The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-14

M mingham returned Saturday from New Orleans where she has just graduated with highest honors at the Hotel Dieu, the oldest as we'll as one of the largest private hospitals in the sonth
 Miss Bradford received the gold medal Tor attaining the highest average in the examinations. There were six graduates. Alabama being also represented by Miss Emma Marshall.
 The Hotel Dieu requires a three-years' course in it's training school The great reputation which this hospital has sus- tained for half a century under the directions of the Sisters of Charity, the prominent physicians who constitute it's visiting corps and it's staff of lecturers for the training school emphasize the value of the diplomas which the school bestows.
 Miss Bradford enters upon her work spiendldly equipped after a three-years' course of arduous study The following from the New Orleans Picayune gives an interesting account of the graduating ex- ereises, with long history of the hos pital which is an object of interest to all visitors to New Orleans:
 The exercises took place in the beauti- 1ul study room of the nurses and was private. only the faculty and sisters and school being present. Very sweet and earnest the young ladies looked as they entered, wearing the conventional garb or the nurses and carrying bouquets in their hands, The classes comprise twenty six young ladies. and are divided into three divisions, seniors, intermediates and -ix Iul in the senior course who constituted the graduates: fourteen in the intermediate class, which now becomes the senior, and six in the junior, which becomes the in- termediate. Applications have been pour ing in, and six young ladies have been &C., cepted on probation to fill the junior ranks.
 There was no formal programme. The faculty. headed by DTS. Lewis and Bloom, took seats before the prettily draped ta- ble, on which stood a great bowl of fresh roses. Dr. Lewis then briefly addressed the graduates. speaking of the grandeur and nobility of the life they were enter ing, the self sacrifice which it entails, the courage and heroism which the good nurse must bring to her work No nurses were better prepared than this bright and intelligent class; their examination pap CTS had been carefully gone over by the
 
 physician after physician after physician declare the real pleasure he experienced in examining such splendid papers. He reminded the young ladies that theirs was not light work to be taken up as fancy dictated; it was a great and most neces- sary work. the need for the expansion of which is seen daily. He bestowed a high encomium upon the Hotel Deu it's excel lent methods and splendid facilities for Si nj fo, tIa eio a just and deserved tribute to the work of the Sisters of Charity. whose efforts none were better qualified to judge than the eminent faculty of the school. In conclusion he congratulated the class in the name of the faculty, sisters and school, and then bestowed diplomas and gold medals upon Miss Emma Marshall of Alabama Miss Teresa Powers of Lou isiana. Miss May Bradford of Alabama, Miss Cecilia Hastings of Louisiana. Miss Matilda Dorhauer of Louisiana, and Miss Ida Purdon of Texas.
 Each young lady received generous need of applause as she stepped forward to receive her diploma and medal. The latter are very beautiful being some. thing of heart medallion in shape, and bearing at the top a queenly crown wrought in gold and at the bottom the clover leaf. In the center is beauti- fully engraved reproduction of the Hotel Dieu, and on the reverse side the name of the recipient, with the talismanic words, Graduate Hotel Dieu Training School for Nurses"
 The gold medal for attaining the highest average in the examination was awarded to Miss May Bradford, of Ala bama.
 After the exercises elegant refresh ments were served in the lecture-room, and here a dainty surprise awaited each member of the faculty of lecturers. Be- side each cover was a dainty hand-p paint ed card bearing the name of the phy- siclan, and tied with a knot of white rib- bon. Affixed to the card was an elegant gold scarfpin bearing the initials of the physician. most elegantly wrought into monogram. The gentlemen were com pletely overcome with surprise, and ex- pressed their thanks as best they could 10 the generous management of the school
 During the day visit was paid to this institution, nesting like a great white palace among the trees and flowers of the beautiful square of ground it occu- pies on Tulane avenue. All around are magniticently- lawns bordered with flowers and rich in tropical palms. The institution itself is too well known, and has for too long time occupied such conspicuous place among the hospitals of
 
 portant improvements. however, have been made of late in the hotel
 The school was established in 1S99 and required three years instead of the usual two years course demanded by most in- stitutions The superioress of the train ing school Is Sister Mary Ann, one of the most able of the nurses of the great order of the Sisters of Charity, women renowned throughout the world for their zeal and devotion to the sick, the in- telligence and wisdom that they bring to their work, the skill ability and com potency which they show In sickrooms, when the voice of danger calls. Sister Mary Ann has as her assistant Miss Trautman, one of the leaders of the first class of graduates. who enters with earn estness and ability into the work of training the classes and who has proven herself an invaluable aid to the Sister Superioress and physical lecturers.