Material Type

Recording

Date Range

1984

Physical Condition

Excellent

Acquisition Source

Niven Mary

Scope and Content

2 Cassettes. Approximately 115 minutes. Interviewee: Mrs. Mary Bond Niven. Interviewer: Sheila Petherbridge. Date: 31 October 1984 Tape 1 Side A - Biographical information: Her parents were born and raised in Nova Scotia. Her grandfather Bond owned a ranch in the High River area. Mary was born in Vulcan in 1913. Both her mother and father were deaf, and met while attending school in Halifax. Following graduation her mother continued her education in Boston learning to speak and sew, and her father went to work on the ranch at High River. They married in 1910. General information about the deaf, sign language, and her parents' feelings towards their deafness. In High River her mother was employed at the hospital as a seamstress. - Mary wanted to attend Normal School following graduation, but there was no money. She chose nursing because the only expense to the trainee was the cost of uniforms and shoes. - At 16 Mary moved to High River and lived with her best friend, Jean Clemens. - Following graduation from high school Mary moved to Lethbridge and worked in Ner & Nell Clarke's coffee shop on 5th Street S. She earned enough money to buy shoes and material for her training uniforms. Information about the Clarkes and Nell's involvement in the Handicraft Guild. - She entered the Gait School of Nursing in Sept 1933. Information about the training: discipline (in by 10 pm every night except once a month they were allowed out until midnight); wages ($5/mon during first year, $7 in second year, and $10 in third year); 12 hr shifts. Side B - continue nursing: operating room procedures and responsibilities; differences in training then and now; changes in medicine i.e. blood transfusions, intravenous solutions, maternity, antibiotics. There were more elderly patients because there weren't any nursing homes. - College training of nurses: she feels they're better educated in theory, but not as well trained in the practical. - Mary graduated in 1936 and was one of two hired on at the Galt. There were an abundance of nurses at this time and it wasn't until WWII there was a shortage. Her starting wage was $25 per month, but shortly after wages increased to $50/month plus room and board. - She married Robert Niven in 1938 and quit work to raise a family. She returned to work in 1939 because of the war and a shortage of local nurses. Between 1938 and her return she was a private duty nurse. Wages were $5. per 12 hr shift. - Social life of the nurse trainee. They went to shows a lot. Tape 2 Side A - continue with social life. - Mary received the Dr. Cherry Award in psychiatry and was runner up for the Proficiency Medal and Bedside Nurse Award. - Information about Gait Hospital. - Ethics of nurses. - Staff members were also required to teach classes to trainees. As head nurse of the Men's Ward she was required to teach two classes. - When WWII started she went to work in the maternity ward at St. Michael's Hospital. She compares the two hospitals. She was there for 4 years before quiting to have a family. She returned to the Gait Hospital in 1953 and was eventually promoted to night supervisor. She retired in 1966. - General information about nursing, patients, and patient care. Side B - Continue with general nursing information. Decribes duties of other hospital employees. - Following her retirement from nursing she worked at Parkland Nursing Home, eventually being promoted to Matron. She retired in 1982. - General information about the nursing home: patient activities, operation of the home. - Mary is involved in the senior's centre. - Last Galt School of Nursing class was in 1979. - Recalls an incident in the emergency room. Concludes with a poem.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

19921055000

Collection

Archive

Less detail