Presbyterian St Lukes Hospital School of Nursing - Alpha Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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y aduatcon - - The night had finally come when we could don our whites and feel that at last we were nearing the long-waited finish. To most people, the 23rd of May was just another day, but to us it was the greatest day we had ever known. The halls of Schweppe were alive with excitement and anticipation. Every one of us looked like we would burst at the drop of a hat. After taking many pictures and running eagerly about, we finally got into the cabs which had been very impatiently waiting and arrived at the church all aglow. It was the only time that any of us had felt sorry for those who had graduated in previous years. In spite of the mix-ups we had at practice, the service went along without a flaw. It wasn ' t until we sang O Master Let Me Walk with Thee that the tears came to our eyes. The pride swelled to an even greater height when they announced the awards to those of our class whom we knew deserved them. They were: The President of the Board of Trustees Award for medical and surgical nursing — Doris Molbo. The Medical Staff Award for medical and surgical nursing — Virginia Walker. The Mrs. Charles H. Morse Award for all-around nursing — Stasy Mesec. The Martha Hughitt McCullough Memorial Award for bed- side nursing — Florence Wolf. The Charles H. Schweppe Memorial Award for psychiatric nursing — Laura Rood. The Mrs. John W. Gary Award for obstetrical nursing — Sybeline Buurstra. The Harriet Fulmer Award for highest scholastic standing — Doris Molbo. The Woman ' s Board Award for pediatric nursing — Mary Montgomery. The Woman ' s Board Award for operating room nursing — Agnes Wiersma. Soon after that we had to leave, and our great hour of glory was nearing the end, but as we walked up the aisle, our hearts swelled with pride and thankfulness for everything. When we got back to Schweppe, we realized that the reception was the crowning glory to the end, which was really our beginning.

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A JCook at the Mature - - The phrase, look to the future , is being heard frequently in these days of rapid change and new developments. So too, the admonition, remember, is used over and over in our daily living. Remember the early beginnings, the struggles and accomplishments; remember the past as a guide to the present. As students, especially as preclinicals and freshmen, we were inclined to be so engrossed in our work and in such deep concentration over our individual efforts that we were unaware of the strong forces which molded nursing into the high profession of today. True, History of Nursing was a part of the early curriculum, but there existed little basis for comparison and thus no appreciation of the steady rise of standards, skills and status through the years. And the future? Our future was very vague and obscure many times then — our progress punctuated by memorable and morale lifting events — actual possession of blues , capping. Junior Crosses, Senior cuffs, and the crowning glory, whites ! The future of nursing as a vital, expanding, and strongly influential pro- fession is dependent upon its members ' actions, which in turn are governed by the nurses ' aims and ideals, an appreciation of their rich heritage, and a concept of the problems and improvements which the future holds. The pro- fession can be as large as the influence of its individual members. If, when you look to the future, you see a stronger nursing unity between countries, expanded psychiatric and public health fields, new nursing re- sponsibilities assumed, improved clinical education for students, or modern nursing in the remote parts of the earth, remember that the nurses of today, those with high ideals and an eye to the future, actively participating in their field of nursing and composing an integral part of their district and state nursing organizations, are the actual makers of tomorrow. Trust no Future, howe ' er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act, — act in the living Present! Heart within, God o ' erhead! Lives of great men remind us We can make our lives sublime And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time; Footprints, that perhaps another. Sailing o ' er life ' s solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again. Let us, then, be up and doing — With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing. Learn to labor and to wait.