The 1920s
100 Years of Texas Nursing Magazine
The History of the Graduate Nurses’ Association of Texas
Jennie Cottle Beatty, R.N.
First President of Graduate Nurses' Association of Texas
Texas Graduate Nurses' Association Bulletin, May 1925
An excerpt from Texas Nurses' Bulletin in 1925 is a first-hand historical account by the association's first president. She recalls the formation of the Graduate Nurses’ Association of Texas from 1907 to 1909, focusing on their organizational struggles and their ultimate legislative victory.
IT IS WITH PECULIAR PLEASURE, that, by request of the Graduate Nurses’ Association of Texas, I am writing this, the first chapter of the history of this Association. I will try to do it justice by quoting from the History of Nursing what Miss Dock said: “Texas: The immense extent of this State with its few scattered nurses gives special prestige of the valiant work they did in organizing a society in 1907, at Ft. Worth in the Medical College Building, with its twenty-five nurses present. Mildred Bridges, Katherine Van Doren, Mildred McKnight, and Jennie S. Cottle (now Mrs. Beatty), representing the large towns, took up with energy the task of making known the cause, and building up the Association. Two years were spent thus, until in numbers and finances the society was able to carry a bill into the Legislature of 1909, with it passed successfully, with no injurious amendments. No physicians stood forth conspicuously either for or against it, but Senators Meacham and the blind, beloved Stephens, together with Louis Wortham in the House of Representatives, were the lay champions who carried the bill to victory. The Examining Board is composed of Nurses.”
It was in 1907, while I was Superintendent of Nurses in St. Jospeh Hospital in Houston, that I received a circular letter from Ft. Worth asking me to come to a meeting for the purpose of organizing a State Association. This was one of a group of letters sent to every superintendent and graduate in the State. I was only one of many to receive a copy. I paid no attention to that letter except to read it, and consigned it to the waste basket, but I was not to get off so easily. I was called on by Miss Virginia Perkins and by her persuaded to attend the local meeting of the Nurses’ Association of Houston. At that meeting I was unanimously chosen to be the delegate to the Ft. Worth meeting, Feb. 22, 1907, to which meeting Miss Perkins accompanied me, and, traveling all day together, we were naturally discussed the prospective meeting and what it was for, and incidentally or accidentally, I mentioned the face that I had attended the meeting in Denver, Colorado, when they were discussing their bill, and, that I had a copy of that bill somewhere in my possession.
It was in 1907, while I was Superintendent of Nurses in St. Jospeh Hospital in Houston, that I received a circular letter from Ft. Worth asking me to come to a meeting for the purpose of organizing a State Association.
The meeting was held in the Medical College Building in Ft. Worth and Miss Howard of Ft. Worth presided, with Miss McKnight of San Antonio acting as Secretary. Many of the nurses present had ideas as to a bill, but the first thing we had to do was to organize our State Association. Mrs. James W. Swayne, Ft. Worth, came and helped us organize and write a Constitution and By-Laws. To her good parliamentary instructions belong great praise. The permanent officers elected were: President, Miss Jennie S. Cottle, Houston; 1st Vice, Miss Mildred Bridges, Ft. Worth; 2nd Vice, Miss M.H. Mallett, Austin; 3rd Vice, Miss Mattie Moore, Gainesville; Recording Secretary, Miss C. Van Doren, Belton; Treasurer, Miss M. M. McKnight, San Antonio. The Legislative Committee appointed by the chair consisted of the following members: Miss Bridges, Miss McKnight, Miss Van Doren, Miss Mallett, Miss Perkins and Miss Cottle. The meeting adjourned to meet in Houston, the first Monday in June, 1907. We were then taken to the Hotel Touraine and given a beautiful banquet. To Misses Bridges, Flynt and Van Doren belongs the credit of that affair.
Many more nurses were represented at the Houston meeting, June 3, 4, 1907, some as delegates from their local associations, others as individual members. There was much to be done and only two days to do it in. Some of the sessions proved to be very lively ones.
