Title: Ada Garvey Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1910-1945

Creator:

• Garvey, Ada, 1893-1981

Call Number: UWM Manuscript Collection 212

Quantity:

• .4 cubic ft. (1 box )
• 1 oversize folder
• 40 nitrate negatives

Repository:

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives Department

Archival Location:

UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Papers of a Red Cross and public health nurse from Wisconsin. The collection consists of Ada Garvey's correspondence about her experiences in post-World War I France and rural Wisconsin, writings describing the work of public health field nurses, newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs and postcards, and World War I ephemera.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0212

Adeline Thomasa Garvey was born on August 14, 1893 in Seneca, Wisconsin (Crawford County). She graduated from St. Francis Hospital's Nursing School in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1913. In 1917 she joined the American Red Cross as a nurse and was stationed in France (Base Hospital No. 88, Savenay) from November 1918 to August 1919. During and post World War I, she worked as a public health nurse in Evelith, Minnesota (1919-1922) and as a school nurse in Neenah, Wisconsin (1923-1928). She found employment as a field nurse with the W.A.T.A. in Milwaukee in 1928. Her work required travel to rural Wisconsin towns and inspired her to write a number of short essays about the experiences of public health field nurses. She remained with W.A.T.A until her retirement in 1945. On June 23 of that same year, she married Edward Hawley, an engineer. Ada Garvey Hawley died on December 19, 1981.

The richest sources of information in the collection are Garvey's correspondence to her sister, Anna [Nan] Layde (1918-1919) and her writings about public health nursing (1931-[193?]). In her letters, Garvey describes her work and social life as a Red Cross nurse stationed in post-World War I France. She discusses her environs and clothing, interactions with American soldiers and local townspeople, and job duties and leisure activities. The collection also includes correspondence (1931-1939) and essays (undated) about her work as a public health field nurse. Most of her essays are intended to introduce the work of public health nurses to a lay audience, detailing the daily challenges she encountered in rural Wisconsin towns and schools. Encouraged by the executive secretary of the Wisconsin Anti-Tuberculosis Association (W.A.T.A.) to write about her experiences as a field nurse, Garvey submitted a number of her manuscripts for publication in R.N.Magazine.

The files are organized alphabetically by subject, then chronologically.

Citation Guide for Primary Sources

The UWM College of Nursing, Center for Nursing History in Cunningham Hall contains related items.

Access Restrictions

Nitrate negatives are located in cold storage and must be acclimated before delivery to the reading room. Otherwise, there are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Acquisition Information

Presented by Barbara and Joseph Layde in 2003 (accession number 2003-045).

Processing Information

Colleen McFarland processed the collection at the Archives in June 2004.

In May 2011, Bob Jaeger removed 40 nitrate negatives from the collection and placed them with other nitrate negatives.

	Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   1	Incoming , 1919
Box   1 Folder   2	Incoming from W.A.T.A. , 1931-1937
Box   1 Folder   3	Incoming, 1945
Box   1 Folder   4	Outgoing to Anna [Nan] Layde 1918-1919, undated
Box   1 Folder   5	Outgoing to W.A.T.A. , 1931-1939
Box   1 Folder   6	Third Party , 1931-1932
Oversize Folder   1	Diploma , 1913
Box   1 Folder   7	Manuscripts , undated
4 x 5 Nitrate Box   5	Negatives of Cuba , undated Physical Description: 4" x 5" nitrate negatives  Access Restrictions: Nitrate negatives are located in cold storage and must be acclimated before delivery to the reading room.
5 x 7 Nitrate Box   2	Negatives of Cuba , undated Physical Description: 5" x 7" nitrate negatives  Access Restrictions: Nitrate negatives are located in cold storage and must be acclimated before delivery to the reading room.
4 x 5 Nitrate Box   5	Negatives, Unidentified undated Physical Description: 4" x 5" nitrate negatives  Access Restrictions: Nitrate negatives are located in cold storage and must be acclimated before delivery to the reading room.
Box   1 Folder   10	Newspaper and Magazine Clippings , 1928-1934
Box   1 Folder   11	Photographs , 1918-1929
Box   1 Folder   12	Postcards 1910-1920, undated
Box   1 Folder   13	W.A.T.A. Field Nurse Annual Report 1936, 1937
Box   1 Folder   14	World War I Ephemera 1918-1919, undated