Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-05-15
twelve RECEIVE e
DIPL 0 N AS AT
SISTERS HOSPITAL

Twelve young ladies were gradual
ed from the Sisters Hospital Training
school yesterday afternoon in the jun
Tor high school at the first public grad
uation held by the school since its or
ganization some years ago. Those
who received their diplomas were
lime c. Marcoux. Mary L. Doyon, An
naisse D. Pelletier, Victoria E. Be-
chard, Grace NJ. Fitzpatrick, Mary E.
Brennan, Jane M. Caron, Helena Y.
Dusty, Lucy A. Macdonald, Anna L.
Larracey, Ann NJ. Mason and Madeline
M. Abbott. The exercises were i'm
pressive. the stage having been lastly
decorated with the class colors-blue
and gold-and with cut flowers, and
the affair was attended by about 500
people.
Rev. NJ. z. Curran of the Sacred
Heart church delivered the opening adj
dress to the class. He spoke of the
fine hospital in which the nurses had
had opportunity to train and said that
it was an institution which the people
were glad to support.
Life, said Father Curran, Is the
most precious gift bestowed upon man
by the Almighty, and he mentioned the
stress that had been placed upon life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness"
in the constitution. And as life is
sacred trust, a sacred privilege, he
said that he felt glad that the mem
bers of the graduating class had re-
ceived such competent training in its
conservation from the Sisters Of Char
ity.
The speaker advised the graduating
nurses not to show too much Difference
to public opinion but to live in accord
ance to the dictates of their own
minds.
Father Curran sketched the history
of the Sisters of Charity, telling of
their formation in Paris in 1858 by
Vincent de Paul, humble priest, who
was troubled by the suffering of hui
manity about him and urged that the
women of his flock do what they could
and in a few years a hospital was
founded in France.
The order grew steadily and in 1850
hospitals were opened in Switzerland
and in 1890 in Spain and Italy. In
1889 there were in France alone 426
institutions conducted by the Sisters
for suffering people. The order came
to this country in 1909 and by the
opening of the Goth century its inf1u1
ence was world wide. In 1919 there
were 1850 institutions of the order
scattered about the world and $4,000
women were enrolled in the Sisterhood.
'They are laying down their lives
for suffering humanity" Father Cur
ran said, and in closing he hoped that
the nurses would go forth into the
world to work for suffering humanity,
not thinking of the material deward.
but relying on that in the hereafter.
Diplomas were conferred by DIR. w.
L. Gousse of Fairfield in the absence
of DR.. E. w. Boyer, who was unable
to be present. The doctor said that 1t
was a privilege to present the silent
testimonials of the fitness Of the
nurses to take up their life's work and
he pledged to them the hearty support
of the medical profession at all times.
In telling what the diplomas represent
ed DR.. Gousse said they meant three
years of real hard work, $50 hours of
classroom attendance, $50 hours OF
lectures by physicians and three years
of actual practice in the profession
they had chosen.
In their work in the future of pro-
tecting humanity, DR.. Gousse said that
the nurses would sometimes win and
then they would go from their cases
happily-sometimes they would lose
in the battle with death, but with the
that they had fought a
brave battle.
OF the Sisters Of Charity and their
commentator, and he said that the
hospital would endure as long as Wa
terville did.
Class pins were presenter to the
graduates by DIR. +. r. Hill. In
awarding the pins DR.. Hill said that
the exercises marked the end of a
long and diligent period of training.
He said that the women could take
up no nobler profession and he stat
ed that the Sisters hospital would |
always be theirs no matter where
they might go and he urged that
they so conduct their lives as to do |
credit to that institution.
The address to the graduates was
delivered by DR.. Paul r. Baird, may !
or of Waterville.
Mayor Baird spoke as follows:
Members of the graduating class |
Of the Sisters hospital training |
school. It is a privilege to bring to |
you the greetings of the people of |
on this occasion of your |
first public graduation. And I wish |
to congratulate you on your eleva-
ton to the rank of one of the noblest !
and Oldest professions known to |
man.
The rapid advance of science and |
medicine during the past two de- |
,ades has made it necessary Cor you |
to prepare yourself by diligent study |
that you may enter the ranks of |
your chosen profession fully prepar-
I'd and duly qualified to assume the |
and perform the duties |
upon you.
"From time immemorial the Sis |
ters of Charity have devoted their |
lives to binding up the wounds of |
he afflicted and ministering unto the |
sick. And from the days of Florence |
that romantic character |
Of history who led a band of self |
women during the Cri- |
mean war until the present time. |
many noble women have sacrificed
heir lives to alleviate the suffering |
# others.
'1n order that you may maintain
he present high standard of your
order you must give of your service
md substance to duty and never
ose sight of the high ideals that
minated and encouraged the illus
rious founders of your craft.
"You may feel at times that the
material remuneration for your SER
ice is inadequate to compensate
you for the mental and physical ef-
ort necessary in the performance of
iuty but the knowledge of life
we'll spent and duty well done is