Dorothy A. Mereness
Papers, 1910-1991
MC 55

Extent:3.5 linear feet

Provenance:Mereness, Dorothy A.

Access:This collection is unrestricted.

Citation:Dorothy A. Mereness 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. Dorothy Ann Mereness, R.N., Ed.D., F.A.A.N., was Dean of the School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania from 1965 to 1977 and a pioneer in the development of psychiatric nursing.

Born 1910 in Kearney, Missouri, Mereness started her career as an elementary school teacher in Las Animas, Colorado. However, in 1938 with "parental scorn", as Mereness later recalled, she resigned her position as sixth grade teacher to become a nurse, a profession that her father had earlier forbidden her to enter, and enrolled at the Frances Payne School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.

Only after two years at Case Western Reserve did Mereness's interest in psychiatric nurse develop. During the summer of 1940 she took psychiatric and communicable disease nursing. This class was among the first to use the textbook Psychiatry for Nurses by Dr. Louis L. Karnosh, a professor at Case Western Reserve and Director of the Psychiatric Division of Cleveland Hospital. Karnosh's work fascinated Mereness. She often traveled across town by public transportation to hear Karnosh's lectures, and she eventually became co-author and finally sole author of Karnosh's book. Even after Mereness stopped authoring the popular textbook, now in its thirteenth edition, the publishers kept her name as part of the title.

After graduating from Case Western Reserve in 1941, Mereness became Instructor of Psychiatric Nursing at City Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, a position that she accepted only after learning that Dr. Karnosh had recommended her. However, Mereness stayed at City Hospital for four years. The War Department listed her position as "essential," since few medical personnel were qualified to treat soldiers suffering from the traumas of war.

When the war ended, Mereness left Cleveland City Hospital to explore other professional opportunities. After a brief stay as Educational Director of a hospital-based nursing program, Mereness returned to psychiatric nursing, a specialty that she held to for the rest of her career. Mereness enrolled in the graduate psychiatric nursing program at the University of Pittsburgh, and became part of the faculty upon graduation. Later an innovative approach to psychiatric care at the Massachusetts Health Center, which involved nurse/patient therapeutic interactions, aroused her interest and on that account Mereness accepted a position at Boston University.

However, after only a year in Boston, Mereness left to pursue her doctoral studies at Teacher's College, Columbia University. During this period, Mereness co-wrote the graduate psychiatric nursing curriculum for New York University. Before even finishing her dissertation, Mereness became Head of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing at NYU. After ten years at the University, Mereness moved south to Philadelphia to be the Dean of the School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania.

Throughout her career, Mereness devoted herself to the full development of her chosen profession. From 1965-1969, she hired four black faculty members at Penn, a bold and imaginative action given the circumstances of the times. Mereness also strongly believed that it was essential to participate in nursing organizations. Even while serving as Dean, she chaired numerous committees of various nursing organizations including the National League for Nursing and Nurses' Educational Funds. After her retirement in 1977, Mereness continued her amazing volume of work. She served as Emeritus Professor at Penn until 1979, taught for a year part-time at Villanova University, and was Educational Advisor for the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing from 1981 to 1984. From March 1984 until just a year and a half before her death, Mereness served as Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Nurses' Association.

Mereness published more than 45 articles and books between 1951 and 1991. Her last article was published posthumously in Nursing Outlook. She was the recipient of many awards including distinguished alumni awards from every nursing program that she attended and honorary doctorate from Villanova and Holy Family College in Philadelphia. She was also honored by the American Nurses' Association, the Pennsylvania League for Nursing, and the Southeastern Pennsylvania League for Nursing. Mereness died at 80 at Chestnut Hill Hospital in Philadelphia after a brief illness during the Spring of 1991.

Summary. The Dorothy Ann Mereness collection consists of personal papers and institutional files. The personal papers document Mereness's professional development. Although largely incomplete, the organizational files show the extent of Mereness's involvement in the development of nursing at both regional and national levels.

