Edwin Washington Project

The first evidence of school doctors in Europe was in Brussels in 1873.  The gentleman set up a series of student inspections in order to reduce disease and avoid absences.  The first school nurse was Amy Hughes of London in 1892, the Superintendent of Queen’s Nurses in London’s Bloomsburg Square. She quickly realized that many children were needlessly absent due to preventable illnesses.  Her ideas spread rapidly with the creation of the London School Nurses Association in 1898 (Schwab and Gelfman 2005, pg 7). 

Following that, the first public health service for schools in Boston in 1894 kept students with communicable diseases like measles and diphtheria. In 1902, Ms. Lina Rogers became the first official school nurse in America, serving in New York City.  For 30 days, Lina Rogers, RN, tended to the health of 10,000 students in four separate schools, and her efforts were an instant success. Within one month, the rate of absenteeism decreased drastically, and school nursing was well on its way as a distinctive and vital nursing specialty (Hanink n.d.).

That led to more interest and by 1913, Loudoun was considering hiring a nurse for the same purpose.

Summary of Reports 1913-1929

• 1913/14.   LCPS had plans to hire a school nurse.  At the time, medical inspections of schools were under the auspices of the Federated Society and State Health Department.  All pupils were vaccinated and a campaign was begun to provide sanitary toilets to all schools as well[1].
• 1915:   “District Boards have agreed to provide two sanitary out-houses for all buildings for session 1915-16[2].”  Shower baths were installed in one school.  “Medical Inspection. Organization of Civic Leagues[3].”
• 1916.  Clean up work by the County Nurse was reported in Superintendent’s Annual Report[4].  That particular year, sanitary conditions were improved in all districts and drinking fountains installed in four schools.  Coolers and individual cups were put in all other schools and the common towel was abolished, replaced by paper towels in many schools.  What is not reported is whether this progress occurred in “colored” schools.[5]
• 1917/1918.  The expenditure for a nurse was $400, which was paid entirely by private contributions[6].
• 1919.  See 7.8 February 28, 1919 Report on Sanitary Condition of Schools.  See also 7.3 Report by L.  Flanigan, RN, County Nurse.  On the same day, Flanagan submitted a report called Medical Inspection of Schools, which noted instances of tuberculosis, teeth and vision corrections, tonsil and adenoid operations and skin conditions corrected. Measles and other ailments were also mentioned. We suspect only the child with TB was “colored” because that’s the only instance of race being mentioned.  The only colored school visited was Bluemont and no defects found.  Some assistance was provided by FoxCroft private school.   The Board of Supervisors appropriated $600 salary for the County Nurse for six months ending September 15, 1919, and later continued the monthly salary of $100[7].
• 1920. At the October 30, 1920 annual fall meeting of the Loudoun Teacher’s Association, Mrs. H.M. Hoge made a brief address on the “The use of Cigarettes by School Children.”  Dr. H.W. Davis, a Purcellville dentist was unable to attend.  In his stead, Miss Anne Gulley[8], the school nurse, lectured on looking after the physical and mental condition of children, with special attention given to teeth.  (LM Staff 1920).  The salary of $100 a month was continued for July 1, 1920 to June 30, 1921.[9]
• 1921.  Miss Anne Gulley , school nurse, lectured on “”The medical inspection of school children  by the teacher[10].”  The assumption is that one nurse could not do it all.
• 1922:   Miss Anne Gulley, a school nurse, gave an address on public health to the White Teachers[11].  $900 for the remainder of 1922 was appropriated for the Nurse by the Board of Supervisors on May 25, 1922[12]..  On May 22, 1919 the Board of Supervisors agree to pay $15 for the dental bill for a county ward.  There is no indication whether this was for an African-American or white citizen, but given that the word “colored” wasn’t used, it was likely for a white[13]..
• 1925.   Nurse made remarks to a white teacher institute[14].
• 1927.   Miss Rose Dolan, school nurse, reported to the white teachers on health activities[15].
• 1929.  New vaccination requirements are announced[16] in the Pink House at Foxcroft School which may have serviced African-Americans (Scheel, Loudoun Discovered, Volume Three 2002).  The owner of Foxcroft also was a patron of “colored” schools in the Mercer District such as Grant, Saint Louis and Willisville.