Thanksgiving Day, November, 1901
Dr. Len Broughton, a physician and minister, opened a five-room
house, on Courtland Street in Atlanta, called the Baptist Tabernacle
Infirmary. The first patients were two destitute women found
by staff member of Dr. Broughton's church.
1902
The Baptist Tabernacle Infirmary Training School for Nurses
was established as a two year program.
1902
Julia C. Pressley became lady superintendent of the infirmary
training school for Christian nurses and the matron of the home
for helpless women. Elisa Sweigher was the first superintendent
of nurses.
1903
Bertha Blair became superintendent of the infirmary training
school, at age 19, and served two years.
November 16, 1904
First class of four students graduated from the infirmary training
school for nurses.
November, 1906
The three year diploma program was established.
April, 1907
Nurses at the tabernacle infirmary training school obtained
a charter for the establishment of the Georgia State Association
of Graduate Nurses which was found in Savannah, GA.
1908
Major building for the hospital and the school on Luckie Street
was completed.
It included 50 rooms and 3 large wards with 10 beds.
1909
Alumnae Association of the school established.
1911
Annex to the tabernacle infirmary was added.
1912
Approval by the State Board of Examiners for Nurses of Georgia
was granted to the tabernacle infirmary training school of nursing.
November 30, 1912
Georgia Baptist Convention authorized it's State Mission Board
to purchase the Tabernacle Infirmary and Training School for
Nurses for $85,000. The hospital had a 100 bed capacity.
March 15, 1913
The Tabernacle Infirmary and Training School for Nurses was
renamed Georgia Baptist Hospital and Georgia Baptist Hospital
Training School of Nursing.
1913
Last Graduating Class of the Baptist Tabernacle Infirmary Training
School of Nursing.
1904-1913
Sixty-one students graduated from the Baptist Tabernacle Infirmary
Training School for Nurses.
December, 1920
Home for nurses completed with accommodations for 180 nurses.
1921
Georgia Baptist Hospital moved from it's facilities on Luckie
Street, next door to the Baptist Tabernacle Church, to the corner
of east avenue. Due to the incompleteness of the hospital building,
the Trustees voted to move the hospital to the new nurses' home
on boulevard.
June 26, 1922
The hospital Commission approved the contract for a 14 month
lease on a 24 room apartment building at 346 Boulevard in order
to housed 36 to 40 nurses.
June, 1923
Hospital leased another apartment building at he corner
of North Avenue and Angier Avenue to use as a residence for
nurses.
1925
Hospital broke ground for it's first building on Boulevard.
October 31, 1926
The hospital's new surgical building dedicated.
November, 1939
Apartment building on the northeast corner of Parkway Drive
and East Avenue was purchased as a dormitory for the nurses.
1940's
The word training was dropped from the school's name. Now
called Baptist Tabernacle Infirmary School for Nurses.
September 17, 1943
Hospital Commission agreed that the school of nursing should
establish a cadet corps and decided that the cadet nurses get
their initial training at the University of Georgia Atlanta
Junior College later to become known as Georgia State University.
1945
Agreement was signed for the school of nursing to affiliate
with the University of Georgia Atlanta Junior College for provision
of core courses.
March, 1946
Title of Superintendent of Nurses was changed to Director
of Nurses.
1947
Enrollment in the school of nursing increased to 203.
March, 1959
School of nursing occupied its new educational building,
which was partially funded with a grant from the Ford Foundation.
March 10, 1960
Hospital Commission voted to ask the U.S. Housing and Home Finance
Authority for a loan of $2,500,000 to erect a dormitory for
the school of nursing. The Warren P. and Ana Sewell Foundation
of Bremen, GA made a $500,000 gift to the campaign to build
the dormitory and the commission voted to name the building
in honor of the Sewells.
July 1961
Contracts for construction of the 13-floor dormitory were awarded
in July 1961. Facility was designed to house 500 students, as
all students were required to reside on campus at that time.
August 18, 1961
School of nursing held a 60th anniversary reunion for the more
than 2,000 women who had graduated since the school was founded
in 1902.
April, 1962
Hospital Commission gave permission to proceed with plans to
sell bonds for the financing of Sewell Dormitory.
March 1, 1963
Students moved into new dormitory which, according the Atlanta
Journal, was "one of the most dominant buildings on the
Atlanta skyline."
April 16, 1965
Student activities building (GYM) was dedicated. Included basketball
court, bowling alley, swimming pool, etc.
1967
New policy implemented which allowed married students to be
admitted to the nursing program.
July, 1967
School received six-year accreditation status from the National
League of Nursing.
September, 1970
Sarah Rowland became the first African American female graduate
of the Georgia Baptist School of Nursing.
January 3, 1986
Mrs. Kathryn Ransbotham, Director of the School of Nursing,
for 24 years, retired. Dr. Susan S. Gunby became the new director
and held the titles of president and dean.
1986
The 12th floor of the residence hall was converted into guest
quarters.
September, 1989
The first 45 students were admitted to the Georgia Baptist College
of Nursing.
March 1992
The last graduating class from the school of nursing. A total
of 5,081 students, by this date, graduated since the school
was founded in 1902.
June, 1993
The school was renamed Georgia Baptist College of Nursing.
September, 1993
College established a general education division as required
by the Southern Associations of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
June, 1994
College of Nursing was granted, membership status, to award
a bachelor's degree. This was retroactive to January 1994.
March 15, 1995
College received full accreditation from the National League
for Nursing. This was retroactive to November 1993.
1995
Atlanta Baptist Tabernacle Church closed. Dr. Len Broughton
built this Church in the early 1900's.
September 5, 1997
Georgia Baptist Health Care System, Inc. sold Georgia Baptist
Medical Center to Tenet Healthsystem, Inc.
1997
Georgia Baptist College of Nursing received $25,000,000, as
its portion, from the sale of the Medical Center.
December, 1997
College received chapter status from Sigma Theta Tau International
Honor Society of Nursing. The chapter name is Pi Gamma.
December, 1997
College's governing board authorized the college's administration
to hire a firm to access / recommend the preferred future location
of the college.
January 11, 1999
Information about the relocation of the college to Flowers Road
was shared with students, faculty, staff, and eight alumnae
at a college community meeting.
May, 1999
Mark Hebert became the first male graduate of the Georgia Baptist
College of Nursing.
December, 2000
Larry M. Moore became the first African American male graduate
of the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing.
January 1, 2001
Georgia Baptist College of Nursing merged with Mercer University.
May 4, 2001
First graduate class of Georgia Baptist College of Nursing of
Mercer University.
January, 2002
Georgia Baptist College of Nursing officially relocated to Mercer
University, Ceil B. Day Graduate and Professional Campus in
Atlanta.
Major Source: "Historical Perspectives of Georgia Baptist
College of Nursing," by Dr. Susan Gunby, Dean of the College
of Nursing.
Alumni, Faculty, Friends:
We want to hear from you. If you have any additions or corrections
to this page, please email or write to
Arlene Desselles, Swilley Library, Mercer University, 3001
Mercer University Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30341
School of Nursing History