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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1990, PAGE 1 Psych hospils class of '40 reime By Trudie Zavadovies Fifty years ago, 22 enthusias- tic, energetic people graduated as nurses from the <ciass of 1940' at Whitby Psychiatric Hospital. On June 13 many of them returned to the hospital to share memnories, share experenoes and to celebrate the 5th anniversary of their graduation. Ail had embarked on nursing caersomefo a short time, some for a long time. Back in 1940, the casas consisted of 16 women and six men. The reunion brought 15 of thein together again. Two were unable to make it, and six of the original class had died. The reunion was organized by Mary Town of Whitby whose late husband was the oimiai owner of the Town FuneraY Cape1 i Whitby. afve enjoyed oraizig this so muche said Town. "I wasn't able to contact one of the boys and one of the girls. But this has been wonderful.» Town -feels that back in 1940, she had a clear path to enter nursing. %In those days you either went into nursing or teaching,» says Town. "I nursed until 1946 when I started my family.» Although Town lives in the area, she hadn't visited her old alma mater i a long while. She saw on. immediate chane "W. took a tour of thelihospitalý When we were in trainingr patients did the groundwork. Today, the groundsaseeni a lt rundown. leh six-male nurses who #ra- duated in 1940 had the distinc- tion of b.ing the fiat maie nurses te graduate in Ontario. Jini Sellers, who is now retired and lives in Napanee, is one of theun. Ho remumiscd about what ByTrudie Zavadovica Workers repamrng the roof of a heritage home in Whitby in- advertently set it on fire, causing an estimated $60,000 i damage. «The workers were using a Propane terch te seal the joints," saidfWhitIyfire departrnent pla- toon chief Kn Corner. %ie damaged the rafters, roof snd family kitchen which, when the house was originally built in 1861, was the summer kitchen. The fire broke out at the bouse, at 709 Centre St. S., at 3:48 p.m. on Friday afternoon, Juno 15. The fire department sent five promptedhim to go into nursing, "It lwà better; than beingà farm lab&rer » says Sellers. " was originaly froni Saskat' chewan, and moved te Ontario ir 1937.I1was gom<nto look for i job as an atten at when thii op rtui camUp. Eme maie nurses went intx completely different- fields mE tie went on. For Sellers, hiE training bas always proved valu. able. "I used it ail mnZ life te inake my living with it saYs Sellers. "Iwsone of the i -.IJworkred in a reformatory for -a tume, then opened a psychiatric hospital in Kin on enitentiary. "Fron there I worked in admiistatio -nthe Kingston home for the aged. I would have hated to take on a 250-bed homo for the aged without mi back- ground. I retired in 1974. Anna Grant Patterson is retired and lives in Cobourg. 5h. worked at Mount simai, as a school nurse i Brooklin and at the medial centre in Brooklin. She says shes seen a change i the treatment of patienta over the years. "TrYeatment is altogther dif. feront now. We used te iv them (àtients) hot bathe gand cld packs.Drug ther;p ham pr.tty wel takon over. Wen w. foat came, we had to learn to love the patients and, t'f gain their trust. For Patt.ýrsn, bocomfiga nurse waa noethig ah. kinew she wanted te do. Shi 1usd many medical roi. modela in her fani- ily. "There were a lot of nuras and doctors un my fanuly and 1 oeud afford to go inte, it.» 5h. says the mentai health background was something ah. wasaàble teuse alî her 1f, and apply it in generai practice. 5h. was happy te b. back sharing tru *s and approximately 20 men te extinguish the lae. After dousing the flames in about 30 minutes, fire-fighters remained on the soene until 8 p.m. to clear thinga up. .. Linda Chapman, who, with her husband, bought the heritage home five years ago. had high praise for the Whitby firefight- ers. "We were very pleased with their quick response and the way. they treated our personal belong- Ings say Clýpma"T'hey trea- house. I think w. were very lucky te just have limited damage.» R I *1 i a 3 I T'EN of he r«i'ginal 22 graduates, in- ot 194»,whtahrLuaLnsyo cludin Mary Town of Whitby (second Oshawa (middle, front row). frOMi left in front row), from the clams eprences with her clasamate. Iwas not only clasamatos who returned for the reunion. Laura Lindsay (married to, Ford laind- ayedtr fthe OhwaTmes for 35yer)aghnrigt. the class of 194 and rtneto seher stu et. Ite h 194 e cldam f'Wa 1937 to 94," ay Unmx. «réwon- derful te b. here. It'à the -f&-t clasa I taught that was maleand female. Tho maies wero the firat maies te g!raduato as rsgiatered nurses intio Lindsay taught for five yeara then wentito the army an a captain (unatron) of a 100-b.d hospital. I 1946 éh. went to Wininipeg and after a year retur- ned te Ontario te, become director of nursing for ail the psychiatric hosputals in Ontario. In 1954 ah. beame an instructor at the psy- chiatrie hospital in London, Ont. She retired in 1961. One of the major differences Lindsay sees in the treatment of patients is the stejps takon towards deinstitutionalization. "Today, they put a lot of people back inte the community,» says Lindsay. "When I was here they had 1,700 ptients, now they have 300. They a lso put maie and ,female patients together now.» The reunion was memorablo. There were best wishes sent froni Premier David Peterson, Heaith Minister Elinor Caplan, Durham riding MPP Allan Tur- long arid Whitby Mayor Bob Attersley. Mention was made of plans to hold a 60-year reunion. Trent University at Durham College E Summer: 3 j uly to 13 Augu st The following courses are offered four days a week: " English 251: The Renaissance lyric (mornings) " History 120: A su rvey of West European history from the Middle Ages to the present (afternoons) *Sociology 311: Deviance and social control (mornings) Fail-Winter: 10 September to 6 April The 1990-91 Oshawa program includes 38 courses in 16 subjects. By study in Oshawa alo)ne, it is possible to obtain a Trent degree in Anthropology, Cultural Studies, Economics, English, History, Political- Studies, Psychology or Sociology. Brochures are available ai libraries throughout the region. For a brochure, counselling or information on admission to our summer or fal sessions, please visit-our Durham College office or cal (416) 723-9747. FAST DAILY LUNCH & DINNER SPECIALS For iriore details cal 831-0441 & ask for Cathy Fire daage to- heritage home estimated at $60,OOO ...... ----- en & an In $0~ ~ Q$ Vi......... ..l ~~. ...................