Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-05-28
LOCAL NEWS.
Washington Training School for
Nurses.
THE GRADUATING EXERCISES.

training school for nurses was Incorporated o!
act OF Congress approved December IA. 1871
Its purpose is the education OF skilled nurse
Tor hospitals. and as an auxiliary to physician
In the care OF the sick at their own homes
me training Is accomplished by lectures ora
instruction and recitatfons, supplemented bJ
practical instruction In the hospitals. Tat
Washington Training School has been In ope-
of graduates TO receive certificates from tn
faculty. After voluntary on the organ thu
following persons took seats on the stand: Dr
antisen ID Dr. TaSer Johnson H seMo0, JONI M
Eaton, Commissioner OF Education; Dr. WIN
Lee, Bon. Geo. b. Loring, Commissioner OF AZ
sioner Dent and Others. The three graduates
dressed In plain gray robes, white linen Gun 4
white aprons and caps. entered and took seas
In front of the stand, Or. Robert Reyburn an
DR.. r. j. Murphy, Of the Columbia Hospital fo
women, accompanying them.
DR. TONER'S ADDRESS.
PRESIDENT j. nj. Toner then addr assed the
s assemoiage as follows: Ladies and gentlemen
IeiloW trustees, professors, and members OF
The washington Training School for Nurses:
TtlS asSeMLia OF interested and iofi lenJIal
eitizsns IL certainly encouraging to the c,u:e
or tie education of nurses and especially
gratifying 10 the society having the matter 10
charge, upon this. the OCCASION Of the nrst
commencement. for confeTring the honors o:
the school upon Its graduates The pubic
may expect, and at all events this Is deemed a
hitting time to make a brief statement OF the
origin, purpose and prospects OF this enter
society, known by the name of the "Washing-
ton Training School for Nurses was formsd
In this city by the friends OF the movement In
the 18ll or 1917 and charter under the general
incorporation act Of the District of Columbia
was obtained December 10Th OF that year. IRIS
organization was soon after complete1 under
the provisions OF the charter by the adoption of
q constitution and by laws for the government
OF the society and the election OF II trustees to
manage its affairs Provision was made for
nj rnyx-
support OF the institution.
Tine scope and sphere OF teaching faculty.
with arrangements for hospital advantages and
experience. ana rules for the admission OF
pupils were considered, and In word all the
detail fer the inauguration and management OF
the enterprise were then matured. Tue organ
Eation, general management and me no Is
for instruction are patterned after those Of
Similar Institutions In practical operation in
our own and other countries. It Is true iJ was
considered by some premature TO begin wnen
We Old. as We had no endowment and were
wholly without means. The society was smal
and lew or none OF Its members were We.iLay
out all were Jealous In the work. Great eau
tlOn In mourning obligations mad 20 be OBJ
served, but st the same time the society was
resolved 10 do everything possible uodsr the
circumstances TO found and support the acho il.
one notable difference between the starting
OF this training school and that Of most Others,
Is that that they all had endo SmentS TO begin
with. sufficient 10 give the nurses home and
support While In training, OF they were connec.
ted with endowed hospitals We had noneof these
advantages These aids may, and we trus;. viii
yet come TO us. We mean at all events that
deserve encouragement. The usefulness or
trained nurses and the necessity for them
Is every day becoming more aud more appa-
lent TO the public as IL has long been 10 The
medical profession. The society from the start
has been sollcitouS that all pupils cdnitted
should possess good ply steal ard moral q ali1-
cations TO warrant efficiency so that the puollc
may receive them into their homes with conf
dence. To ensure taese conditions applicants
are subjected TO preliminary examination aud
required 10 file testimonials OF character. Re-
meeting perSoLS, TOO. see that besides the hu-
mainly OF the movement IL at the same time
opens new. honorable and remunerative avo-
cation TO women for which she Is eminently
ntted. Alter full exchange OF views am full
discussion OF the whole question IL Sc med 10 be
duty TO found an institution In this City which
would afford the facilities Tor the proper edu-
cation and training OF nurses. A faculty OF
seven medical gentlemen was theref ore tie { ID
from among our leading physicians ana sys-
tema1fc instruction In the art OF nurSlng under
the rules OF the society, began In OCTOBER, 1873.
