Ask the Scholar
Page 111 of 118
I can add historical knowledge about this page.
Page image
OCR
nursing bureau. It was the "interna-
and customs. Royalty dictated; com-
the cause of nursing as a digmiled
tional" rursing course sponsored at
mon people literally had to prostrate
profession in Siam than anything
Kings College in London by this
themselves in the royal presence.
else one could have done. For Miss
group that grew eventually into the
Things had not changed much since
Fitzgerald it meant the end of an-
Florence Nightingale International
the days of Anna and her king of
other job; another frontier had been
Foundation program still offered at
Siam. As a further complication,
opened.
Bedford College and whose many
those of high rank were in charge
alumnae now form the "Old Inter-
of all offices and organizations, re-
Home for Good
nationals."
gardless of training, desire or cap-
But after two years this was no
ability.
The date-1929. For some unex-
longer pioneering, and Alice Fitz.
Then there were the students
plicable reason, from some seventh
gerald moved on. She had a new
themselves, immature and lacking in
sense, Miss Fitzgerald "knew the
chance to pioneer on an assignment
self-reliance. Such girls were in per-
final curtain had fallen on my work
from the Rockefeller Foundation.
fect harmony with their large, polyg-
in foreign fields." Perhaps she was
Her first appointment was to the
amous, emotionally unattached fam-
tired; perhaps the pioneer vision had
staff of Governor-General Leonard
ily groups, but to be trained as
become cloudy; maybe she was just
Wood as adviser on public health
nurses? To her delight, however, she
homesick. Whatever the cause, Alice
nursing for the Philippine Islands.
found that these submissive young
Fitzgerald returned to the United
And for the remaining eight years of
Siamese women had "sweet disposi-
States to more tranquil fields of ac-
her foreign career, she devoted her-
tions, a child-like trust, a marked
tion. Now the relative quiet of sur-
self to work in these islands, in Ha
anxiety to please, were ready to
veying Maryland's nursing schools,
waii, and in many countries of the
learn, and had a good control of
of directing the nursing service at
then mysterious East: China, Japan,
easily trained hands." With these
New York Polyclinic, and running
Singapore, and finally Siam.
traits, she could start building. The
the nurses residence of a private
To recount all her adventures and
girls had another characteristic that
psychiatric hospital were acceptable.
accomplishments of these years is
would help them become nurses:
She retired from active nursing in
too giant a task for this brief ac-
They had such poise and marked
1948, the possessor of 16 awards, the
count. Where she did not completely
emotional control that, Miss Fitz-
most treasured among them the
succeed to her own satisfaction, she
gerald recalls, it was a real relief for
Florence Nightingale Medal pre-
left a firm foundation for future
her to go to the nursery and hear
sented to her by the International
successes by others.
the babies cry.
Committee of the Red Cross in 1927.
Progress raced like a snail, but
Yet Miss Fitzgerald. who attributes
The Last Adventure
slowly one after another of her
her remarkablé accomplishments to
recommendations was accepted.
"luck," has always maintained strict-
The story of Miss Fitzgerald's
Classes were arranged and class-
ly impersonal feelings toward these
successful work in Siam illustrates
room facilities obtained. Regular
honors. She prefers to think that
her methods and results. She began
duty schedules were worked out. The
nursing has been appreciated
by making a survey of nursing re-
royal princess, who had been in
through an individual. that these
sources; later she returned to estab-
charge and before whom even the
awards are tributes to the entire
lish a school of modern nursing in
chief nurse (though never the re-
profession. She has treated them as
Bangkok.
doubtable Alice Fitzgerald) had lit-
such. rarely wearing them, and in
In Siam, as In other Eastern coun-
erally to crawl was displaced. Stu-
1943 sending them to their perma-
tries, midwifery was the forerunner
dents used their toothbrashes and
nent home with the Johns Hopkins
of general nursing; therefore, when
even began to wear shoes on duty.
Hospital School of Nursing.
Miss Fitzgerald arrived, the nucleus
Different departments became or-
No fantasy nor dream were the
for a modern nursing school was al:
ganized-sewing rooms, linen areas,
adventures of this Alice. Yet how
ready set up as the Royal School
a nurses' dining room, and infirmary.
appropriate might be a paraphrase
for Midwives. This was one small
Finally, the old primitive wooden
of that last paragraph from Lewis
area of encouragement in a field of
lean-to wards were replaced by
Carroll's Alice in Wonderland
difficulties.
modern buildings. And with it all, a
and she could keep, through
There was the phenomenal com-
certain understanding of professional
her riper years, the simple and lov-
plexity of the Siamese language.
