HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1973-05-31, Page 13Clinton, Ontario .Second Section
Clinton News-Record
Thursday, May 31, 1973 108 Year No. 22
Victorian order of nurses celebrate 75th anniversary
The dress of the Victorian Order of Nurses has changed dramatically during the last 75
years, Left to right are a 1898 uniform, a 1925 model and a 1940 model. Clinton and area
currently has a full time nurse.
Mrs. Jan Moore Is a full time VON nurse who has her
headquarters in Clinton. She covers an area from Exeter
on the south to Blyth on the north. Her dress reflects the
modern image the VON tries to; portray. (News-Record
photo)
Few women have ever been
able to say that their clothes
were designed at Government
House in Ottawa. But it hap-
pened to four members of the
Victorian Order of Nurses for
Canada, this year marking its
75th anniversary,
The "designer" was Lady
Aberdeen, wife of the then
.Governor General of Canada
and first president of the VON.
The nurses were to go to the
Klondike gold fields to help
care for the hundreds of sick
and injured miners who had
followed "The Trail of '98".
It was a rough trip through
northern British Columbia and
mostly on foot through muskeg
where the nurses often sank up
to their knees. They wore hob-
nailed boots, and as travelling
gear, Lady Aberdeen had
designed, walking suits of
brown duck, with short skirts,
bloomers and gaiters "in the
style of a natty bicycle suit",
A lengthy report in the
Toronto Globe of April 19,
1898, included descriptions of
other clothing for the well-
dressed nurse: "On another
figure their waterproof suits
and tarpaulin hats were shown,
and there was also• on a third
figure their winter suit of heavy
blue blanket, with a big hood to
match, lined with' quilted silk.
The sleeping bags .• . . . are
made of canvas lined with flan-
nel and interlined with eider-
down. In shape they are not
unlike a big old-fashioned
bolster case, only that they but-
ton halfway down the length.
With each bag is a hood of the
same materials and this is
fastened across the face so that
only the eyes and mouth will be
left uncovered."
With their natty bicycle suits
and sleeping, bags, the four
VON nurses were 14 days on
the trail, averaging 11 miles a
day, and escorted by the
Canadian military expedition
being sent to the Yukon. On
arrival in Dawson the chief
nurse of the group, Georges
Powell, probably welcomed the
sleeping bag more than ever. As
"matron, teacher, nurse and
maid of all work" she lived for
a while in a small tent next to
the hospital, sleeping on boards
with a postal sack full of
shavings as a mattress.
In the more populated parts
of Canada where branches had
been established, VON nurses
lived together in homes
established by the Order, and
make their rounds on foot.
They wore a blue uniform of
heavy gingham and when
visiting a patient, added star-
ched white cuffs and aprons
which they carried with them.
In the homes themselves they
wore an alpaca blue uniform.
When going out at night to visit
patients they prepared them-
selves for any emergency by
carrying a policeman's whistle
on a ribbon about their necks;
When bicycles became
readily available many, nurses
used them to speed up their
calls on patients, and later on
VON nurses were among the
first women in Canada to drive
cars regularly on their daily
rounds.
Although the Perth-Huron
Branch of the VON is not one
of the original groups in
Canada, it does have a long
history. The VON came to
Stratford in 1908. It was a one-
nurse branch with one nurse
serving the community. Expan-
sion took place as the needs of
the various communities arose.
Mitchell was one of the first
areas involved. Then in 1966
the communities of St. Marys,
Sebringville, Shakespeare and
Tavistock came under the
VON's service. By 1971, due to
the introduction of the Home, •
Care Program, the Stratford
VON Branch was asked to ex-
tend its boundaries to include
Seaforth, Clinton and the town-
ships of McKillop, Hullet, and
Tuckersmith in Huron County.
July of 1972 brought two new
changes for the VON. The once
one-nurse branch now became
three full-time purses and at
the same time, the all-inclusive
name Perth-Huron Branch of
the VON became official.
