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Rita LaCouture Papers

This collection contains personal and professional papers and memorabilia of Rita LaCouture (from the 1950s to her death in 1995) as well as books LaCouture owned, Bellevue booklets that fell into her possession, and a memorial binder. The papers include letters, memos, collected materials, presidential notes, eulogies, and event programs. The memorabilia includes awards bestowed on Ms. LaCouture. LaCouture’s books include several books about nursing and Helen Wago’s dissertation materials. The Bellevue Booklets include Bellevue Annual Reports, Bulletins, Histories and editions of Crane and Cross yearbooks. The memorial binder includes materials assembled in honor of Rita LaCouture’s life, ranging from photographs to notes and fliers to copies of the Seventh Annual Nurse Excellence Awards Ceremony and The Red and White, to a negative photograph.

 

 

Index code: MC47

Finding Guide:

Finding Aid for the Rita LaCouture Papers Collection  (MC47)

Compiled by Nic Soares, February 12, 2012
Graduate Student at SUNY Albany In partial fulfillment of requirements for IST 666 Current Problems: Archival Representation

 

VOLUME: 2.4 cubic feet
ACQUISITION: The items in this collection were created or collected by Rita LaCouture and were donated in 1996 by Anne Bove, RN, Executrix representing the Estate of Rita LaCouture (donated April 23, and accepted May 10). Joan Madden-Wilson, representing the Alumnae Association of Bellevue School of Nursing, donated more documents into the existing collection in 1999 (received March 8, and accessioned July 9).
ACCESS: This collection is open to the public by appointment.
COPYRIGHT: Please consult the repository for information about duplication or publishing of any materials from this collection.
PREFERRED
CITATION:		 Rita LaCouture Papers (MC47), Bellevue Alumnae Center for Nursing History, Foundation of New York State Nurses, Guilderland, NY.

Table of Contents

Biographical Sketch

Rita LaCouture was born in 1925 and matriculated at Bellevue School of Nursing in 1946. She took a leave of absence in 1947 to recuperate from tuberculosis. LaCouture returned to Bellevue School of Nursing in 1948 and obtained her diploma in 1950. She continued her education toward a Bachelor of Science at New York University (N.Y.U.) while working as a staff nurse in Bellevue’s Outpatient Department (OPD) and then in Student Health Service. In 1955, LaCouture became supervisor of the Student Health Service, and she acquired her Bachelor of Science in 1957. Returning to N.Y.U., LaCouture acquired her Master of Science degree in 1961. LaCouture’s work ethic earned her several awards throughout her life. She died in 1995.

Scope and Contents Notes

This collection contains personal and professional papers and memorabilia of Rita LaCouture (from the 1950s to her death in 1995) as well as books LaCouture owned, Bellevue booklets that fell into her possession, and a memorial binder. The papers include letters, memos, collected materials, presidential notes, eulogies, and event programs. The memorabilia includes one glazed wooden plaque (15″ by 12″), two wooden/metal plaques (8″ by 10″ and 8″ by 10.5″), and two photograph/cardboard awards (14″ by 11″). LaCouture’s books include several books about nursing and Helen Wago’s dissertation materials. The Bellevue Booklets include Bellevue Annual Reports, Bulletins, Histories and editions of Crane and Cross yearbooks. The memorial binder includes materials assembled in honor of Rita LaCouture’s life, ranging from photographs to notes and fliers to copies of the Seventh Annual Nurse Excellence Awards Ceremony and The Red and White, to a negative photograph.

