American University of Beirut
Beirut - Syria
October 2, 1932Dear Miss Turner -
This is getting to be a rite - You can almost count on getting a letter from me that I am about to embark on a new job about this time of year every 2 or 3 years.
Tomorrow we begin classes with the new students, 12 or 13 of them - 5 Jewish girls, some Syrians, and some Armenians I think. I can tell you better later. Nearly every one has told us to come with a sense of humor. How is this for a joke. The person who has been here for 25 years has gone to the mountains for the weekend to return tomorrow evening in time for the nurses' party to the community. We have been here two days and are commencing a new regime, - the beginning of a school year, - first impressions and all that, with a new group of students all by ourselves. Imagine our powers of welcome. Do you suppose this was the type of thing we were to meet with a sense of humor. I quake in the shoes, and have a horror of falling into an involved series of sentences that end no where, - when the girls need one syllable words and no complex sentences.
It isn't going to be easy and that should be a comfort. Our scheme is to wangle a good course for the beginners and do the best possible for the advanced students. The standard of bedside care is high - the equipment is sketchy. We have two English head nurses and an English night supervisor and most American nurses have something to learn from them. The third supervisor is a sweet young thing whom I brought from Presbyterian - whose social graces are embryonal but whose heart is warm and who is very willing.
The precessor continues on, in what capacity we haven't been able to ascertain in spite of plain English questions. Laddie is Principal of the School, I am Educational Director which is funny if true - but what Miss Van Zandt is - you can say as well as I.
Of course the haziness is extremely uncomfortable, and will have to be cleared up soon. It looks to me as though we had been hired and Miss V.Z. had been told that we were coming for the job but that she was not to change her spot in the least. This of course being entirely unprofessional - to talk it all over with you. May I? You can maybe sense our problem.
Our goal is to make N.Y. State Registration in 3 years. There is no government registration - restrictive or permissive for nurses. And all kinds of hospitals are turning out anyone & everyone - with equal chances in the field. The result is, our nurses haven't any special hold in the country - tho they are more carefully "trained" than most.
Incidentally we are the latest protegees and pets of the president. Also we have made a delightful contact with D. George Miller - the medical dean - who was here 20 years ago and is returning here this year as Dean. I had a talk with him last Sunday night. He started out as a biologist in college - loving embryology. Then his loyalty turned to the medical sciences and teaching. He has a slant on research as a major interest and is made an executive because he has had experience in several directions - teaching materia medica - teaching clinical medicine.
I am comforted when I think of that talk - and when I realize he is in the background. He is a sweet person. His wife is a nurse and will be an ally. I think she may be rather close to our doings and give a moral support.
I don't like the heat and the glare. But it is only a week since we came and I do like tiled floors, high ceilings, and cermonious calling. We have them all.
This is only a preliminary scribble. You'll hear more as time goes on.
Make your plans. We will have a house of our own and a room to put you in when you come. We shall look on the cedars of Lebanon 'n everything.
Our journey was a story - which I tell over to myself - already - Plymouth - Exeter - Salisbury - London - Stratford - Paris - Marseilles - Naples - Alexandria!
I can't tell whether next summer will find me making a beeline for Devonshire - or going further afield - to new parts of the world.
The East hasn't charmed me yet, though I do like Anglo-Saxons men in white clothes & cork helmets.
The Nyeholts are not down from the mountains yet.
Bless us and wish us luck.
There were ten Texans on the boat coming to oil fields - alternately drunk & homesick. Picture them! They bought Fezes in Alexandria. Alex we call it.
Love Katy