etiquette developed and the eager-
ing heart of her youth; and she
And there was the stumbling block
ness of the students increased.
could gather about her other young
of Siamese customs. With the excep-
The first. nurses' graduation was
nurses, and make their eyes bright
tion of a few of the nobility, Siamese
honored by the presence of the
and eager with many a strange tale,
had never had contact with West-
queen-aunt. But the next gradua-
perhaps even with the tales of her
ern ways, yet it was Western ways
tion was even more magnificent; it
Wonder Lands of long ago; and she
she was asked to teach.
was honored by the presence of the
could feel with all their simple sor-
From the beginning, Miss Fitzger-
king and queen themselves. The
rows and find a pleasure in their
ald was made aware of the eti-
nurses were thrilled, and this royal
simple joys, remembering her own
quette of rank. It was all powerful
interest (which continues in this
nursing life, and the happy former
and ruled Siamese lives, language,
generation), did more to encourage
days."
ulfA
Page data
- Page
- 111
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 28e657c07d9b99b0
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 2661465
- Core
- doc
- Type
- document
DTO data
{
"id": "2661465",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2661465",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Fitzgerald, Alice L. (1 of 3)",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2661465",
"collections": [
"Records of the American National Red Cross",
"Historical Nurse Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/partners/dc-metro/anrc/649203/40033_2421401759_0421/40033_2421401759_0421-00415.tif",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/partners/dc-metro/anrc/649203/40033_2421401759_0421/40033_2421401759_0421-00415.tif",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/partners/dc-metro/anrc/649203/40033_2421401759_0421/40033_2421401759_0421-00415.tif",
"imageCount": 118,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "2661465",
"label": "Fitzgerald, Alice L. (1 of 3)",
"core": "doc",
"dtoType": "document",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2661465"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "2661465",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2661465",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Fitzgerald, Alice L. (1 of 3)",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2661465",
"collections": [
"Records of the American National Red Cross",
"Historical Nurse Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/partners/dc-metro/anrc/649203/40033_2421401759_0421/40033_2421401759_0421-00415.tif",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/partners/dc-metro/anrc/649203/40033_2421401759_0421/40033_2421401759_0421-00415.tif",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/partners/dc-metro/anrc/649203/40033_2421401759_0421/40033_2421401759_0421-00415.tif",
"imageCount": 118,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Document source extras
{
"url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2661465",
"naId": 2661465,
"coverageEndDate": {
"day": 6,
"logicalDate": "1940-09-06",
"month": 9,
"year": 1940
},
"coverageStartDate": {
"day": 10,
"logicalDate": "1913-04-10",
"month": 4,
"year": 1913
},
"levelOfDescription": "fileUnit",
"onlineResources": [
{
"description": "Ancestry Collection: 2365",
"note": "This file was scanned as part of a collaboration effort between Ancestry and the National Archives.",
"url": "https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/search/collections/2365/"
}
],
"recordType": "description",
"ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}
Page context
{
"seq": 111,
"pageIndex": 0,
"type": "photo",
"url": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/partners/dc-metro/anrc/649203/40033_2421401759_0421/40033_2421401759_0421-00525.tif",
"mediaId": "28e657c07d9b99b0",
"ocrText": "nursing bureau. It was the \"interna-\nand customs. Royalty dictated; com-\nthe cause of nursing as a digmiled\ntional\" rursing course sponsored at\nmon people literally had to prostrate\nprofession in Siam than anything\nKings College in London by this\nthemselves in the royal presence.\nelse one could have done. For Miss\ngroup that grew eventually into the\nThings had not changed much since\nFitzgerald it meant the end of an-\nFlorence Nightingale International\nthe days of Anna and her king of\nother job; another frontier had been\nFoundation program still offered at\nSiam. As a further complication,\nopened.\nBedford College and whose many\nthose of high rank were in charge\nalumnae now form the \"Old Inter-\nof all offices and organizations, re-\nHome for Good\nnationals.\"\ngardless of training, desire or cap-\nBut after two years this was no\nability.\nThe date-1929. For some unex-\nlonger pioneering, and Alice Fitz.\nThen there were the students\nplicable reason, from some seventh\ngerald moved on. She had a new\nthemselves, immature and lacking in\nsense, Miss Fitzgerald \"knew the\nchance to pioneer on an assignment\nself-reliance. Such girls were in per-\nfinal curtain had fallen on my work\nfrom the Rockefeller Foundation.