Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-07-10

Five nurses from the Augusta
General Hospital received their
diplomas at the nurses graduation
held last evening at the j. Manches-
ter Home for Nurses. The members
Of the class were Doris Anna White
house. Frances Leila Crimmin. Jessie
Mollie Bishop. frankie Cora Mac
Lean and Emma Natalie Monk.
DIR. Augustus o. Thomas. State
Commissioner of Education address,
ed the assembled members of the
class. the student nurses in attend
ance and the many guests and
friends who gathered to witness the
pleasing exercises. 81
Or. Thomas Address
DR.. Thomas traced the develop
ment of the nursing profession,
drawing a parallel with the evolu-
ton of professional teaching.
DR.. Thomas spoke in part as fol-
lows:
The evolution Of the professional
nurse is very similar to the evolution
Of the professional teacher. While
the beginnings of both nursing and
teaching have their foundations in
organized religious and social work
very early in civilization it remains
for the last generation or two to
lay lHc IUT
advancement. The real professional
spirit of your calling and mine is
scarcely century old.
When teaching began in America
the early teachers were many times
exiled convicts who caught school TO
pay their passage to America. While
the nursing ideal was of religious
| outgrowth there came a time when
the foundation laid by the orders of
sisters and supported by the church
took on definite direction and the
attendants of the sick were drawn
from the ignorant classes and their
duties were of the lowest, mental
| sort. Drunkenness and irrespon-
sibility were somewhat habitual. So
late as 1929 the London hospital de-
| creed that medicine could be admin
istered by only nurses who could
read and write. The analogy, there
fore, in the rights of your profess
| sion and mine is very similar. In
neither case were the beginnings
THE nursing profession has rapid
ly developed the professional ideal
| NO longer is the nurse a servant in
the sick room nor for that matter
an instrument in the hands of the
| physician. Nursing is a partner in
the concern with the medical pro-
fession itself and a very important
partner. More and more Is the ply
slcian coming to depend upon the
observations, records and research
or the nurse for the diagnosis and the
remedy of the case at hand.
To-day we require an educational
foundation of considerable range in
the preparation of the nurse. Besides
this there is a distinct technique
which she is required to master. In
order to develop a profession the
calling must furnish employment
for group of considerable size and
this calling must be of a permanent
nature. 1t must be dignified by
technical skill, by considerable vol
ume OF international lore or tech
nlque and by opportunity for SER
vice. 1t also must furnish a proper
living. Among all groups there is an
increasing general realization that
technical skill is not enough in at
tanning professional rank. The &C
QUESTION of knowledge content
which Is unique and special is of
equal Importance.
las professions are developed thew
naturally divide and sub-d divide into
distinct avenues. Your calling has
! reached this point and we have, LIST,
the bedside type. known as home or
hospital nursing; End, the public
health nurse; Bird. the school nurse