by Deb Lee, BRCA Heritage Committee and CGH Commemoration project
On May 2 of this year, 269 Calgary General Hospital (CGH, or “the General”) nurses gathered to celebrate their School of Nursing and affiliation with the Calgary General Hospital. This year marked the final time that the alumnae group will hold this Homecoming Banquet, but starting in 2026, those able to join will continue to gather at a spring luncheon each May.
Significantly, just under 3,000 nurses completed the three-year program at “the General”, with the first nurse, Marion Moodie, graduating 127 years ago. The School of Nursing closed 51 years ago with the graduation of the final Class of 1974. The bonds, pride in education, caregiving, and service developed during those meaningful years created a sisterhood that has drawn hundreds of Alumnae Members to meet, reminisce and celebrate every year.
The Alumnae was formed in 1936 and over the years contributed significantly to the hospital through fundraising, volunteering in the hospital, and contributing to the community, with and for other groups. Their initiative and dedication to the history of “the General” and the School of Nursing have resulted in an amazing Archival Collection, all initiated and managed by Alumnae volunteers. The Alumnae continues to offer annual bursaries to students in the Nursing Programs at Mount Royal University and the University of Calgary.
The Alumnae members are excited about the Bridgeland-Riverside Community Association’s plans to develop the Calgary General Hospital Commemoration Project in Murdoch Park. They have been strong supporters since we started our project planning and fundraising efforts. They “passed the hat” at this last banquet and raised over $2,000 toward our project.
Thank you very much CGH Nursing Alumnae, for your service to health care, education, and community over the years and for your generous support to the CGH Commemoration Project.
If friends and community members would like to contribute to the CGH Commemoration Project, please scan the QR code or go to the Calgary Parks Foundation website, click the donate button and scroll to the Calgary General Hospital Project.
Image: Public domain. https://digitalcollections.ucalgary.ca/asset-management/2R3BF1F2KH3I. Attribution: “Nurses’ graduation class, Calgary General Hospital, Calgary, Alberta.” 1935, (CU1122764) by Unknown. Courtesy of Glenbow Library and Archives Collection, Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary. From left to right: Helen M. McIntosh; M.L. Scott; R.E. Porteous; O.A. Thorne; M.H. Stevenson; D.A. Tennant.
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