Rex Hospital School of Nursing - Nightingale Yearbook (Raleigh, NC)

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REBECCA JACKSON WARRICK Raleigh, N. C. A caress is better than ci career LONA NELL WORRELL Colerain, N. C. l might as well take my time, there's a whole lite ahead ot me WALKING WITH GOD To be a nurse is to walk with God Along the path that our Master trod To soothe the aching of human pain, To faithfully serve for little gain, To lovingly do the kindly deed- A cup of water to one in need, A tender hand on the fevered brow, A word of cheer in the living now. To reach the soul through the body's woe- Ah, this is the way that Jesus would go. O white-capped girls, with hearts so true, The Great Physician is working through you. -Author Unknown Il Becky Lona

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BETTY BUNCH TAYLOR Greenville, N. C. Never put off till tomorrow thot which you con put oft till doy ofter tomorrow CLARA STALLINGS THORNTON Smithfield, N. C. Ambition rules her broin ond love her heort EDITH ADALINE VANN Goldsboro, N. C. Blessings on him who first invented sleep K 1 A ua' 3 Ta, ,Y W hy, X 7. 1, 345,17 ig f , , Sify' -fm. F ,, A I . 'Zi,,hZWl 9 I Q f'?'4Qsf, wf-. A f s A S: , , - , Q II If Bunch 'Hu- Clara Addie ,E ffyg,-M :L 6 fL'4' .a L57 ' mg ft ' 42f'1k,j7s is s ' J' ' Vu, uf, 531 y -:Mi :Sf KN? bi W i,-'fa B f ,, T KL ' ll ego , 4 . i ., 'AUX l i

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Tlllill llll 'l'll So it is facts everybody is wanting. Well, here are the facts on the class of '54. Back in September '51, forty-two girls entered the dear ole Rex School of Nursing and a week later a late member strolled in to make a grand starting roll of forty-three. Work began! Busy minds start- ed learning the ways of nursing and college boys' good times. The girls chose to lead them that year Manie Gibson, president, Joyce Harper, vice president, Carol Johnson, treasurer, and Lector Lynam, secretary. Dr. Whitaker and Mrs. Ruth Smith were elected sponsors. The rules seemed to crack down on the probies. Only one overnight a month, but luck was with this class. Due to a broken furnace, an extra trip home slipped up in October. Some were homesick while others were glad to be away from home. A grand mixture of all types of girls, but a bunch that harmonized like the Andrew sisters. With the Thanksgiving turkey the P. C.'s idefinitely not privileged characters or pole catsl took to the hospital wards and began taking temperatures, pulses, and respirations. Then at Christmas, a whole week of working eight hours a day and a whole week's vacation. It was the vacation that was most ap- preciated. But Christmas also marked a sad spot, for one went home and then there were forty-two. January and the first half of February were filled with exams. And then a wonderful thing hap- pened. On February 22, forty girls, now freshman, were capped. Here again, along with tears of ioy, was a tear of sorrow for the two girls who left the crew. Following capping was another week's vacation. It was later realized that this vacation was not a reward for having been capped but rather a breather before starting the next three months of work. These '54'ers must have been a noisy bunch because their first Mothers' Day in training was spent on restriction. That is, all were on restriction except for the slyest in the class who managed to hit the sack before the storm hit them. Finally the freshman summer creeped up. The class went on the hos- pital roster. They felt the importance of being full fledge student nurses and very much a part of the hospital. Summer privileges were much better and the girls kept themselves entertained with sun bathing on the roof, swimming at the pool, unlimited overnights, dates and the usual bridge parties and tea parties. Dr. Whitaker and Mrs. Smith added the keynote of warm weather activities with a picnic at the American Legion pond. All too soon came fall with football and more classes. But it was great to be iuniors and wear the Rex cape. During the summer six more classmates had dropped out of school. Class officers for the '52- '53 year were Sue Brown, president, June Beasley, vice president, Betty Baggett, secretary, and Ada- line Vann, treasurer. The new Student-Faculty Government Association which was started the year before, moved intohigh gear. A new director of nurses, Margaret Cheek, took over the driving reins. The next two years looked mighty long, but determined young Nightingales marched on. The main social function of the iuriior year was, of course, the traditional Junior-Senior. lt was a grand affair held at the Raleigh Country Club. ln June the first of the class moved over to Dix Hill for three months of psychiatric training. ln August the first class baby was born to Mr. and Mrs. Richardson. Mrs. Richardson was the former Miss Gibson. New rules were in effect and students could marry. A transfer student also ioined the ranks and another pre-clinical class arrived. September ended two hard years. Black bands decked the before blank white caps. Only twelve months to go. Needless to' say, the main purpose of this senior year was to finish. Senior officers were Ann Smith, president, Gwen Talley, vice president, Jane Lattam, secretary, and Lector Lynum, treasurer. The seniors took their turns at Dix Hill and pediatics. And then in June, GRADUATION! Although it was wonderful to wear that white uniform, the girls had to turn back to the bluestripes until August 26. The class left with only thirty-four graduates as to the forty-three preclinicals it began with. But it was a larger family because besides the thirty-four young graduates, there were two babies, six hus- bands and sixteen weddings planned for the fall. Pretty good for a no good bunch of wonderful girls! Some stayed at Rex, others went in the armed forces, others just kept house and raised families, and still others went all over the country to practice their hard learned profession. But there is always one thing for sure - there will never be another class like the Rex class of '54. THANK GOODNESS! SUGGIE STYRES Historian