The McGill University School for Graduate Nurses (now the School of Nursing) was established in 1920 in response to proposals by leading members of the nursing profession in Quebec. The first class graduated in 1921. The School was maintained for the first three years by the Quebec Provincial Red Cross Society as a gesture of appreciation to nurses who had served in World War I. In 1924, McGill undertook maintenance of the School, and in 1931 a sum of money raised by the Special Finance Committee of the School's Alumnae Association was turned over to the University for investment. This was the nucleus of the Flora Madeleine Shaw Memorial Fund. In 1932 the University announced that it could no longer bear the financial burden of the School. The Alumnae Association and concerned citizens supported it until 1941, when it was placed under the direction of the Faculty of Medicine. At first, the School granted diplomas or certificates in Administration, Public Health Nursing, and Teaching in Nursing Schools. Later, B.Sc. (Nursing), B.N., and M.Sc. (Nursing) degrees were added. The School has two programmes (bachelor's and master's) for nurses who have already received their diplomas from a college or hospital school.
The records fall into two broad categories. The administrative material reflects the close association of the School with its Alumnae Association. The financial dependence of the School on its Alumnae in the 1930's means that many School financial records will be found amongst the Alumnae Associations files. The Teaching and Curriculum records reflect the use of the heroic aspect of the nursing tradition in the education of nurses. A course on nursing history offered by the School in its early years was devised by Dr. Maude Abbott, who also assembled slides to illustrate her lectures. The history of the School by Barbara Tunis, titled In Caps and Gowns (Montreal, 1966), covers the period 1920-1965 and provides an account of its origins as well as its administration, curriculum and many individual staff members and students.
DIRECTORS OF THE SCHOOL OF NURSING
1920-1927 Flora Shaw
1927-1928 Anne Slattery, Acting
1928-1934 Bertha Harmer
1934-1939 Marion Lindeburgh, Acting
1939-1950 Marion Lindeburgh
1951 Elva Honey, Acting
1952-1953 Elva Honey
1953-1963 Rae Chittick
1963 Elizabeth Logan, Acting
1964-1973 Elizabeth Logan
1973-1982 Joan M. Gilchrist
1983- F. Moyra Allen, Acting
ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS, 1918-1964
Advisory Committee, 1918-1937, 10 cm (c.10-c.11)
The records of this original guiding body of the School include minutes of committee meetings, 1921-1937, with gaps, report by Bertha Harmer (1929) and correspondence of Helen R.Y. Reid and others arising from the establishment of the School, 1918-1920. Listed.
Records of the Director, 1929-1964, 50 cm (c.10-c.11)
Among the records of the Director and her office are correspondence about the financial crisis and its effects on the School, 1934-1943; reports; lists of prizes, correspondence and other records relating to staff, curriculum, scholarships and bursaries. Much of the material dates from the Directorship of Marion Lindeburgh (1934-1950). There are also records of grants and budgets, ca 1960s. Listed.
Flora Madelaine Shaw Fund, 1928-1957, 20 cm (c.13)
Correspondence between various officials concerned with the Fund including the Chairman of the Fund, the Director of the School, and the Alumnae Society of the School; financial records, applications and awards of the Shaw Scholarships. Listed.
Alumnae Association, 1921-1963, 1 m (c.12-c.13)
These records comprise minutes of the Association Executive Committee, 1921-1945, 1950-1957; minutes of Annual and General Meetings, ca 1946-1958; cash books and other financial records, various minutes, membership lists, correspondence and various reports. Listed.
TEACHING AND CURRICULUM RECORDS, 1921-1979
Curriculum Records, 1921-1970, 3 m (c.13-c.14, c.15-c.22)
This includes a series of outlines, memoranda and class lists, and some examination questions for a large number of courses. There are also bibliographic and reading lists as well as notes of lectures given by Marion Lindeburgh (1945-1946). Listed.
Subject Files and Teaching Aids, ca 1930-ca 1960, 1.2 m (c.1, c.6-c.9, c.13-c.14)
These materials were probably assembled by a variety of staff members and include bibliographies, books, articles, notes, lantern slides and photographs on the history of nursing, mainly in Canada. There is also some correspondence and hospital questionnaires, a survey of Canadian nursing schools (1939) and manuscript lectures by Sir Fred Clarke and Maude Abbott, 1930-1931 (c.9). Included are a number of articles and newsclippings on nursing education, ca 1930-1948 (c.13-c.14). Of special interest are the glass slides collected by Dr. Maude Abbott to illustrate her course on the history of nursing in general. Another set of slides illustrates the history of nursing in Canada. Listed.
Workshops, 1976-1979, 50 cm (c.61-c.63)
The workshop documented in these appointment books, calendar and videotape was called "L'Atelier à votre santé". It was run by the Research Unit of the School of Nursing, 1976-1979.
STUDENT RECORDS, 1920-1970
Academic Files, 1920-1970, approx. 15 m (c.23-c.60) RESTRICTED
Contained in these files on students are transcripts of academic record, reports on field work, application forms, and occasionally correspondence. The arrangement is alphabetical in chronological blocks, the largest being 1920-1955.
PUBLICATIONS, 1969-1982
Nursing Papers, 1969-1982, 21 cm (Printed Collection)
Contains articles on nursing.
PHOTOGRAPHS, 1940-1960
Photographs, ca 1940-1960 (See Photograph Inventory)
Besides formal class pictures and portraits of staff members, there are photographs of various activities, such as nurses training in hospitals. Listed.