A Graduate’s Gratitude

Abstract

I was a bit nervous on that Saturday morning, April 14, 2012. In the lobby of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing, a diverse group of scholars, students, and supporters had assembled to take part in an inter- national symposium, an event meant to mark both the 25th Anniversary of the Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing as well as the life and accomplishments of Dr. Joan Lynaugh, the Center's founding director (and resident Living Legend!). Had I been there simply to partake in the festivities, my nerves might have rested. However, I was to speak that afternoon. It was a great honor to be sure, but as a recent doctoral graduate, I was also intimidated. I had only just embarked on my scholarly path, yet there was my name in the program, published alongside a cohort of very accomplished, seasoned speakers. When the moment came, I consciously slowed my speech, took the time to pause at pertinent moments and delivered my paper.Today, my memories of the event are fond ones. The insecure moments have mostly faded from mind. Instead, I recall interesting conversation with other attendees, encouraging comments regarding my scholarship, and of course, the uplifting anecdotes that provided a more nuanced view of Joan's life and work. Up until that day, I had known Joan for 5 years, from the perspective of a Penn graduate student. Afterward, I was able to add several decades' worth of memories to my own, many from dis- tinctly different points of view. Of all the insights gained, I was particularly struck by the notion of the generous scholar, that rare individual who freely imparts her insightful intellect so that another's scholarship might more fully develop. Everyone it seemed, regardless of their vantage point, appreciated Joan for such remarkable generosity. I was not alone in my gratitude.If I pull the frame back though, I begin to realize that Joan's intellec- tual openhandedness extends further than her individual connections. Joan's viewpoint has been translated into an institutional mission. With a thriving archival repository, a cadre of internationally recognized historians, and a diverse assortment of historical activities, the Bates Center is a nexus of nurs- ing history, perfectly suited to inspire, inform, and nurture the study of health care's past. Quite reminiscent of Joan herself, wouldn't you say?In an editorial written for the Journal of Professional Nursing's reoccurring feature Inquiry, Insights, and History, Joan highlighted the Bates Center, as it was in 1991.1 Today, this piece is a time capsule. As I read her perspective on the Center as it stood two decades ago, I found myself actively comparing them to my own, more recent recollections. It made for an intriguing intellec- tual exercise, juxtaposing Joan's past interpretation of the Center's intentions against my recent experiences as a graduate student whom benefited from the Center's accomplishments. In her piece, Joan noted the Center focused its resources on three goals: the establishment and growth of a repository, the production of historical research, and the dissemination of historical nursing knowledge.Galvanized by a dearth of collected, usable nursing history material and the lack of curatorial services . . ., the first goal of the Center was to solve this problem. In 1991, Joan mentions the steps made toward that end. Through the support of generous individuals, the Center built a secured, climate controlled archival space. They joined the Research Libraries Information Network (RLIN), which allowed the Center to broadcast its holdings through an early-federated catalog. Furthermore, curator David Weinberg joined the Center to ensure proper management and preservation of the growing collection.When I came to Penn in 2006, it was to the same space Joan described those 15 years earlier. Betsy Weiss welcomed visitors as the Center's archival and administrative assistant, working closely with curator Gail Farr. …