Eloise Lewis
Encyclopedia
Eloise Patricia Ralling Lewis (1920-1999) was the first dean of the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
.
, in 1920. She was the fourth daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J. Monroe Rallings, a country medical practitioner and a college speech teacher, respectively. Lewis graduated from Pageland High School in 1936 and continued her education at Winthrop College in Rock Hill
, South Caroliona. After two years, she transferred to Vanderbilt University
in Nashville
, Tennessee
. She graduated from the hospital program there in 1941.
. She served as an instructor and supervisor of medical-surgical nursing there from 1941 to 1943. For the next two years, until 1945, she served as an instructor at Johns Hopkins University
in Baltimore
, Maryland
.
and became the assistant director of the Cadet Nurse Corps
at the Valley Forge General Hospital in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. In December 1945, she was discharged with the rank of first lieutenant.
in 1951. While there, from 1946 to 1952, she worked as a faculty member. In 1953, Lewis joined the faculty of the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
, remaining a professor there until 1966. While there she received a doctorate in education from Duke University
. In 1966, Lewis became the first dean of the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina a Greensboro. She retired in 1985.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master's and 26...
.
Education
Eloise Patricia Rallings Lewis was born in Pageland, South CarolinaSouth Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, in 1920. She was the fourth daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J. Monroe Rallings, a country medical practitioner and a college speech teacher, respectively. Lewis graduated from Pageland High School in 1936 and continued her education at Winthrop College in Rock Hill
Rock Hill
Rock Hill is the name of some places in the United States of America:* Rock Hill, South Carolina, fourth largest city in South Carolina, population 70,000* Rock Hill, Missouri, small city in Missouri, population 5,000...
, South Caroliona. After two years, she transferred to Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. She graduated from the hospital program there in 1941.
Early eareer
Lewis began her medical career as a faculty member of the Women's Medical College School of Nursing in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. She served as an instructor and supervisor of medical-surgical nursing there from 1941 to 1943. For the next two years, until 1945, she served as an instructor at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
.
Military service
In the spring of 1945, Lewis enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps. She completed basic training at Fort Lee in VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and became the assistant director of the Cadet Nurse Corps
Cadet Nurse Corps
The Cadet Nurse Corps Program was supervised by the United States Public Health Service to train nurses during World War II. After America entered the war, the demand for nurses increased dramatically, outstripping the supply and creating a shortage....
at the Valley Forge General Hospital in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. In December 1945, she was discharged with the rank of first lieutenant.
Later education and career
Lewis received a master's degree in education from the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in 1951. While there, from 1946 to 1952, she worked as a faculty member. In 1953, Lewis joined the faculty of the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, remaining a professor there until 1966. While there she received a doctorate in education from Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
. In 1966, Lewis became the first dean of the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina a Greensboro. She retired in 1985.
Service work
Lewis was active in the Greensboro community and professional organizations through her career and after retirement. From 1978 to 1980, she served as the president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. During the mid-eighties, she worked as the first editor of the Journal of Professional Nursing. Lewis was active with hospice care in the Greensboro area, and received awards for her contributions to the nursing field, including four honorary degrees.External links
- Finding Aid for the Eloise P. Lewis Papers at the University of North Carolina at GreensboroUniversity of North Carolina at GreensboroThe University of North Carolina at Greensboro , also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master's and 26...