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| Joan Madden-Wilson, President of the Alumnae Association of the Bellevue School of Nursing, accepting the dedication plaque. |
On September 23,
2000
the Board of Trustees of the Foundation of the New York State Nurses Association
formally dedicated the
Bellevue Alumnae Center for Nursing History |
in recognition of the
one million dollar endowment
that the Bellevue Alumnae Association
is raising for the Center for Nursing History.
The generosity of the alumnae of the
Bellevue School of Nursing
ensures that the history of nurses and the nursing profession in New York State
will be preserved and understood for generations to come.
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| Joan Madden-Wilson, President of the Alumnae Association of the Bellevue School of Nursing, accepting the dedication plaque. |
The Bellevue Alumnae Tradition of Leadership
The heritage of the Bellevue School of Nursing is a cherished professional treasure. Founded in 1873, the Bellevue School of Nursing was the first in the United States to be patterned on the Florence Nightingale principles of nursing education. Its alumnae have been pioneers and leaders in every phase of the nursing profession’s development in New York State, throughout the United States and in every corner of the globe. Bellevue's unique tradition of being the first to assume bold leadership on behalf of the nursing profession and the public it serves is widely hailed. By 1969, when the school closed, it had graduated 6,945 nurses.
In 1996 the Alumnae Association of the Bellevue School of Nursing embarked on a course to continue its unique tradition of leadership in perpetuity by raising one million dollars to endow the Foundation of the New York State Nurses Association’s Center for Nursing History. In recognition of this extraordinary commitment the Foundation has named the Center in honor of the Bellevue alumnae.
The Foundation’s Bellevue Alumnae Center for Nursing History affirms that Bellevue alumnae are not only history-makers, but are also pioneers in preserving and promoting access to the history of professional nurses’ and the nursing profession’s extraordinary contributions’ to society.
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The Bellevue Seal
The Bellevue seal, which was also the School's pin, was designed by Tiffany and Company and adopted by the Board of Managers on February 6, 1880. The Tiffany Company is currently designing a commemorative Bellevue medallion that will be displayed in the foyer of the Veronica M. Driscoll Center for Nursing in Guilderland, NY.
The crane was selected as the central figure for its significance of vigilance. Legend has it that, while halting for the night during the migratory period, the sagacious cranes posted sentinels at strategic points to guard the flock. To insure their watchfulness, the sentinels were required to stand on one foot and to hold a large stone in the other uplifted foot. Should one of these sentinels drowse, the stone would drop and by its noise awaken the sleeping sentry.
Surrounding the crane is an unbroken circle of blue, bound at the botton by the name Bellevue, signifying constancy. The whole is encircled by a wreath of poppy capsules, symbolizing the original purpose of nursing and medicine: to allay pain and bring rest to the suffering.
Thus the pin represents a trinity of purpose: to be VIGILANT; to be CONSTANT; to be MERCIFUL.
| The Foundation of Gratefully Acknowledges THE ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION OF For Its Bellevue Alumnae Center for Nursing History Thus Ensuring That September 23, 2000
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