Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Series 2: Administrative Records
School of Nursing Alumnae Association [1904-2000]
Photograph of the class of 1919
processed in 2008 and 2009 by Jeff Assent and Sarah Hull, respectively
Overview of the Collection
| Repository: | Plainfield Public Library, Local History Department, 800 Park Avenue, Plainfield, NJ 07060 |
| Creator: | Muhlenberg Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association |
| Title: | Papers of the Muhlenberg Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association |
| Dates: | 1904-2000 |
| Quantity: | 6.75 linear feet of records |
| Abstract: | The Papers of the Muhlenberg Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association documents the creation and history of the Alumnae Association from 1904 to 2000. The collection includes publications such as yearbooks and course catalogs, administrative material including annual reports, financial records, meeting minutes, and by-laws, correspondence, and subject files including awards, centennial celebrations, ephemera, and reunions. There is also a series of scrapbooks that contain newspaper clippings, photographs and photocopied images. |
| Language: | The records are in English. |
Historical Information
The Muhlenberg Hospital School of Nursing was established in 1894 as the Training School for Nurses. It opened on December 10th and offered a two-year training course. The first class of two students began their studies and were graduated in 1896. Construction of the nurses housing was completed in that same year. In 1920, the school was named the Muhlenberg School of Nursing. The Alumnae Association was organized in 1905 with a membership of seven. The Association’s first yearbook, Caduceus, appears in 1940. All earlier years are documented in the publication, “Through the Years 1896-1961,” which is housed with the collection (box 1, folders 8 and 9).
The Alumnae Association held monthly meetings in the hospital auditorium on the first Tuesday of each month. They gave full scholarships to nursing students and offered an annual graduation award to outstanding students. Banquets were held in honor of each graduating class and year-long courtesy memberships were given to each graduate. Life Memberships were established in 1948 for those who had been active with the Association for 35 years. Honorary memberships were given to nurses for their missionary work in foreign lands, as well as for outstanding service in the Army Nurses Corps in World War II. The Corps members are documented in the collection.
The Association contributed to charitable and civic causes through variety of fundraisers, and donated substantial sums to the Hospital Building Fund. Both the Hospital and its Women’s Auxiliary Board contributed to the welfare of student and staff nurses and the school. Alumnae received generous discounts on hospital bills, exclusive of maternity. Auxiliary Board donations helped to construct the Nurses Home and Cottages, as well as fund graduation prizes, graduate luncheons, student activities, and an annual nursing scholarship.
Muhlenberg Hospital was incorporated in 1877 and named in memory of the Reverend William A. Muhlenberg, a former rector of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion in New York and the founder of St. Luke’s Hospital in New York City. In 1986, the hospital changed its name to Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center, and is now part of the Solaris Healthcare System’s JFK Medical Center – Muhlenberg Campus.
Return to the Table of Contents
| Date | Name |
Class |
1907-08 |
*Charlotte Griffen |
1907 |
1909-27 |
*Elizabeth Wilson |
1907 |
1928-30 |
*Jennie Smith Bergmann |
1919 |
1931-33 |
*Ida Mae Holt Bays |
1928 |
1933-34 |
Barbara I. Wild |
1924 |
1935-37 |
*Lois McKay McGinley |
1924 |
1937-39 |
Ruth Capron Brunner |
1929 |
1939-41 |
Elizabeth Mason Parrella |
1932 |
1941-43 |
*Evelyn Kinkel |
1928 |
1943-44 |
*Wilhelmina Crest Maudsley |
1931 |
1945-46 |
*Selena E. Cornwell |
1921 |
1946-48 |
*Alma Thomas Whitman |
1918 |
1948-49 |
Fredericka Desking Ricketts & Liza Rasmussen Brown, 6 months each |
1939 |
1949-51 |
Mary Konyk |
1947 |
1951-53 |
Olga Sobolak |
1945 |
1953-55 |
Nancy Schmeyer Cramer |
1948 |
1956-58 |
*Isabelle Drew Davis |
1921 |
1959-63 |
Ada Keiderling |
1946 |
1963-65 |
Elizabeth Chereck Troy |
1946 |
1965-67 |
Jean Steffan Asal |
1957 |
1967-72 |
*Selena E. Cornwell |
1921 |
1972-74 |
Virginia Stewart Lamperti |
1932 |
1975-76 |
Marie Madsen Kuck |
1938 |
1977-79 |
Gladys Myers Stebbins |
1928 |
1980-82 |
Florence Campolo Vivers |
1978 |
1983-88 |
Robin Hanna Ince |
1978 |
1988-91 |
Virginia Stewart Lamparti |
1932 |
1991-95 |
Anne Troiano Rosko |
1945 |
1995-?? |
Joan Cooper Kulesavage |
1951 |
Return to the Table of Contents
The Papers of the Muhlenberg Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association include a variety of historical material spanning from 1904 to 2000, with the bulk of records dating between 1920 to1985. Record types include: handbooks, yearbooks, course catalogs, newsletters, event programs, alumni directories, annual reports, constitution and by-laws, financial records such as budgets and pay rates, correspondence, minutes (bound and unbound), newspaper clippings, lab manuals, letterhead, scrapbook pages, and photographs. Related ephemera include: diplomas, nursing badges, school patches, event ribbons, text books, and an official nursing uniform.