Lectures are free to those admitted under the
rules. and have been given continuously at
stated times ever since, with the exception of
the usual summer vacations As sOoa as the
nrSt course OF Instruction was announces TO
begin respectable class was formed. AS no
person Is exempt from sickness and the ia.
Diilty 10 eecorae dependent upon otuers for Is
Sent1al services at such times OF affictiOn the
importance OF the trained nurse Il rendered
evident. The third course OF lectures ana
hospital instruction is this evening brought 10
q close.
Ii NAY be asked. In view OF what IA said, why
We have hot larger class OF grad1a rs? la
explanation of thus IL IS but just TO stats that
We have been obliged TO decline receiving
pupils from a distance for want of u HON aud,
moesc, oLiJ those who could support them
selves While sluoylng have been accepte ]. IL
must also Oe borne In mind that ~ c1urS, o.
training requires TWO years for its completion.
Bellevue Training School for Nurses In New
York, with us ample foundation and superior
accommedations has taken two OF our oldest
pupils who had they remained, would have
been In the graduating class this year. A few
who attended the first course of lectures have
removed from the city. while the necessities
fCr livelihood have caused others to lose cOur-
age and abandon the thou yht Of qualifying for
the duties and responsibilities OF the nurse.
The want OF home for the nurses is our
pressing Iced, and has prevented US from re.
ceiving some very desirable pupils, because
their circumstances were suc1 as to obilge
them for support to follow engrossing avoca-
tons. which would limit the time and atten-
ton they could give to the necessary stu lies
The medical staff OF the training school by its
carr est devotion to the interests OF the 1nstf-
tuition has given great satisfaction to the trus-
tees Win the hope of being able to realize
funds TO found hume, and thus place the In.
stitut1on on more satisfactory Oasis a loan
exhibition vas projected and held during
February and March, OF this year. The exhibit.
tion was made attractive and was generously
patroniZed by our best citizens. and from tt the
sum OF nearly 81 900 was realized. Important
as is this money 10 us, Though IL Is not one
tenth OF the sum requlred) far greater servIc,
was done the cause Dy populariZlng the move
ment and making known TO the whole
community the purposes ana neceSsideS
of the Washington Training School for
Nurses We may hope that the school
hsS now an abiding place IN the good
will OF the generous people or Washington city,
The Members Of all the Committees VINO took
out tickets Tor the Loan Exhibition nave been
made members OF this society, and We trust
they may continue to act with us In the future
as they SO magnanimously sustained US In the
PAST. Thus OF late the membership OF our So
c1ety has been greatly enlarged and its ef.
ncieney promoted. It is Within the poSer OF
all TO assist In this good work OF educating
nurses, as the annual dues OF members OF the
society has been fixed at one dollar be-.
nevolent work OF this kind ought to have In
this city q list OF over QUO contributing mem
beTs. We invite ali VINO sympathize 10 the
movement, ana who can, TO join the society,"
The training school Is now one or the institu-
lions OF the city, and from It's humane character
and usefulness We feel Justified In ap oealIng TO
the public foritS support by assisting Us % have
II placed among the District charities. BIZ the
time for opening or the fourth course OF lectures
In October next, we hope 70 be aoe TO rent q
DUi ling and have a comfortable house for the
npr. rs, where their training may be system
atlcally conducted under an experienced and
edit ale0 head nurse, and where the lectures
may be given by the medical faculty until
gen eTal hospital Is established and In which
the training OF nurses, we trust may be m ade
legitimate part or It's functions AS an en-
couisgement TO those who contemplate enter
Ing upon the calling or the "trained nurse -