Williamsport Hospital School of Nursing - Oak Yearbook (Williamsport, PA)

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The big day has arrived. In October, the senior class initiated us. For this we had to wear different outfits, including various hair styles and outlandish get-ups. At the end of initiation week a party was given for us. We surprised the seniors bv singing a song which our class wrote to the tune of Daw Crockett. The Louisa Street Nurses Home will hold many memories for us. It was here we first had to conform to strict study period and early hours. We must admit that we didn ' t always study during that time. We found other activities— playing cards, jacks, and other games, such as hide and seek after lights out. Miss Thomas will certainly remember us for the many pranks we played on each other. We shall remember her, too, for the parties she had for us on our arrival, at I Iallowe ' en, and at Christmas. During the summer we went on vacation at various times. While at the nurses home we were able to board Sallv Lehman ' s jalopy to go to the drive-in. I low about the time we sneaked into the drive-in via the trunk? Memories such as this will linger on and on. In the latter part of August yve again packed and moved to the Campbell Street Nurses Home. Some of us were privileged and yvere able to move into the Rural Avenue Nurses Home. I [ere, we enjoyed numberless hours watching television and playing ping-pong. Barb Bower unpacking. 19

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THIS IS OUR LIFE . . . Trust no future, howe ' er pleasant; Since you will be following our footsteps through our training days we shall begin by telling the meaning of a step. ' ' Webster defines it as any of successiye progressive measures towards a result. We took our first step on September 6, 1955, when thirty- three eager students entered the Louisa Street Nurses Home with their baggage and hopes high. Miss G. Winifred Evans, our Director of Nurses, was here to greet us, along with the house- mother, Miss Carrie Thomas, and the upperclassmen. The first week was a busy one. During this time we were busy unpacking, meeting our big sisters and classmates. Ou r days started at eight a. m. in the classroom where we met our new instructors, and received many new books. During the fall months our class took many steps to and from Lycoming College. Each morning we studied chemistn , microbiology, and anatomy under the direction of Mrs. M. Bower. Dr. Shortess, and Miss M. Myers. Will vye ever forget the many lab periods spent in dissecting those cats? We hiked back to the hospital for our afternoon classes which dealt mainly with our basic nursing techniques and patient contact. Many new acquaintances were made by attending college activities, such as bowling and swimming every other Friday night. Col- legiate life was a wonderful experience for us. We had to main- tain a set scholastic average in our college and hospital classes. Report cards were sent home to our parents which informed them of our progress. During our free weekends we were able to catch up on our studying. Louisa Street Nurses Hume »» Lvcomino College »

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Let the dead Past bury its dead! Work! Work! Work! New steps were soon made wearing our first pair of white nurse ' s shoes to and from the hospital and our classes. Fire fighting was one of the classes we attended. Fire Chief Harold Kinlev brought equipment necessary for fighting all types of hospital fires. We actually put out fires under his supervision on the lawn of the Louisa Street Nurses Home. Reporting on duty in our new attire— the chemise scrub dresses— we became expert cleaners of linen closets, hopper rooms, and bedside stands. This enabled us to become acquainted with the different hospital units. In the classroom we readily learned nursing procedures such as taking temperatures, pulses, and respirations, and blood pressures. The patients were supplied by our classmates. When we graduated to more complex procedures, Mrs. Chase became our patient. She made an excellent one since she was very cooperative, didn ' t argue, but she certainly was clumsy at times. Mrs. Chase has carefully watched us progress through our three years of training as we have taken new steps each day in becoming good bedside nurses. We weren ' t always learning new procedures. Our days were filled with classes in Personal Hygiene, Professional Adjustments, Psychology, Sociology, History of Nursing, Pharmacology, Drugs and Solutions, Operating Room Technique, Anesthesiology, Nutri- tion, and with Doctors ' lectures which were supplemented by classes in Medical and Surgical Nursing. Instruction on fire nohtiny h Chief Kinlev. Shirley Ricker working with Mrs. Chase. 20