Theresa I. Lynch
Papers, 1896-1986
MC 102

Extent:1.4 linear feet

Provenance: Brunner, Lillian S. (Donor)

Access: This collection is unrestricted.

Citation: Theresa I. Lynch Papers, Center for the Study of the History of Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania

Sponsorship: This collection was processed with funds provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission as part of the Nursing History Processing and Cataloging Project.

Biographical Sketch. Theresa I. Lynch (1896-1994), R.N., Ed.D was an educator, administrator, practitioner, and author whose foresight, determination, and confidence to fight the conservative establishment enabled her to become a pioneer in the development of the nursing profession.

Lynch was born in a family of five children in Winchester, Virginia, on August 9, 1896. Her father was a lawyer and her mother a "great social and civic leader". With objections from her parents, who believed that nursing was inappropriate for "a lady", Lynch chose nursing as her career and earned a diploma in nursing from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania training school in 1920. Her experience in nursing combined with an earlier degree in education enabled Lynch to become director of nursing at the Willard Parker Hospital of Communicable Diseases in New York. Lynch later left Willard to become director of an innovative new program at New York University which focused on the teaching of nursing theory. After six years at NYU, Lynch was recruited by her alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania to direct its nursing program. In this capacity, Lynch completely reorganized the nursing program. She was instrumental in the establishment of the School of Nursing as a Division of Medical Affairs in 1944. Lynch, however, was not satisfied with the arrangement. She fought the male-dominated leadership that was opposed to an independent school of nursing. Lynch won the battle. In 1950 an independent School of Nursing was founded at the University of Pennsylvania, and Lynch was immediately named its dean.

Lynch recognized the value of publications as evidenced by her textbook, Communicable Diseases Nursing, which has been translated into different languages including Japanese. She also co-authored Poliomyelitis with Landow and Smith. The Dean, who was always meticulously groomed, had a special interest in people who suffer from communicable diseases. Even in the course of preparing her textbook, she found time to travel to New York one day a week to practice at Willard Parker.

Lynch was also active in state and local branches of the American Nurses Association and the National League for Nursing. She held various titles, including one as Chair of the First Committee on Careers for the National League of Nursing, a role she handled splendidly for several years. Among her honors, she has been listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who of American Women, and received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Nurses' Alumni Association of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Lynch retired her position as Dean of the School of Nursing in 1965. Later she started a nursing school at Widener University. After her official retirement in 1972, she moved to Washington D.C, where she stayed until she was too ill to live by herself. In 1980 she moved to Saunders House, a retirement home in suburban Philadelphia, where she remained until her death in 1994.

Summary. The Theresa Lynch papers consist of personal correspondence, speeches, awards, biographical sketches, and photographs. Information on the University of Pennsylvania's Nursing School, however, makes up the bulk of the collection. The institutional files include accounts of the early history of the nursing school, many written by Lynch herself, minutes, reports, information on the school's curriculum, correspondence, publications including course bulletins. The collection also include materials of the National League for Nursing and the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

Series Description. This collection has been arranged into four series:

Series I. This series contains Lynch's personal papers such as her resume, biographical sketches, correspondence, speeches, awards, and diplomas.

Series II. This series contains Lynch's photographs from childhood to later years. It also includes pictures of Lynch's parents and photos taken with colleagues and associates.

Series III. This series contains materials of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing. It begins with a history of the School of Nursing since its inception as a training school at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 1886. The early part of the history comes from journal articles while the later part is partially typed or handwritten by Lynch herself. Another history file is an interview with Lynch on the history of the school between 1944-65. Also included in the series are an operating statement of the School for 1952-54, minutes, annual reports, curriculum, programs, correspondence, information on the School's alumni, and publications.

Series IV. This series contains materials of other organizations, among them the National League for Nursing and the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. The League files include guidelines, questionnaires and recommendations by the League. There are also reports both by the League and the University of Pennsylvania's Nursing School on the issue of accreditation of Penn's Nursing School. Also included are the League's correspondence with Penn and a publication entitled Criteria for the Appraisal of Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs in Nursing. The College of Physicians file includes a 1974 project sponsored by the College to promote the writing of the history of nursing in Philadelphia.

Series V. This series is comprised of three artifacts: Lynch's HUP school pin class of 1920; a thermometer with silver case, and Lynch's personal leather bound copy of Communicable Disease Nursing (1947).

