Temple in Bell County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Anna Laura Cole

Photographed by James Hulse, September 28, 2022

1. Anna Laura Cole Marker

Inscription. Anna Laura Cole was born on October 27, 1909 in the farming community of Turney, Texas. Cole finished high school and attended Lon Morris College for a year before enrolling at Scott & White School of Nursing in 1928. After graduating in 1931 as valedictorian, Cole was appointed assistant director of nursing education and then named as a nursing school instructor. In 1933, she became the director of both the nursing school and nursing services for the hospital and clinic at a difficult time for the medical institution and for the profession of nursing. Devastated by the Depression, Scott & White weathered many cutbacks while trying to maintain quality medical and nursing care. In 1933, Texas was experiencing a nursing shortage with one registered nurse for every 1,033 persons.

Despite the pressures of her post, Cole earned her bachelor of nursing education from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 1940, the first to receive a diploma in the new baccalaureate program. After WWII, Cole was instrumental in efforts to enhance nursing education and served on the state board of nurse examiners and the board of vocational nurse examiners. Under her guidance, schools of vocational nursing opened training and licensing vocational nurses under the highest standards. In addition to Cole's administration of the Scott & White Nursing

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School and her position on numerous medical and educational boards, Cole supervised a nursing dorm on campus and mentored many student nurses over the years. Cole retired in 1969 after 38 years with Scott & White and, over the course of her career, trained nearly 870 nurses. The foundations laid by Cole remain firm in the nursing profession, Bell County and across the state.

Erected 2013 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 17607.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Science & Medicine • Women. A significant historical date for this entry is October 27, 1909.

Location. 31° 4.71′ N, 97° 21.849′ W. Marker is in Temple, Texas, in Bell County. It is at the intersection of South 31st Street and Scott Blvd, on the right when traveling north on South 31st Street. The marker is located at the front entrance to the Baylor Scott and White Medical Center with several other THC historical markers. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2401 South 31st Street, Temple TX 76504, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Texas.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: George Valter Brindley, Sr., M.D. (here, next to this marker); Raleigh R. White, Jr., M.D. (here, next to this marker); Arthur Carroll Scott, Sr., M.D. (a few steps from this marker); Scott & White Hospital

The Anna Laura Cole Marker is the marker on the right of the markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, September 28, 2022

2. The Anna Laura Cole Marker is the marker on the right of the markers

(a few steps from this marker); Former Site of Scott & White School of Nursing (a few steps from this marker); Wilma Carlton (a few steps from this marker); Claudia Potter, M.D. (a few steps from this marker); Log Cabin Study of Dr. Arthur Carroll Scott (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Temple.

Also see . . . Nursing. Texas State Historical Association

Nursing has been practiced in Texas in a variety of forms, from the work of early lay nurses and midwives who performed their services in patients' homes to that of modern nurses with graduate degrees who work in a large variety of settings. In Texas, as elsewhere before the advent of formal nursing education, caring for the sick, injured, and women in childbirth was considered to be an integral part of the feminine role. By the very nature of the settlement of Texas and the scarcity of physicians, ill people were cared for by women in the household.

(Submitted on October 6, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

The view of all the THC markers in front of the hospital image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, September 28, 2022

3. The view of all the THC markers in front of the hospital

The Cole marker is the 1st marker from the right of the 8 THC markers.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 6, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 6, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 328 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 6, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.