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

Page 22 text:

tElje llaletHctorjj JVddregg Claudette DePape It is therefore your privilege , and I may add , your duty to be dedicated to the work thus far advanced, and into the future open a better way.” Mr. Chairman, Reverend Sisters, honored guests, faculty members, dear parents and fellow classmates. Our position as graduate nurses is well stated in these words. Tonight is a time to pause - to look back and to look ahead. We are all looking hopefully and expec¬ tantly to the future and what it holds for us. But what of the past? Let us for a short moment think of the lowly sunflower. Does it not radiate an impression of our past, present and future? From its initiation into the world as a tiny insignificant seed it bears a striking resemblance to the similar initiation we have experienced. The planter has plans for the seed that some day it might radiate its brightness to all passerby. But if it is to grow many essentials for its development are required. Lest we forget our debt of gratitude to those very dear and special people who have made today a reality, we, the 79 sunflowers of 1965, owe to so many the fact of our presence here tonight. Just as the seed needs protection and attention for its growth, so do we, desper¬ ately need security and love. Dear Mom and Dad, you can pick out the face of your daughter, a face which depicts the love and gratitude of your unselfish sacrifice. As the sunflower, for a healthy growth, must build its foundation with solid roots, so must we receive the best education, that we may enter actively into making the future one which those who follow us, may review with pride. To you, Sister Fleury, our Director, and to those who assist you, we express our warmest apprecia¬ tion for establishing an educational program geared to the needs of every individual. Because of your high degree of dedication to your students, we, in turn feel a high degree of dedication to our chosen profession.

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Medal for General Proficiency Presented by Dr. J.F.S. Hughe To Miss Gayle Bums. Medal for Highest Standing Presented by Birks Limited To Miss Janice Rigaux. Medal for Bedside Nursinj Presented by Dr. M. Rady To Miss Dianne Sberritt. Medal for Student Leadership Presented by Dr. P. L’Heureu: To Miss Marilyn Chisholm. Scholarship for University Education Presented by St. Boniface General Hospi¬ tal Professional Education Fund. T o Miss Janet Handlon.

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The heavens open and give rain to the growing sunflower when its existence seems uncertain. We too, in the past three years have stopped to question our exis¬ tence. Who are we, what are we, where are we going and why?” The answers came slowly with the encouragement and patience of those who taught us in the class¬ room and in the clinical area. The hospital and medical staff, the Sisters, and especi¬ ally our instructresses, helped us find the keys to unlock our potentialities for the performance of a useful work in theworld. You deserve to be congratulated for your constant efforts to give us the knowledge we required. May we never cease to realize the importance of learning. The evolution of nursing has unfolded like the magnificent sunflower. Just as it needs to be nourished, protected, and displayed if it is to be serviceable and good, so we too, need the constant guidance and supervision of our instructresses. Thank you for teaching us to think, and for equipping us to grow throughout our lives in professi onal service, in personal stature and usefulness as citizens. When the sun shines, the sunflower continually turns toward the brightness, that it may absorb some of it, and in turn radiate it to others. To all those who have made residence a home away from home”, thankyou for giving us so much warmth and brightness during our stay with you. But memories of the undergraduate past cannot occupy the mind of the graduate forever, nor prevent her from indulging in long wistful looks ahead. In those allur¬ ing soul-disturbing peeps into the future, it is true that in sallying forth to find our places in the world, we have no experience, but we have an eager hopeful outlook. It is true that we lack wisdom, but we have boundless courage and a capacity for industry. It is true that we do not know all the rules of the game, but we have a firm faith in high ideals. If, during our three years of preparation, we have learned how to work, how to concentrate on difficult problems, how to search for truth and how to make stead¬ fast friends, the riper gifts will come of themselves, just as soon as we learn to apply the lessons of our three nursing years to the weightier problems of life. It is important that we think of tomorrow. It is our contributions that may bend the course of the future. As we envision our future, we witness the unfolding of an entirely new concept in nursing. This is no age for the meek and fearful — it calls for all we can contribute towards inspired leadership, the reward for analytical think¬ ing and efficient planning. As graduates, it is our duty to promote these changes and perform the more complex functions that will be required of us. Although many changes are destined to be a part of our future we will maintain the basic principles we have learned. In our hands will be placed the visible result of our past three years — we are to¬ day where our knowledge has brought us, we will be tomorrow where further acquisition of knowledge takes us; we will receive that which we earn, no more, no less. We will become as small as our controlling desire, as great as our dominant aspiration. As a well-known poet has so beautifully put it, we graduates could fulfill our destiny if we could really believe that — to think is the source of power; to play is the secret of perpetual youth; to read is the fountain of wisdom; to pray is the great¬ est power on earth; to love and be loved is a God-given privilege; to be friendly is the road to happiness; to laugh is the music of the soul; to give for the day is too short to be selfish and to work for this is the price of success. The St. Boniface School of Nursing honors its graduates tonight. We are proud to have been a part of this school. Ladies and gentlemen — The Graduates of 1965! JU