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OUR HERITAGE Two hundred years ago, Laclede and Chouteau landed on the shores of a vast muddy water, and staked claims on the site now known as St. Louis, Missouri. Among those who helped to clear the land and build the city, were a few free Negroes and many Negro slaves. Although, Negroes have been inhabitants of the city from its beginning, the story of the NEgro in St. Louis is one of a continuous uphill struggle toward the status of full citizenship. This goal has not been fully attained, but the progress has been tremendous. Today, as you approach the city, you'll see soaring high u pinto the sky the "Arch". This gigantic metal structure symbolizes the traditional name for the City of t. Louis------"The Gateway to the West". Looking through e Arch from the east, you can see the many architectural silhouettes of the city. Among these silhouettes is our image---------Homer G. Phillips Hospital School of Nursing, formerly known as the St. Louis City Hospital No. 2 Training School for Nurses. [[image - drawing of river labeled Mississippi River with St. Louis labeled]] [[image - drawing of St. Louis buildings skyline]] [[end page]] [[start page]] OUR HERITAGE [[image - drawing of winged insect]] 1918 -- The "flu bug" came to St. Louis and was a virulent contributor towards the founding of Our Heritage. During the Influenza Epidemic of 1918, an appeal was made for volunteers to help care for the many Influenza patients at City Hospital No. 1. Miss Bessie Newsome, a young Negro woman, applied to Miss Anna Gillis, Superintendent of Nurses, and received and appointment as a nurse attendant. She was assigned to Division #18, to care for Negro women with this disease. Miss Newsome became thoroughly acquainted with many aspects of nursing and soon realized a personal desire to become a real trained nurse. 1919 -- On January 1, 1919 Miss Newsome was admitted as a student nurse at City Hospital No. 1. Three other young women entered later, at various dates during the year. These students were permitted to attend classes with the students at City Hospital No. 1, and were assigned for practice to the wards for Negro patients. They lived on the sixth floor of a newly acquired hospital building on Lawton Avenue, with street cars as the only means of daily transportation to and from the other Hospital. The Negro patients were moved to the newly established City Hospital No. 2 in November 1919 and the School of Nursing which had started at City Hospital No. 1 was continued in the new City Hospital No. 2 for Negroes. Miss Gertrude Martin was appointed Director of Nurses. Interestingly enough during the summer of 1919 several graduate nurses were selected from other Negro hospitals across the country, and were asked to come to City Hospital No. 1 to learn the latest techniques in nursing procedures. These nurses were Miss O.E. Clark, Freedman's Hospital, Washington, D.C., Mrs. Branch and Gray from General Hospital No. 2, Kansas City, Mo., and Miss Charlotte K. May, Freedman's Hospital, Washington, D.C. St. Louis City Hospital No. 2 [[image - black and white photograph of 4-story building, street and one car]]
