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Last founder dies
Last founder dies
A living connection with the founding of the College ivas broken on February 13, 1996 when Jean Millist Lamont died. Ms Lamont ivas one of the five signatories to the Memorandum and Articles which defined the legal framework for the College and brought it into being on March 16, 1949. The following extract from the 17th Patricia Chomley Oration: Founders of the College, by Bart Schultz, serves noiv as a tribute to her life and work.
JEAN MILLIST LAMONT said she was the
Larly in the 1970s Ms Lamont decided to leave the
youngest member to sign the document creating the
Hospital, and entered the Infant Welfare Service. She spent
College. She also stated that she was "not an interesting
the remaining 11 years of her working life with the Service,
person" and that she had not been greatlv involved with
at two centres - West Heidelberg and Rosa una - where
nursing affairs, though she had served on various
she was the only nurse. There she cared principally for
committees after completing her training. Ms Lamont
children from birth lo 6 years of age, but said in fact that
said the 1940s were a very difficult time for nurses and
she dealt with the whole family. In her retirement, she
nursing and - trv as nurses might - they were gelling
lived contentedly at Kew, where her grandparents were
nowhere. The formation of a college of nursing seemed
among the earliest settlers, and enjoyed her garden,
to her a possible solution to the problems of the time.
books and music. Her musical skills she used for the pleasure and enjoyment of elderly citizens.
Jean Lamont was born at Kew, Victoria, and received her her
Though holding a Founder Fellowship, Jean Lamont felt
matriculation at the Presbyterian ladies College, Last
it a responsibility that she should also obtain a Fellow-
Melbourne, and "fooling about" - to use her words -
ship by studying a course and, in 1951, received a
when her father derided that she should do something
Florence Nightingale Scholarship; she studied Ward
"useful". Subsequently he sent her to a college to study
Administration. Believing it necessary to keep up to date
music, shorthand, typing, dressmaking and invalid
with nursing practices and procedures, she periodically
early education
there.
She was completing
undertook short refresher courses in infant welfare work
cookery.
and studied the Royal Sanitary Institute's Public Health In 1936, she commenced training at the Melbourne
course.
Hospital and later studied midwifery at the Queen Victoria Hospital, Melbourne. There she remained, to
Jean Lamont served on the State Branch Council of the
work in the medical and surgical areas. Ms Lamont did
Irained Nurses' Guild, and was a Federal Councillor. She
endeavour to join the Australian Army Nursing Service,
was a member of the Employees Section of the Royal
but was directed by the Department of Manpower back
Victorian College of Nursing and, for a while, was
to the Queen Victoria Hospital.
Honorary Secretary of the Victorian State Committee of the College of Nursing, Australia. She attended the special
With the exception of studying infant welfare under the
meetings held to establish the College, and served on the
Karitane system in Sydney, and spending some lime
Interim Council. As a Founder Fellow, she was a member
abroad working at the Birmingham Hospital Maternity
of the first College Council. It is said of her that she was
Unit and the Simpson Memorial Hospital in Fdinburgh,
devoted to nurses' interests, and courageous in fully
Jean Lamont spent over 32 years at the Queen Vicloria
supporting
1 lospital. During that time she held positions in medical
advancement of nurses in Australia. Ms Lamont was a
and surgical areas and the labour wards, and was given
warm, sincere, refined and compassionate individual, a
responsibility for setting up the recovery section of the
practising nurse for the whole of her working life and, to
operating theatres.
those about her, "nourished with a faithful and true heart."
APRIL 1996
40
what
she
believed
was
vital
for
the
ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSING. AUSTRALIA
A living connection with the founding of the College ivas broken on February 13, 1996 when Jean Millist Lamont died. Ms Lamont ivas one of the five signatories to the Memorandum and Articles which defined the legal framework for the College and brought it into being on March 16, 1949. The following extract from the 17th Patricia Chomley Oration: Founders of the College, by Bart Schultz, serves noiv as a tribute to her life and work.
JEAN MILLIST LAMONT said she was the
Larly in the 1970s Ms Lamont decided to leave the
youngest member to sign the document creating the
Hospital, and entered the Infant Welfare Service. She spent
College. She also stated that she was "not an interesting
the remaining 11 years of her working life with the Service,
person" and that she had not been greatlv involved with
at two centres - West Heidelberg and Rosa una - where
nursing affairs, though she had served on various
she was the only nurse. There she cared principally for
committees after completing her training. Ms Lamont
children from birth lo 6 years of age, but said in fact that
said the 1940s were a very difficult time for nurses and
she dealt with the whole family. In her retirement, she
nursing and - trv as nurses might - they were gelling
lived contentedly at Kew, where her grandparents were
nowhere. The formation of a college of nursing seemed
among the earliest settlers, and enjoyed her garden,
to her a possible solution to the problems of the time.
books and music. Her musical skills she used for the pleasure and enjoyment of elderly citizens.
Jean Lamont was born at Kew, Victoria, and received her her
Though holding a Founder Fellowship, Jean Lamont felt
matriculation at the Presbyterian ladies College, Last
it a responsibility that she should also obtain a Fellow-
Melbourne, and "fooling about" - to use her words -
ship by studying a course and, in 1951, received a
when her father derided that she should do something
Florence Nightingale Scholarship; she studied Ward
"useful". Subsequently he sent her to a college to study
Administration. Believing it necessary to keep up to date
music, shorthand, typing, dressmaking and invalid
with nursing practices and procedures, she periodically
early education
there.
She was completing
undertook short refresher courses in infant welfare work
cookery.
and studied the Royal Sanitary Institute's Public Health In 1936, she commenced training at the Melbourne
course.
Hospital and later studied midwifery at the Queen Victoria Hospital, Melbourne. There she remained, to
Jean Lamont served on the State Branch Council of the
work in the medical and surgical areas. Ms Lamont did
Irained Nurses' Guild, and was a Federal Councillor. She
endeavour to join the Australian Army Nursing Service,
was a member of the Employees Section of the Royal
but was directed by the Department of Manpower back
Victorian College of Nursing and, for a while, was
to the Queen Victoria Hospital.
Honorary Secretary of the Victorian State Committee of the College of Nursing, Australia. She attended the special
With the exception of studying infant welfare under the
meetings held to establish the College, and served on the
Karitane system in Sydney, and spending some lime
Interim Council. As a Founder Fellow, she was a member
abroad working at the Birmingham Hospital Maternity
of the first College Council. It is said of her that she was
Unit and the Simpson Memorial Hospital in Fdinburgh,
devoted to nurses' interests, and courageous in fully
Jean Lamont spent over 32 years at the Queen Vicloria
supporting
1 lospital. During that time she held positions in medical
advancement of nurses in Australia. Ms Lamont was a
and surgical areas and the labour wards, and was given
warm, sincere, refined and compassionate individual, a
responsibility for setting up the recovery section of the
practising nurse for the whole of her working life and, to
operating theatres.
those about her, "nourished with a faithful and true heart."
APRIL 1996
40
what
she
believed
was
vital
for
the
ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSING. AUSTRALIA