Clinton Magazine Fall 2022 | Page 5

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WANTED

Need for nurses continues to grow

By Jenna Blount

The way Kathryn Wynn-Calvin ’ s mother carried herself throughout her nursing career sparked something in Wynn-Calvin — the desire to have a nursing career of her own .

In 2011 , she was awarded an associate degree from Clinton Community College that gave her the title of registered nurse and started her fulfilling , successful career .
That same spark has been leading men and women to CCC ’ s Nursing Program for 50 years now , but the spark existed even before then .
Verna Fuller felt it in 1945 when a coworker at Lawrence Brothers factory in Sterling , Illinois told her about his sister going into nursing as Fuller packed hinges into boxes to ship . She decided then that she would join Jane Lamb ' s nursing school in Clinton , which offered a three-year program through Jane Lamb Memorial Hospital .
Fuller , her graduating class of 13 , and about 60 other students lived together in a nurse ’ s home for the duration of the program . The shortage of nurses resulting
from World War II allowed Fuller to attend without cost , but there were plenty of rules she had to follow .
“ You can ’ t believe the restrictions we had ,” Fuller , now 95 years old , recalls .
Nursing students weren ’ t allowed to be married , had a curfew of 9 p . m ., underwent nightly bedchecks , and were awakened by a loud whistle each morning . Their daily wear consisted of blue and white striped uni-
Verna Fuller ’ s Jane Lamb Nursing Class . Submitted photo
Fall 2022 Clinton Magazine 5