Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-24
Emergency Hospital and a
Training School for Nurses.
THE REASONS GIVEN
DEAN OF SCHOOL DECLARED TO
BE PERSONA NON GRATA.
Correspondence In Which the Previous
Connection Was Declared to
Be Unsatisfactory.

Nurses at the Washington Asylum Hos
pital, of which DR.. H. L. E. Johnson Is dean
This informau on is contained in a series OF
commun cations forw ,rded to the Commis-
sione1s by DIR. u. Percy Kicking, visiting
physician of the Washington Asylum Hos
pital. At the suggestion OF DR.. Hicklng,
the Commiss oners today authorized him to
confer with the proper officers OF the Elmer
gency Hospital with view to re-establish-
ing between the two hospitals some system
for the training of pupil nurses for service
in the two institutions.
The reasons for severing the connection
between the Emergency Hospital and the
Washington Training School for Nurses are
given in communication, signed by DIR.
Swan M. Burnett. chairman of the COM
mittee appon ed by the first named nstitu-
ton to consider the question, and directed
20 DR. Hickling.
The letter bears date Of October q. 1903
and among other things it states that the
Washington Training School for Nurses
from the first has been considered of
doubtful value to the Emergency Hospital
by many members of the board of directors
of that institution. Moreover 1t Is stated
the dean of the training school, DIR. john
son, is persona non grata' to the board
of directors OF the Emergency Hospital ION
account of the hostile attitude he has as
sumed toward the institution DR.. Bur-
nett stated that the directors are willing
to continue lis relations with the Washing
ton Asylum. provided arrangements are
made which shall be satisfactory.
Reasons Assigned.
In his letter transmitting the correspond
ence in the case, DIR. Hickling calls atten-
ton to communication approved by the
Commissioners June Z. 1885, relating to the
training school for nurses at the Washing
ton Asylum Hospital. Since this agree
ment has been in force. says DR.. Kicking,
the nursing of the Washington Asylum
Hospital has been in a satisfactory condl-
ton. He states that on November o the
board of trustees of the Washington Train
ing School for Nurses held a special meet
ing when the relations between the inSt1tu-
tions involved was placed before the trus-
tees. After thoroughly understanding the
situation, he says, the board adjourned
without taking any action.
Continuing. DR.. Hickling says:
I'm view of the fact that for more than
five years our utilization with the Elmer
gency Hospital upon the nursing question
has been of great benefit to the Wasning-
ton Asylum Hospital, consider 1t my duty
to recommend that the Commissioners
authorize me to confer with the proper Of
ficers of the Emergency with a view to
the continuance of the training OF pupil
nurses and providing suitable means for
their graduation when they shall have be-
come qualified
Dr. Burnett's Statement.
The communication from DR.. Swan NJ.
Burnett is as follows:
ION behalf of the committee composed of
Commander Miller, DIR. G. L. Magruder and
myself, appointed by the board of direc-
tors of the Central Dispensary and Elmer
gency Hospital to consider the question of
uniting with some other institution for the
training of our nurses, am authorized 10
explain that the step severing our connec-
10 Voc, irof mi
for Nurses was not taken hastily, nor with
out due cons Iteration. for the interests of
the nurses and our own institution.
1.-THE Washington Training School has
been from the first in the minds of many
of our board. a 'tertium quid,' whose value
to us has been more than doubtful. 1t has
no direct connection with either the WASH
ington Asylum Hospital or with us. nor,
in fact with any institution where nurses
can be trained and yet 1t was supposed
to have an equal power in government with
us. 1t had only a charter and a reputed
good WILL.
to us, to be powerful in influence, and
would be helpful to us in many ways. None
of these hopes and promises have been re-
deemed. In fact, we find that the Wash
ington Training School. revived after many
years of desuetude only within the last
five or six years. has no existence except
on paper. 1t has trained no nurses for at
least ten years-perhaps more-and there
has been no meeting, l understand, of the
directorate at which more than four mem
bers were present. And even after the
connection with our hospital was author
lied, now more than four years ago, there
has been but one meeting at which rep
resentative of our institution was present
and then there were only three others In
attendance
Not member Of the board, except 1t be
DIR. Johnson has shown the slightest In
terest or attempted to get others interested.
nor contributed anything whatever, toward
the expenses of the school There was.
fund on hand, of which some was expended
for the commencement exercises two years
ago. and for some circulars, but since then
nothing has been forthcoming. The eX-
penses of the last commencement were
borne by our institution alone, | believe,
and not a member of the Washington
Training School directorate was present,
not even the dean, who was likewise abb
sent at the former commencement.
Still in the Air.
There is no constitution bylaws in
existence that have been approved by our
board of directors and so far the connec-
ton of our hospital with the Washington
Training School for Nurses is still in the
air and has never been confirmed and
made binding.
Moreover the dean of the Washington
Training School. DR.. H. l.. e. Johnson. is
persona non grata' to the board of direct
ors of our hospital on account of the hos
tile attitude he has assumed In so many
ways toward the institution and what they
consider Its best interests.
Therefore. the connection with the
Washington Training School could not. In
their opinion, be productive of any good.
but of much annoyance and in every way
detrimental to the best interests of the
nurses and our institution. they could see
no reason for it's continuance, especially as
the connection has not been regularly con-
firmed.
Willing to Continue Relations.
1T was not the purpose however. Of the
board by this act to sever its connection
with the Washington Asylum Hospital in
the training OF nurses under any proper
and suitable arrangement. 1t is willing to
continue its relations with the Washington
Asylum heretofore, provided arrange
ments are made which shall be acceptable
10 the board They realize the extent of
their obligation to the nurses now In train