Many bills were discussed pro and con, and at last we decided on the Colorado Bill as our guide, as this was one that seemed most fitting to our needs. The chair appointed Miss McKnight and Miss Bridges to draw up constitutional bill to be presented at the next meeting in San Antonio in 1908, as San Antonio had been chosen, and April 20, being a big day in San Antonio, known as the Battle of Flowers, it was also chosen. Before closing this Houston I wish to say that Lawyer Ewing of Houston had written our charter, and it was signed, sealed and delivered without cost to our Association so far as lawyer’s fees were concerned. Mr. Ewing expresses himself as being always ready and pleased to aid us with his services. I mention this service because we needed friends so badly; we had enough of enemies, to say nothing of the criticisms from nurses and doctors. The By-laws were amended and Miss McKnight was made Secretary-Treasurer, $101.30 in the treasury. Those contributing to the program were Rev. J.W. Moore, Methodist Church; Miss M.M. McKnight and Dr. Red of Houston.
The American Journal of Nursing was adopted as the official nursing organ.
The Secretary was instructed to write the Nurses’ Association Alumnae for membership.
May I leave in your minds a picture of the faces of the 25 nurses who were present at our first meeting. These are the ones that stay with me as those who pioneered our profession into the limelight of Texas.
San Antonio certainly put on her gala raiment, for the weather was bright and the city beautiful when the meeting was opened at Harmony Hall, on the morning of April 20, 1908.
There were many new members present. El Paso sent her first delegate in the person of Miss A. Louise Dietrich. Galveston was also represented by Miss Clara Shackford. The roll call showed a membership of 52. The Treasurer reported a balance on hand of $340.76
Those who contributed to the program were: Miss Clara Shackford, "What Is a Trained Nurse;" Miss A. Louise Dietrich, "The Use and Abuse of the Uniform;" Miss Maud Mueller, "A Case in Mexico." It was voted to pay the Secretary-Treasurer $10.00 per month.
Miss Bridges and Miss McKnight then presented a Bill for consideration. This Bill had been carefully prepared and censored by Judge Bell of Ft. Worth, and as it was discussed and condensed to meet the statutory laws of Texas. [We] had to leave out some of the points that we most desired to put in. It was finally agreed upon to try and put it through the Legislature before the next annual meeting of the Association.
Miss A. Louise Dietrich of El Paso was elected delegate to the National Organization convention in California, San Francisco. Her work for the Association has proved that we builded better than we knew.
We were graciously entertained by the San Antonio nurses, and in spite of the fact that the city was full of visitors, the river high, travel dangerous, and trains late, our meeting was a great success. Those selected to present the Bill to the Legislature were Miss McKnight, Miss Sara Young, Miss Mallett and Miss Cottle. To say we were prepared is not true, for none of us were prepared for the questions that were put to us by that Public Health Committee of the Texas Legislature. A committee of men who were old and experienced in the ways of legislative matters, and, it was with a weak pulse that I stated our reasons for coming to them for help. One of them asked: “What were we going to do with the poor practical nurse, who worked so hard and who was by experience, capable of nursing almost any disease?” Another one said: “It was aimed at the small hospital graduate.” When we left that committee room we were all sure the Bill would be tabled, but Louis J. Wortham in the House, and Senators Meacham and Stephens in the Senate, saved the Bill and it was passed. Without their help and cooperation we would never have passed it.
To those who stood by the Association in those first trying years, as staunch and true friends, we owe much and words fail to express our gratitude for them. For personal help I especially wish to express gratitude to Misses Bridges, McKnight, Van Doren, Perkins, Mallett, and others whose names are less familiar but whose efforts were none the less appreciated.
In conclusion, may I leave in your minds a picture of the faces of the 25 nurses who were present at our first meeting. These are the ones that stay with me as those who pioneered our profession into the limelight of Texas. TN
