Founded in 1893, the Henry Street Settlement was among the wave of Progressive Era social reform organizations developed in response to industrialization, poverty, and urban overcrowding. Situated in the heart of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the Henry Street Settlement developed a wide range of social service initiatives, including its pioneering Visiting Nurse Service, committed to providing public health education and quality care to all. In 1944, the Visiting Nurse Service became its own independent organization. Still flourishing today, the Visiting Nurse Service of New York continues Wald’s vision of bringing high-quality and affordable health care to New York City’s five boroughs and several surrounding counties.
This recently rediscovered collection of films (the earliest dating to 1924) demonstrates how the Visiting Nurse Service used moving images to achieve its fundraising, promotional, and educational objectives, and serves as an authentic cinematic record of the evolution of 20th century New York.
The paper collection of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York is held at the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.
Fraternally Yours ; Fraternally Yours ; Mrs Charles Brown ; Tribute to Lillian Wald ; No Call Unanswered (1940)
(VNSNY A039 – USC I087433)
1 – Fraternally Yours – Better than Money Can Buy (Program 2 Series 2) 14:30
2 – Fraternally Yours – Three Isn’t A Crowd (Program 3 Series 2) 14:30
3 – Address – Charles S. Brown 11:15am WMCA 5/14/1940 14:00
4 – Tribute to Lillian D. Wald (from Carnegie Hall) 12/1/1940 WQXR 6 – 6:25pm Part 1 of 2 only
5 – No Call Unanswered 10/16/1949 10:45 – 11:00 pm WOR 15:00
VNSNY PSA Kitty Carlisle (1975)
(VNSNY A031/A046/A049 – USC I087226/I087230/I087228)
10 second PSA w/ Kitty Carlisle (Multiple Copies)
VNSNY Hospice
(VNSNY A035 – USC I087438)
Tape simply labeled Hospice
MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH AND PEDIATRIC CARE PROGRAM (1978)
(VNSNY A034 – USC I087437)
Constructed radio program
VNSNY 12-B Unlabeled Tape
(VNSNY A003 – USC I087434)
unlabeled tape
VNSNY PSA’s Various (1980)
(VNSNY A047 – USC I087229)
1 – Male Announcer 30 sec
2 – Female Announcer 30 sec
3 – Male Announcer 60 sec
4 – Female Announcer 60 sec
Celeste Holm PSA Take #6 (1982)
(VNSNY A043 – USC I087236)
30 second spot by Celeste Holm advocating for the Visiting Nurse Service of New York
Celeste Holm PSA Take #7 (1982)
(VNSNY A044/A045 – USC I087234/I087235)
60 second spot by Celeste Holm advocating for the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (Multiple Copies)
PLENARY SESSION : PARENTS-INFANTS INTERACTION (Dec 7, 1985)
(VNSNY A002 / USC I087435)
This is a recording from a professional conference.
Work of The Visiting Nurse Service Wild Narration (1993)
(VNSNY A042 / USC I087356)
Raw wild narration tape of various attempts to get an end tag of Dorothy Hillis for a short 15 minute overview of the Visiting Nurse Service History.