Society Program on Reata Furguson

The upcoming program for Friday. September 2nd will be by Elizabeth Hood, with thanks to her sister, Belle Hatfield, for assistance with arrangements.

Using residual documents (Yarmouth County Museum Archives), family interviews, and other relevant historical accounts, this presentation pieces together and recounts the life and service of Reata Ferguson, an early Twentieth Century American Red Cross nurse from Yarmouth. In particular, the biography details the preparation, perils, and pervasive effect of service in wartime France and the Near East. Her story spans the threat of being bombed while engaged in nursing duties with the Harvard Surgical unit at General Hospital 22 in Dannes-Camiers France, the adventure of traveling through Egypt and Palestine with nursing and military leaders, and the social service responsibilities of dealing with Armenian refugees in a politically hostile Turkish outpost. This paper describes the apex of an early twentieth century nurse’s career during a period of great development and change for both women and the profession of nursing. This presentation will be held on Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/5676672127?pwd=ZzE5Mm94aG5LMkRzbHpISXJLckhCUT09 *Zoom session opens at 7:15pm, presentation starts at 7:30pm *Passcode is YCHS, if asked