Valley City – The Barnes County Historical Society will host a lecture on the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 23, at the Barnes County Museum, 315 Central Ave N, Valley City.

The U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps was established in 1943 under the Bolton Nurse Practice Act to support the war effort both abroad and at home. Between 1943 and 1948, more than 130,000 nurses were trained across the country in over 1,000 nursing schools. Despite their critical role, these women have yet to receive full recognition for their service.

Local resident Gail Pederson has been working with the North Dakota Nurses Association to help change that. The organization now has a legislative sponsor for a concurrent resolution to honor the service of Cadet Nurses in the upcoming legislative session. Pederson’s connection to the story is personal—her mother-in-law, Isabelle Bous Pederson, was a U.S. Cadet Nurse who graduated from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in 1948.

A lifelong resident of Valley City, Gail Pederson has been a registered nurse for 45 years and currently serves as the primary nurse for the Sisters of Mary of the Presentation. She and her husband Dennis live on their family farm in Marsh Township and own Pederson Pottery, where they offer classes, group events, and sales of fine art and hand-thrown pottery.

The public is cordially invited to attend. All lectures are presented in partnership with Valley City State University and are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Wes Anderson at 701-845-0966.