Recently you printed a lovely picture of nurses, proudly wearing their medals at their graduation in 1954 (ODT, 19.9.09). To see nurses with tidy hair - and feet - in their uniforms and so professional was a joy.
In those days, there was no shortage of nurses on the wards as the juniors, middle and seniors put what they learned in class into practice in the ward.
They were under close supervision by the sister, staff nurses and their senior nurses.
We all worked as a team and had great respect for our seniors and each other.
We lived in the nurses home, made life-long friends and had a huge amount of fun.
Indeed, they were happy days.
My big dread was to break a thermometer, be sent to matron's office and have the value taken off my pay - which was 1 17s 6d a month.
We had six days on for 11 hours, lectures after that and lectures on our days off.
Pamela Hall-Jones
Invercargill
This week's winner, Pamela Hall-Jones, of Invercargill, receives a copy of Rick Donald's Painting out the Past (Longacre Press, $44.99).