As well as the two full time
nurses in Stratford and one in
the sub office in Clinton, there
are gix part-time nurses em-
ployed. Listowel, Wingham,
Seaforth and Goderich now
have a part time VON living in
the community and serving the
surrounding area. Thus we are
now reaching all far corners of
the two counties.
One other new exciting
development in 1973 which in-
volves the' VON right across
Canada, is the introduction of a
new symbol:- "The VON in the
Home".
,Today the Perth-Huron
branch serves 1,954 square
miles. In 1972 the branch made
2,945 visits to more than 515
patients. While nursing care in
the patient's home is the core
of' the VON service, they are in-
volved in many other activities.
It provides the nursing service
for the Home Care Program in
both Perth and Huron,
Assessments of the needs of
patients for the Canadian Can-
cer Society are done and the
most recent activity undertaken
by the VON in the area is the
paramedical examinations for
insurance companies.
For the future, Margaret
Wood, the nurse in charge
states;- "I would like to see
more done for the elderly." In
the area of Perth-Huron there
are numerous people over 70
trying to maintain themselves
at home. Many are lonely and
unable to get out. The VON
nurse is often one of the few
people they see during a whole
week. They need help in simple
things, such as shopping, run-
ning little errands, fixing some
minor thing in the house, or
just someone to drop in and say
"how are you?" We must learn
to give of our time to these
older folk.
Financially, the VON is sup-
ported in various ways. Fees
are paid directly by the patient
or through a health scheme,
such as Blue Cross, which cover
nursing service. Service fees are
also paid through the Home
Care Program, the
Homemakers and Nurses Ser-
vices Act and Department of
Veterans Affairs. Grants come
from various municipalities as
well as the county: Voluntary
funds are provided through the
. United Community Fund of
Stratford.
Care is never refused due to
the persons inability to pay.
Either they strive to obtain
assistance for the patient
through one of the above
programs or the nurse works
out a fee with the family, per
visit which they can afford to
pay. In 1972 only 17 percent of
the total revenue of the Perth-
Huron branch was received
through nursing fees paid by
the patient.
To celebrate the VON's 75
years in Canada, a Tea is being
held June 1 from 2 - 5 pan. at
the Red Cross Room, Market
Square in Stratford. The
Pythian Sisters are sponsoring
the Tea.
Everyone from seven to seventeen has a chance to Im-
prove their physical health and co-ordination since the
federal government has set up the Canada Fitness Award
Program. Here teacher Bud Walker of Huron Centennial
School helps a young girl with her speed sit-ups.
Determination is needed in the flexed arm hang that is
part of the fitness program. There are six test altogether
and each youngster is eligible for an award If he attains a
certain standard for his or her age group. (News-Record
photo)
Bud Kuehl of Clinton was honored recently by the Huron
Chapter of the Ontario Electric Wipe it their Mooting in
Seeforth. Mr. Kuehl was presented With a set of golf club* by
area Contractor* for his 12 years service as an Hydro inspec-
tor. Mr, Kuehl also received a ISO amp service, complete with
mistakeN to remind him of his work. Left to right art torn
Chuter of Clinton; Zen AridtMen, Clinton, president of the
Huron Chapter; Bud Kuehl ; and Harold Wise, Of Clinton, pest
president Of the Huron Chapter. (photo by Phillip')
the shuttle run Is one ,Of the Six tests on the Fitness
Progrant, the others aro the 50 yard Mir, speed sit-ups,
fieXed arnthano, standing tong Jump and the 300 yard run.
Huron OW001161 and Clinton Christlen School are the
Only sch001" locally who are currently in the program.
Awards are provided by the federal government.
this young led• put, everything he halt into the cliemil
thrOw at the track Meet held last week for Clanton Public
School. Winners Walt go on to the regional public %wheal
meet to be held In Clinton on Juno 5th. (News-Roortnt
photo)