Women’s College Hospital School of Nursing Class of 1953 marches to Convocation Hall

This home movie was filmed on May 28, 1953. It is silent and a bit grainy due to the age and quality of the footage. It shows highlights from the Women’s College Hospital School of Nursing graduation march to Convocation Hall and the ceremony held for the Class of 1953.

The film begins with around 100 young female nurses stepping off a curb and walking past the camera on a residential street. The first set of young women in the group are the graduating class. They are wearing white graduation uniforms and nurses’ caps with black bands. Red corsages are pinned on their belts. The second set of young women are the junior nursing students. They are wearing navy nursing capes over their student nurses’ uniforms. The procession moves through Queen’s Park. A policeman on a motorcycle accompanies the group.

The next scene shows the women standing in line, chatting casually. Some hop about in excitement. The march then continues past some parked cars on King’s College Circle. A few of the women wave at the camera in passing. They are all smiling and some happily chatting as they walk to Convocation Hall.

The film then shows a graduate posing for the camera with her mother and father.

The film next cuts to the graduate nurses filing into rows inside Convocation Hall. Mrs. Charles McLean, president of the hospital board of governors, wearing a red dress, is shown at the podium on stage. Dorothy Macham, superintendent of the hospital, wearing a green dress, stands next to her and presents a school pin to a graduate. The film ends.