St Boniface School of Nursing - Estole Fideles Yearbook (St Boniface, Manitoba Canada)

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Bette Anderson Maledictory (Address Tonight is commencement! Is it really true that we have finally attained the goal for which each one of us has been aiming for three years? It seems hard to believe that the long-awaited day has arrived at last and yet we realize that we have accomplished little, alone. This evening, as we recall the past, consider the present, and question the future, these simple words of an unknown author are brought to mind. Water flowing down a mountain side Into a stream , both long and wide Skies are changing from grey to blue , And the sun , ' midst billowy clouds Peeps through ' ' ' We compare the mountain to our own lives—the base being life’s very foundation, and the peak repre¬ senting its challenge. We remember our parents, guardians, and many friends who are responsible for helping us to lay this foundation, and who have been at our sides all these years. They have sacrificed much for us. They set our feet upon the path, and when we were tempted to stray along those intriguing trails their gentle, guiding hands restrained our impetuosities. We pray that their pride in us will be rewarded as much as we have been rewarded in being here tonight. As the small flow of water widens into a stream, so has our kn owledge developed and our character matured. If, as the saying goes, A little knowledge is a dangerous thing,” then it is important for our own security and that of others that we acquire the greatest amount of knowledge available to us. Our School of Nursing educational program has provided us with basic learning in that field, but it does not stop there, even if ourformal education does come to an end. The remaining part of our lives depends on what we have absorbed, how well we have learned it, and how well we can apply all that we have learned to the various experiences that lie ahead. We realize that we have a growing responsibility to keep on acquiring knowledge throughout our lives by further education and by our contacts with others in daily living.

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General Proficiency Miss Doreen Toutant Bedside Nursing Miss Martha Enns Highest Standing in Religion Miss Jeanne Grimard Miss Bernice Borkowsky Highest Standing in Theory Miss Patricia Hyde

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We are grateful for the learning opportunities given by the Sisters. With their devoted understanding and guidance we have been moulded in character and principle and have been prepared for the rigours of the world. They have dedicated themselves so unselfishly to the task of administering to our problems—large or small, academic or personal. To the Sisters it will no doubt be satisfying for them to know that the stu¬ dents they have so faithfully assisted have been educated in every possible way for facing life in the world—as St. Boniface nurses. We appreciate all of our Instructors, who, as well as planning our learning experiences and instilling in our minds the necessary knowledge, were always available to offer encouragement when required, or to caution us as needed. To the faculty we are a reflection of their endeavours, and our past, present, and future nursing abilities are a direct result of their sincere efforts. The many doctors, internes, head nurses and supervisors, and other hospital personnel have shown a genuine interest in our curious and sometimes awkward questions and have patiently furnished us with able direction. As new graduates, we hope that our shared interest in the welfare of humanity will increase our co-operation with them toward a common goal—the best possible patient care. The alumnae who have supported our school for many years must not be forgotten, as it is they who have paved the way for us, making the path a little less difficult. We appreciate their keen interest in helping to raise nursing standards. As students, however, wewerenotalone. There were the seniors” who have left, the juniors” who have since arrived, each possessing her own talents and abilities, for it is true that We are a part of all that we have met.” Yet there was always opportunity to develop individual interests. The concern and necessary criticism of the group could always be counted upon. It has been a source of strength to us—to be sure that if our footsteps faltered, we could always rely on their sympathetic understanding and know that their hands were always ready to help us over our obstacles. But what about the people around whom all this activity has been centered—the patients? Their simple, but sincere, Thank you nurse!” has made us realize that there was rich reward in our profession and made us resolve to do our task better. Now, before we journey forward, we would like to express our deepest and most humble gratitude to the many who have contributed to our climb on the mountain of life. You have shared our successes with love and happiness, and your kind understanding has encouraged us to continue. You have aided us in our self-development, and have, in many ways, provided us with a wider stream of knowledge. It seems such a short time since we first climbed those forboding stairs, and opened the door to nursing —so hesitant in each faltering step. Hiding our bewilderment under a cloak of youthful confidence we stood, wondering if we were to achieve success in this field. We were so frightened of the unknown then, but as friendship and helpfulness were so willingly offered, we gradually came to have confidence in ourselves. At this point, although it was not always obvious to us, our sky was changing from grey to blue. Right then we experienced the spirit of gentle guidancewhich would play so large a part in our lives, in the three years that lay ahead. Since that time each of us has experienced many and varied incidents. Events which to us seemed to be terrible or disasterous now seem humorous, and we recall them merely as lessons in the long battle of life. It was not so long ago that all these experiences were before us—now they are a part of us. We have wit¬ nessed the miracle of birth, the enchanting and unaffected world of children, the satisfaction of cure the distress of suffering, and the grief and sorrow of death. We have tried our best to contribute to comfort and to give ourselves whenever it was needed. This June, 108 girls have successfully completed three years of nursing education from St. Boniface General Hospital School of Nursing. The purpose of these years of concentrated study and clinical expe¬ rience, intermingled with extracurricular activities has been to develop us as professional nurses. In 1964, we are no longer future nurses, but nurses of today. We have been privileged to grow up a time when learning has been extended to greater limits than ever before. We will have the opportunity to see more startling developments than any other nursing group has had to this time. What has happened to our responsibilities in view of this enlightened age? Have they changed too? The answer is Yes!” Are we prepared then, to meet these great responsibilities? Again we have a positive answer, for it has been a part of our educational experience to accept responsibility and to try to look at life with a balanced view wherein the spirit, as well as the mind have been nourished. The basic qualities required of a professional nurse, however, have not changed. The need for energy and effort, initiative and resourcefulness, integrity and sincerity, and spiritual and mental stability are greater than ever before. We hope that our lives will show evidence of the principles found in our years at St. Boniface. Now that we are graduating, and for some of us merely at the end of a phase of education, we can look back and thank God for the responsibilities that we have learned to share, the friendships we have developed, and the high standards we have learned to set for ourselves under the guidance of the Sisters and faculty members. Now as we wear our black bands on our caps, our pins on our uniforms, and carry our roses and diplomas, we are standing on the threshold of a new era in our lives. We become solemn. We can discern the sun peeping through the billowy clouds at last—and with God’s help we will go forward, self-confident, and self-radiant. As graduates, and members of a noble profession, our interests will widen, but our aim will be the same —to be of service to God and man. We will always retain in our minds this quotation: There is no profession that so closely follows in the footsteps of Christ—than the work of healing.” Ladies and Gentlemen—the class of ’64.