Record Accession Number: 1266
First UVA program	NURS	Second UVA program
Comments on UVA programs
Home town	Alexandria	Home state	VA
Comments on Home town and state	My home state was SC, but I had traveled since age 7 and lived 3 yrs. in Japan during high school (1949-52).
Home town classification	Small city
Comments on Home town classification
High school classification
Comments on High school classification	Tokyo American school was for children of military dependents, embassy personel, and other US students of missionary families and private intenational business families.
Was your high school co-ed?	Yes
Comments on Co-ed high school
Did you come directly from high school to UVA?	No
Comments if not directly from high school	returned from Japan in 1952, spent a yr. at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas with my family and babysitting my infant nephew.
Important activities before coming to UVA
Comments on important activities	art, poetry, reading
If married, was it before, during, or after UVA?	During
Comments on time of marriage
Was your spouse associated with UVA?	Student
Comments on spouses association with UVA	my present husband is a physician
Mother's first degree		Mother's first college
Mother's second college		Mother's second degree
Mother's third college		Mother's third degree
Father's first degree		Father's first college
Father's second college		Father's second degree
Father's third school		Father's third degree
Comments on parents' schooling
First sister's level of schooling		Second sister's level of schooling
Third sister's level of schooling		First brother's level of schooling
Second brother's level of schooling		Third brother's level of schooling
Comments on siblings' schooling
Family members at UVA
Comments on family members at UVA	nephew-business admin.
Mother's first occupation		Mother's second occupation
Mother's third occupation		Father's first occupation
Father's second occupation		Father's third occupation
Comments on parents' occupations
Date entered UVA		Date left UVA
First other college		First other concentration
First other degree		First other dates of attendance
Second other college		Second other concentration
Second other degree		Second other dates of attendance
Third other college		Third other concentration
Third other degree		Third other dates of attendance
Fourth other college		Fourth other concentration
Fourth other degree		Fourth other dates of attendance
Fifth other college		Fifth other concentration
Fifth other degree		Fifth other dates of attendance
Comments on college experiences
Why did you choose UVA?
Comments on choice to attend UVA	my brother and his family lived in Lynchburg. I had considered Va Baptist Hospital, but they felt I would get a superior nursing education at U.Va.
How did you finance UVA?
Comments on financing	I had a partial scholarship and my brother paid the rest.
Why did you choose your UVA concentration(s)?
Comments on choice of concentration	I believed in service to others, I also believe noone should go into this field without a strong sense of empathy, compassion, and humility.
Description of UVA classroom experiences
Comments on classroom experiences	Very thorough, excellent instructors, and a great deal of responsibility (acting as a charge nurse after my first 6 months). Diploma students had more clinical experience much earlier than degree students. It was difficult to juggle working in the hospital 8 hours and attending class. In many ways, the diploma experience enhanced the development of my nursing skills. I never regreted that choice.
Description of UVA professor interactions
Comments on professor interactions	Supportive, helpful, interested in us as people-good professional role models.
Who impacted your life at UVA?
Comments on life impact	Ann Hemmings was our class advisor, as well as nursing arts instructor. She struck terror in our hearts when we were learning basic skills because she was totally uncompromising and meticulous about detail. Everything I learned form her was retained including her teaching style which was put to good use many years later when I worked in [Inservice?] Education at Chippenham Medical Center and taught very complete 8 week nursing assistant courses. Dr. Plummer was probably the greatest anatomy/physiology instructor ever! Would not have made it without her.
Most memorable UVA educational experience
Comments on memorable educational experience	It was the best. We didn't realize that until we graduated and worked in the hospitals. The honor system had a big impact on my life-I had to make hard choices (while in school as house committee chairman) that impacted others adversely, as well as personal choices that were painful. This strengthened my sense of integrity and forced me to examine my personal value system.
UVA weekend activities
Comments on weekend activities	The first year we studied a lot in the dorm, went home occasionally, accepted blind dates, went to frat parties and football games. Sat in the dorm and played the [ukelele?] and sang in group harmony. Sunbathed on the roof of McKim Hall in the summer, and there were famous bathtub gin frat parties.
UVA extra-curricular organizations
Comments on extra-curricular organizations	We had little time for this. My major commitment was house committee chairman- it took a lot of time and energy. The house mothers were always calling on me about student problems. One of them listened at the doors to pick up gossip, one time I opened my door and she almost fell on her face!
Important local, state, national, and international issues while at UVA
Comments on important issues	I was most impacted by the civil rights struggle that began in the fifties. Segregation had always disturbed me. There were 2 black wards in the hospital basement near the garbage area-I was horrified that one patient who was paraplegic with a massive [deculitus?] had maggots in her wound ( not sterile ones).
How interest in issues was expressed
Comments on how interest was expressed	Argued with people, wrote letters to the editor. There was also a lot of sexual hypocrisy in this era. Girls who got pregnant were quickly and quietly (but not always secretly) sent packing before they could say trimester. The boys were always home free (some were medical students). One of my classmates had a back alley abortion and almost committed suicide. A student in the class ahead of me carried [twins?] through graduation and delivered several weeks later. Rumors were rampant, but no one actually believed she was pregnant, they didn't think she would have the nerve to pull it off.
