Care for one…that’s love. Care for hundreds…that’s nursing – Aberdeen Hospital Alumni plan art installation to honour a legacy of caring

News release

Care for one…that’s love. Care for hundreds…that’s nursing – Aberdeen Hospital Alumni plan art installation to honour a legacy of caring

April 8th, 2024

New Glasgow, NS – Alumni of the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing are seeking public proposals for an art installation that will honour the history and the legacy of caring of the former nursing school. The Alumni includes Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing (1897-1995), School of Radiology (1929-1966) and School of Laboratory Technology (1960-1972).

Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing alumni and archivists are commissioning the art installation to celebrate the school’s 98-year history. The legacy project is spearheaded by the Alumni Archive Committee in partnership with the Aberdeen Hospital Auxiliary, Aberdeen Hospital, Nova Scotia Health and Nursing History Nova Scotia Society.

The original work of art will be installed next year at the former site of the nursing school residence on the grounds of the Aberdeen Hospital on East River Road in New Glasgow. It will tell the rich story of the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing set against the historical context that shaped the lives and times of its graduates. The installation will also be a place of respite and reflection for patients and staff of the Aberdeen Hospital, Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing alumni and descendants, and the community.

Artists and/or artist teams with established public art creation and installation experience are invited to submit a proposal for a site-specific, permanent outdoor art installation.

More information about the request for proposals can be found at
AHSON Request for Proposals
or by contacting the Archivists at – AHSON.archives@gmail.com

For more information about the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing, follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AHSN.alumni

Bev Sutherland, Class of 1980, Barb Young, Class of 1965, Cathy Gibson, Class of 1976, Kim Chisholm, Class of 1975 and Shirley Caldwell, Class of 1971.

MEDIA CONTACTS
Kim Chisholm, AHSON, AHSON.archives@gmail.com

QUICK FACTS about the Aberdeen School of Nursing:

• The Pictou County community came together to build the Aberdeen Hospital and Nursing School. In November 1895 an appeal was sent out to the people of New Glasgow, Stellarton, Westville, Trenton and Pictou County outlining the urgent need of a general hospital and a contagious disease annex.
• Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing opened in 1897 and closed in 1995, providing 98 years of education and service to the Pictou County community.
• Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing the fourth of 25 established schools in Nova Scotia.
• Total number of graduates was 1889: 26 graduated from the Radiology Program, 36 graduated from the Laboratory Program and 1837 graduated from the Nursing Program.
• 2025 is the 30th anniversary of the closure of the Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing.
• The Aberdeen Hospital School of Nursing archives are located in the basement of the Aberdeen Hospital.
• The Aberdeen Hospital and the Victoria General Hospital are the only permanent onsite nursing school archives in the province.
• Since 2015 the Archives has been engaged in a digitization project to preserve and database all artifacts.