Newark City Hospital School of Nursing Collection
Scope and Contents
The Newark City Hospital School of Nursing Collection contains assorted materials related to the school’s students and day to day operations. The collection consists of photographs and portraits of nursing students, alumni, school faculty, hospital staff, and patients, as well as photographs of the interior and exterior of the hospital buildings and medical equipment, a book containing meeting minutes and notes from the alumni association meetings, and postcards. The Newark City Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association compiled the photographs and labeled some of them. The materials in this collection span 1886-1968, with the majority of the materials focusing on 1900-1909, 1920-1939, 1950-1959.
Dates
- 1886 - 1968
- Majority of material found within 1900 - 1909
- Majority of material found within 1920 - 1939
- Majority of material found within 1950 - 1959
Creator
- Newark City Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association (Organization)
Conditions Governing Use
Researchers wishing to publish, reproduce, or reprint materials from this collection must obtain permission.
Biographical / Historical
Newark City Hospital was founded in 1882, and was located in an almshouse on the corner of Elizabeth Avenue and Concord Street. In 1884, the hospital moved to Fairmont Avenue, and in 1885, the school of nursing was founded. The nursing students lived in a dormitory called the Nurses Home, and at times lived in the hospital itself. The school only admitted white students until the 1950’s, and the first male student graduated in 1953. Key figures associated with this collection are Miss Mason, the director of Nursing from 1899-1922, John Garside, the hospital superintendent from 1886-1889, Dr. E. Snavely, the medical director in the 1930’s, and Harrison Martland, the Essex County Medical Examiner. The materials in this collection were originally arranged in seven photo albums and one note book which were created by the Alumni Association of the Newark City Hospital School of Nursing, and some of the photos were labeled at the time of their creation. The alumni association is still active and offers scholarships. The hospital underwent renovations and enlargements in the late 1880’s, 1925, and the 1950’s, as well as a series of changes in name and ownership. In 1954 it was renamed The Harrison S. Martland Medical center, after the Essex County Medical Examiner. In 1962, the name was changed back to Newark City Hospital, and in 1968, the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey bought the hospital, including the School of Nursing, and named it Martland Hospital. A merger between CMDNJ and Rutgers University occurred in 1970, and the School of Nursing was closed in 1971, while the hospital and medical school continued to be operated by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey until 2012. The hospital is now owned by Rutgers University and called University Hospital.
Extent
9.23 Linear Feet (9 Boxes Stored Offsite) : Box #1: Medium Drop Front Box; Box #2-6: Small Drop Front Box; Box #7-8: Large Ovsz Box; Box #9: Half Hollinger Box (Flat)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains photographs of Newark City Hospital School of Nursing students, staff, patients, and facilities from 1886-1968.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was donated by Joan DeChelli of the Newark City Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association in March of 2011.
Processing Information
This collection was initially stored in its original enclosures, which were eight large photo albums. The collection was digitized in Summer of 2025 and during this process the collection was moved out of the albums and into archival boxes. The original arrangement and order of the collection was maintained.
Creator
- Newark City Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association (Organization)
- Title
- Newark City Hospital School of Nursing Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Paige Trapnell
- Date
- October 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center, Newark Public Library Repository
3rd Floor
Newark Public Library
5 Washington St.
Newark NJ 07102 United States
973-733-7775
njreference@npl.org