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

Series I. Personal. This series contains Mereness's personal papers. It includes biographical information such as autobiographical writings, biographical sketches, resumes, obituary materials and newspaper clippings. Also included are Mereness's speeches and papers--mainly on the topics of the therapeutic role of nurses and nursing education--commencement addresses, awards, correspondence and programs in which she participated.

Series II. Organizational Files. This series contains materials of the organizations in which Mereness participated. They include the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, the National League for Nursing, the Pennsylvania League for Nursing Steering Committee for Continuing Education in Psychiatry, the Southeastern Pennsylvania League for Nursing, the Nurses' Educational Funds, the Pennsylvania Nurses' Association, the Pennsylvania Nurses' Association Commission on Nursing Practice, Pennsylvania Nurses' Association Conference Group on Psychiatric Nursing Practice, and Pennsylvania Nurses' Association District One. The series begins with the file of the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing. Perhaps the most important item in this section is a rewritten history of the School of Nursing prepared by Mereness. The rest of the School of Nursing's file includes a few annual reports, programs, correspondence and publications. The remaining organizations are arranged alphabetically with state and local chapters as well as committees attached as subseries to the parent institutions. Thus, Pennsylvania League for Nursing (PLN) is arranged as subseries to the National League for Nursing, the Southeastern PLN is created as a subseries of PLN, and the PLN Steering Committee for Education in Psychiatry, a committee to study psychiatric nursing education, is also a subseries of PLN.

Series III. Photographs. This series contains both personal and professional pictures of Mereness. Included are portraits and other individual pictures of Mereness, ceremonial photographs, group pictures, and pictures of Mereness's colleagues.

Series IV. Books, Tapes and Artifacts. This series contains collected books and cassette tapes and artifacts. The two books are Karnosh's A Psychiatrist's Anthology and Faddis's A School of Nursing Comes of Age. The two cassette tapes are the recordings of a speech by Gaylord P. Harnwell, former president of the University of Pennsylvania, and of a television advertisement for nursing. Among the artifacts are plaques and Mereness's Emeritus Professor medallion.

Series I. Personal, 1910-1991
Box 1

f.1 Autobiographical sketches, 1968-1991 (includes MS for Fifty Years of Nursing and an oral history transcript edited by Patricia D'Antonio, PhD)
f.2 Biographical sketches and resumes, 1976-1990
f.3 Birth certificate, 1910
f.4 Newspaper appearances, 1951-1985
f.5 Obituary materials and correspondence, 1991
f.6 Partial History of Mereness's family, undetermined date

f.7 The Therapeutic Role of the Nurse
"Factors Influencing the Psychiatric Nurse's Role and Function", c.1958
"Improving the Emotional Aspects of Nursing Care", c. 1958
"The Nurse's Role in the Rehabilitation of the Mentally Ill"c. 1958
"Understanding the Psychological Needs of Patients and Families", 1958
"Nurse as an Individual in a Changing World"c. 1968
"Psychiatric Nursing in Today's Hospitals", 1959
f.8 "The Relationship of Professional Nursing to the Care of the Aged",
1962
"Implications of the Full Professional Role of the Nurse", c. 1962
"Bibliotherapy: It's Use in Nursing Therapy", October, 1962
"The Potential Significant Role of the Nurse in Community Mental Health...", 1962
"What is Mental Health Content", 1963
"The Role of the Psychiatric Nurse in Therapy", 1963
"Improving Our Therapeutic Inter-personal Skills", June 1963
"The Role of the Nurse in Community Mental Health Centers", 1964
f.9 "The Nurse in the Psychiatric Setting", 1965
"Improving the Nurse's Therapeutic Potential in Psychiatric Situations",
1967
"The Nurse's Developing Role in Community Psychiatry", March 1967
"Evolving Roles for the Nurse in the Psychiatric Situation", March 1967
"Family Therapy: An Evolving Role for the Psychiatric Nurse", April, 1967
"Psychotherapeutic Nursing", May 1967
"Take a Look at Your Self Image and the Effects on Your Nursing Practice", June 1965
"Your Self-Image and Your Practice", January, 1966
"The Practice of Therapeutic Nursing in the Clinical Setting and in the Community", July 1967
"The Nurse as an Individual Caring for the Alcoholic Patient", September 1967
"Identifying and Determining Patient Needs", March 1968
"The Image of the Professional Nurse", March 1969
"Maintenance of Optimum Mental Health...", March 1969
"Nursing-One Step Toward Total Individuality", October 1969
f.10 "The Potential Contribution of Nursing in Solving the Health Care Crisis", April 1972
"The Nurses' Role in Primary Care", March 1975
"The Psychiatric Patient's Right to Know, April 1976
"The Nurse's Use of Interpersonal Relationships as a Therapeutic Tool", November 1978

