School of Nursing records

Collection

Identifier: SNU-0001-001

Staff Only

Collection Statement

The collection includes meeting minutes, annual reports, history files, correspondence, self-evaluation studies, contracts, class year files, course information, information on the closing of the school, scrapbooks, slides, photographs, photographic composites, museum objects and many other records and miscellaneous items collected and generated by the School of Nursing at DePauw University during the years 1955 to 1994.

Class year files include photographs, alumnus updates, newspaper clippings and miscellaneous items referring to members of each graduating class. Course information includes files for each required course including class schedules, course descriptions, course evaluations, exams, quizzes, study guides and syllabi.

Dates

1955 - 1994

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Usage Restrictions

Historical Sketch

In 1929 DePauw University arranged for an affiliated program with the School of Nursing at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Students who completed a three-year pre-nursing course at DePauw could transfer to the Methodist Hospital school for professional education. By the early 1950's both DePauw University and Methodist Hospital were searching for a better way to provide nursing education. In 1955 during the Humbert administration at DePauw, the School of Nursing was organized. The university entered into an agreement with Methodist Hospital for a cooperative program in nursing education that included two years of pre-nursing classes at DePauw and two years of professional and clinical training at Methodist Hospital. Graduates would receive the degree of bachelor of science in nursing from DePauw University and become eligible to take the licensing examination to qualify as registered nurses. Fredericka E. Koch of Methodist Hospital became the school’s first director (1955-59) and was succeeded by Catherine M. Friddle (1959-74). When Friddle retired in 1974, Doris J. Froebe (1974-87) was named to replace her as the school’s director. Dr. Froebe resigned in 1979 and was succeeded by Charmaine (Sherry) Smith (1979-91). After the resignation of Sherry Smith, a new director, A. Louise Hart (1991-94) was appointed. During its existence, the offices for the department were housed in the Julian Science and Math Center on the DePauw campus and in Wile Hall of the Methodist Hospital complex in Indianapolis.

Nine women entered the program in the fall of 1955 and five graduated four years later. By 1961 enrollments had grown into double digits. In 1978 DePauw graduated its largest class of nursing students, 49, but this number gradually dropped. In October 1990 the Board of Trustees voted to phase out the School with great opposition from DePauw faculty, students, alumnae and friends. The Board was concerned that a declining enrollment would not be reversed. The final class, consisting of 24 students, graduated in May 1994. Throughout the Schools’ entity DePauw graduated a total of 787 baccalaureate nurses.