Post-Civil War modernity and the nurse training movement: The "Experiment" of the Boston Training School for Nurses.

Background/purpose: This paper describes the origins of the Boston Training School for Nurses (1873), later named the Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing, and the role played by a Boston civic group, the Woman's Education Association, in its founding.

Methods: Social and political forces in the post-Civil War modern era and the challenges the founders encountered in establishing and managing a nursing school are delineated.

Discussion: Themes that highlight the significance of the Boston Training School's creation relative to the nurse training movement in America are identified.

Conclusion: The long-term implications of the initial agreement for a 1-year experiment to train nurses in a formal educational setting are discussed.