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New digitized items from The Museum of Nursing History

We are pleased to share that we have recently added new items from The Museum of Nursing History to their digital partner collection in the Digital Library. The latest additions include photographs, newspaper clippings, ephemera, letters, and documents relating to the nursing careers of several women spanning from a WWI U.S. Army nurse, a WWII U.S. Navy nurse, and a career school nurse who worked thirty-three years from 1952-1986.

The items were scanned during the fall semester by one of our student workers, Mikiahya Black ’21 B.S.N., pursuing her own career in nursing through Villanova University’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing.


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New Digital Library Resource: WWII Army Nurse Records

Last week we shared some highlights from a recently digitized collection (See: New Digital Partnership: Museum of Nursing History), and we’ve just added some additional items – the scrapbook and papers of World War II Army Nurse Jessie Margaret Ada Mutch (1905-2012).

 

Women in Uniform (The New York Times Magazine, January 24, 1943); from Scrapbook (Part 2).

Ada Mutch was born February 2, 1905 in Scotland and emigrated to the U.S. in 1912 with her parents and siblings. Reverend Andrew Mutch, her father, was Pastor of the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. Ms. Mutch was educated at The Baldwin School and then earned her Nursing Degree at the Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital School in New York. In World War II she enlisted in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps earning the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She served from 1942-1946 and distinguished herself in the European Theater of Operations. She then returned to Columbia-Presbyterian to pursue her career in nursing, along with a master’s degree in 1948. She held a dual position as Assistant Director of Nursing and Assistant Professor of Nursing at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. In 1955 she became the Director of Nursing at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania until her retirement in 1970. She was active for many years as a volunteer for ElderNet, and died on January 27, 2012, one week before her 107th birthday.

Items in this collection include a large scrapbook compiled during her time serving in the U.S. Army Nurse Corp, as well as various materials relating to her career in the army and as a nurse. The disbound scrapbook is on brittle paper and very fragile in nature. Digitization serves as a preservation strategy by creating a surrogate version of the item that allows for immediate access. We are proud to partner with the Museum of Nursing History to digitize the history of this important profession.

 

Most of the scrapbook appears to be from her time in France and contains many French theater programs and souvenirs, photographs, maps, correspondence, newspaper and newsletter clippings and full articles, and several United States government publications from the War Department. Ada Mutch served overseas for three years and two months during World War II. Initially she was a 1st Lieutenant and Assistant Chief Nurse in England; and subsequently became director of the Nursing Section, Northern Ireland Base Section. She later acted in this capacity in France, in the Brittany Base Section, and then in the Burgundy Bay Section, concluding her service in Europe as Director of the Nursing Service in the 807th Hospital Center.

Photograph and map, the “Palace” Hotel, Vittel, France, where the 807th Hospital Center was stationed, April 20 – July 17, 1945.

We were able to scan only a portion of this collection before the temporary closure of campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are eager to return to campus and share the remainder of this exceptional scrapbook and additional items from Ms. Mutch’s collection – as soon as it is safe!


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How We Help: Honoring Our Military Heroes

Villanova Veterans Voices Postcard

Villanova’s strong connection to service is reflected in the University’s proud tradition of military service.

Its Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp includes more than 90 Navy and Marine Corps midshipmen, under the advisement of a staff of highly trained and motivated sailors and marines. The program has produced more Navy Admirals and Marine Corps Generals than any other institution outside of the Naval Academy. The University also has an Army ROTC program, which trains and produces top level Cadets to serve as Army officers.

The University’s Office of Veterans and Military Members and Falvey Memorial Library’s Distinctive Collections and Digital Engagement Department are collaborating on a Villanova Veterans History Project called “Lest We Forget: The Villanova Veterans History Project” that will capture the unique voices and stories of veterans with connections to Villanova through digital recordings. It also features an interactive memorial map that honors Villanovans who have died in service to their country.

“Through extensive research and collaboration, our team created an interactive memorial map that will memorialize and remember the service of these Villanovans. In doing so, we hope to educate present and future generations about the cost of freedom and Villanova’s legacy of service,” said Michael Brown, Director of Villanova’s Office of Veterans and Military Service Members and an Army Veteran.

The launch of the digital project will be celebrated in Falvey Memorial Library’s Speakers’ Corner on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 4:30–7 p.m. The launch event will feature several project participants and Villanova University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD.

This event is co-sponsored by the Office of Veterans and Military Service Members and Falvey Memorial Library.

Visit the digital project online at https://veteransvoices.library.villanova.edu/.


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Last Modified: November 11, 2019

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