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

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Jessie Williams Mrs. Gussle Young But I'm going home this week-end. ls your house clean, girls? i221

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Where there is a will There is a way. Have you paid your dues? .lane Wade Lef's have a party. .lanef Taylor Ruth Trent ff 1 J

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CLASS HISTORY Three years ago on August 31, 1955 fifty-eight girls entered the Rex Hospital School of Nurs- ing. For some, this was the first experience away from home and a lot of adjustments were in store. Only a short period was offered for homesickness because orientation swept us into a new world. We soon learned our official title was that of preclinicals, although we were known to up- per classmen as probies. How proud we were when the uniforms arrived. Most of us can remem- ber trying to decide how to put all the pieces together to come out with the finished product. After many hours in Nursing Arts we found ourselves going over to the wards for a couple of hours. lt's amusing to think how much time it took to give one bed bath. After all, it was terrible if you couldn't remember which leg to wash first and when to change the water. On June 1, 1956, after nine long, hard months of study, forty-eight girls were capped at White Memorial Presbyterian Church. We regretted that twelve girls who had returned home for various reasons could not be present to receive a cap. During the summer months we enjoyed working on the wards and were highly insulted if called preclinicals instead of Freshmen. The fall of 1956 rolled around and now we were classified as Juniors. It was really nice to see new faces and know that progress was being made. Many of us were venturing into special de- partments such as the operating room, obstetrics, and recovery room while others were running their legs off on medical and surgical halls. This was a long year and many times it seemed as though time were standing still. We received black bands in the fall of 1957 indicating that at last we were Seniors. More new faces filled the positions we had occupied two years before, while the friends we had known as big sisters went out into the world to maintain their respected places. The senior year was busy with special services such as Emergency Room, Out-Patient Clinic, Pediatrics and three months affiliation at State Hospital. Although we were uneasy about the latter, it proved to be an exper- ience we wouldn't have traded. On June 6, 1958, thirty-four girls marched down the aisle at Josephus Daniel High School to receive diplomas. This was truly a long awaited occasion and we felt so proud in white uniforms. However, this night seemed like a dream when we found ourselves back in stripes for three more months. During the three years at Rex we enioyed attending Platter Parties and many other occasions at State College. Along with these we enjoyed the many dances in the recreation room at the Nurses Home. Very special occasions were the Junior-Senior Banquets of both years and parties honoring us as Seniors. With all good there are usually disappointments.We regretted the loss of Mrs. Campbell, house- mother, and Miss Jones, evening hostess. We were very much grief stricken at theloss of Mrs. Egerton, day hostess and social director. indeed she seemed a mother to all of us. We shall all remember Mrs. Crow who sat many long hours at the desk in the evenings during Mrs. Egerton's sickness. She took a sincere interest in all the girls and greeted our guests in the most cordial way. Now as we pack our bags and bid farewell to our home for three years, we hate to part from girls who have become as close as sisters. If we should meet ten years from now, l'm sure not one of us would have forgotten these three happy years at dear ole Rex. Ann Stokes Historian 1231