\nfect harmony with their large, polyg-\nin foreign fields.\" Perhaps she was\nHer first appointment was to the\namous, emotionally unattached fam-\ntired; perhaps the pioneer vision had\nstaff of Governor-General Leonard\nily groups, but to be trained as\nbecome cloudy; maybe she was just\nWood as adviser on public health\nnurses? To her delight, however, she\nhomesick. Whatever the cause, Alice\nnursing for the Philippine Islands.\nfound that these submissive young\nFitzgerald returned to the United\nAnd for the remaining eight years of\nSiamese women had \"sweet disposi-\nStates to more tranquil fields of ac-\nher foreign career, she devoted her-\ntions, a child-like trust, a marked\ntion. Now the relative quiet of sur-\nself to work in these islands, in Ha\nanxiety to please, were ready to\nveying Maryland's nursing schools,\nwaii, and in many countries of the\nlearn, and had a good control of\nof directing the nursing service at\nthen mysterious East: China, Japan,\neasily trained hands.\" With these\nNew York Polyclinic, and running\nSingapore, and finally Siam.\ntraits, she could start building. The\nthe nurses residence of a private\nTo recount all her adventures and\ngirls had another characteristic that\npsychiatric hospital were acceptable.\naccomplishments of these years is\nwould help them become nurses:\nShe retired from active nursing in\ntoo giant a task for this brief ac-\nThey had such poise and marked\n1948, the possessor of 16 awards, the\ncount. Where she did not completely\nemotional control that, Miss Fitz-\nmost treasured among them the\nsucceed to her own satisfaction, she\ngerald recalls, it was a real relief for\nFlorence Nightingale Medal pre-\nleft a firm foundation for future\nher to go to the nursery and hear\nsented to her by the International\nsuccesses by others.\nthe babies cry.\nCommittee of the Red Cross in 1927.\nProgress raced like a snail, but\nYet Miss Fitzgerald. who attributes\nThe Last Adventure\nslowly one after another of her\nher remarkablé accomplishments to\nrecommendations was accepted.\n\"luck,\" has always maintained strict-\nThe story of Miss Fitzgerald's\nClasses were arranged and class-\nly impersonal feelings toward these\nsuccessful work in Siam illustrates\nroom facilities obtained. Regular\nhonors. She prefers to think that\nher methods and results. She began\nduty schedules were worked out. The\nnursing has been appreciated\nby making a survey of nursing re-\nroyal princess, who had been in\nthrough an individual. that these\nsources; later she returned to estab-\ncharge and before whom even the\nawards are tributes to the entire\nlish a school of modern nursing in\nchief nurse (though never the re-\nprofession. She has treated them as\nBangkok.\ndoubtable Alice Fitzgerald) had lit-\nsuch. rarely wearing them, and in\nIn Siam, as In other Eastern coun-\nerally to crawl was displaced. Stu-\n1943 sending them to their perma-\ntries, midwifery was the forerunner\ndents used their toothbrashes and\nnent home with the Johns Hopkins\nof general nursing; therefore, when\neven began to wear shoes on duty.\nHospital School of Nursing.\nMiss Fitzgerald arrived, the nucleus\nDifferent departments became or-\nNo fantasy nor dream were the\nfor a modern nursing school was al:\nganized-sewing rooms, linen areas,\nadventures of this Alice. Yet how\nready set up as the Royal School\na nurses' dining room, and infirmary.\nappropriate might be a paraphrase\nfor Midwives. This was one small\nFinally, the old primitive wooden\nof that last paragraph from Lewis\narea of encouragement in a field of\nlean-to wards were replaced by\nCarroll's Alice in Wonderland\ndifficulties.\nmodern buildings. And with it all, a\nand she could keep, through\nThere was the phenomenal com-\ncertain understanding of professional\nher riper years, the simple and lov-\nplexity of the Siamese language.\netiquette developed and the eager-\ning heart of her youth; and she\nAnd there was the stumbling block\nness of the students increased.\ncould gather about her other young\nof Siamese customs. With the excep-\nThe first. nurses' graduation was\nnurses, and make their eyes bright\ntion of a few of the nobility, Siamese\nhonored by the presence of the\nand eager with many a strange tale,\nhad never had contact with West-\nqueen-aunt. But the next gradua-\nperhaps even with the tales of her\nern ways, yet it was Western ways\ntion was even more magnificent; it\nWonder Lands of long ago; and she\nshe was asked to teach.\nwas honored by the presence of the\ncould feel with all their simple sor-\nFrom the beginning, Miss Fitzger-\nking and queen themselves. The\nrows and find a pleasure in their\nald was made aware of the eti-\nnurses were thrilled, and this royal\nsimple joys, remembering her own\nquette of rank. It was all powerful\ninterest (which continues in this\nnursing life, and the happy former\nand ruled Siamese lives, language,\ngeneration), did more to encourage\ndays.\"\nulfA"
}