South Highland Infirmary School of Nursing - Nightingale Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

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Senior Class History The opening of the South I lighlands Infirmary in October, 1910, found seven young ladies prepared to take up senior class work in the Training School. -W'e had already passed through the ordeal of entering a hospital, where one soon finds that nature or super- nature, has ordained that this world should not be brought to per- fection save through much suffering. XYe we1'e taught that clean- liness was next to godlinessf' that hospital etiquette was the culmi- nation of all the fine arts: and that grit and 'endurance were virtues not to be despised. Probation days being ended, the honor of donning the junior nurse's cap and uniform was conferred by the Superintendent, with many admonitions and instructions, and then we felt that our work had begun in earnest. There was no time for idle repining or tender musings on the splendor of the moon, but our days were filled to the brim with exacting and interesting duties., The jumor year dc- manded our very best efforts, both in class and practical work, but the course was arranged with such variety that our determination to come out more than conquerors never wavered. And now the black bands on our caps have given us the dignity of seniorhood, and woe be unto us if we thoughtlessly acknowledge that there is something we don't know. ln all the intricate ramifications of the human anatomy, in all of the endless remedies for the endless ailments of suffering humanity there must be nothing, absolutely nothing, beyond the ready reach of our immediate knowledge! Responsibility and hospital etiquette have become virtues of no mean importance. In them there is a discipline which makes for development. V Wye have received valuable training in the operating room, where skilled surgeons have cut into the delicate tissues and vitals of the physical and nervous organism, and have taken many suffer- ing ones who were under sentence of death and given them a new lease on life. XYe have learned much in the diet kitchen, where the best of all tonics for organic life is prepared, and without which all other remedies would not avail. XVe have served our alloted time on general duty, on special duty, and have kept vigil in the dim corridors through the long, tiresome nights when gaunt Death often hovered near, watching to catch us off guard that he might claim our patients for his victims. And now that the day of graduation is near, all of our mental struggles with books and instructors, all of our misgivings and anxieties over suffering ones committed to our care, shall become pleasant memories which, no doubt, in years to come, will often prove an inspiration when we are called upon to measure arms with disease and death alone. XVe believe our profession to be the noblest, the most womanly, the most benehcial, to mankind-and with these sentiments abiding in our hearts let us resolve to fight the battles of the coming years with an earnestness, with a fearlessness, with a consecration to duty that will make this, the first class of graduate fnurses from the South Highland Training School, worthy of all emulation by those who are to come after. CLASS lrllS,TORfAN 'll. Q!-ga...

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n MARY ANDREWS, imssiiniiie. .xi.,x. 'lB1i.xU'rI1fUL. As far as the east is from the west. So far is she from being the best. ' Mary thought that she would be stylish, so to the operating imoni slit- xx mn 1'-ii and other difficulties she will be victorious yet. zinrl ite is rinnorefl than she wil graduate this fall. The Wise Seniors xdligxg, , Tig? ' 1 ,.. -- 'K i - V 'X Y 'se A -.. 1 117 ' -, A Z 4- . ., f Z, , - 'J 1 QAM ,JS -, x, I I, Q , n . eff' 1 X1 Qi. ' fy , 'xi .i if if, ,iff ' ' , it Q -f e - - ' Aff A X 1 V Mr 1- . ,, A D - -NNN I ,jyll ' infill' .-C SJXYX: -V f L v N l if J 2' 1 .Z R W- ....- .KL A - - , , s frm Z- X ignites , 1- 'A ,. M . . . M I' x r X X 4 , I Y x Ill! g .-x ,, ., -- 'c '-V, b A-I :'.-4,34 N ' 5 , -A. ,f WQX X 5 4 ff 1 X. t xp Q Al l r X 7 J t ix W0 Er I ME - V -B I I- E Al V' X , -'-X - X il- .1-f.g.,X1Ws if 1 -- - X-:M I .M If- -f, I 314 Q, ,-7 , ,I I K 1 tx . 5 It . - 'A l l x fl 24: 1 um! it fi ' fl XX 5 a tonsilectomy. She entered training at some pre-historic flats. but in spite 'ii thi-

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Senior Class Prophesy Every one knows that the first class of nurses from the Train- ing School of the South Highland Infirmary is perfectly wonderful. Never before have such favorable conditions surrounded a chosen few. That the stupendous task of searching out the future of each member was committed to me seemed extraordinary, and feeling myself unequal to it alone, I turned first to the Witclies of Midnight for aidg and after studying and worrying until I was almost ex- hausted as to how I should communicate with the Witcli of Present XfVisdom and Future Knowledge, I heard a rap on my door. Then I saw the door slowly opened and a tall sheeted figure stood before me, saying: If you wish to know the destiny of the class of 1911, ten years from tonight, follow me. Noiselessly and quickly I went behind her down the dim stairway, through the dark hall, down the steps into darkness. On and on I followed this strange creature until the Chamber of Secrets was reached, and this glistening sign appeared before me: The First Class of Nurses from the South Highland Training School. And suddenly, one by one, I saw each one of this noble class of seven. First of all was a little fat lady fussing around a kitchen stove. I wondered what this had to do with one of our nurses, nor did I recognize Ella Huey until I heard some one get a severe scolding for burning a chocolate cake. Then she told me how she had braved the anger of family and friends and allowed her leige-lord to carry her away after a five-years' struggle. There was never such bliss as being happily married, she assured me. Next I saw a stage of a theatre, and while I awaited the en- trance of the performers, who should appear in the pose and dress of a renowned prima donna but Pearle Gossett! I was still more surprised to hear the thunderous applause with which she was greetedg verily it shook the fioor beneath my feet. And then I tried to imagine who I should see next-but wonders never cease. I saw a handsome building which resembled our oi.-ti Infirmary, and as the scenes changed the main office was slluwll with a sweet-faced old maid sitting at the desk. l recognized noni l other than India Cowden, who had attained her present enviable position through a host of admiring friends. Next was a street scene! A big circus in town? ,Xnd wlion did I see riding along in a cage of lions but Daisy Darling. tall become a lion-tamer for one of the larffe animal shi iat ac i y s But I was not very much surprised, for l already knew that nie: were too tame for Daisy. And just opposite this attractiozi l ol, served a tent with the following elaborately decorated sign 3 Sew rita Garnica. the Greatest Palmist of the Age: Fortune i3 Twenty-five Cents. Seeing a familiar face at the df-or l steppi-i i v- closer and recognized Mary Andrews, She told tile that after sis years of hard work, with half-pay. she and llaisy had -ioiiiei? tix? circus, and had already made a modest fortune. which tllcj nie' generously donating to the Association of District Nursing. The scene shifted. .-X battlefield strewn with wounded s-Edit met my startled eyes. and here. true to her privfessi-ni. l NLUX' 'li se phine Vandiver. For ten years she had given her young life to ' noble work, and on her gentle face was the sweet peace that er fne from a life well spent and duty unseltishly perfornieil. vlossii- was not the sentimental girl she once was. for she had il -ual expert ence a dear teacher when the Doctor married the other hir i' ie? Then I turned to go, thinking l had seen all. but iny Quint me wait. And then I looked up to see miles and miles of a Til' i procession, a sea of bowed heads. and l heard these word i gray-haired minister: .-X life well spent: we could not expect her long in our midst, for the old saying is too truer. 'Tix Q. ., ., After the last services were ended and the sllili ereeie youngf Went UP to OllSc1'ye and whose name did l read but than ClI.sXRl,i NTTF -lt WN FS 20