Atkins, Sally_1979/1/28, Oral Event History

Subjects covered during interview include: Family, Henry Barnard School, Grace Hospital Nursing School, studying, camp nurse, Mount Sinai, army nurse, nursing jobs, nursing homes, retirement

GREATER HARTFORD JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION

Tape No.: No. of Tapes: Name of Interviewee: Sally Markman Atkins Date of Interview: January 28, 1979 Occupation: Nurse Date of Birth: circa 1897 Place of Birth: Poland Transcript (yes/no): yes No. of Pages: 17



Abstract:

Sally was born in Poland and came through Ellis Island at about three years of age. She came with her parents, one brother, four sisters and an aunt. Her grandparents had already been living in Hartford. Her first home was on North Street.

Rafal Paretz, Sally’s father, became a shamus for the Agudas Achim synagogue on Market Street. Her family was now living on Capen Street. As her brother trained religiously for his Bar Mitzvah, Sally also was given some religious studies. She attended the Henry Barnard School for her secular education. Annie Fisher was the Principal. Annie was extremely sensitive and caring of the many foreign students who could not speak the language. All Sally’s siblings attended school. After grade school, Sally attended Hartford Public High School where she graduated with a Commercial diploma. Her first job was as a bookkeeper for the Kaplan brothers and then for the Friedman brothers.

Sally became interested in the Nursing profession and entered the program at Grace Hospital in New Haven. She was the only Jewish girl in her class. It was a three year course. She passed the state exam and became a Registered Nurse in about 1925. When Sally returned to Hartford it was difficult finding a job in a hospital so she did private duty. She later became a night supervisor at the Mt. Sinai Hospital which was located in the old Brainard building on Capitol Avenue. Her starting salary was $70.00 per month with no benefits. She worked twelve years finally attaining a salary of $300.00 per month. Sally was one of the first Jewish nurses in the community. She served as an x-ray technician, nurse anesthetist, and later as Superintendent of Nursing at Mt. Sinai Hospital.

Sally decided to serve her country during the Second World War. She served three years in the Army Nurse Corps and came out as a Captain. She was stationed at Fort Sam Huston in San Antonio, Texas but was soon sent out to the European Theater under General Patton. She worked with her unit in the evacuation hospitals as an Anesthetist. This work was usually performed in tents where conditions were quite difficult. She lived in a tent very close to the front. Sally was discharged in 1946 but continued to serve in the Reserves for many years while living in West Hartford.

Sally was grateful for her war experiences which served her well after returning to civilian life as a nurse. She worked for the State Health Department as a Nurse Inspector of nursing homes. She was the first to hold this position in the State of Connecticut.

Sally left the Nursing profession in 1953 to get married. When her husband died in 1961 she returned to work. She witnessed a big boom in the nursing home area. It had become big business. Sally retired from Nursing in 1970 but continued to maintain her associations with Grace Hospital, the State of Connecticut, and Mt. Sinai Hospital. She loved the Nursing profession and felt it was a very large part of her life.

Subject Index: Eastern European Jewry Education-secular Ellis Island Hartford History-Jewish Hospitals Immigration Nurses Oral History Synagogues-Agudas Achim West Hartford Women