Newspapers / InterCom. / April 1, 1961, edition 1 / Page 3
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Duke Hospital, InterGom Page 3 Duke Hospital’s Little Red Schoollioiise Did you know that Duke Hospital boasts its own school? Late in 1959 Mrs. Carol Rosenber" (our cliarminp;, blue-smocked schoolmarm) and Dr. Susan Dees, professor of pediatrics, began workin" on an exciting: idea a school for pediatric patients. By January I960 the school was func tioning: under the auspices of the Department of Pediatrics witli a United Medical Research Foundation grant for one year, and funds from Miss Doris Duke for this year, and invaluable help from tlie Hospital Auxiliary. Since January 1960 Mrs. Rosenberg has given over 120 children from 6 to 17 years of age over 1700 hours of in struction in grades 1 tlirough 11. Most of her pupils are with lier only a week or two, but her average daily census of 12 children usually includes several (notably burn and polio cases) children whom she has taught for many months. One 15 year old girl missed 5 months of regular school, but was right “up” with her class when discharged from Duke and Mrs. Rosenberg’s care! Pupils are referred to Mrs. Rosen berg by their physicians (with pa rental permission) as soon as they are well enough. Once a child is over the acute illness, hos])ital boredom and de])ression sets in. The school gives the cliildren something to do to fill the gap between hospital and iiome environment. “T haven’t yet found a i)atient who wasn’t eager for schoolwork.” 'I'lie “bine lady” with her blue cart of.books is a big treat on tlie wards. Teaching is done both at the bedside and in the pediatric play- I'oom for ambulatory patients. “Just enabling these children to keep abreast of their work is gratify ing, but the real thrill for me,” says Mrs. Rosenberg, “comes in helping a shy child with a specific problem they have been unable to understand in the crowded classroom situation. If I can send a young child home really Mrs. Carol Rosenberg, “the blue lady,” is a welcome visitor to the bedside of pediatric i)atient, Jackie Phillij)s. Tlie In-Teaching i)rogram helps children return to school u]) with, or sometimes ahead of, their chussmates. nncU^rstanding how to ‘borrow’ and ‘carry’ tor tlie first time, I feel I’ve really heljied a lot.” A pediatrician recently told Carol Ros('nb('rg, “1 want yon to know that what you're doing for the chil dren here is as good as any medicine that we have.” With such enthusi asm from doctors, ]iatients, parents and teachers back home the Little Red Schoolhouse is likely to become a permanent part of the scene at Duke Hosi)ital, ])rovided permanent financial support can be found. What People Are Saying One of our employees writes, “I will never be able to thank everyone at Duke Hospital (from the upper staff to the maids and orderlies) for all the kind things they did for me while I was there. Tjord help us ii evei’ we lose that ' personal touch. It certainly helped me pull thru a horrible time.” And here’s a note to our parking lot policeman, N. II. Carpenter, that probably made up for many ejiisodes of unpleasantness which are usually the policeman’s lot. Mr. C^arjientcn' recently found a dollar bill lying in the parking lot. He put it in liis uni form pocket, intending to turn it in at the hos])ital. Hy the end of the day the dollar was forgotten and staj'od in his pocket for some time iin- til a very forlorn couple returned from the hospital to the parking h)f. They had just previously aske(l him direc tions to the clinic. Mr. Cari)enter asked if they had found the clinic. “Yes,” they said, “but we didn’t know you needed a dollar to he seen in the clinic.” They were going to turn around and return home to Castilia, N. C. Mr. Cariienter re membered his dollar and gave it to them so that their trip would not be a wasted one. They insisted on having his address so that they could return the money. He reluctantly gave it to them after explaining the dollar was not even his. Some time later Mr. Car])enter received this note with a dollar bill enclosed. “We want to thank you very kindly for your help at Duke Hospital on Friday, Febru ary 17, 1961. Without you we do not know what we would have done. We send you your dollar. Me and my wife will never forget you and the kindness you gave us. Thanks again.”
April 1, 1961, edition 1
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