Series I. Personal, 1921-1986
Box 1
f.1 Biographical information, 1956-1984
f.2 Newspaper articles on Lynch, c. 1955 and 1985
f.3 Personal correspondence, 1946-82

f.4 1969-79
f.5 1980-86
f.6 Speeches, 1965-1975
ffile 5 Three diplomas, 1921-1944
f.7 Pennsylvania Certificate of Record for the practice of nursing, 1950
f.8 Awards, 1965-1980
f.9 Letters nominating Lynch for awards, 1980
f.10 Nursing school yearbook, 1920

Series II. Photographs, c.1898-1985
Box 2
p.1 Mother of Theresa Lynch
p.2 Father of Theresa Lynch
p.3 Father of Theresa Lynch

p.4 c.1900
p.5 c.1912
p.6 c.1912
p.7 c.1915
p.8 c.1928
p.9 c.1950
p.10 1971
p.11 Theresa Lynch and fellow nurses holding three children in cart, ca. 1920
p.12 University of Pennsylvania, Luncheon for Emeritus Professors, 1965
p.13 Distinguished Award Recipient, Nurses Alumni Association, Theresa Lynch, 1971
p.14 "Nurse and Friend", Lynch in retirement home, 1988
f.1 Miscellaneous photographs, c.1965-1985

Series III. School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 1931-1985
Box 3
f.1 History, 1935-1975
f.2 School of Nursing, Division of Medical Affairs, 1944-65, Interview with Lynch, c.1970
f.3 Operating Statement, 1952-1954
f.4 Minutes, 1931-1964
f.5 Annual reports, 1942-48.
f.6 Biennium report, 1950-52.
f.7 Annual reports, 1954-64
f.8 Reports recommending the reorganization of the School of Nursing, 1931-35
f.9 Report of the Committee on Policy and Planning to the Educational Council re: establishment of a Nursing School, 1944

f.10 pp. 1-111.
f.11 pp. 112-237
f.12 pp. 238-end

f.13 Development Needs in Medical Affairs Area, School of Nursing, 1965
f.14 Differentiation Between the Basic Baccalaureate Program and the Associate Degree Program 1957-1958.
f.15 Information on curriculum, 1935-63
f.16 Programs, 1917 and 1975
f.17 Correspondence, 1935-65, 1985
f.18 Information on alumni, c.1962, 1970
f.19 Information on faculty, 1948-1980
f.20 Information on faculty retirement benefits, c.1975
f.21 Guidelines for nursing programs and projects, 1968

Box 4

f.22 Course bulletins, 1951-58
f.23 Course bulletins, 1958-1964
f.24 School of Nursing Basic Baccalaureate Program, c. 1960
f.25 School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, newsletter, winter, 1964
f.26 Brochure: Become a member of the Theresa Lynch Society, 1985

f.27 Program, 1966
f.28 Newsletters, January, 1972, winter 1981 and Fall 1985

f.29 Publication: Statues of the Corporation, 1959

f.30 Bicentennial of Medical Education in the United States, 1965
f.31 An Account of the Late John Morgan, 1965

Series IV. Other Organizations, 1957-1976

f.1 Review of Program for Public Health Nursing Accreditation, 1957
f.2 Progress Report to Collegiate Board of Review Department of Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs, 1958
f.3 Report: Collegiate Broad of Review questionnaire for accreditation and Penn's response, 1963
f.4 Report of Visit for Accrediting Purposes to the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, 1963

f.5 pp. 1-118
f.6 pp. 119-204 and Exhibit A
f.7 Correspondence, 1954-1960
f.8 Publication: Criteria for the Appraisal of Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs in Nursing, 1967

f.9 A Bicentennial Project of the Mutter Museum and Library College of Physicians of Philadelphia, include minutes of meeting and correspondents for the 1974 project, 1974-76
f.10 Brochure: The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Founded 1787

f.11 The College of Nursing of the Crozer Foundation, program, 1968
f.12 Sigma Theta Tau, National Honor Society of Nursing, newsletter, 1982
f.13 Membership Handbook: A Guide for Membership Chairman, 1966

Series V. Artifacts, 1920-1947
Box 5
Lynch's HUP school pin class of 1920; a thermometer with silver case, and Lynch's personal leather bound copy of Communicable Disease Nursing (1947).

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