Record Accession Number: 1092
First UVA program	NURS	Second UVA program
Comments on UVA programs
Home town	Warrensville	Home state	Nc
Comments on Home town and state
Home town classification	Farm
Comments on Home town classification
High school classification	Public
Comments on High school classification
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	Took typing, world history and chemistry at another high school in W.Va. My mother had me enrolled as a music major in [Lus-McCrae?] College. I know I didn't want the work nec. to become a concert pianist, so I went to Wva. to visit an older sister and stayed. Also, I wanted to become a nurse-not considered a good thing by the elders in my family.
Important activities before coming to UVA
Comments on important activities	Probably the same as any pre WWII teenager: school, dating, music, church-related activities.
If married, was it before, during, or after UVA?	After
Comments on time of marriage
Was your spouse associated with UVA?	No
Comments on spouses association with UVA
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	no 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
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	I assume you want an honest answer, so: the sister (10 yrs older) who abetted my "escape" from music theory , harmony, etc, etc and I drove through Charlottesville- saw the Univ, grounds and loved them (they were very different then)- went to nursing school office, talked, and got application.
How did you finance UVA?
Comments on financing	1st year, my mother paid, albeit unhappily. The cadet nurse corps started during that first year and I joined-that took care of the rest.
Why did you choose your UVA concentration(s)?
Comments on choice of concentration	Probably because I admired a county public health nurse. Later obst. and nursing because I love babies and still consider birth a miracle.
Description of UVA classroom experiences
Comments on classroom experiences	I studied harder than ever before ( I was H.S. valedictorian) and found it all interesting. By the time I began, WWII had begun and I was eager to finish and join one of the armed services. I was a little "queasy" when I saw the first autopsy and I always hoped Dr. Chanton (Ep.) who taught organic chem. would not call on me in class, nothing especially unusual.
Description of UVA professor interactions
Comments on professor interactions	Very little interaction outside the classroom. In class learned early that paying close attention in class saved a great deal of outside study, so I suppose I was considered a "good" student. I had no problem with anyone.
Who impacted your life at UVA?
Comments on life impact	Miss Catherine Cover, who taught anatomy, medical ethics, materia-med, dosage and solution, and probably other things. She was stern taskmaster, and always fair; a good example for any student nurse. Also, Miss Virginia Walker who seemed the epitome of Florence Nightengale herself.
Most memorable UVA educational experience
Comments on memorable educational experience	Remember, nursing school then was not what it is now. We had a 6 month pre-clinical period, just classes and labs* then began to go on the wards 1 hr am to help with morning care and 1 hr pm to help with evening care. Both these comforting routines now sadly missing in hospitals. Gradually we were on duty more and more and by our Sr. yr were assuming a great deal of responsibility. We had night duty without RNs, for example. * "just classes & labs" -except Thanksgiving day, when most of us were shocked when we were "allowed" to go on duty. to help with trays and H2O pitchers (Isn't that ridiculous? I still remember Miss Cover saying "do you expect the patients to go home on holidays?")
UVA weekend activities
Comments on weekend activities	We rarely had weekends off. Occasionally I went up to Spotsylvania Co., Va to visit my eldest sister, but after whatever duty I had there were dates, lots of dancing, walking, (no cars-WWII), downtown to movies, in short-very happy times. There were few women at U.Va. other than nurses, so we were all popular.
UVA extra-curricular organizations
Comments on extra-curricular organizations	Organizations- few! I was on the McKim Hall house committee-is that archaic? I played the piano in a concert with other local talent, at parties, etc. significance-zero.
Important local, state, national, and international issues while at UVA
Comments on important issues	I had many friends and relatives in the armed services, my only brother was a pilot. We had black out practices in the hospital, etc-I was constantly listening to the radio news, I asked the local radio station to call me when the D-day invasion began (we were by then in Kelly House). 1 am I awakened to find a note on my door "Miss Johnson, Radio station___ called to tell you that the invasion has started!" So by then I had to go to work and couldn't listen.
How interest in issues was expressed
Comments on how interest was expressed	The war was a constant topic of conversation. Of course we all wrote letters. I did go to one U.S.O. dance, but the parties at the med frat house were so much more fun that I never went again.
UVA housing
Comments on housing	Dormitory
Likes and dislikes about housing
Comments on likes and dislikes	I enjoyed (underlined) dorm life, it was NOT "unisex" then, and we had a lot of fun even with check out/in times, lights out, etc.
Where were meals eaten
Comments on meal location	hospital dining room
Did you interact outside of UVA?
Interaction detail	Yes, but little- went home with classmates to Ivy station & Charlottesville, went to church occas.
Memories of Charlottesville
Comments on Charlottesville memories	How lovely it all was and the classical beauty of the building and grounds. Walking along by the Serpentine Wall or sitting on the balustrade around the Rotunda in the moonlight when the med students walked us home after a date -a lovely time despite the war. Most med students were in uniform, and everyone was neatly dressed and dress does affect behavior-ask any room mother.
Did you feel part of UVA community?		Did you feel part of community?
Incidents that caused these community feelings	We were all so busy and all working toward the same goal. 3rd and 4th yr med students were "on the wards" ; it seems everyone knew everyone, but of course that isn't true. But there was a strong family feeling.
Vivid UVA memories
Comments on vivid memories	I cannot remember any specific experience. After the first 4 months when I was awfully homesick I made many friends, and along with learning how, literally, to work, I learned many things that have been useful since.
Did marital status affect UVA experiences
Comments on influence of marital status
Did cultural background affect UVA experiences
Comments on influence of cultural background	Not at all, I am Southern WASP and I fit right in without thinking about it. In fact, I have never thought about it before! How fortunate I have been, and how unappreciative. Thank you ,God.
Did UVA prepare you for post-UVA life?
Comments on preparedness	yes
Most significant post-UVA events
Comments on most significant event	I married the only man I ever wanted to marry, and had exactly the # children I wanted since I can remember. All 4 are intelligent, talented, good citizens, and people I would like if they weren't mine. What can be better?
Personal factors that affected professional life
Comments on personal factors	Obviously, the above. My professiona enabled me to help support my husband through his final year at Yale Univ. (Civil Eng.) and Pet. Eng. courses at U. Tulsa. I chose to be an at-home mother (all the usual volunteer work and taught Red Cross first aid classes, and always church organist/pianist). When we had the 3 eldest away at school, I took refresher courses and worked 1 yr. night duty and 3 yrs. as school nurse.
Other factors affecting life after the university
Comments on other factors	My husband's work as a petroleum engineer caused us to be transferred many times in the early years, for [Standard?] which finally became Amoco Production Co. Later transferred to Amoco Intl. We have travelled a great deal.
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
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
Additional comments	In summary, my 3 years at U.Va. hospital School of Nursing were happy ones and I can't think of any better preparation for being a mother. We were, I believe after being a patient several times, better nurses than the current crop of girls who go 4 years and never touch a live patient and are expected to learn nursing procedures in a 6 week internship (U. Texas). You can't supervise what you cannot do yourself, but your study isn't about that. Since I gave you so much extraneous info, I'll tell you this! Mother finally got 2 professional musicians from her grandchildren. My eldest is one, she lives in Geneva City and sings the alto solos all around Switz. and France. Takes her harpsichord here and there earning $, and teaches piano, harpsichord, flute, recorder, french horn, trumpet, and voice-a busy lifestyle, I'm sure. Miss Claudia is smiling in heaven.
OR Input new search criteria