UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Interview #219
BLAKE, FLORENCE G.

BLAKE, Florence G. (1907-1983)
Professor of Nursing; Director of School of Nursing Graduate Program
At UW: 1963-1970

Interviewed: 1975	
Interviewer: Signe Cooper
Length: 1 hour

Background; Pre-UW employment; Reasons for coming to Madison; Establishing graduate program; Dean Helen Bunge; Research; Support from School of Nursing faculty; Students; Activities after retirement; Predictions for future of nursing.

Tape 1/Side 1     

00:00:30	Background. Schooling.  Hospitals worked in.  
  
00:02:47	First job in nursing. 
   
00:03:15	Why FB went into nursing.  Uncle was one of founders of Marshfield Clinic.    

00:04:20	University of Wisconsin was place she longed to go.  Why she didn't.  Uncle's influence.  University's program was just starting.

00:05:22	Other nursing employments.  All marvelous experiences.  One exception.  University of Michigan--problem there.

00:07:04	FB's Yale experience.  There four years.  Students; cooperation between medicine and nursing.  Yale program.  Its impact on nursing education.

00:11:04	Gesell Clinic.  FB's program for children.  Head nurses' complaints in beginning. 
   
00:13:30	Back to cooperation there and here.   
 
00:14:13	Peking, before Yale.  A phenomenal School of Nursing.  About it.  What has happened since FB left.  One of her students.  

00:18:33	After Yale, she was at University of Chicago for thirteen years.  Was there when 	the program closed.      
                  
00:19:46	Influences that brought FB to Madison.  Biggest one was Dean Bunge.  Pediatricians.   Margaret Du Rose.  Need of a graduate program.  Made for an enjoyable challenge--at first. Difficulties.  Administrative process.    

00:24:54	Establishment of program; its obstacles.  More satisfaction than problems.  Better here than at University of Chicago. Patients very different.  This created extra challenges.  So much to be learned; all planned within nine months.  Dean Bunge was biggest help.  Nathan Smith, Lobeck, Marc Hansen also.   
 
00:31:11	End of side.     

Tape 1/Side 2 

00:31:15	Impressions of Dean Bunge.  Total commitment to school.  Was slow at decisions.   Constant pressure on research.  Was a bit too much.  Worked in opposite direction.  Need for research. Clinical research.  If FB could do life over, would be in   clinical research.    

00:38:21	Support from faculty in School of Nursing.  It was wonderful. 

00:38:46	First students.  How they found out about program.  What has become of them.  They have gone in many directions.    

00:44:03	FB's satisfactions.  Seeing program growing.  Developing  practica.  Clinical supervision of students.    

00:46:21	FB retired in June 1970.  What she has done since.  Very busy.  Some consultation.  Volunteering activities.  Department of Independent Living.  Handiwork.  Entertaining.  
  
00:50:44	Suggestions for budding nurse authors.  FB would never do a textbook.  Would do monographs.  How draining writing can be.  Get help in editing early.    

00:55:26	FB's predictions for future.  Nurses will probably work more independently.  Geriatric nursing.  Primary care.  Prenatal care.  Preventive mental health.  Home care.

00:58:15	How to establish a program.  So much to study.  Was there a need?  Were there facilities?  Writing of objectives, interest. Develop relationships with other faculties, administration officials.  Develop curriculums.   

01:02:25	End of interview.

END