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At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

 

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

 

The first time that Martha Hill knew she wanted to be a nurse, she was in the sixth or seventh grade. She did not have a television in her North Carolina mountain home, so she spent a lot of time reading books about women in different professional roles. One of these books was about nurses on horseback, similar to the Frontier Nursing Service midwives.

Martha attended nursing school at Berea College and remembers reading about FNS in her literature. In the summer of 1965, following her sophomore year of college, Martha traveled to Wendover to be a Courier.

At that time, Martha was halfway through nursing school, so she was able to take on more responsibilities than usual as a Nurse’s Aide in the hospital, while she was a Courier. She remembers working on the labor and delivery floor, where she had the opportunity to watch a few babies being born. She also worked on the postpartum floor and helped take care of the newborn babies, placing belly binders on them.

When she was not working at the hospitals, she did Courier work at two of the outpost clinics as well. Martha  helped to clean the clinics, exercised the clinic’s horses, and helped the nurses with whatever they needed. She remembers learning a lot while working at the outpost clinics.

Martha also had the opportunity to accompany nurses on home health visits. She recalls one particular visit when she went with the nurse to visit a woman who lived in a log cabin that was quite a distance away. The floor was made of dirt and there were newspaper on the walls to keep out the wind and rain.

“I thought it was practically like having no place to live. It was an eye opener for me at the time,” she recalls.

 

Martha remembers the patients as very pleasant to talk to because they always respected the nurses. The patients did not always share the medical information that the nurses wanted to know, but they were very friendly and talkative.

One of Martha’s most memorable experiences was when she was invited to meet Mary Breckinridge. She remembers being in awe of how much Mary Breckinridge gave up in her life to help the people of Eastern Kentucky.

Although Martha grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina, the mountains of Eastern Kentucky were very different. She reflects, “It was very much a learning experience for me in terms of exposure to the different parts of the country, different attitudes, and different ways of living in our country.”

After watching the midwives deliver many babies that summer, Martha was interested in becoming a midwife. Nevertheless, after finishing nursing school, she got married and decided not to go back to school to become a midwife. Later, however, Martha did receive a master’s degree in nursing with a focus on maternal and child health and became the head of a two-year nursing program at a community college.

Martha says that her experiences as a Courier not only influenced her in her professional career but also impacted her life in even greater aspects. “I think it made me appreciate all different kinds of people and their backgrounds, where they came from, what they believed in… It was a one of a kind experience–I never experienced anything else like it.”

 

 

At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

 

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

Cynthia heard about the Courier Program while she was in boarding school at Milton Academy in the tri-cities of New York. There were many connections to the Courier Program around the Boston area. The presentation was intriguing, but she did not decide to participate in the program until after she graduated from the University of Colorado. Cynthia graduated in the middle of the year, which allowed her the opportunity to travel to Wendover for 6 weeks in March of 1968 to serve as a Courier.

Cynthia was interested in this program for several reasons. First and foremost, she always had health care in the back of her mind, and she still does today. Also, she did not know what she was going to be doing after graduation, her participation in the Courier Program gave her time to sort this out. Additionally, in the summer prior to her participation in the Courier Program, Cynthia spent 6 weeks in Sierra Leone, Africa for a cross-roads program. Cynthia enjoyed taking these adventurous trips, and she was excited to take on her next adventure in the Courier Program.

As a Courier, Cynthia’s main duty was to attend home visits with the nurses. Although they tried to encourage the people of the region to go to the hospital or clinics, most preferred to remain in their own homes when receiving medical care. One of the most significant home visits for Cynthia was when a woman went into labor suddenly. Although Cynthia was not able to be in the room during the delivery, she listened in the next room, which was still exciting!

Riding horseback was something that was infamous for Couriers in years past. Prior to traveling to Wendover, Cynthia had ridden horses on several occasions but was not completely adept. However, it was something she enjoyed, and thus she was enthused to be able to spend time with horses during her service as a Courier. She took care of them, groomed them, and rode them as well.

In her free time as a Courier, Cynthia remembers driving the FNS jeeps up the creek beds, one of the most adventurous activities for her. Additionally, one day, she traveled to a small nearby town called Berea where she went to a museum and enjoyed the local crafters and people. One of her most memorable experiences during her free time was when she attended a church service in Venice in which there were many snakes used in its practice. She remembers it was somewhat frightening so she did not go back, but she was glad she was able to experience it.

After Cynthia’s various activities while exploring the area, she always enjoyed the hot, home-cooked meals at Wendover. “Those khaki pants kept getting tighter,” she recalls.  

After completion of the Courier Program, Cynthia got married, had children, and worked as a social worker for a number of years.  In 1999, she decided to return to school for Massage Therapy. Presently, she works in hospice care and thoroughly enjoys what she is doing. Although she had an interest in healthcare prior to the Courier Program, her time as a Courier confirmed her passions, and thus she has continued her career working in the healthcare field.

At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

 

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

 

Katharine More was a Courier in the summer of 1952. She does not remember how she learned of the program, but it was something that her and her family always had knowledge of. Katharine “was interested in doing something worthwhile, something that would be good for humanity.”

Katharine’s wish to do good for humanity started long before her participation in the Courier Program. In fact, she believes this is what inspired her to participate. When Katharine was just out of high school, she accepted a job with the Junior League in which she worked in social services. She led a group of girls who lived in a high poverty area just north of Boston. Katharine believes the Junior League may have been one of the places in which she learned more about Frontier Nursing Service, although she is not certain.  

Additionally, Katharine was excited about having the opportunity to work with horses. Her family owned a barn that housed several horses and a pony. She rode frequently along with her older sister, who won ribbons in horse shows and even rode with the mountain police. Horses were a big part of her life and she was excited about this aspect of the Courier Program.

