As a tribute to Women’s History Month, this story was provided by the Sherman Room of the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library and originally published by the Mansfield News on Nov. 27, 1921 on Page 6 of the Social Section. Those interested in more history should check out the Sherman Room at the Mansfield/Richland Public Library or visit this link.
MANSFIELD — To be subject to calls at all hours of the day and night, to be never able to plan any recreation of your own, and yet to be able to display enthusiasm about work that requires these sacrifices, is surely indicative of an interest that isn’t easily downed.
Such is the life of Miss Mamie E. Hill, one of the visiting nurses of Mansfield. And yet she is just as interested, just as enthusiastic concerning her job after four years of service as she was when she started, with the added exception that she is probably getting more enthused.
Miss Hill gives every indication of being just what she is, warm-hearted, unselfish, and ready to serve always. And the desire to serve as a nurse has been hers from childhood. For several years after she graduated from St. Joseph’s hospital at Lorain, Miss Hill was a regular nurse in this city, then with the entering of Miss Mary Hayden into war service, came the call for visiting nurses and Miss Hill answered, with the intention of only remaining a short time. And yet she is still at it.
Become Commonplace
About her work Miss Hill says, “Although I am very much interested and like my work, yet I am very matter of fact, I guess. At least the things that happen so often that we take them so, seem to others whom we tell, very interesting and unusual, even thrilling sometimes.
“I was talking the other day to a minister who has called on several of the same cases that I have, and we were telling some of our usual experiences. The woman of the home where we were visiting considered them thrilling, but to me they are just every day occurrences. So much so that I hardly even remember them.
“I do think of one rather interesting thing that happened recently, though. Several months ago I had taken care of a tubercular case, in a foreign family. Just recently Miss Lindsey was called to a case, that, when described, sounded very familiar.
“But the name was altogether different, or at least it sounded so, but when she began telling me of conditions in the home and about the family, I asked if the wife didn’t call her husband, Chutchy.’ It happened that she did so we knew that it was the same family. But in pronouncing the name each time, we had gotten it in an entirely different way and spelled it differently.”
“Are conditions, Miss Hill, very different than when you started?”
Work Was Well When Started
“Well, not so much,” she answered thoughtfully. “Of course at first we had only one automobile, which made it rather hard to get around sometimes, but Miss Hayden had had the work so well started that we just stepped into it.
“At first, though, we did try to separate our work, one of us doing day duty and the other night work, but we found that so many of the calls came just before bedtime, when sick people wanted to be fixed up for the night, that we could not do that.
“Since we have the two autos, we try to answer all calls in the same neighborhood at one time, although we try to please people’s fancies concerning the nurse wanted. Most everyone has a preference, of course.”
“What part of your work do you like most?”
Likes Emergency Calls
Without a moment’s hesitation, Miss Hill answered smilingly, “The emergency calls. I like to go to a house and get right to work at a case where someone is badly in need of immediate attention.
“Many of our cases naturally are just routine duty; in maternity cases, for instance, going every morning to wash the baby and take care of the mother. Many of the homes we visit there is someone who can do things, if they just know how, but in other homes, no one seems to know just what to do, so it is our duty to show them. In many homes, supplies are needed and we furnish those.
“The clubs of Mansfield have been especially fine in giving us supplies and we never lack those, although in a very few instances we have had to supply furniture for a home where it was absolutely essential.”
“Has the unemployment situation caused more work for you?”
“No, it doesn’t seem to have. I suppose that is because the city takes care of so many. Even so we are busy most of the time and our work goes on day and night.”
