Mary Southcott facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Southcott
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| Born | 1862 |
| Died | 1943 |
| Occupation | Nurse |
| Employer | St John's General Hospital |
Mary Meager Southcott (1862–1943) was an important nurse and leader from Newfoundland. She worked hard to improve healthcare and the lives of women and children.
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Mary Southcott: A Pioneer Nurse
Mary Southcott was born in Newfoundland in 1862. She grew up wanting to help people. To become a nurse, she traveled to London, England. There, she studied nursing from 1899 to 1901. This training helped her learn the best ways to care for patients.
Improving Nursing Education
After her studies, Mary Southcott returned to Newfoundland. She quickly became the Superintendent of Nursing at the St John's General Hospital. This was a very important job. She saw a need to make nursing better. In 1903, she started the St. John's General Hospital School of Nursing. This school helped train new nurses with high standards.
Mary believed that nurses should have excellent education. She wanted nursing to be a respected profession. This meant nurses would have special training and skills. Her ideas were sometimes different from the hospital leaders. Because of these differences, she left her job in 1916. Myra Taylor took over her role.
Continuing Her Work for Health
Even after leaving the hospital, Mary Southcott kept working for better healthcare. She opened her own private hospital. This allowed her to continue caring for people.
She also focused on helping mothers and babies. She worked to improve midwifery, which is care for women during childbirth. Mary served on the Newfoundland Midwifery Board. She also became the President of the Child Welfare Association. This group helped children stay healthy and safe.
Mary Southcott also created a Nurses' Register. This was a list of qualified nurses. She also founded the Graduate Nurses’ Association of Newfoundland. These groups helped nurses connect and support each other.
Advocating for Change
Mary Southcott was not just a nurse. She was also a strong advocate for important causes. She continued her work with the Child Welfare Association. She also supported women's suffrage. This was the movement to give women the right to vote. She believed women should have a say in their government.
The Canadian government has recognized Mary Southcott's important work. They named her a "person of national historic significance." This means she made a big difference in Canada's history.
