Bessie Baker: Chief Nurse, Hopkins Hospital 18, World War One

Bessie Baker, a Hopkins Nursing School graduate, Class of 1902, was assistant Superintendent of Nurses at Hopkins in 1916 when she selected as Chief Nurse for Hospital 18. She was 41 years old.

In 1875 she was born into a large family living on the  Eastern Shore of Maryland. She came to Baltimore about 1898 to study at Hopkins and stayed in Baltimore until she left for France June 14, 1917.

In their letters her nurses speak of her as warm, humorous, and good natured while also being a strong leader who expected the best from those who worked under her. 

She wrote a report back to the Red Cross on the work at Base Hospital 18 that dealt with the medical work and the difficulties  - "their ridiculous plight" her nurses lived through during in the coldest, brutal winters up to that time in France.

She vividly and poetically described the early Fall landscape and colorful foliage  "the valley blazed in a shimmer of blended color, the wild mustard tawny in the sunlight, the winding Meuse River, the meadows bright with daisies, gentians and poppies".  

On a brief sightseeing trip shortly after they arrived in France she reflected  on her visit to the village where Jeanne d'Arc was born.
"In that humble chamber where Jeanne d"Arc first saw the light three hundred years ago, I could not help thinking today of the thousands of women, French, English, and American, going to war for France, though not to the fanfare of trumpets that cheered the Maid to Orleans and Rheims." 

After the Armistice was signed and the fighting was ended,  the staff at Hospital 18 gathered for a Thanksgiving meal on November 29.

When Bessie Baker spoke to the gathering, 

"In the future when I am asked about the American Army nurses who served in France I will think of you. I will tell them how proud I am of blue-lipped women, heavy laden with layers of clothing, standing near a red-hot pot-bellied stove trying to get warm - and yet doing their very best for their patients. 

We came to do a job here, You have done your best and now,  it is time to turn our eyes West as we go home."

Ready to Serve Goes on the Road

www.wwonenurses.weebly.com

We are booking now for 2017 - to bring this true story about unknown nurses out during programs to
honor the Centennial years. 

They have waited 100 years to have their story told.

Ready to Serve is a personal story of unknown nurses who donned Army uniforms and served with Hopkins Base Hospital 18 where they cared for hundred of wounded soldiers. This true story is down from their letters. 

Bessie Baker, Chief Nurse, Base Hospital 18, World War One

Introducing Chief Nurse Bessie Baker

Bessie Baker, a Hopkins Nursing School graduate, Class of 1902, was assistant Superintendent of Nurses at Hopkins in 1916 when she selected as Chief Nurse for Hospital 18. She was 41 years old.

In 1875 she was born into a large family living on the  Eastern Shore of Maryland. She came to Baltimore about 1898 to study at Hopkins and stayed in Baltimore until she left for France June 14, 1917.

In their letters her nurses speak of her as warm, humorous, and good natured while also being a strong leader who expected the best from those who worked under her. 

She wrote a report back to the Red Cross on the work at Base Hospital 18 that dealt with the medical work and the difficulties  - "the ridiculous plight" her nurses lived through during in the coldest, brutal winters up to that time in France.

She vividly and poetically described the early Fall landscape and colorful foliage  "the valley blazed in a shimmer of blended color, the wild mustard tawny in the sunlight, the winding Meuse River, the meadows bright with daisies, gentians, poppies".  

On a brief sightseeing trip shortly after they arrived in France she reflected  on her visit to the village where Jeanne d'Arc was born.
"In that humble chamber where Jeanne d"Arc first saw the light three hundred years ago, I could not help thinking today of the thousands of women, French, English, and American, going to war for France, though not to the fanfare of trumpets that cheered the Maid to Orleans and Rheims." 

After the Armistice was signed and the fighting was ended,  the staff at Hospital 18 gathered for a Thanksgiving meal on November 29.

When Bessie Baker spoke to the gathering, 

 
"In the future when I am asked about the American Army nurses who served in France I will think of you. I will tell them how proud I am of blue-lipped women, heavy was layers of clothing, standing near a red-hot pot-bellied stove thing to get warm - and yet doing their very best for their patients. 

We came to do a job here, You have done your best and now,  it is time to turn our eyes West as we go home."

There is more to  this story and that's for later.

2016 - Back to National Storytelling Festival to Revel in Stories

Last Thursday Fanny Crawford, Susan Gordon, and I arrived smiling and looking forward to being in Jonesborough three days soaking up stories at the National Storytelling Festival. We are all long time veterans of making this trip from MD to TN - to dive into stories, to hear new storytelling, to see old favorites and to meet-up with friends.  It is a gathering fueled by story.

The posts from Facebook share a bit of the week-end.

Fanny, Susan, and me arriving Friday morning ready to get started.

Right away I bumped into Donald and Letty Nance - long time friends I count  on seeing at the Festival every year.

Minton Sparks - wonderful unique performer whose work really inspires me. I managed to see three of her sets!! Rich! She is an incredible wordsmith - opens new doors to using words.

First time I had seen Irish teller Clare Murphy. She is fantastic - in her storytelling, body movements and staging. She connects with the audience. She certainly connected with me!!!

Sunday we saw the set Clare Murphy and Minton Sparks shared - p o w e r f u l. At the close of the set the audience was on their feet applauding.

I know Judith Black's work so I was in a seat for her performance of "Lucy Stone" - her original story of Suffragette Stone. Judith gave a marvelous performance and my eyes filled with tears at the end when we in the audience jumped to our feet to value Judith and Lucy Stone. Clearly women want to hear stories of their history.

Connecting with folks in the seats was an important focus for me this Festival - some I knew and others were strangers. Every conversation ended in my learning something  and hearing a story. These exchanges enriched the experience of being in Jonesborough.

This was too funny. Those who know the storytelling world will know that Kathryn Wyndham was a revered teller who died years back nearing 90 years old. I deeply admired her work. But, having the young guy call me out because of my white hair struck me as absolutely too funny.

So the tents have been taken down and we start the wait for the 45th annual storytelling festival - 2017.