Cape Breton's Magazine

took me in in October. Why, I haven't the faintest idea. Because there was a new ad? ministrator coming in. And she worked a lot of changes, an awful lot. She was a mili? tary nurse, to begin with. She didn't ap? prove of all this standing. You see, since I was the youngest, well, I had to stand for everybody. And go the last, you see. And even--we had the old elevator, and it was an elevator that you pulled the wires, you know--big cables? To move it. And some of those doctors would go in, and stand in the back--I can see them yet I And there were these probationers and whatnot, pull? ing them up to the third floor, and you had to pull till you got up there! Laughs. Another thing you had to do was count the dirty linen. Which I didn't approve of that. How many pillows, make us sign, and all the dirty linen--before it was sent to the laundry. Why they didn't do it in the laundry, had to be inspected--this was the probationer's (task). And you did white paint, and brass. This was put on the bulletin board. It'd be: "Clara MacKinnon--white paint and brass, for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays," or whatever it was. And you went through all those corridors and doors. And they all had brass knobs on them. And you did all the white paint. You know, this was spit-and-polish from the army. So, there was a lot. But when she came, she gradually got it (changed). Now, one thing, that when we went down to the din? ing room--of course, the staff ate at an? other table but in the same dining room. And we had to sit until they left. So that's the first thing, I think, that she changed. She said, "All you have to do is stand, say, 'Will you excuse me. Miss Mac? Millan?'" And she'd say, "Certainly." But, manners--that was inculcated right from the (start)--and pity help anybody who called them by their first name. And that still shocks me. When I go into a doctor's office and I see this chit of a girl, and she calls me "Clara"! Laughs. Which, of course, is foolish. But you see, that's from the time of 18. My gracious. Dr. This and Dr. That, Miss Something, Mister.... You would never, never, never call a patient (by his first name)--even if it was your brother.... Then she got started to have somebody to come and teach. The students. Instead of being done just by doctors' lectures, when COHnEHSTOIIE H['-imi[??f:li'i:JA'i[K4:H0P RESIDENTIAL -' COMMERCIAL -h MARINE • ' FIRE ALARMS ti NORT Box 267 BADDECK NS BOEIBO - DISCOVER IT! 1-800-565-9464'"""'?'''?" days Of Canada-Where 18th-century villagers and turn-of-the-century inventors were on tlie edge of the ocean and on the edge of discovery. Walk through the mighty French Fortress ot Louisbourg. Meet two of North America's most famous inventors at tiie Alexander Graham Bell and Marconi National Historic Sites. Discover Cape Breton Island ~ Nova Scotia's Masterpiece - tor yourselt. Coll our toll-tree number today and receive your tree 1994 Getaway Guide.