Hello, let me introduce myself, my name is Faye Smedley. I am a mother, a grandmother, a nurse and a teacher. I love, and loved, all these roles.
Three Roles of my Life
On this page I will only be addressing the educational and working aspects of my life.
Education and Work
EDUCATION
The Greater Niagara General School of Nursing Niagara Falls, Ontario
GRADUATION DAY 1960
A very happy day!
How My Working Life leads to Higher Education
My working life begins in 1969. The children are now at school Julie Anne full time James half time. I feel like I want to work. At this time a newspaper ad caught the attention of my dad, who was determined it would be a great job for me. It was a teaching job at Alexander Henry High School an alternate school for students having difficulties learning. The course was Home Care and Hospital Services. I applied for the job and I was hired under a Letter of Permission.
I loved teaching these students. It was easy at times and difficult at times and confrontational at times especially. at first. In a short time the students eventually accepted that they had to learn to iron, they had to learn to read a recipe, they had to learn to clean up the kitchen after they cooked. After a short period I added sewing to the course as I felt that some of the students would benefit from the skill of sewing. Some days when a class came in I could sense that this was not a day for lessons, but for sharing. I would take the class to the back of the room where I had a comfortable area to sit and talk. The wood making class had made couches and chairs for my class. My students made the cushions in sewing class.
The Trip to Toronto
Wishing to expose the students to different experiences I, with the permission of the school, offered the students a trip to Toronto. 10 students chose to take the trip. In order for this trip to occur the students had to raise the money. The raised the money by having bake sales and other events. Thanks to Louise Saunders my sister-in-law we had a place to stay for free. In a few weeks we boarded the Greyhound bus and headed to Toronto for a week. The students and I spent the week experiencing museums, Art Galleries and city life. We even had our picture taken on a Moore Sculpture.
Modeling for Stedman’s Department Store
Another experience the students had during the year I was there was modeling, for Stedman’s department store. My own children also modeled. It was so much fun for everyone, but of course they were very nervous. They did a fine job. Stedman’s was very pleased with their performance.
My year at Alexander Henry is Over
Unfortunately, I was hired to teach with a Letter of Permission as I did not have a teaching degree, the school had to advertise my position, at the end of the school year. Alas, a nurse with a teaching degree applied for my job. I must say principal and staff were sad that I was having to leave, as I sure was.
Working for the Board of Education
So the following school year I did supply teaching for the Board of Education Sault Ste. Marie. I supply taught at lot at Alexander Henry and at several schools across the city. I quite enjoyed it. I had a bag of psychological puzzles I would give a class if the teacher did not leave any lessons.
Nursing Calls Me
In time I decided that I should be nursing. After all I had spent 3 years learning and was a registered nurse. So I applied and was hired right away at the Plummer Memorial Hospital, even though I had worked at the General Hospital right after I graduated until I got married. My husband an architect had worked on the Plummer Hospital so I decided to apply there. Much as I enjoyed working at the bedside, I decided that I had really wanted to teach. I decided that I should find out what I would need to teach in the nursing programme. Of course they wanted a degree. Preferably a BSCN, we had no University here that offered this, but, I felt a university degree would be good for me and in 1969 I was accepted at Algoma University, where after 2 years full time and several years part time I earned my degree in psychology and English. I applied to Sault College to teach in their nursing programme and I was hired. YEH!
Algoma University
In 1989 nursing was requiring that all nurses have a degree in nursing the BSCN. This required that I go to university. Fortunately Lake State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan offered this degree as a two year programme. I was so lucky that I was able to do the course in one year as they accepted all the courses I had taken at Algoma University. I graduated with a 3.9 percent and a Cum De Lada graduate.
Sault College Nursing Professor
I am the nurse in the blue uniform and the big orange glasses. My first clinical group at Tender Care Nursing Home in 1970.
Retirement 2000
Retirement allowed me more time for sailing and sunbathing on the Beach at our cottage at Batchawana Bay. I also found I enjoyed researching my ancestors.
I have a passion for history..
Retiring from my nursing career has given me time to examine a very old photograph album with pictures of my ancestors from the 1800s. I have studied these photographs and the relationships of the people in them. I researched them on Ancestry’s and My History’s websites. After learning about these families I wanted to share with my family. This resulted in developing this website.
As there are many talented people in my family and the fact that I have an abundance of pictures of them I have added them to the website.
I am hoping that my family will take advantage of this website and enjoy learning what I have found out about these long gone people.