f.11 "Education for Meeting Changing Responsibilities in Psychiatric Nursing", 1964
"The Dynamics of Teacher-Learner Relationships", May 1965
"Your Education-Your Future", May 1966
"Providing a Democratic Educational Climate", June 1966
"The Nurse Faculty Member in a Diploma School Can Teach in a College Program", November 1968
"The Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs," May 1971
"Baccalaureate Education in Nursing", 1971
"An Overview of the Educational Opportunities Available to Nurses in the Middle Years", November 1974
"History of Nursing Educational Patterns and the Impact...", April 1974
"What Has Happened to the Philosophy of Integrating Mental Health Concepts into the Basic Curriculum", May 1976
"Evaluation and Research for Improved Graduate Education Curriculum...", February 1977
"Graduate Education, as One Dean Sees It",October 1975
"Meeting Health Care Needs Through Graduate Education in Nursing",
August 1977

Box 2

f.12 "Nursing Travels the Road to Professional Maturity" c. 1959
"The Hospital Administrator's Role in Improving Patient Care, 1960
"Problems and Issues in Contemporary Psychiatric Nursing", 1964
"Looking Ahead at Psychiatric Nursing", 1966
"Psychiatric Nursing-Today and Tomorrow", October 1966
"The Dynamics of Change", October 1966
"The Changing Situation in the Health Care Picture", November 1970
"A Look at the Future with the Zodiac Nurse", November 1970
f.13 "Psychiatric Nursing: Past, Present and Future", October 1972
"The Growth of the Physician's Assistant and its Effect Upon Professional Nursing", 1972
"Historical Perspective: Nursing in the Twenty-first Century", April 1977
f.14 Commencement addresses, 1952-1982
f.15 Sigma Theta Tau, National Honor Society for Nurses, speeches, 1960- 1973
f.16 Mereness remarks introducing colleagues, 1971-1984
f.17 Miscellaneous speeches and papers, 1960-1977

f.18 Reports on visits to foreign countries, 1977
f.19 Textbook foreword, 1990
f.20 Miscellaneous writings, 1977-1990

f.21 Award citations, 1976-1985
f.22 Awards and certificates, 1952-1987
f.23 "Earned" diplomas, 1930-1956
ffile 5 Masters of Nursing diploma and Five certificates, 1948-1985
f.24 Nursing and Teaching Certificates, 1930-1936
f.25 University of Pennsylvania Emeritus Professor of Nursing certificate, 1979

Box 3
f.26 University of Pittsburgh Distinguished Alumni Award certificate, 1979
f.27 Villanova University Honorary Doctorate degree, 1978

f.28 Awards, 1968-1984
f.29 Congratulatory notes, 1965-1981
f.30 General (personal), 1940-1989
f.31 General (Professional), 1965-1987
f.31a Correspondence with American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 1989
f.32 Karnosh, Louis J., M.D., 1952-1955
f.33 Letters of recommendations for Mereness, 1930-1978
f.34 Letters of references written by Mereness, 1965-1984
f.35 Letters of resignation, 1938-1983
f.36 Professional appointments, 1964-1984
f.37 Publications of articles, 1965-1981

f.38 May 1, 1976-May 31, 1976
f.39 June 1, 1976-January 1977
f.40 Speaking engagements, 1964-1978
f.41 Thank you notes, 1960-1984

