Fondos - Woodstock General Hospital School of Nursing fonds

The Woodstock General Hospital School of Nursing was founded in 1895, the same year the Hospital was opened, when a Miss Ann Hudson entered the hospital to train. However, the first formal graduation was not held until June 24, 1904 when Miss Mary Ellen McKay and Miss Myrtle Hodgins completed their studies. In 1930 the first formal class was accepted, consisting of seven students and Miss Jane West, the first Instructor, was appointed to the Staff by Miss Helen Potts, Superintendent. Formal classroom teaching was done on the first floor of the west wing in 1924, but was later moved to the basement of Gissing House in 1937.

In 1952-1953 the Candlelighting Ceremony was started to mark the completion of the Junior set of lectures and the official acceptance of the student into the school. In 1962, the Ethel M. Finkle building was opened to house the new School of Nursing. The school was built to accommodate 25-30 students per year and provided up-to-date facilities which included classroom space, laboratories and a library. In 1968 a new residence named “Vance House”, in honour of Dr. James A. Vance, President of the Hospital Board, was opened to accommodate the students.

In 1965 a Board of Nursing Education was formed under the chairmanship of Mr. Harold Swanson and planning began for the new 2 + 1 programme in Nursing Education, which made the first two years an “educational” portion and the third year a service year. The programme utilized the clinical facilities at the Woodstock General Hospital, Ontario Hospital Woodstock, Tillsonburg Memorial Hospital and later Alexandra Hospital in Ingersoll. The first class of the 2 + 1 programme graduated in September 1969. However, a few years later the school was notified that the intern year for the school would be discontinued. In 1971, the school had the largest class graduating with students from both the 2 +1 programme and the 2 year programme attending commencement. Although they were all the class of 1971, the school held two graduation ceremonies at the request of the graduates whom wish to graduate as two separate groups.

In 1973, a joint directive from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of College and Universities ordered the transition of all diploma schools of nursing in Ontario to the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. The class of 1974 was the last graduating class of the Woodstock General Hospital School of Nursing.