Louisa White Papers

University Archives and Special Collections
15 Lippitt Road
Kingston, RI 02881-2011
Tel: 401-874-4632

email: archives@etal.uri.edu

Published in 2011

Collection Overview

Title:	Louisa White Papers
Date range:	1917-1972, (bulk 1924-1972)
Creator:	White, Louisa
Extent:	4 box(es)
Abstract:	Contains correspondence and printed material on the nursing profession in general and the program at URI specifically.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	University Archives and Special Collections
Collection number:	Mss. Gr. 42

Scope & content

The papers of Louisa White cover the years that she was the Director of Rhode Island State College and later University of Rhode Island Division of Nursing and School of Nursing from 1947-1957. They were donated by Ms. White in April 1980. The URI Archives also holds the records of the School of Nursing from the same time period.

Arrangement

The series is arranged alphabetically by folder titles and chronologically within the folders. In total, the series comprises four archival boxes.

• 1. Subject File

Biographical note

Louisa White was the Director of the University of Rhode Island Nursing Program from its inception in 1947 until her retirement in 1957. In 1970, she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree by URI at the spring commencement. When the building that now houses the College of Nursing was completed in 1977, it was given the name of White Hall in honor of Professor White. Louisa White was a Rhode Island native, born in Hillsgrove, R.I., April 1, 1894. In 1914, she enrolled in the Rhode Island Hospital School of Nursing, receiving her R.N. in 1917. For the next seven years, Ms. White was a private nurse specializing in obstetrics and pediatrics. Later, she received both her B.S. and M.S. from Columbia University. Before accepting the position at then Rhode Island State College, Louisa White was the R.I. State Director of Nursing Education and Executive Secretary of R.I. Nurses’ Association. She was instrumental in developing the nursing program at R.I.S.C. and was asked to be its part time director in 1947. The position soon became full time. Professor White served as Director until her retirement in 1957.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	Any qualified person doing scholarly research is permitted to use material housed in the Special Collections Unit.
Use of the materials:	Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.
Preferred citation:	Louisa White Papers, Mss. Gr. 42, University of Rhode Island, University Archives and Special Collections.
Contact information:	University Archives and Special Collections 15 Lippitt Road Kingston, RI 02881-2011 Tel: 401-874-4632 email: archives@etal.uri.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	The contents of the collection were donated by Louisa White in 1980.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by T.G. Brenan and Ann Bridges.
Encoding:	Finding aid encoded by Erin Mullen 2011 October 12, updated by Mark Dionne on 2020 April 13
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Inventory

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Inventory