Kingston General Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Collection
Category
Archival
Nursing
Education
Commemorative and Communication Artifacts
Classification
Archival
Nursing
Education
Commemorative and Communication Artifacts
Accession Number
995002126 a-b
Description
Kingston General Hospital School of Nursing vellum graduation certificate (a) made out to Lottie Smith in a leather case with a pair of interior plastic pockets for certificate; secured by a metal snap (b); vellum has official embossed seal for the School of Nursing.
Kingston General Hospital School of Nursing vellum graduation certificate (a) made out to Lottie Smith in a leather case with a pair of interior plastic pockets for certificate; secured by a metal snap (b); vellum has official embossed seal for the School of Nursing.
Number Of Parts
2
Part Names
a - certificate - Size: Length 11.5 cm x Width 18.0 cm
b - case - Size: Length 29.0 cm x Width 19.0 cm
Provenance
Belonged to Lottie Smith.
Dates
1937
circa 1937
Date Remarks
Written on artefact.
Material
vellum: cream
ink: black, yellow
leather: black
plastic: clear
metal: black, silver
Inscriptions
Stamped in gold ink on case: "LOTTIE SMITH"; printed on certificate: "Kingston General Hospital // KINGSTON, ONTARIO // INCORPORATED BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT 1849 // School of Nursing // Lottie Smith // has satisfactorily completed a three years course of instruction and // practice in this institution, has passed all the required // examinations, and is qualified to nurse Medical, // Surgical, Obstetrical and Infectious cases. // June 2nd, 1937 // R. Fraser Armstrong, B.sc [?] // SUPERINTENDENT // J. Stuart Crawford // CHAIRMAN OF BOARD OF GOVERNORS // A. Baillie, Reg. N. // SUPERINTENDENT OF NURSING SCHOOL".
Permanent Location
Storage Room 2005
2005-1-5 Box 22
Condition Remarks
Vellum and leather is wrinkled; case shows wear and some bare areas on folds and corners.
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Document
Website
Reference Comments
Donor file
Kingston Health Sciences Centre website, "KGH School of Nursing," (https://kingstonhsc.ca/kgh-school-nursing)
Research Facts
Lottie Smith was a Kingston General Hospital School of Nursing graduate of 1937 and spent her entire career there until her retirement in June 1958.
Certificate indicates three years course of instruction, dated June 2, 1937, and has passed all the required examinations and is qualified to nurse Medical, Surgical, Obstetrical and Infectious cases. Hand signed by Ann Baillie, Superintendent of the Nursing School, as well as J. Stuart Crawford and R. Fraser Armstrong.
The first official graduating class of the Kingston General Hospital School of Nursing was in 1888; the school was created in order to educate nurses as the demand for them increased, as well as providing a labour force to the hospital. When the first nurses graduated, they were given a certificate of completion, twenty five dollars, and a nursing medal. Over the years, nurses were sometimes given pins and/or rings or other memorabilia to commemorate their graduation from the school.