Return to the Table of Contents
Arrangement
The Papers of the Muhlenberg Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association are arranged into four series:
Series 1: Publications
Series 2: Administration (including financial records)
Series 3: Correspondence
Series 4: Subject Files, A to Z
Return to the Table of Contents
Restrictions on Access
The Papers of the Muhlenberg Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association are available for research.
Access is restricted to materials prepared by the Local History department staff. All materials must be viewed in the Plainfield Room and may not be removed to another area of the library without permission of the Library Director or designee. Materials must be handled carefully and kept in order. Materials must not be leaned upon, altered, folded, ripped, or traced upon. Marks may not be added or erased from materials. Materials must be returned directly to Local History department staff and inspected before the researcher leaves the Plainfield Room.Restrictions on Use
One photocopy may be made (by Plainfield Public Library staff) of each document for the purpose of research; official Local History departmental reproduction fees may apply. Permission to publish must be obtained by the Plainfield Public Library Board of Trustees as delegated to the Library Director. Permission to publish does not constitute a copyright clearance. The researcher is responsible for further copyright restrictions. The Plainfield Public Library is not responsible for the misuse of copyrighted material.
Return to the Table of Contents
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
People:
Organizations:
Places:
Subjects:
History of Nursing
Nursing Schools
Women’s Education
Return to the Table of Contents
Related Items
The following published text books are included in this collection (box 7):
A textbook of materia medica pharmacology and therapeutics / by Harold N. Wright and Mildred Montag. 2d ed., rev. Philadelphia : Saunders, 1942. LC Classification: RM121 .W92 1942. Dewey Class No.: 615.1
Woodward & Gardner’s Obstetric management and nursing. 2d ed. Philadelphia, F.A. Davis Co., 1943. LC Classification: RG951 .B8.
Chemistry for nurses, including certain essential principles from inorganic, organic, and biochemistry; a combined text and laboratory manual, by Harry C. Biddle. With 201 illustrations. 2d ed. Philadelphia, F. A. Davis Co., 1942. LC Classification: QD33 .B49 1940. Dewey Class No.: 540.
Nutrition in health and disease / by Lenna F. Cooper, Edith M. Barber, Helen S. Mitchell. 8th ed., rev. Philadelphia : Lippincott, 1941. LC Classification: RM216 .N85 Dewey Class No.: 613.2.
Psychology applied to nursing, by Lawrence Augustus Averill and Florence C. Kempf. 2d ed., rev. Philadelphia and London, W. B. Saunders, 1942. LC Classification: BF131 .A8 1942.
Return to the Table of Contents
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
This collection consists of paper documents, photographs and ephemera which do not require any additional technology for access.
Return to the Table of Contents
Identification of item; Date (if noted); "The Papers of the Muhlenberg Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association" collection, Box and Folder Number; Local History Department, Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey.
Acquisition Information
The collection was donated in 2003 by Mrs. Fredericka Ricketts on behalf of the Muhlenberg Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Jeff Wassen and Sarah Hull in 2008 and 2009, respectively. The finding aid was written by Sarah Hull in January 2009. Finding aid content follows the guidelines suggested by Describing Archives: A Content Standard.
Return to the Table of Contents
Series Description of the Collection
| Series 1: Publications [1924--2000]
Series Description Arrangement Return to the Table of Contents Series 2: Administrative Records [1924--1999]
Series Description Arrangement Return to the Table of Contents Series 3: Correspondence [1924--1997]
Series Description Arrangement Return to the Table of Contents Series 4: Subject Files [1904--1998]
Series Description Arrangement Return to the Table of Contents
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