Box 4

f.42 List of some important dates in Mereness's life, 1990
f.43 List of Mereness's addresses from 1933-1991, 1991
f.44 Student records, 1941-1956
f.45 Tributes, 1976-1985
f.46 Teacher's College, Columbia University, bulletin, 1956
f.47 Materials from graduate education psychiatric nursing conferences in which Mereness participated, 1967, 1970
f.48 Critique of Mereness's textbook foreword, 1984
f.49 Materials from Mereness's fiftieth anniversary high school reunion, 1978
f.50 Information on Mereness's colleagues, 1971-1984
f.50a Teaching position at Villanova University, 1980
f.51 Financial materials, 1964-1965
f.52 Collected poems
f.53 Collected business cards
f.54 List of Mereness's Papers sent to Boston University

f.55 Commencements which Mereness addressed, 1952-1979
f.56 Conferences in which Mereness participated, 1965-1985
f.57 Events honoring Mereness, 1965-1985

Series II. Organizational Files, 1941-1987

f.1 Rewritten text of History of School of Nursing prepared by Mereness, 1987
f.2 Annual Reports, 1965-1971
f.3 Dean's report, 1976
f.4 "State of the School" address by Mereness, 1975
f.5 Correspondence, 1974, 1984
f.6 News clippings, 1979
f.7 Poem read by Mereness to graduating class of 1972, 1972
f.8 Programs, 1968-1976
f.9 "The Vision", nursing school yearbook, 1972
f.10 Brochure: "Doctor of Nursing Science at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing", c.1980

f.11 List of the board of directors
f.12 Programs, 1974-1975
f.13 Publications-newsletters, 1968-1979

f.14 Bylaws, 1963
f.15 Minutes, 1967, 1974

f.16 "Clinical Roles of the Professional Nurse", 1970
f.17 "Preparation of the Professional Nurse for Future Roles", 1971
f.18 "The Shifting Scene for Strength", 1967
f.19 Accredited nursing programs, 1973, 1976
f.20 List of steering committee and members, 1963, 1967
f.21 Materials appraising graduate programs, 1968-1969
f.22 "The Nurse Practitioner at the Baccalaureate Level", statement prepared by Mereness for committee discussion, 1973
f.23 Papers presented before the Higher Education Council, 1962-1971
f.24 Requirements for National League for Nursing accredited nursing programs, 1973

f.25 "Aims of Professional Education", 1972
f.26 Brochures appraising graduate programs, 1969-1972
f.27 Brochure: "Doctoral Programs in Nursing", 1973
f.28 National League for Nursing News, 1970

Box 5

f.29 Bylaws, 1974-1976
f.30 Annual reports, 1972-73, 1975-1976
f.31 Minutes, 1973-1974
f.32 Resolutions, 1972
f.33 Financial statements, 1973-74
f.34 Correspondence, 1973-74
f.35 List of the Board of Directors, officers and committee chairpeople, 1970
f.36 National League for Nursing guidelines for constituent members, 1972- 1973
f.37 Program of statewide conference, 1972
f.38 Publications: news bulletins, 1973, 1976

f.39 Minutes and meeting agendas, 1973-1974
f.40 Correspondence, 1973-1974
f.41 List of members

f.42 Minutes, 1973-1976
f.43 "Report of the Statistical Survey", 1973
f.44 Correspondence, 1974
f.45 List of officers and members of the board, 1973-1977
f.46 Membership Directory, January 1976
f.47 Nursing administrative staff directory, 1973
f.48 Scholarship awarded, 1975
f.49 Student nursing associations, mailing list, 1976

f.50 Bylaws, 1968, 1975
f.51 Annual reports, 1965-1968
f.52 Minutes, 1966-1983
f.53 Meeting agendas, 1975-1976
f.54 Fact Sheet, 1976

f.55 Contributions received, 1976
f.56 Edith Pritchard Trust Fund materials, 1976-1984
f.57 Financial Statements, 1975-1976

f.58 Board membership, 1970-1984
f.59 Donations, 1971-1976
f.60 Financial, 1970-1976
f.61 General, 1970-1984
f.62 List of the board, 1970,1974
f.63 News releases, 1975-1976
f.64 Operational procedures for committee, 1983
f.65 Publications: Brochure, "Help Nurses Help Themselves", c. 1978