Katharine spent her first week in Wendover taking care of the horses at Hyden Hospital. After this was done, the Couriers were able to help with whatever jobs were needed. As a Courier, Katharine took care of horses in the morning and spent the remainder of the day ferrying supplies and assisting the nurses.  

Katharine remembers the eagerness of her fellow Couriers to attend a “baby catching” trip with one of the midwives. She, however, did not share this same sense of eagerness as Katharine’s interest in simply doing something good for people. This was more of an interest than her interest in the healthcare aspect of the program.

One of the big assignments for the Couriers while Katharine was at Wendover was a 2-3 day trip to reach a horse and bring it back to Wendover. All of the Couriers were hopeful that they may be awarded this opportunity. In order to avoid favoritism, the Couriers had to decide amongst themselves who would take this trip. Katharine had been asked to stay an extra six week at Wendover so she decided to withdraw herself from this competition, but she recalls this trip was “the big prize” of the Courier Program.   

Katharine’s most enjoyable part of the Courier Program was learning about the culture of the region. “It was an education to see firsthand how some of those folks on the mountainsides lived in cabins…,” reflected Katharine. She particularly remembers learning about the coal mining business as a Courier, an industry she had no prior knowledge of. She recalls an incident where she saw an overturned coal truck, which sparked her interest to learn more about coal mining. As coal mining was an important business in the area, it provided insight into the local culture.

Katharine was very happy to be a part of the Courier Program and after reflecting about the program, she came to an important realization. She truly believes “what people bring to the experience has a lot to do with what they get out of it.” She put a lot into her experiences and time spent as a Courier, and she was confident that these efforts made an impact. She is thankful that the Courier Program legacy continues on with future generations of Couriers and advises them to follow this same advice!

 

At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

 

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

 

Mary White was a Courier at Wendover in the fall of 1976. She grew up in Mclean Virginia, close to Washington, D.C where many Courier alumni lived. She heard about the Courier Program from her next door neighbor, who was a Courier when Mary Breckinridge was alive. Mary loved horses, and the FNS horse-riding midwives captured her imagination.

Mary recalls her time as a Courier as largely unsupervised, perhaps due to the temporary lack of a Courier Coordinator.  Nonetheless, the Couriers found plenty of things to keep them busy. Several times a week, Mary drove the Frontier Nursing Service Jeeps to make deliveries.  She drove children to Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati, made house calls with FNS nurses, and rescued the garden below the big house that had long been buried in weeds.

In her spare time as a Courier, Mary learned to weave baskets from white oak splits, was introduced to Pentecostal church traditions, gained an appreciation for quilting and twig furniture, and was once permitted to ride deep into the coal mine around the corner from the Big House—an area littered with fossils.  She especially appreciated long conversations with Brownie and Kate Ireland over outstanding meals in the lovely old dining room in the Big House.

Mary has never forgotten her introduction to Appalachian culture, the health needs of the very poor, and coal country history and politics. While she didn’t know it at the time, in hindsight, this experience was clearly one of several that led her to a career in medical ethics and global health.  She is now in her twentieth year teaching in the medical school at Wright State University, in Dayton, Ohio.

At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.

 

In 1928, Mary Breckinridge, founder of Frontier Nursing University established the Courier Program, recruiting young people to come work in the Kentucky Mountains and learn about service to humanity. Couriers escorted guests safely through remote terrain, delivered medical supplies to remote outpost clinics, and helped nurse-midwives during home visits and births. Frontier has benefited tremendously from the 1,600 Couriers who have served since 1928.

 

Jane Hope was a Courier in the 1950s. She enjoyed her experiences so much that she returned to Wendover on several different occasions as a senior Courier. Her last visit to Wendover was in 1959. Her mother was a Courier in the 1920s, which largely influenced Jane to participate in the Courier Program as well.

 

In her first year as a Courier, Jane observed three births, one of which was a birth by cesarean section.  Jane often thinks back to these deliveries and compares them with her experiences giving birth to her own children at her local hospital. She wishes she would have been able to have a midwife during her pregnancies.

 

Jane has many fond memories of this first year she spent in Wendover and the people she encountered. Jane remembers fixing tea every afternoon and visiting with the other Couriers, a couple of whom were from England. They thoroughly enjoyed the time they spent together at Wendover.

 

One of the first years Jane returned, she was asked, along with a fellow Courier, to transport a young girl and her mother to the Cincinnati children’s hospital. On the way, the young girl’s mother began to grow anxious so they decided to stop at St. Joe’s in Lexington, which was much closer. Unfortunately, the little girl passed away prior to their arrival. Jane and the fellow courier had to transport the young girl’s body back to the hospital in Hyden, where one of the Frontier doctors was waiting with comforting words. Jane remembers being bothered by this occurrence for some time afterwards but was consoled by the love and comfort of those at Wendover.

 

The next time Jane was asked to transport someone to another hospital, she insisted that a nurse come along for the trip. They arrived safely in Cincinnati but never made it to the hospital. Jane had a friend who lived in the area so they were able to deliver the baby at her friend’s home. She remembers this trip going much more smoothly than the previous one.

 

In her free time during her Courier service, Jane took a bus to Richmond, KY. She remembers Richmond as “a wild and crazy place—the entryway into the mountains.”

 

Her experiences as a Courier made Jane a stronger person. She grew personally as her skills improved. Her love and fascination with the gift of midwifery and her respect for the mountain people were sparked during her time in Wendover. “Doing it made me love mountain people and care about that part of Kentucky… I did not think of mountain people as less. I admired that they were living in their own culture.”