Alumnae discuss book on the history of UNC Charlotte’s School of Nursing

It started with a cardboard box.

The box, which followed the UNC Charlotte School of Nursing from its first home in the Belk Gym to its current home in the College of Health and Human Services, contained precious memorabilia that detailed the program’s 50-year history.

There were handwritten congratulatory notes from Charlotte College President Bonnie Cone; planning notes from the nursing program’s first dean, Edith Brocker; demographics on the program’s initial students; and lots of pictures. Nursing alumnae Ann Mabe Newman and Dona Haney used these materials to write “Miss Bonnie’s Nurses: The First Fifty Years of Nursing at UNC Charlotte,” which was published in July. The colleagues and friends recently gave a talk about the book in the Atkins Library Halton Reading Room.

The book is the first print book published by the J. Murrey Atkins Library. Newman and Haney credit library staff with helping them conduct research for the book.

“Miss Bonnie’s Nurses” traces the history of UNC Charlotte’s nursing program from its start in the spring of 1965 as the Department of Nursing that enrolled seven students in its first course to today being one of the premier nursing programs that attracts a waitlist of students every year.

During their talk, Newman and Haney shared how the profession has evolved from a predominantly female profession to a highly sought-after career for males and people from all backgrounds. Newman, who practiced psychiatric nursing during her career, tells nursing students today they can be whatever they want in nursing, whether it be a nurse practitioner, anesthetist or even a researcher.

“I remember the first time how I was terribly insulted when someone said to me, ‘What do nurses research? Bedpans?’” Newman recalled to gasps in the audience.

Nursing has evolved in cosmetic ways, too, Newman said.

“We got to wear pants, finally,” she said to the amusement of guests. “We got rid of the caps, finally.”

Haney, who worked as an infection control nurse, said one of her goals in writing the book was to highlight Brocker, about whom very little had been written. All that had been said about her previously was that Cone had recruited her to be the nursing program’s first dean.

“I knew her, and I was convinced that there was a bigger story to tell,” said Haney, adding that she and Newman achieved that by noting Cone, Brocker and first nursing faculty member Elinor Caddell are known as the “three founding ladies” in the book’s first chapter.

Newman and Haney spoke to former nursing school deans for the book and included memories from graduates.

They presented a copy of the book to the library and signed books during the event. Dena Evans, director of the School of Nursing, presented Newman and Haney with frames that incorporated the cover of their book in appreciation of their help to preserve the nursing school’s history.

Learn more about the book and/or purchase a copy online.

Photo: Dena Evans, center, presents Ann Mabe Newman, right, and Dona Haney with a plaque in appreciation for their efforts to preserve the history of the School of Nursing.