U – Uniform 

Boston Children’s continuously operated its own training school for nurses from 1889 until 1978. It was one of the first of its kind in the nation. Students generally boarded at the hospital. 

The first uniform of the Children’s Hospital School of Nursing was a blue chambray dress with a full apron. As the 20th century progressed, the dress and its sleeves became shorter and made of more lightweight material, like this one, and the outfit came to include black tights and shoes. 

Probably the most important piece of the uniform was the cap – as more nurse training schools cropped up, they each developed their own iconic cap style, which provided a quick and simple way to recognize where a nurse had studied. Even after graduation, she would continue to wear her school’s cap no matter where she worked. 

Originally a white crinoline cap with pleating, Boston Children’s cap was updated to the recognizable square or “strawberry box” style in 1896 (see letter N) because it was easier to manufacture and launder. At this time a bib was also added to the uniform, as well as detachable cuffs that were to be worn when a doctor was on the ward.