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Vol. XXXVI OCTOBER-XOVEMUER, lOSO tV„ ,
IMPRESSIONS OF THE NEW
ST. AUGUSTINE’S
The parents of a child or the home staying in
habitants of a town are inevitably less vividly
impressed by the changes incident to growth than
the brothers who have been away at college for
four years, or the wanderers who have just re
turned to their home town after an extended ab
sence. And yet the impressions of the latter time
are different from those of a stranger, who can
not have any basis of comparison. So it is to be
expected that one who terminated his career as
teacher at St. Augustine’s School six years ago,
and returned this year to be a teacher in St.
Augustine’s College, would see things there from
an angle a little different from that of either a
“new” teacher or an “old” one.
This granted, the returning teacher is glad to
say that all the changes noted seem to be in the
direction of progress. The first noticeable improve
ment is of course in the appearance of the campus.
The addition of five beaiitiful buildings, and their
situation so as to carry out the idea of a
quadrangle could not fail to inspire admiration
and pleasure.
The enlargement of the Faculty and the re
markable increase in the college enrollment next
attracted the attention of the observer, for he re
called the beginnings of the Junior College wit]i
a handful of students and a few teachers who
could be adequately accommodated in two or three
class rooms. Being apjirised of the fact that there
W'ere some ninety students registered in the Tresh-
man Class caused a feeling bordering on amaze
ment. Tlie general youthfulness of the student
body, the alertness and intelligence displayed in
the class rooms, and the widespread use of the
library facilities were all features that attracted
interest and caused gratification. The general aca
demic atmosphere has been enhanced by the grad
ual change from a Iligli School to a combination
of High School and College.
In this general atmosphere of changc there were
many old connections with the past that the re
turning teacher was glad to observe. The continual
presence of many old friends on the Staff, the
fundamental permanence of some of ^he customs
associated with Chapel Services, the pleasant and
helpful relations between student and teacher are
among those things that have been found good,
and will, I hope continue unchanged throughout
the years of continual progress for which St.
Augustine’s is destined.—C. II.
ST. AGNES HOSPITAL
First thoughts of St. Agnes Hospital today are
of the stack of unpaid bills in the cashier’s office,
of the bank that failed carrying with it our cur
rent expense account and of the twenty-two year
old boiler that chose this year in which to burst.
Then, I think of the increased demand upon us
for charity and the very much decreased collec
tions and I wonder where we are to end. If we
were a business institution it would be in bank
ruptcy, but, what does happen to mission hospitals
that cannot pay their bills ? I hope some of our
readers will answer that question.
In spite of hard times we have gone on and
opened our clinic which in its first three months
had enrolled 305 patients making over 600 visits.
By careful investigation we hope to exclude
those able to pay a doctor and give this service
only to those needing care who have no means
^^’ith which to procure it.
Our dream is to some day make of it a health
center where prevention of disease may be taught,
but that will have to wait until we can employ a
full time worker.
As dreams do come true, our jSTurses Home be
ing absolute proof, this dream, too, may be real
ized.
Writing of the JSTurses Home reminds me of the
class of nine nurses, just graduated, seven of
whom are already in good positions. If the pro
fession is ever crowded, it does not seem to be for
St. Agnes graduates. We have so many applicants,
all high school graduates, on the waiting list that
we have ceased to send out application blanks.
This year, for the first time, an interne, whose
time expired in September, asked to remain for an
additional year of study. This we were glad to give
and are hoping that he is getting as much out of
it as we are, as his greater experience makes for
much more efficiency in the professional care of
patients.
In closing I want to add a word about our Medi
cal Library, the seemingly impossible thing made
possible through the Church Periodical Club. It
is housed in a room in the new Benson Library, a
room in frequent use by the pupil nurses who are
required to spend one hour there in study each
day, and by the internes who find there the latest
medical journals and books to help them to a bet
ter understanding of the cases imder their care.—
F. A. W.