Thursday, March 26, 1959
Mary Nichols’ Diary (cont.) – ? Memphis, so I’d been to many places cousin E. didn’t have any children and she and her husband were very nice to me and took me so many places, theatre, fairs or anything else when I visited them.
So, we just got 4 his (?) – once a week off duty when I first entered traning. Cousin Elisie and Mammie were supposed to come to see me and only cousin E. came, said Mamma, “Aunt Alice” she called her, she was afraid she would cry.
Well, I thought I was doing a very kind thing, I invited another young student nurse to go with us. When we got up town by Gerbers, it was there then across from Court Square, a man about 50 yrs with a mustache walked out and the girl ran to him and called him grandpa. Well, as for me, I thought it touching. Every cousin there pulled me aside and said right now Mary I want to give you some advice, that’s no more her grandpa than he is yours. The girl is not good so it was a lesson that proved itself very true for
Friday, March 27, 1959
after a few weeks, she was sent from hospital for misbehavior. So Cousin E. sure did a good thing. Another thing, I well remember like that, Cousin E. and I went to Police Headquarters to stop by and see her husband Capt. John Couch. He gave me good advice too. The interns in those days, seemed (?) a month at Police Station. Well the one at the Police Sta. I hadn’t seen and he was coming back to the hospital. He told me, Mary he is a real flirt. He is married. His wife works so he can go to school, so I say watch out for him. Sure enough he was put on F ward where I was. Sr. nurse and the very 1st thing he said was how pretty I was and I saw he meant soon to ask me for a date so I told him I knew about him and knew his wife paid his way through school and that was all
Saturday, March 28, 1959
I wanted to hear from him. You can be sure that was the last of him – I was just a simple and shy country girl but my standards were high.
There was another Intern, a Jew. he was really a convincing love maker but I was honest. I didn’t love him and I just plan told him so.
Dr. Ben Schoolfield, one of the Interns, who was very nice and a good friend, came back and said after this Jew returned to Intern quarters, he said he would like to have a by full portrait of me and have written under it innocence. I have nothing against Jews, at all, have had some good friends in days gone by, they are fine people but going back to him. Well that was over and I had surely been real honest and frank too. I thought later, the head nurse told us this same Jew intern had invited her and all the student nurses that could go to a big circus in Memphis. It
Sunday, March 29, 1959
was then I found out he had made love even to the head nurse, Miss Susie Hallie who later married Dr. Garrett who was an intern, when I entered nurses school. Miss Hallie was my senior nurse and later was head nurse. I was always very fond of her and Miss Annie Logan, who was also a senior when I went into training. Miss Logan was called “Mother Logan” by all us girls. She later was a missionary to China.
I well remember, when one night, I heard and listened to the older nurses talking of different diseases. I knew nothing of diseases – so I heard one say a certain patient had __. Well, I didn’t want them to think I was too dumb so I told them I had an Aunt Mary Cotton who had Syphilis. Miss Logan had known, Aunt Mary and my father’s family all the years – so she said, “No Mary, Your Aunt Molly, she called her, would be humiliated to death if she heard you say that about her. Aunt Mary had erysipelas. Well, you sure do have to live to learn that’s for sure – for as the years went
Monday, March 30, 1959
on, I found out, no one can learn it all, some things you can do better, if you have an interest and try – but don’t ever feel other people know everything or know nothing.
Aunt Mary couldn’t wear black hose, had to wear white ones, every time she wanted hose Erysipelas.
I must tell you one funny thing about Dr. Campbell, when just starting my nursing study, one morning, Miss Snider, one of the seniors and maybe two others, all were senior nurses, they had been on night duty. Night duty in those days meant, 12 hours straight, so often after breakfast, the nurses would go out and walk in the fresh air, so on this particular morning, Dr. Willis Campbell’s car was out front of hospital as I’ve already said he was tall and extra big person, we all respected and loved him as a coming doctor for he was faithful and interested. Anyway, Dr. Campbell’s car was real old and beaten up, I well remember, another person was outside of hospital walking too, looking at the flowers and trees, so nurses and woman outside engaged in
Tuesday, March 31, 1959
conversation, and Dr. Campbell’s name got into the conversation, the woman was pleasant, saw the car out there in front and one thing led to another, perhaps the woman inquired, how they thought of Dr. Campbell. Anyway, the group all agreed on one thing, if this woman hadn’t seen Dr. C then they just could not imagine what a huge man he was and he was too. They, the nurses told her, they sure would like to see a woman who would marry such a big man, they almost felt sorry for her. She joined in conversation and they continued the conversation until Dr. C- came down the steps and on to the walk, then she said with good humor, “girls, I’m glad I have your sympathy – you see he is my husband”. I shant ever forget, how embarrassed and humiliated those nurses were. Mrs. Campbell they decided was a fine and jovial person and sure had a good sense of humor.
Special Data [after Tuesday, March 31, 1959]
Elbert R Nichols Jr. was 41 yrs old March 16. My mother Alice Piercy, if living, would be 87 yrs old, March 24th. She will be gone 25 yrs May 29, 1959
Mrs. Myrtle Bomar also has a birthday on March 24.
James Elbert Nichols (Jim) 6 yrs old March 28
March 10 received a letter from your Aunt Mat and she gave me this information about her family and your dad’s family.
Paternal great grandparents Alfred Nichols and Martha Nichols – had five sons and 2 daughters – your grandfather Wm. H Nichols was oldest. His father, a school teacher, died when he was 11 years old and he was the main support of his mother brothers and sisters. They lived in Middle Tenn. At the age of 21 your grandfather Nichols moved to West Tenn. At age of 22 he married Margaret Brown, age 21, her father gave her $500.00, so that was what they started on. Your grandfather was a hard worker and wanted every one else to work. Your grandmother Nichols had her hands full bringing up eleven children, 6 boys and 5 girls. Then your grandfather Nichols brothers and one sister moved to West Tenn.