Series Descriptions

Series 1: Letters and Booklets
This series includes letters to Rita LaCouture and numerous annual booklets from Bellevue, in addition to newspaper clippings and articles that Rita LaCouture kept and found to be important.
Series 2: Plaques and Awards
This series contains various plaques and awards given to Rita LaCouture, including one 15″ by 12″ glazed wooden plaque and two wooden/metal plaques (8″ by 10″ and 8″ by 10.5″). This series also includes two 14″ by 11″ photograph/cardboard Clinical Nurse Excellence Awards given to Camille Petty and Helen V. Calalang from Mayor Edward I. Koch.
Series 3: Books
This series includes two sub-series: Nursing Books and Helen Wago’s Dissertation Materials. The Nursing books include The Nurse and Her “Problem” Patients, A Handbook for Head Nurses, Since The Day You Died (with an inserted prayer for Charles Heroy), The Head Nurse: Her Changing Role, A Mathematical Guide to Dosage and Solutions, one answer guide that complements the guide book, and a photocopies of “When You Leave Your Friend Behind” (by Adrene G. Cohen, RN) and note scraps that accompanied A Handbook for Head Nurses. Helen Wago’s Dissertation Materials include an abstract of E.D.D. thesis (“An Analysis of the Expressed Attitudes of Registered Professional Nurses Toward Tuberculosis Nursing”), an outline for a proposed document for the Ed.D. Degree (“An Analysis of the Expressed Attitudes of Registered Professional Nurses Toward Tuberculosis Nursing and the Implications of these Attitudes: A Proposed Plan for Solving the Problem”), and a photocopy of a Transactions National Tuberculosis Association pamphlet recording Vera S. Fry, Ed.D., R.N.’s presentation of Wago’s findings at the American Trudeau Society’s forty-ninth annual meeting.
Series 4: Memorial Binder
This series is composed of a large memorial that includes materials assembled to honor Rita LaCouture’s life, ranging from photographs to notes and fliers to copies of the Seventh Annual Nurse Excellence Awards Ceremony and The Red and White, to a negative photograph.

Box and Folder List

Series 1: Letters and Booklets

Box 1
Folder:

  1. 1990 Nurse Excellence Awards New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation Council of Directors of Nursing 1990
  2. Annual Reports 1927, 1952, 1954
  3. Annual Reports 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959-60
  4. Annual Reports 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64
  5. Annual Reports 1964-65, 1966-67, 1967-68
  6. Bellevue Alumnae Association, President’s Notes 1992-1995
  7. Bellevue Bulletins Spring Issue 1942, Winter Issue January 1944, Summer Issue August 1944, Bellevue Alumnae Association 1945, Winter Issue February 1945, Spring Issue 1949, Winter Issue 1951, Summer Issue 1952, Winter Issue 1953, Fall Issue November 1957
  8. Bellevue Bulletins Summer Issue August 1964, Summer Issue August 1965, Summer Issue August 1966 (x2), Winter Issue February 1967, Winter Issue March 1968 (x2), Summer Issue August 1968, Winter Issue March 1969 (x2), Summer Issue August 1969 (x2)
  9. Bellevue Bulletins Winter Issue March 1970 (x2), Fall Issue September 1970 (x2), Spring Issue April 1972, Winter Issue 1973-1974
  10. Belevue Bulletins Winter Issue 1974-1975, Winter Issue 1975-1976, Winter Issue 1976-1977, 1980-1981, 1981-1982, 1988-1989, 1989-1990
  11. Bellevue Bulletins 1990-1991, 1991-1992, 1992-1993 (x2), 1994-1995
  12. Bellevue Hospital Notecard (blank) c. 1969
  13. Bellevue and Mills Schools of Nursing, Bellevue and Allies Hospitals Bellevue School of Nursing Announcement 1927-1928, Bellevue and Mills Schools of Nursing 1960-1962, Bellevue and Mills Schools of Nursing 1963-1965 (x2)
  14. Bellevue Sun January 1995
  15. Black band, Pin, and Uniform Articles 1967, 1969, undated
  16. Chamberlain, Gladys Photograph and Note from Alice Boonsma
  17. Doll in Bellevue Student Uniform Photograph and notated folder
  18. Eulogies by Rita LaCouture 1957-1993
  19. Event Programs 1973, 1975, 1989 and drawing photocopy
  20. Four Forty c. 1965
  21. Giles, Dorothy _A Candle in Her Hand_ GP Putnam’s Sons New York, 1949
  22. Graduation Card from Dolores Carpenter
  23. Graduation Eve Program June 10, 1969
  24. Histories of Bellevue Hospital School of Nursing 1915, 1923, 1989
  25. History of Bellevue, Various Articles, 1882, 1893, 1939,1970, 1973, 1986, 1987
  26. “The Legend Limps On” Midtown East Resident June 1, 1991
  27. Memorandum Re:The Recognition of Nursing Caregivers, 1986
  28. World War II Collected Materials
  29. Nightingale, Florence Collected Materials 1960, 1962, 1970
  30. Presentation of the George M. Kober Metal to Lewis Thomas By H.S. Lawrence signed by the author c. 1983
  31. Public Relations Articles, 1973, undated
  32. Roster of Graduates 1938
  33. Von Kurowski, Agnes 1979-1989
  34. Crane and Cross 1949
  35. Crane and Cross 1950
  36. The Crane Seventy-fifth Anniversary 1873-1948
  37. Correspondence Letters
  38. Bellevue Uniform Documents

