Exercises for the first graduating class from Charity hospital's school of physical therapy were held at the hospital's auditorium last night.
Dr. E. L. Leckert, director of Charity hospital awarded certificates to Miss Georgie Carr, Mrs. Florence Fong, Miss Agnes Jones, Mrs. Jo Anne Thurman, Raymond Guidry, Donald Joiis-saint, Harry Landry and Lennes Tablot.
Dr. Nathan H. Polmer, medical director of the school, presided at the ceremonies and conferred a citation on Mrs. Marion B. Stewart for her 30 years service in the physical therapy department. Mrs. Stewart was the school's first technical director. 8 Graduates Introduced
Miss Sarah S. Rogers, the present technical director, introduced the eight graduates to Dr. Leckert. .
Miss Agnes Jones received the Nathan H. Polmer scholarship award for scholastic achievements during the 14-month course.
Dr. Polmer pointed out the eight graduates have all accepted positions in hospitals and six of them will serve in Louisiana hospitals where the shortage of physical therapists is more acute! than anywhere in the country. Positions Begging
"The graduate physical therapist," said Dr. Polmer, "will find that the position is seeking him. There are now 2500 vacancies in hospitals throughout the nation. "The national average is one physical therapist for every 32 thousand population. In Louisiana it is one per 68 thousand.
"The school here at Charity is the only one in the country that has deans of two medical schools —Tulane and LSU—on its advisory staff as well as faculty members at both schools on its teaching program.
"At present we have eight undergraduate students. We would like to see that enrollment increased by 100 per cent," Dr. Polmer said.
