subscribe may still do so by sending 33.00 to The Link Editorial Staff, 116 Second Street N.W., Rochester, Minne- sota 55901. u The Link will from now on be the official year- book of the Methodist-Kahler School of Nursing. Myrl I. Peterson Faculfy Adviser Jllliss Cgallsigerm Qetines K .JZ rw wk. Alma Balsiger and Grace Lahre. Photo taken at party given in honor of Miss Balsiger. For more than thirty-seven years Alma Balsiger, better known as Bally',, gave of her time and energy to the patients and staff at the Rochester Methodist Hospital. It would be difficult to find another member of the staff who had put in as many hours of dedicated labor. And when she worked she really worked. The results speak more eloquently than words. One need only listen to the comments from the staff on the unit to realize how great has been her contribution to nursing service. She believes in working intensely and often did much of the work herself. She had no patience with those who didnit do their share, but had great respect for those who really put their shoulder to the wheel. She herself is that type of person? A 1925 graduate of M-K, Miss Balsiger had ex- perience as a staff nurse, private duty nurse, head nurse, and assistant supervisor in our hospital. In 1955 she was among the employees who were hon- ored and received a watch for achieving twenty-five years of service. Her interests were not confined to her work alone. She likes to read and keeps up-to-date on a variety of topics. She is an ardent baseball fan and now will have time to fully enjoy this sport. Reliable, industrious, faithful Bally wa-s honored at a party on September 29 and retired from her position on September 30. She now resides in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she has a brother and a sister.

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Ufffumfimt CDGQQ Another well attended and much enjoyed ffAlumni Daysw were held on june 24-25. The weekend was a time of gaiety and remembrance for the many alumni who returned to their alma mater this year. Having fun as they went back in time, those present wished that all of their class- mates and school friends could have been present 'fto renew in memoryw and to enjoy the program of events. Special reunions were held by the four classes ending in six. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., Friday, june 24, alumni began registering at Maxwell Hall and then at- tended the all-morning coffee. Following the coffee, the reunion classes dispersed to various restaurants in Rochester for individual class luncheons. In the afternoon, groups went on tours of the school, Clinic, and city, others gathered at homes of local alumni. The evening program was purposely planned as a family affair as this year marked an historic event in our history. Our new Rochester Methodist Hos- pital was dedicated Gct. 21, and soon will be opened and occupied. The entire program was planned to bring alumni up to date on the progress and the projected future plans after the new build- ing is in operation. The social hour and banquet were held at Holi- day Inn with approximately 260 in attendance. The crowded dining room and slow service failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the reunionites. Mr. Howard Winholtz, hospital administrator, presided at the after-dinner program. Reverend Alquinn Toews, hospital chaplain, gave the invocation. In the absence of vacationing alumni president Jeanne Zumwinkle '45, Mrs. Joyce Kulas, treasurer, served as the official alumni hostess. Mr. Harold G. Mickey, executive director of the Rochester Meth- odist Hospital, gave the official welcome. Miss Eleanor Smith, alumnus and director of the school, commented on M-Kis plans in relation to the A.N.A.'s Position Paper, and she told about the curriculum changes which have been accom- plished and those which will go into effect this fall. The new hospital will also affect student living by providing the school with a more modern and cen- trally located residence facility, as the North Wing fNew VVingj of the Main Building will be re- modeled and converted into dormitory quarters thus eliminating Maxwell and Edith Mayo Halls. fTl1e new dormitogu has been named Clara Madsen Hallj The main speaker was one of the newer members of the hospital family, Dr. David K. Trites, Ph.D., director of our research program since july 1965. He described the new building as a research tool in hospital design and function, and stated that to his knowledge this was the largest experiment of architectural psychology of our time. He assured his audience that the research programs will not in any way interfere with the care of patients. Gur research program, which will be a long term effort, will encompass investigation into many areas of the hospital's departments and services. He related a few: C15 Gan there be too much observation of patients by staff and staff by patients? C25 How do nurses arrive at a decision clinically? C35 Evaluation of quality of care-does construction have any im- pact on quality of care? C45 Other broad areas for possible study include the functioning of future In- service Education Programs, Nursing Service Or- ganization in the hospital, use of computers for scheduling, various types of communicating de- vices, and studies in pharmacy and dietary depart- ments. On Saturday morning the administrative staff of the hospital personally conducted the alumni on tours through the new hospital building. Following the tours the alumni classes held breakfasts and coHees which concluded the two days of reunioning. Two former faculty members who attended Alumni Days were Miss Fern Sheick, former in- structor and associate director who is retired and lives in Rockford, Ill., and Miss Gail Hotchkiss '40, who served on our faculty from 1941-1950. She presently is Supervisor of Professional Nurses, Reg- istration and Education, for the state of Washing- ton and resides in Olympia. Gail was class adviser to the 1946 reunion class. Greetings from former directors Miss Lulu Saunders and Miss Gilberta Durland were read. Attendance records show the following totals for the reunion classes: 1926 - 26, 1936 - 11, 1946 - 55, and 1956 - 28. Alumni committees have already stashed this yearis reunion in the memory box and are making plans for the next one-for June 23-24, 1967. Many messages have been received since the re- union and a typical one is, Twenty years had made many marvelous changes. It was exciting to see and hear about the advancements made at our alma mater. I felt as if I could burst with pride knowing that I was a grad of M-K. If I could, I would love to work in the new hospitalf'