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May 15, 1930
(11)
The Red Cross Courier
The Passing of America's First Nurse
lind
5
By Clara D. Noyes
Director, Nursing Service, American Red Cross
I
N THE PASSING of Linda A. J. Richards, 89 years
When, in 1872, Dr. Susan Dimock, one of the pioneers in
old, first graduate nurse in the United States, who died
the profession only then opened to her sex, became resident
at the New England Hospital for Women and Children,
physician at the New England Hospital for Women and Chil-
her alma mater, the world is reminded of the tremendous
dren and inaugurated a one-year course to "fit women thor-
strides made during the span of this noble woman's lifetime
oughly for the profession of nursing," Miss Richards was the
by the profession she so greatly honored. Almost three score
first to apply. She was then over 30, an age regarded in that
years and ten have unrolled since her graduation in 1873
Victorian era as quite "settled" and at which only exceptional
from the Massachusetts institution that, until the organiza-
females essayed to embark upon new vocations. Miss Rich-
tion of the Bellevue School of Nurs-
ards entered the school the day it
ing in New York City, was the only
opened and was the first of the class
one of its kind in the United States.
of five that later enrolled to receive
During that period nursing has ad-
her certificate. Looking back upon
vanced from the status of an un-
this eventful period in later years she
trained, unorganized, despised con-
wrote:
dition of drudgery to that of a highly
"Even though the course was far
technical and dignified profession, in
too short and the advantages few, we
the number of its followers second
five nurses of the first class were very
only to that of teaching.
happy, very united and pretty well
For the rapid and successful propa-
instructed. We had no superin-
gation of the modern school of nurs-
tendent of nurses-in our ignorance
ing, founded according to the prin-
we did not know that such an office
ciples laid down by Florence Nightin-
was necessary. I wonder that we
gale, Linda Richards is acknowledged
were as well taught as was really the
to be the prime mover. In her na-
case, and I sometimes feel that we
tive land she founded more schools
nurses, eager as we were to learn,
than any other woman. Under the
instructed the physicians nearly as
auspices of the American Board of
much as they instructed us."
Foreign Missions she blazed new
trails in foreign fields, establishing in
IS interesting to note that Miss
Tokio a school for Japanese women
Richards was identified with the
which filled such a popular need that
two schools of nursing between which
other countries followed Japan's ex-
in later years a controversy arose as
ample until today mission nursing
to which was entitled to the distinc-
schools are to be found in every cor-
tion of priority. This altercation was
ner of the globe.
Miss Linda A. J. Richards
brought into the limelight when
Born in Potsdam, N. Y., July 27,
First graduate nurse in the United States, who died at
Louisa Lee Schuyler, illustrious de-
1841, Miss Richards spent her girl-
the age of 89 on April 17, at the New England
scendant of her illustrious ancestor,
hood in Vermont. She had a gift for
Hospital for Women and Children. She entered the
School of Nursing at this hospital in 1872 as the
Alexander Hamilton, and one of the
nursing and a passion that she re-
first applicant for the course.
greatest humanitarians of her age,
garded as a mission peculiarly fitted
was given a degree by Columbia Uni-
to her sex. Florence Nightingale was her ideal and she read
versity. The degree was presented "in recognition of the
and absorbed all that she could find relating to her person-
great service she had rendered her country through the or-
ality and the progress of her school for nurses in England.
ganization of the first school of nursing, at Bellevue." Im-
mediately the New England Hospital for Women and Chil-
H
OPING to qualify for her chosen career, Linda Richards
dren entered protest that it instituted the first school of nursing
entered the Boston City Hospital in her early maturity
in America, and was entitled to credit for that pre-eminence.
in the rôle of "assistant nurse." She soon found, however,
Miss Schuyler was much perturbed and sent for Miss Good-
that her duties were entirely menial, such as performed today
rich, of the nursing department of Teachers College, and my-
by a ward maid. There was neither time nor strength left
self. At that date I occupied the position of general superin-
in one to master the art of nursing. The hardships and ex-
tendent of the training schools of Bellevue and Allied Hos-
actions of the work so undermined her health that after three
pitals, and had formerly held a similar position at the New
months she was obliged to resign. But she did not relinquish
England Hospital for Women and Children. The subject
her dream of becoming a "trained" nurse.
