Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

DRESS, GALT GRADUATION

Date Range From

1961

Date Range To

1990

Materials

COTTON, PLASTIC

No. Pieces

17

Length

115.5

Width

87.0

Description

DRESS WITH SIXTEEN DETACHABLE BUTTONS - 17 PIECES 1. WHITE COTTON, LONG-SLEEVED COAT-DRESS. EACH SLEEVE HAS FOUR BUTTON HOLES AT THE BOTTOM – A VERTICAL LINE OF THREE BOUND BUTTON HOLES ABOVE THE CUFF AND ONE ON THE DOUBLE CUFF. FRONT OF DRESS HAS NOTCHED COLLAR, AND BUTTONED CLOSURE. TWO LARGE ANGLED PATCH POCKETS AT HIP, TOP OF POCKETS ARE FOLDED OVER. INSIDE COLLAR OF DRESS HAND MARKED “ECCLESTON”, MACHINE LABEL MARKED “‘WEAR THE BEST’, SUNNY SOUTH GARMENTS, LETHBRIDGE, ALTA.” BELOW MACHINE LABEL, RED CARDBOARD TAG STAPLED INTO DRESS MARKED “1/506, HEAVY STARCH.” INTERMITTENT RUST COLORED STAINS. DRESS FASTENED BY 16 REMOVABLE BUTTONS, WHITE PLASTIC. ONE LARGER BUTTON IS CONNECTED TO SMALLER BUTTON BY A ROUND PLASTIC BAR. BUTTONS MEASURE 1.5 CM IN DIAMETER AND 1.0 CM HIGH. DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO ONE BUTTON, SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR REPORT.

Subjects

CLOTHING-OUTERWEAR

Historical Association

HEALTH SERVICES

History

ACCORDING TO THE DONOR, SHARON NYHOFF (NEE ECCLESTON), AT THE TIME OF DONATION, SHE WORE HER DRESS AS A GRADUATION UNIFORM FOR THE "GALT SCHOOL OF NURSING" ON OCTOBER 16, 1961. NICOLE HEMBROFF, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT, INTERVIEWED NYHOFF BY PHONE ON JULY 7, 2010. AT THAT TIME NYHOFF SAID SHE WORE HER DRESS AFTER GRADUATION AS WELL. AFTER COMPLETING NURSING SCHOOL, NYHOFF WAS ONLY A NURSE FOR FOUR MONTHS. DURING THAT TIME SHE WAS PREGNANT. SHE WORE THE DRESS BECAUSE UNLIKE OTHER NURSING UNIFORMS OF THE DAY, SHE COULD UNBUTTON IT AT THE BELLY TO ALLOW FOR EXPANSION. SHE WOULD WEAR IT WITH THE BIB AND APRON TO HIDE THE FACT THAT SHE HAD UNDONE A FEW BUTTONS. SHE WORE THE DRESS AGAIN IN THE 1980S WHEN SHE WORKED FOR DR. RON BENNET WHO HAD A PRIVATE PRACTICE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF LETHBRIDGE. AT THAT TIME, SHE WORE JUST THE DRESS WITH HER GRAD PIN. THE OFFICE ALSO SUPPLIED OTHER UNIFORMS WHICH WERE WASH AND WEAR. THE GRADUATION UNIFORM WAS DRY CLEAN ONLY. NYHOFF SAID THE BUTTONS WERE PROBABLY REMOVABLE TO ALLOW THE LAUNDRY TO BE DONE MORE EASILY. SHE SAID, "IF YOU HAD TO CHANGE YOUR DRESS OVER, YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO IT THE NIGHT BEFORE BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TIME TO SWITCH ALL OF THE BUTTONS IN THE MORNING." NYHOFF KEPT HER DRESS FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS. SHE DONATED IT TO THE GALT IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE MEMORIES SHE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. FOR EXAMPLE, THROUGHOUT NURSING SCHOOL NYHOFF MADE MANY FRIENDS. SHE SAID, "RESIDENCE LIFE IS AN EXPERIENCE ONE USUALLY NEVER FORGETS. A LOT OF 'FUN ACTIVITIES' SUCH AS WATER FIGHTS IN THE HALL AND FILLING A STUDENT'S ROOM WITH NEWSPAPERS ETC. WENT ON IN THE LATE HOURS! SO MANY TIMES ARE SPENT SHARING EMOTIONS, STUDYING WORKING SHIFTS AND DOING AFFILIATIONS TOGETHER. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCES IN 'PONOKA MENTAL HOSPITAL,' 'T.B. SANITORIUM,' AND THE 'CRIPPLED CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.' THREE YEARS WENT BY FAST AND AT REUNIONS A LOT OF MEMORIES OF OUR TIMES TOGETHER ARE RECALLED." FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE PERMANENT FILE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CLASS OF 1961 SEE ARCHIVES 19941046008. DONATION PART OF A COMPOSITE UNIFORM FROM THE GRADUATING CLASSES OF 1959 AND 1961. GRAD DRESS FROM 1961 IS IDENTICAL TO THOSE USED IN 1959. SEE P20090023001-15, P20090024000, AND P20090026000.

Catalogue Number

P20090025000

Acquisition Date

2009-06

Collection

Museum

Less detail