By Mrs. Clareatha R. Laury Personal Story
My name is Clareatha (Robinson) Laury and I was a Girl Scout between the ages of 10-12 years old during World War II. The late Anna Dixon was my outstanding Scout Troop Leader in the early 1940’s in the historic Waverly community of Columbia, SC. She was a very spirited and energetic lady.
My troop was given an assignment to help our community. I walked door to door with a glass jelly jar collecting funds in the Waverly neighborhood to help build the Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital. The neighborhood streets were McDuffie Avenue, Manning Avenue, Youmans, Liberty Hill, House, Lady, Washington and Gervais streets. The hospital, at that time, was a large, white wooden house located on Hampton Street that served the Negro (African-American) segregated community.
I attended and graduated from the Licensed Practical Nursing classes in the large, white house behind the Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital. If you were married at that time, as I was, you attended
Mrs. Clareatha R. Laury classes at the Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital. If you were single, you attended classes at the segregated Negro (Africa -American) Columbia Hospital on Harden Street and lived in the dormitories.
My instructor and head nurse was the late Mrs. Lillian Crawford. She was a distinguished lady from Charleston, SC. My graduation exercise was held at First Nazareth Church on Gervais Street. My class photo was taken by the late Mr. George Elmore of Columbia, SC.
I went to the State House Chambers in Columbia, SC and took the State Nursing Board Exam to obtain my State License. Years later in 1957 at the age of 24, I was
employed at the Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital (the new red building that is currently standing) as a Licensed Practical Nurse. The cafeteria was located in the basement. The patient rooms were located on the first floor. The maternity ward, delivery room, nursery and surgical rooms were located upstairs.
All of the doctors and surgeons were Negroes (African-Americans). They included Dr. Chappelle, Dr. Stevenson, and Dr. Morgan. The distinguished and well capable nursing staff consisted of Mrs. Perry from Dillon: Mrs. Reeves of Irmo; Mrs. Barbara Woodward Myers of Eastover; Mrs. Sarah Robinson of Eastover; Mrs. Emma Stevenson, Mrs. Juanita Scott, Mrs. Catherine Marshall, Mrs. Thomasina Blakely and yours truly all of Columbia. I worked primarily in Pediatrics. The work atmosphere was very wholesome and we worked in harmony.
Now, at one month shy of being 86 years old, I am extremely delighted to see the Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital coming back to life after so many years! This is full circle for me. God is good!