UVA housing
Comments on housing	dorm
Likes and dislikes about housing
Comments on likes and dislikes	dorm life was fun, we were always playing tricks on others (short sheeting beds with raw eggs in cold cream jars, robbing towels while others showered, peanut butter on toilet seats), and the the Karmic return- running down the hall, dripping wet nude, only to discover my room door was locked and my roomate was inside giggling.
Where were meals eaten
Comments on meal location	at the hospital cafeteria, lost a lot of weight.
Did you interact outside of UVA?
Interaction detail
Memories of Charlottesville
Comments on Charlottesville memories	it was very beautiful, spent many weekends in the mountains.
Did you feel part of UVA community?		Did you feel part of community?
Incidents that caused these community feelings	Many times the male students dated nursing students until the "big weekend" functions- they often chose Mary Wash., Hollins, and Sweetbriar students for those occasions.
Vivid UVA memories
Comments on vivid memories	My first evening in charge of a unit. It was a private unit located above the ER. I made rounds, all was quiet (about 35 patients) and one LPN. The LPN suddenly ran down the hall and announced that Mr. X had jumped out the window. He was a private psych. patient, a man in his 50's who had a mistress who visited frequently. I looked out the window and saw his body laying on the concrete as the ER personel picked him up and took him inside. I notified the physician of his death and his mistress arrived-she asked where he was. All I can remember is that you NEVER lie to patients or family and never give out medical info. (refer to the doctor). The words came out of my mouth without thinking " he just stepped out" - fortunately, the doctor arrived at that moment and took over.
Did marital status affect UVA experiences
Comments on influence of marital status	It impacted my entire existence! I was single my first year there. Dated a lot, had fun, met many interesting people. I met my husband at a fraternity party second year, whirlwind courtship, eloped secretly then went to my advisor and the director of nursing who allowed me to stay in school. The marriage was a disaster (he graduated and went into the Navy), and ended before I graduated.
Did cultural background affect UVA experiences
Comments on influence of cultural background	Since I had travelled all my life as an "army brat" I was quite comfortable with (or accustomed to) cultural diversity. U.Va. had no black nursing students (in fact, the first black male that I recall seeing there was a graduate school law student).
Did UVA prepare you for post-UVA life?
Comments on preparedness	Absolutely- I worked from the time I graduated until I started full time at VCU. Nursing was a big part of my life- I could not have received a more thorough education in that field.
Most significant post-UVA events
Comments on most significant event	Are you kidding?!! Life is a school room - the secret is how to do the events instead of having the events do me. It all has significance!
Personal factors that affected professional life
Comments on personal factors	I have been assisting a young handicapped couple, both brain injured in early childhood for about 8 years. I help them navigate the medical system, take them to appointments, assist with errands, and provide emotional support. It has become more intensive as their medical problems have increased. They have been my greatest teachers.
Other factors affecting life after the university
Comments on other factors	An interest in holistic health modalities, a return to school for my art degree, my own spiritual quest.
First post-UVA job		First job dates
Second post-UVA job		Second job dates
Third post-UVA job		Third job dates
Comments on post-UVA jobs
First post-UVA volunteer position		First volunteer dates
Second post-UVA volunteer position		Second volunteer dates
Third post-UVA volunteer position		Third volunteer dates
Comments on volunteering
Do you think of yourself as a career woman?
Comments on career woman question
Barriers faced in work and volunteering
Comments on barriers question	My own self limitations (perceived, not actual), my pets (11 cats, 3 dogs), the difficulty I have in giving monetary value to my work and a quiet place to do it.
Current marital status
Comments on current marital status
Current age range
Comments on current age range
Number of children
Comments on number of children
Current employment status
Comments on employment status	[Reiki?] practitioner, certified hypnotherapist, specialize in transpersonal issues and pain control, jewelry and glass art, currently plan to study and certify in neurolinguistic programming (NLP)
Additional comments	There is an air of eliteism there that played especially well through the FFV element - those fine old families steeped in tradition (but not in the true Jeffersonian ideals). It used to annoy me- now that I'm trying to let go of judgements, I find it more amusing and collect light bulb jokes. Speaking of tradition: one of my earliest and most impressive memories was that of having afternoon tea in the McKim Hall lounge, served by one of the housemothers. My previous experience with tea was somewhat different- served at low tables, sitting on tatami mats and cushions, but no more ceremonial than those polite, somewhat formal respites in McKim. They were determined to nourish our spirits and smooth our culturally rough edges. The whole person, not just the drs. handmaiden. That was impressive! I wonder how long that remained a tradition? They probably knew that many drs. marry their handmaidens, but I'm sure they didn't contemplate that many of us came straight from the wards to tea having just completed our return demonstration in soap suds enemas.
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