Series 2: Plaques and Awards

Box 2
Folder:

  1. NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation Council of Directors of Nursing’s “For Excellence in Administrative Leadership” Award (May 23, 1990).
  2. In Recognition of Nursing Excellence from Your Nursing Colleagues In the Department of Nursing Administration with Pride and Thanks to Rita LaCouture For 44 Years Dedicated Service Bellevue Hospital Center May, 1990.
  3. In Recognition of Outstanding Achievement As the Nominee for New York State Nurse of Distinction From Your Colleagues in the Department of Nursing With Pride and Thanks to Rita LaCouture Bellevue Hospital Center May 1992.
  4. Clinical Nurse Excellence Award from Bellevue Hospital Center to Camille Petty, presented by Mayor Edward I. Koch (May 25, 1989).
  5. Clinical Nurse Excellence Award from Bellevue Hospital Center to Helen V. Calalang, presented by Mayor Edward I. Koch (May 25, 1989).

Series 3: Books

Box 3

Subseries: Nursing Books

Folder:

  1. The Nurse and Her “Problem” Patients by Gertrud Bertrand Ujhely, R.N., M.A.
  2. A Handbook for Head Nurses by Doris A. Geitgey, R.N., M.S. (and photocopies of notes and related article)
  3. A Mathematical Guide to Dosage and Solutions by Alice C. Cook, B.S., R.N. and Katherine E. Davidson. B.S., R.N.
  4. Answers to Problems in A Mathematical Guide to Dosage and Solutions by Alice C. Cook, B.S., R.N. and Katherine E. Davidson. B.S., R.N.
  5. The Head Nurse Her Changing Role (Second Edition) by Jean Barrett
  6. Since the Day You Died by George E. Milham

Subseries: Helen Wago’s Dissertation Materials

Folder:

  1. An Outline for a Proposed Document for the Ed.D. Degree: An Analysis of the Expressed Attitudes of Registered Professional Nurses Toward Tuberculosis Nursing and the Implications of these Attitudes: A Proposed Plan for Solving the Problem.
  2. An Abstract of E.D.D. thesis: An Analysis of the Expressed Attitudes of Registered Professional Nurses Towards Tuberculosis Nursing and the Implications of these Attitudes
  3. Transactions National Tuberculosis Association pamphlet documenting Vera S. Fry, Ed.D., R.N.’s presented Helen Wago’s findings at the American Trudeau Society’s Forty-Ninth Annual Meeting.

Series 4: Memorial Binder

Box 4
Folder:

  1. NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation Council of Directors of Nursing’s “For Excellence in Administrative Leadership” Award (May 23, 1990).
  2. In Recognition of Nursing Excellence from Your Nursing Colleagues In the Department of Nursing Administration with Pride and Thanks to Rita LaCouture For 44 Years Dedicated Service Bellevue Hospital Center May, 1990.
  3. In Recognition of Outstanding Achievement As the Nominee for New York State Nurse of Distinction From Your Colleagues in the Department of Nursing With Pride and Thanks to Rita LaCouture Bellevue Hospital Center May 1992.
  4. Clinical Nurse Excellence Award from Bellevue Hospital Center to Camille Petty, presented by Mayor Edward I. Koch (May 25, 1989).
  5. Clinical Nurse Excellence Award from Bellevue Hospital Center to Helen V. Calalang, presented by Mayor Edward I. Koch (May 25, 1989).

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