Lutheran Medical Center and School of Nursing, Brooklyn, New York

See also LDMNA 6 Administrative History

The School of Nursing of the Norwegian Lutheran Deaconesses' Home and Hospital developed through necessity. Nurses' training for deaconesses began in 1892. But as the hospital grew in size, it was clear there were not enough deaconesses to satisfy all the nursing needs. A secular nursing school developed in 1909 to fill the need. In 1917, it received its charter and became registered with the New York State Board of Regents. During the 1950s, when more education was being demanded of nurses, joint programs developed first with Brooklyn College and later with Long Island University. In 1966, the school was abruptly cancelled as the hospital entered a new phase of building and new medical emphases. In March 1966 officials made the announcement that the last class would be graduated in June of that year and that the freshman and junior classes would be transferred to other institutions.

An alumnae association of the School of Nursing was established in 1915. Its original purposes were to advance the standards and interests of the graduates of the school, to promote social interaction and good fellowship among the members, to extend aid to those in trouble and in sickness, and to raise the standard of nursing to the highest level. During the early years, it furnished a room in the private building of the hospital, and provided funds to supply a yearly award to the student with the highest grade average during training. The association was incorporated in 1923 as the Alumnae Association of the Norwegian Lutheran Deaconesses' Home and Hospital School of Nursing, Inc., but it was often called the Norwegian Hospital School of Nursing. At the time of incorporation, It revised its objectives to include the advancement of the objectives of the nursing school, mutual help and improvement in professional work, the promotion of good fellowship among graduates of the school, and cooperation with the New York State Nurses Association, to work for the promotion of the professional and educational standard of nurses. At that time it was admitted to the district and state associations of nursing. The original incorporators were Bergliot Sundberg, Hedwig Larsen, Allete Berge, Mathilde Gravdahl, Agnes Wilhelmsen, Petra Newfeldet, and Minnie Zimmerlund. In 1961, the name of the organization changed to the Alumnae Association of the Lutheran Medical Center School of Nursing, Inc. to reflect the new name of the hospital. The Association continued after the closing of the nursing school in 1966.