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Thfianl’lgr School Of Mrsmg
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Nurse training in Augusta for
Negroes began immediately after the
Civil War. A hospital was built by the
Freedman Bureau on Gwinnett Street,
now Laney-Walker Boulevard, at the
present site of Farmers Market. Its
nickname was “The Pest House.”
In 1872, a local financier, Mr.
Gazeway B. Lamar, left designated
monies in his will to build two hospi
tals, one in Savannah and the other in
Augusta, for the exclusive care of
Negro patients (segregation was the
policy of the day). Dr. William
Doughty Jr., an instructor at the
Medical College of Georgia and a pri
vate practitioner asked the City
Council of Augusta for funds to
match the gift left in the Lamar
Estate. y
In 1895, the Lamar Hospital was
constructed on Gwinette Street, now
Laney-Walker boulevard, as a replace
ment facility for the old Freedman’s
Hospital. It was located at the present
site of Tabernacle Baptist Church.
Recognizing the need to train
black nurses to care for black patients,
Miss Lucy Craft Laney, Founder of
the Haines Normal and Industrial
Institute, worked with Dr. Doughty
and was instrumental in establishing
Augusta’s first Nursing School for
blacks. According to newspaper
accounts, this program was the first of
its kind in the south for blacks,
The Liamar Hospital Training
School was in operation by 1897 as a
two year program. The three year
training program began in 1906. Miss
Amelia Sullivan assisted Miss Laney.
Miss Mittie White, a graduate of
the school, was secured by Miss Laney
to instruct student nurses. Miss White
was fortunate in having attended post
graduate study at the time. She was
residing in Canada.
The Lamar Hospital (at the site
of Tabernacle Church) burned in
January 1911. The school was tem
porarily moved to Haines Institute
where it remained for several years. In
1915, the Lamar Wing of University’
'Hospital was opened. The money
obtained from the sale of the land to
Tabernacle Church was applied
toward construction of Lamar Wing
of University Hospital.
The Lamar School of Nursing
Students lived on the fourth floor. As
many as 17 students occupied a single
room. 19
" A dormitory to house black nurs
ing students was completed in 1940
on Railroad Avenue (now R.A. Dent
Blvd.) The dormitory was named
Stoney Nurses Home in honor of a
prominent local black physician, Dr.
Geéorge M. Stoney. A historical mark
er was erected and dedicated on
October 3, 2001. The dormitory,
located on the Medical College of
Georgia campus, currently houses
MCG’s School Of Nursing.
All courses were taught at
University Hospital until 1943. At this
time, the School of nursing participat
ed in the accelerated program under
auspices of the U.S. Cadet Corps.
Students were enrolled at Paine
College for a nine month period and
enjoyed the campus life while receiv
ing instruction in the basic sciences
and other liberal arts.
The students continued in segre
gated nursing school, and whites
enrolled through the Barrett School of
Nursing. Miss Alice Stewart, the nurs
ing director, gradually and without
notice, brought black and white stu
dents together in the same classroom.
The school was closed in 1956 and
remained closed until 1960.
The Schools of Nursing remained
separate until 1965 when they were
merged to form the University ,
Hospital School of Nursing. The stu
dents, black and white, shared the
Doughty dormitory as the Lamar -
School of Nursing ceased to exist.
Negro nurses were not allowed to
take the State Board Examinations for
registration until 1922. Mrs. Lille Kay
Buckner, an Augusta public health
nurse, was one of the first Registered
Nurses in Georgia. . '
" ' The rich legacy of the Lamar
School of Nursing continues to live on
in the hundreds of graduates across
the United States. :
Mocha
Moms, Inc.
Greater - Augusta Chapter
In today’s world, making the
decision to leave the workforce to
become 2 full-time stay at home
mother is not an easy one. Leaving a
lucrative career that provides sub
stantial income and financial assis
tance to one’s family, and oftentimes
promotes personal feelings of confi
dence and importance, may be diffi
cult to leave for many women.
However,
there is a
growing num
ber of women
who are mak
ing the deci
sion to trade
in their brief
cases for baby
bags and
exchange the
business suits
for sweats and
sneakers.
Perhaps
most interest
ing is that
more and
more, the
women who
are making
this decision
are young,
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Monica Moss of Mocba Moms, Inc.
well-educated African American
women who have chosen to go
home to make parenting their full
time profession.
- Each week here in Augusta,
there is a gathering of just these
kinds of moms. They vary in age,
ethnicity and experiences, but they
share one common goal — support
ing one apother in the decision to
be stay at home mothers. This group
is called Mocha Moms of Greater
Augusta, and they are well on their
way to making an impact on the
CSRA.
Mocha Moms, Inc. is a national
support organization with more
than 50 chapters nationwide. The
group was formed in August 1997
as a newsletter designed to encour
age mothers about their choice to
stay at home and to provide helpful
parenting tips. The newsletter soon
reached more than 100 households
nationwide, 4nd the need to have
actual support groups where moth
ers could interact was quickly real
ized. '
The Mocha Moms experience
was born. Last January, Augusta
became one of the newest homes of
a chapter,
Mocha Moms,
Inc. welcomes
people of all
religions, races,
educational
backgrounds
and income lev
els. While the
majority of
mothers in the
organization are
African
American, any
one who sup
ports the mis
sion of the
organization is
welcome.
Mocha Dads
are welcome,
too! The
Augusta |
Chapter currently has approximately
twenty-five mothers on the roster
and looks forward to continued/
growth. Yearly dues are $20.00.
The group meets each Tuesday
at 10:30 a.m. at the Tabernacle
Baptist Church for a weekly play
group. At the weekly meetings, chil
dren have the opportunity totplay
and interact, and mothers receive
valuable information from group
discussions'and guest speakers. In
addition, there is 2 mont.hiyf Moms
Night Out when the moms gather
to have fun without their children.
Finally, the organization is also
dedicated to being a presence in the
community through community
service and activism. ‘
For more information, please
call 651-9371. : ¢