It didn't take long for our class to come up with any excuse to have a celebration. We didn't have much money but we sure could have a lot of fun. We would celebrate the end of exam week, the end of a night shift, the end of a happy date, and not to mention anyone's birthday (no cake available, but we had a great supply of cinnamon toast decked with at least one wooden match). Any of us could expect to come home after a day off and find a note taped on our door, asking, "Did you bring back anything to eat?"
Then there were the more significant events to celebrate ... one-sixth, one-third, one-half of the way through training were milestones that we couldn't ignore. We also celebrated when we receiving our colored class band to pin on our cap, pale blue for year two, navy for year three, and black for the graduate. There would be a "not-at-home" Christmas party (people still got sick and needed hospital care) for those who were scheduled to work Christmas week and not able to travel home to their family. The celebrations were not fancy, but there was always lots of laughter and silliness, and the friendships became more and more solid.
Following graduation, we made a special effort to come back every five years for the Alumnae Banquet, and special events that were planned for our class. Friday evening was always the Alumnae Banquet in a posh downtown hotel, then Saturday Brunch, usually at a classmate's home, and a Class Banquet (including husbands) on Saturday evening. Sunday was the farewell day, to those who had some travelling to do to return home. On the 15th year Reunion, we made a lot of husbands very happy by telling them that they were no longer invited and/or requested to attend these Reunions.
We celebrated our 50th year in 2011, and 72 of our 91 classmates came from many parts of North America and Europe. Who knows if we'll be together for our 55th year! There are a lot of circumstances that could make such an even almost impossible.
Tags: Parties Food Nurses Classes
