The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-04
POETRY BARS HER.
WHY MISS NILES CANNOT GET A
NURSES DIPLOMA.

Writes Poems-Thcre Was Complaint
Against Her Too.
Don't become poet 1t is perilous.
Here is a story to prove 1.-THE story OF
a young woman who wrote poetry and
now can't get diploma.
If it were diploma for poesy, it
might not be- strange, but THIS one hap
pens to be for nursing, and to move
along in life the young woman must
have that diploma But when she says
diploma" the Orange Training School
For Nurses says poetry. and there 1t
stands.
This interesting young woman is Miss
Grace G. Niles, At hrst sight one would
take Miss Niles to be nurse as thor
oughly trained as it is possible for
girl to be, but one would never suspect
she writes verse She does, however.
and this is declared to be the reason
that, after two years and three months
of active training, she is refused the
diploma she demands.
You must know something of the
Orange Training school to understand
how much Miss Niles needs that di-
ploma In the first place the institution,
as might be guessed, is in Orange, N
j., and any one there with social as
pirations tries to get upon the board OK
governors
When Miss Niles first entered the
school, the board of governors cast an
eye of approval upon her They thought
her a superior person. Having donne0
blue print gown. white cuffs and a
cap, Miss Niles proceeded to study.
The rule demanding two years attend
ance is memorable. A pupil, for in
stance, is not allowed to take a couple
of weeks at the beach or to enjoy few
days illness and bunch it into the term.
1t is two years of solid work-no more.
no less With other pupils Miss Niles
had spent the second year in nursing
For these services the school received
from patients SIS week, the nurses
getting $l2 month and board.
When October, 1896, drew around,
the list of graduates was printed. Miss
Niles name was in it, whereat Miss
Niles felt proud and prepared to set forth
as a full f1edged, fully trained nurse.
capable of discriminating between milk
and mutton hash in the matter OF ty-
phoid fever dieting and other things
equally learned but great was her
amazement when she was told she could
not have her diploma.
"Why?" asked Miss Niles Now, the
board of governors Of the Orange Train
ing school does not like to be asked
"Why?" AS it was graduating day and
all the other nurses were receiving di
plomas Miss Niles put good deal Of
force into this why" If the board Of
governors had done as it liked it would
have risen upon its dignity and said
"Why not?" But this being an unusua
occasion, it condescended to answer an(
not to equivocate.
1--WE are dissatisfied, Miss Niles, ,
was the reply with the reports received
from patients whom you have attended.
| Miss Niles desired to know more, bu
the board of governors decided other
wise. 1t declined to give details
| "You will serve three months more, ,
she was told, land then, if reports ar
satisfactory, you will receive your di
| ploma.
1t is suggested now that the board o
| governors had already an inkling OF thu
awful truth-a knowledge that sh
wrote poetry Perhaps it was giving ;
chance for reform At any rate, Mis-
Niles accepted the inevitable. She woult
serve three months more. At the expi
ration of this term Miss Niles had earned
| SIG In addition she had written few
burning thoughts and had prepared TO
her diploma. Did she get it? Oh, no
The board of governors had learned tn
full truth 1t was in full possession O
J all information 1t knew that Mis-
Niles wrote poetry-even more, it hat
learned she painted.
1--WE cannot give you your diploma.
said the governing ladies.
"Why not?" asked Miss Niles
because. said the governing ladies
and that was all Thereupon, compress
ing their lips, they awaited the with
drawing of Miss Niles It appears nov
that Miss Niles was there to stay. Tn
only lever that could move her was tn
diploma So when there was meeting
of the diploma committee Miss Nile
was there.
To her establishment she was shown
letter Of complaint. 1t was signed b.
the husband of woman she had attend
ed who lives in Orange. When Mis-
Niles was in her house. this woman ex
pected Miss Niles to sleep with her. al
arrangement the nurse decided TO de
cline
II cannot" she said. 1.-The rules ar
against it. Permit me to sleep in
chair this night and tomorrow prepar
me a couch. F"
Miss Niles had reported the circum
stance to Miss Annie A. Hintze, princi
pal of the school. who supported her il
her position, pointing ont that traine'
nurse is also human being, needs sleeI
occasionally and must even have fresl