University of Pennsylvania Finding Aids

This collection consists of two parts: records of the alumnae association in the period of Mercy Hospital and records of the organization under its present name. It complements the Mercy-Douglass Hospital records (MC 78) in that the latter are exclusively hospital and school records organically created before the hospital closed in 1973. The alumnae association collection contains historical accounts of the hospital and the school as prepared by the alumni, minutes of alumni meetings, programs of various kinds of activities the association sponsored, newsletters, correspondence, clippings, and material the association collected of other organizations.

This collection contains materials documenting the development of nursing and nurse alumni groups at institutions founded by Jewish benevolent groups and organizations in Philadelphia from the 1890s through the 1990s. The historical material includes minutes, reports, administrative files, artifacts, and photographs depicting nursing and nurse education. These materials primarily concern three establishments which were merged to form the Albert Einstein Medical Center in 1952: the Jewish Hospital, established 1867; the Mt. Sinai Hospital, established in 1905; and the Northern Liberties Hospital established in 1920. (It should be noted that there are no significant records of the Northern Liberties Hospital in this collection.)

This collection consists of papers, administrative records, artifacts, and photographs that document many operational aspects of the Alumnae Association of the Philadelphia General Hospital. Of note are the personal papers of Alice Fisher.

This collection documents one of the largest and most active American Legion nurses' posts: the Helen Fairchild Nurses' Post No. 412 of Philadelphia. In its heyday, the Fairchild Post engaged in a multitude of community activities, and enjoyed a large membership base. These files provide a glimpse of the long and eventful history of the Post, beginning in 1919 and continuing to 1989.

This unprocessed collection contains the records of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing. It primarily consists of administrative files such as reports, minutes, memos, correspondence, and handbooks and manuals, among other materials.

This artificial collection contains miscellaneous small donations related to the Philadelphia General Hospital School of Nursing. They were primarily given by alumni over a period of many years, but some items are of unknown provenance. This collection may include artifacts, publications, personal papers, photographs, and records related to the PGH Training School for Nurses.

This collection documents the founding, flourishing and eventual closing of the Presbyterian School of Nursing, a hospital-based nursing school in Philadelphia. The hospital itself was founded in 1871 under the sponsorship of the Presbyterian Church. Its nurse training program was begun in 1889. The collection's strength is the relative completeness of student records, good documentation of the school's curricula and teaching materials. The supportive role both the Ladies Aid Society and the Alumni Association played in the growth of the School are evident in these records.

This collection contains records from Stephanie A. Stachniewicz's time as Director of School of Nursing and Nursing Service at Philadelphia General Hospital (PGH). Materials include meeting minutes and other administrative records.

The records of the Visiting Nurse Society of Philadelphia document a wide range of themes and issues in home nursing and the care of the indigent poor. The collection includes trustees' minutes, board correspondence, committee reports, and branch association files. Also included is a well documented collection of photographs.