was carefully reviewed and the opinion maintained that, in-
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"ocrText": "May 15, 1930\n(11)\nThe Red Cross Courier\nThe Passing of America's First Nurse\nlind\n5\nBy Clara D. Noyes\nDirector, Nursing Service, American Red Cross\nI\nN THE PASSING of Linda A. J. Richards, 89 years\nWhen, in 1872, Dr. Susan Dimock, one of the pioneers in\nold, first graduate nurse in the United States, who died\nthe profession only then opened to her sex, became resident\nat the New England Hospital for Women and Children,\nphysician at the New England Hospital for Women and Chil-\nher alma mater, the world is reminded of the tremendous\ndren and inaugurated a one-year course to \"fit women thor-\nstrides made during the span of this noble woman's lifetime\noughly for the profession of nursing,\" Miss Richards was the\nby the profession she so greatly honored. Almost three score\nfirst to apply. She was then over 30, an age regarded in that\nyears and ten have unrolled since her graduation in 1873\nVictorian era as quite \"settled\" and at which only exceptional\nfrom the Massachusetts institution that, until the organiza-\nfemales essayed to embark upon new vocations. Miss Rich-\ntion of the Bellevue School of Nurs-\nards entered the school the day it\ning in New York City, was the only\nopened and was the first of the class\none of its kind in the United States.\nof five that later enrolled to receive\nDuring that period nursing has ad-\nher certificate. Looking back upon\nvanced from the status of an un-\nthis eventful period in later years she\ntrained, unorganized, despised con-\nwrote:\ndition of drudgery to that of a highly\n\"Even though the course was far\ntechnical and dignified profession, in\ntoo short and the advantages few, we\nthe number of its followers second\nfive nurses of the first class were very\nonly to that of teaching.\nhappy, very united and pretty well\nFor the rapid and successful propa-\ninstructed. We had no superin-\ngation of the modern school of nurs-\ntendent of nurses-in our ignorance\ning, founded according to the prin-\nwe did not know that such an office\nciples laid down by Florence Nightin-\nwas necessary. I wonder that we\ngale, Linda Richards is acknowledged\nwere as well taught as was really the\nto be the prime mover. In her na-\ncase, and I sometimes feel that we\ntive land she founded more schools\nnurses, eager as we were to learn,\nthan any other woman. Under the\ninstructed the physicians nearly as\nauspices of the American Board of\nmuch as they instructed us.\"\nForeign Missions she blazed new\ntrails in foreign fields, establishing in\nIS interesting to note that Miss\nTokio a school for Japanese women\nRichards was identified with the\nwhich filled such a popular need that\ntwo schools of nursing between which\nother countries followed Japan's ex-\nin later years a controversy arose as\nample until today mission nursing\nto which was entitled to the distinc-\nschools are to be found in every cor-\ntion of priority. This altercation was\nner of the globe.\nMiss Linda A. J. Richards\nbrought into the limelight when\nBorn in Potsdam, N. Y., July 27,\nFirst graduate nurse in the United States, who died at\nLouisa Lee Schuyler, illustrious de-\n1841, Miss Richards spent her girl-\nthe age of 89 on April 17, at the New England\nscendant of her illustrious ancestor,\nhood in Vermont. She had a gift for\nHospital for Women and Children. She entered the\nSchool of Nursing at this hospital in 1872 as the\nAlexander Hamilton, and one of the\nnursing and a passion that she re-\nfirst applicant for the course.\ngreatest humanitarians of her age,\ngarded as a mission peculiarly fitted\nwas given a degree by Columbia Uni-\nto her sex. Florence Nightingale was her ideal and she read\nversity. The degree was presented \"in recognition of the\nand absorbed all that she could find relating to her person-\ngreat service she had rendered her country through the or-\nality and the progress of her school for nurses in England.\nganization of the first school of nursing, at Bellevue.\" Im-\nmediately the New England Hospital for Women and Chil-\nH\nOPING to qualify for her chosen career, Linda Richards\ndren entered protest that it instituted the first school of nursing\nentered the Boston City Hospital in her early maturity\nin America, and was entitled to credit for that pre-eminence.\nin the rôle of \"assistant nurse.\" She soon found, however,\nMiss Schuyler was much perturbed and sent for Miss Good-\nthat her duties were entirely menial, such as performed today\nrich, of the nursing department of Teachers College, and my-\nby a ward maid. There was neither time nor strength left\nself. At that date I occupied the position of general superin-\nin one to master the art of nursing. The hardships and ex-\ntendent of the training schools of Bellevue and Allied Hos-\nactions of the work so undermined her health that after three\npitals, and had formerly held a similar position at the New\nmonths she was obliged to resign. But she did not relinquish\nEngland Hospital for Women and Children. The subject\nher dream of becoming a \"trained\" nurse.\nwas carefully reviewed and the opinion maintained that, in-"
}