Box 6

f.66 Bylaws
f.67 History written by Mereness, 1978
f.68 Report: "PNA's Position on Professional Nursing Practice", 1972
f.69 Publication: "The Pennsylvania Nurse", 1972-1984

f.70 Minutes, 1972-1973

f.71 American Nursing Association report to constituent members, 1973
f.72 "Nursing Education within Pennsylvania", 1972
f.73 Responses to chairman's assignments to committee members, 1972
f.74 Correspondence, 1973-1974
f.75 List of steering committee

f.76 Bylaws and statement of purpose, 1970
f.77 History written by Mereness,
f.78 Annual Reports, 1965-1969
f.79 Minutes, 1964-1973

f.80 Reports to the Board of Directors, 1965-1966
f.81 Report of the Task Force to the Psychiatric Conference Group, 1966
f.82 Second annual conference survey, questionnaires and results, 1966
f.83 Correspondence, 1965-1973
f.84 Handwritten notes by Mereness, c.1970
f.85 List of members
f.86 Papers presented at the sixth annual spring conference, 1970
f.87 Procedure statement on resolution, 1965
f.88 Programs, 1966-1972

f.89 "Convention Newsletter", 1966
f.90 "The Newsletter" 1968-1972

f.91 History written by Mereness, 1987
f.92 Reports c.1985
f.93 Publication: newsletter, "The Philadelphia Nurse", 1978-1991

Box 7

f.94 American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Twentieth anniversary report and newsletter, 1989
f.95 American Association of Deans of Colleges and University Schools of Nursing, resolution, October, 1970
f.96 Boston University Mugar Memorial Library materials, minutes, correspondence, publications, etc., 1972-1973
f.97 Cleveland City Hospital, information booklet, 1941
f.98 College of Physicians of Philadelphia, organizational structure, 1976-1977

f.99 Definition, purpose and objective, 1970-1972
f.100 Materials on Pennsylvania's (Mereness's) contribution to report, 1972
f.101 Position statement, 1970
f.102 "Statement on Report of the National Commission for the Study of Nursing and Nursing Education", 1971
f.103 Summary report and recommendation, 1970

f.104 1970
f.105 1970

f.106 Undetermined dates and 1959-1960
f.107 Spring 1961-1962
f.108 Fall 1962-Spring 1963
f.109 Fall 1963-Spring 1964
f.110 Fall 1964-Spring 1965
f.111 Report: "Function of the Consultant", 1960
f.112 Publication: Brochure, 1964
f.113 Nursing Research, list of editorial advisory committee, 1967
f.114 "Perspectives in Psychiatric Care", magazine, 1964, 1968, 1983

f.115 Correspondence, 1965-1976
f.116 Program, 1953, 1984
f.117 Publication: Newsletters, 1979-1979
f.118 Teacher's College, Columbia University, Nursing Education Alumni Association, annual report, 1975-1976

f.119 Approved certified registered nursing programs in Pennsylvania, 1990
f.120 "Directory of Nurses with an Earned Doctoral Degree", 1969

