History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

The Illinois Training School for Nurses 475The Board had planned to build a nurses home but at firstit was necessaryto rent one, so a committee leased a brick house at 69 Fluornoy Streetfor S.j 8.50 a month. The following year a house at 67 Fluornoy Street wasrented; this was furnished for Si 277.91. Since the County Hospital wouldnot board the nurses, full housekeeping was necessary and Miss Brownconsented to take charge of that also. The family now numbered thirteen:the "general superintendent," two head nurses, eight pupil nurses and twosei \ ants.As early as the preceding October, applications for entrance to theschool had been received and eight were chosen. The honor of being the firstnurse admitted went to Miss Isabella Lauver who lived to give 47 years oftrained service to the communities in which she lived before her death in1928. At the time of admission of the first pupil nurses, it had been plannedto pay them $6 a month for the first year and $8 a month for the second, butin July this was increased to §8 and $12 respectively, "as the former was notsufficient to insure the best class of women." Requirements for admissionwere strict and were rigidly adhered to.The first annual meeting was held on October 1, 1881 at the PalmerHouse. The Advisory Board was invited to attend. Mrs. Burrows, Secretary,summed up the history of the year and Dr. Stevenson, Chairman of theHospital Committee, reviewed the course of study and the work done inthe hospital. The Treasurer's report showed a balance of $12,835.24.The important project at this time was erection of a home for the school.By May 1882, the lot at 304 (now 509) Honore Street, measuring 72 by 125feet, was purchased for S3600. Mr. Albert W. Cobb, a member of theAdvisory Board, offered the professional services of Cobb and Frost, architects,but the Board insisted on their being compensated for their work andvoted a sum not to exceed $300 for that purpose. When the building fundreached over $10,000 in November, the decision was made to begin workat once and ground was broken. The building was to cost $21,700 and wasto be completed by April.In November 1881, an association had been formed for the support of theschool, with annual dues of $ 1 o. At the end of one year there were 2 1 9 members.This association continued on paper until 1911. During the 1890's,money from this source was generally used for charity nursing.By February 1882, "all female patients were under the care of the School,and all female nurses belonged to the School." In December, one male surgicalward and the children's ward were added tothe School's responsibilities.It had been a disappointment to the Board that no nurses wereavailable for outside duty in the fall of 1882, as this had been promised tothe public as one incentive for support. But the superintendent neededthem for head nurses, and the public had to wait. By spring the situation