Watts recently published a book entitled A Tradition of Excellence: Pictorial History of the Watts School of Nursing that captures the pride with which the school community views its achievements and traditions. This book weaves a tapestry of the school’s history that has many threads, a pattern depicting visionary administrators, dedicated faculty, and extraordinary graduates. Excerpts from the timeline pay tribute to the many individuals who contributed to the rich history of the school.

 

 

1895	Watts Hospital and the Watts Hospital Training School for Nurses founded by George W. Watts
1897	Ethel Clay became the first Watts graduate
1903	Mary Lewis Wyche became superintendent of Watts Hospital
1906	Length of training program increased from two to three years
1909	Second Watts Hospital established by George W. Watts after the first hospital proved too small for the increasing patient population
1911	Wyche House, the first nurses’ residence, opened
1914	Alumnae Association of the Watts Training School for Nurses fully organized
1919	Watts Hospital Training School for Nurses received a “Class A” rating from the Board of Nurse Examiners
1923	First full-time instructor hired, Edith Redwine
1930	About this time, name of the school changed to Watts Hospital School of Nursing
1937	Black bands added to the school’s cap to indicate senior status; first yearbook published
1938	Bessie (Perry) Burgess became the superintendent of nurses, a position she held for thirty years
1943	Watts Cadet Nurse Corps established
1945	Hill House nurses’ residence opened
1952	Santa Filomena, newly chartered honorary society, founded with members selected from the Class of 1953
1956	Watts Hospital School of Nursing became the first diploma program in North Carolina to be accredited by the National League for Nursing
1961	Student Government Association established
1971	Beverly J. Smith became director of the school
1972	Watts recruitment spread outside mainland United States with a student admitted from Puerto Rico
1976	Durham County General Hospital opened; name of school changed to Watts School of Nursing
1979	General science courses offered at North Carolina Central University
1980	Watts School of Nursing moved into the newly constructed George W. Watts Building on the campus of Durham Regional Hospital
1985	Curriculum changed to two years of nursing courses preceded by general education prerequisites
1994	Peggy C. Baker became director of the school
1995	School reached a remarkable milestone – its one hundredth birthday – with a weeklong celebration that reflected on a century of excellence in nursing education
1998	School’s first web site launched
2000	105th anniversary celebrated with a Spring Tea, an occasion brought  back from  the past; school week shortened to four days
2005	Partnership with Mount Olive College established; 110th anniversary celebrated with a second Spring Tea