Series III. Photographs, 1928-1990
Box 8

p.1 High school graduation picture, 1928
p.2 c.1932
p.3 Frances Payne School of Nursing graduation picture 1941
p.4 c.1950
p.5 1952
p.6 1965
p.6.1 1965
p.6.2 1965
p.6.3 1965
p.6.4 1965
p.6a Official Portrait as dean of school of nursing at Penn, [1965-1977]
p.7 1990

p.8 At desk, City Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio c.1945
p.8.1 ditto
p.8.2 ditto
p.9 Speaking at a workshop at Tuskeegee, Visiting Association, 1963
p.10 At desk in the Dean's office, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 1965
p.11 Standing in business suit, 1966
p.12 Conducting a workshop from a podium, Topeka, Kansas, March, 1968
p.13 Conducting a workshop from a podium with shot of audience, Topeka, Kansas, March 1968
p.14 Dressed for the Silver Anniversary of the School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, May 1975
p.14.1 Ditto
p.15 Sitting at a table c. 1978
p.16 Sitting at a desk at the House of Delegates of the American Nurses' Association, 1984
p.17 Sitting at desk at the office of the State Board of Nurse Examiners in Harrisburg, 1984

p.18 Mereness with Barbara Schutt and Elizabeth Cleino at the Sigma Theta Tau Tea, 1965
p.19 Mereness and Juanita Watson, Chairman of the Silver Anniversary Committee, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, with a University chair, May 1975
p.20 Mereness with Evelyn Barnett, 1976 president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, receiving past A.A.C.N.president citation, 1976
p.21 Mereness receiving Honorary Degree from Villanova University, May 1978
p.22 Mereness holding Honorary Degree while talking to Villanova administrator, May 1978
p.23 Mereness talking to two Villanova administrators upon receiving Honorary Degree, May 1978
p.24 Mereness with other recipients of the Honorary Degree from Villanova, May, 1978
p.25 Receiving Honorary Recognition for Distinguished Service Award, Pennsylvania Nurses' Association, September 1978
p.26 Mereness receiving Distinguished Contribution to Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Award, American Nurses' Association, June 1984
p.26.1 Ditto
p.27 Mereness receiving an Honorary Membership into the American Academy of Nursing, 1984
p.27.1 Ditto
p.28 Mereness greeting guess at a dinner celebrating her Honorary membership into the American Academy of Nursing, 1984
p.29 Mereness with colleague at fiftieth anniversary dinner, School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Spring 1990

p.30 Head nurses at City Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, and Mereness, who taught psychiatric nursing, 1942
p.30.1 Ditto
p.31 Mereness surrounded by New York University students, 1964
p.32 Mereness sitting at table with School of Allied Medical Profession administrators, May 1970
p.33 Past officers of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, October 1976
p.34 Mereness with members of the Class of 1941, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve, fortieth anniversary reunion, 1981
p.34.a-c Mereness at the dinner party in honor of her 80th birthday, 1990

p.35 Lira Eldridge, Boulder, Colorado, August 1978
p.36 Elinor Hule in front of closed garage on snowy day, Christmas, 1989
p.37 Hildegard E. Peplau, 1930
p.38 Hildegard E. Peplau and grand nephew, David Erich Garden, 1982, 1984, 1989
p.30 Miriam Stuzman Schibler, December 1989
p.40 Dr. Margretta Styles, former President of the American Nurses' Association, 1986-1988, and former Dean, School of Nursing, University of California at San Francisco
f.1 Miscellaneous photographs, 1960-1984
f.2 Negatives, 1945, 1976

Series IV. Books, Tapes and Artifacts, 1935-1989
Box 9

Karnosh, Louis, M.D. A Psychiatrist's Anthology, 1935, presented as gift to Mereness, October, 1940
Faddis, Margene. A School of Nursing Comes of Age, 1973, signed copy from author to Mereness, 1973

Ad for Nurses for television, 1981
Gaylord Harnwell, President of the University of Pennsylvania, addressing Council of Deans, 1965
Scotch recording tape from President of the University of Pennsylvania to Dean Mereness

Four plaques
One Emeritus Member medallion from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing
Framed Certificate of Recognition, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 1976

Home | Overview | Collections | Research | Chronicle | Gallery | Spotlight | Link to Learning | Membership

School of Nursing | University of Pennsylvania