The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-05-28
MAKE THEIR OWN RECORDS.
Remarks Made by Commissioners
rx= -. uoo1-I Ca.:

Remarks Made by Commissioner
Kirvin at Brooklyn Graduation.
Ten trained nurses, after several years
instruction, were last night graduated by
st. Mary's hospital, says the Brooklyn
Times of last Sunday
Deputy Commissioner KirWin delivered
the adh ess to the graduates, which was
quite lengthy. The following paragraphs
contain the closing remarks of the ad-
dress:
My dear young women, 1t has been for
chilly illustrated of late years that the
best aim of life is not to overcome our
fellow man and take away his posses
slonS, but to overcome the ills Of life.
This is to be your task. You will become
strong by lifting up those who are weak
You have taken great obligations upon
yourselves, and now do your best to keep
them.
There is just one story I want to tell
you before closing. 1t is particularly apt,
L think, on this occasion. l shall refer to
1t in the hope that it will serve as a guide
TO you in your future careers. 1t details
my excepted experiences in the nurse re-
lat1on that L had reference to in my OPEN
ing remarks.
Some years ago I was awakened late
at night and urged to hurry for the doc
tor, as a dear one in the house was very
sick The physician returned with me
and added to our alarm and fear by an
nounclng that we must at once have a.
trained nurse. He found one, and early in
the morning she made her appearance
L shall not soon forget her as she entered
the SICK room in the uniform of her call
lng-tall, stately, with a manner that in
d1cated she had graSped the situation; she
at once inspired confidence on every side.
We realized that the life of our dear one
depended mainly upon the skill of the
physician, 1t is true but also that the pa
TENTS recovery, if brought about, in no
small degree would be due to the efforts
OF the nurse. A change for the better
soon made itself apparent. Improvement
followed, and finally came a return TO
the gentle and soothing touch and the
engaging word of the nurse had furnish
ed TO the patient tonic not within the
reach of doctor or medicine. These quail
tiles had established for that nurse a firm
place in the affections of the family.
After three weeks it was suggested that
we might get along without her, but a
protest was at once entered. She had
made herself one of US. She had captured
the citadel of our hearts We hesitated to
part with her. Three weeks heightened
the end of the sixth week she left us only
because a call from another quarter,
where she was more urgently needed, de-
manded her presence.
Three years rolled by, and sickness
again visited our home. We searched
and ultimately located the same nurse, but
oh! the change. She had become a me-
chanical, stony-hearted creature Tie
womanly traits that had drawn us to her
three years before had disappeared. She
moved about that sick chamber apparent
~ devoid ofSfeeling or concern, and when,
at the end of two weeks it was suggest
ed that she might leave, all at home were
pleased at the termination of the angage-
ment
~ have presented to you a two-sided
picture, and l ask you, which shall you
choose as your ideal?
May God bless you, and bless your eff
forts IN the cause of sickness and suffer-
ing humanity,