Children’s Hospital Graduates – World War One Nursing Sisters

Six graduates from the Children’s Hospital School of Nursing, including the first graduate of the school, Rosalind Long, served their country during the Great War.

Children’s Hospital School of Nursing

The Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg opened its doors in February 1909 – operating out of a three-storey house on Beaconsfield Street. The School of Nursing was established a few months after the hospital opened. Four applicants enrolled in the first class in 1910, one of them, Rosalind Long, completed her training and in 1913, was the first student from the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg School of Nursing to graduate.

In 1915, Ethel Johns, a graduate of the Winnipeg General Hospital School of Nursing, was appointed Superintendent at the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg School of Nursing. She oversaw the training of many nursing students, improved the standards of teaching and began to campaign for a Nurses’ Residence. The Nurses’ Residence was built on the west bank of the Red River and opened in 1918. The following year, after the General Strike, Ethel Johns was asked to resign by the Board of Directors, she went on to direct the first department of nursing education at University of British Columbia.

After Ethel Johns left, her legacy continued with improvements and new developments including the introduction of a library, and in 1940, an annual scholarship for post-graduate study at a university. The hours of work were reduced and hours of formal instruction increased. By the late 40s the 8 hour day was introduced for graduate nurses and they were permitted to live out of residence. Classrooms and laboratories were improved and the library was expanded.

In 1945, when it was proposed that the Children’s Hospital build a new facility at Bannatyne and Sherbrook, the existence of the School of Nursing came into question. After much debate the suggestion to close the school was withdrawn by the Board only to be called into question again in the 1960s. It was agreed that nursing education had substantially changed and the school was closed in 1969.

Rosalind Long, Class of 1913

Rosalind M. Long was born in Devonshire, England and immigrated to Elkhorn, Manitoba in 1906, to live with her brother Wilfred Long on his farm. They both were interested in doing overseas missionary work so Rosalind enrolled in the Children’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1910 and Wilfred began a divinity course.

Rosalind Long was the first graduate of the Children’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1913. After graduating, she became the Director of Nursing at the Columbia General Hospital in South Carolina. She returned to Winnipeg in 1915 and worked as Head nurse of the Infant’s Department before enlisting to serve with the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve in 1916. She was posted in England at the Royal Victoria Hospital. Her brother, Wilfred, also enlisted and was killed in action in October 1917.

After the war, Rosalind worked as a public health nurse in The Pas, Manitoba, before volunteering for missionary service with the Anglican Church of Canada. Her missionary work spanned over 22 years and included teaching and public health nursing in Anglican missions in many northern reserves throughout Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba. She also served as a nurse for the Department of Indian Affairs and was the first northern Health Nurse in Manitoba.

In 1941, she married Dr. Simpson, who was in charge of the St. Michael’s School Preventorium in Alert Bay, British Columbia, treating patients with tuberculosis. They later settled in Victoria, British Columbia, where she assisted her husband in his medical practice and in his capacity as a Health Officer for schools in the area. They both retired in 1946 in Victoria, British Columbia.

Ethel Bayliss, Class of 1915

Ethel Bayliss was born on September 4, 1893 in Wakeham (near Morden), Manitoba to parents Richard C. and Harriette Bayliss. She graduated from the Children’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1915 and began working as a Staff Nurse at King George Hospital.

After the start of World War I, she enlisted with the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) and served for 18 months at Imlaya Hospital, Malta before enlisting and serving in France with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in May 1918.

Nursing sister Bayliss served in England and was stationed at Granville Canadian Special Hospital, Buxton and No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Kirkdale until being discharged from the CAMC in September 1919 in order to rejoin the QAIMNS.

Ethel returned to Canada in 1920 and began private duty nursing in Morden, Manitoba. She also worked at the Deer Lodge Hospital in Winnipeg. She married Raymond Joseph Large on April 28, 1933. They lived together in Winnipeg from 1950 until his death in 1951. Nursing Sister Bayliss passed away on February 15, 1971 at Deer Lodge Hospital, Winnipeg.

Hilda James, Class of 1915

Hilda May James was born on May 14, 1895 in Devonshire, England. She graduated from the Children’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1915 and accepted a position as Staff Nurse at King George Hospital.

In April 1918, she enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) and was posted at No. 10 Manitoba Military Hospital (Tuxedo Park). After the war, she married Forbes Asher Grassick and they resided in Winnipeg. She passed away in 1976.

Jessie Reinhardt, Class of 1915

Jessie Florence Reinhardt was born on November 5, 1891 in Parks Creek, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. She graduated from the Children’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1915 and returned to Nova Scotia.

Reinhardt enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in 1917 and served in Canada until being sent overseas in 1918. Nursing sister Reinhardt served in England at No. 11 Canadian General Hospital, Shorncliffe and No. 9 Canadian General Hospital, Moore Barracks, Shorncliffe before returning to Canada in 1919.

She was discharged in 1920 and continued to nurse in Lunenburg County. In 1931, she married Seth Himmelman. She passed away in 1963.

Margaret Grace McBean, Class of 1916

Margaret Grace McBean was born on August 3, 1895 in Emerson, Manitoba. She grew up on the family farm at Carey, Manitoba and moved to Winnipeg to train at the Children’s Hospital, graduating from its School of Nursing in 1916. Upon graduation, she accepted a position as Staff Nurse at King George Hospital where she worked for one year until resigning to engage in private duty nursing.

She enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in April 1918 and served at the No. 10 Manitoba Military Hospital (Tuxedo Park) [Fort Osborne Military Hospital] where she served until June 1919.

It was at the hospital where she met Lieutenant Robert Hayward; they were married on November 19, 1921 and moved to Medicine Hat, Alberta, where their two children were born. The family returned to Winnipeg in 1932 where Grace was very active in the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire.

She passed away in Winnipeg on April 5, 1987.

Vera McCluskie, Class of 1916

Vera Cynthia McCluskie was born on April 10, 1895 in Staffordshire, England. Her family immigrated to Canada and she enrolled in the Children’s Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1916. After graduation, McCluskie accepted a position as Staff Nurse at King George Hospital.

She enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) in April 1918 and served in Canada at No. 10 Manitoba Military Hospital (Tuxedo Park).

In November 1919, she married John Hugh Vincent Clayton and they made their home in Winnipeg. It appears she left nursing and was employed as a shop clerk from 1946 to 1951.