W94-1181. Marsilje, Lois Mae (1911 -2001).
Papers, 1866-1987, 2001. 15.00 linear ft.

Abstract

Hope College, class of 1932. Nurses training in Presbyterian Hospital School in Chicago. In 1950 she earned an MA degree from the University of Chicago. In 1938 she went as a missionary to India and from 1942 onwards she was a full time missionary assigned to the Arcot Mission in India. She worked at the Scudder Memorial Hospital in Ranipet, India. She taught the nurses, supervised their work and at the end of her career became dean of the nursingschool. She retired from India in 1974 and lives in Holland, MI, ever since. Her collection consist mainly of personal correspondence, photographs and slides. These concern her personal life and her work in India.

Accession No.:W94-1181
Storage Location:M035a-e
Provenance:Marsilje, Lois Mae
Donor:Mike Rannow
Photographs:Several Hundreds (in Boxes 4-6)
Processed by:Irene van der Lugt, July 2000

Biography

Lois Mae Marsilje was born on March 29, 1911 in Athens, Illinois to Rev. Peter J. Marsilje and Minnie Vander Ploeg. Her grandfather was Rev. Herman Vander Ploeg, one of the very early Hope College graduates. Her own mother was among the group of the first eight women graduated of Hope. Her father was a minister of the Reformed Church, later called into the Presbyterian Church. He worked with Walter Roe in Oklahoma, among the American Indians.
Lois moved with her parents to Holland, MI, and attended Holland High School. From there she went on to Hope College, graduating with the class of 1932. Her nurses training was received in Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago. During her second furlough in 1950, she worked for and secured her Master s degree at the University of Chicago. Her thesis was written on `The preparation of Indian nurses for the teaching of health to patients .
From the time she was a little girl she has wanted to be a missionary and her interests and accomplishments all headed toward that ultimate goal. She has been active in local and state Christian Endeavor and League for Service; she has taught Sunday school and weekday Bible school. While at Hope she worked in the YMCA and did Gospel Teamwork. She was a member of the First Church of Holland.
It was through a nurse in America, unconnected with the Reformed and who provided the funds for a short term, that she was able to get a start as a nurse in India. She was appointed on December 8, 1938 and sailed the following month. In 1942 she was appointed as a full time missionary with assignment to the Arcot Mission. Here she worked among the Indians of Asia. Her work in India has been mainly teaching the nursing students and supervising their work in the ward of the Scudder Memorial Hospital in Ranipet. Lois Marsilje retired in 1974 and spent the rest of her life in Holland, Michigan until her death on February 26, 2001.

Scope and Content

The Lois Marsilje collection contains personal correspondence, especially with her mother, Minnie Marsilje, files about her work as a nurse and missionary in India and several hundred photographs and slides. There are a few files with correspondence and emphemera of her parents and grandparents.

Container List

Box 1

Biographical file, n.d., 2001
Correspondence
Arulpragasam, Alice, 1974-1976, 1980, 1986-1987
Blaise, Levai, 1946-1947
Boonstra, Dora, 1975-1976
Marsilje, Minnie [mother] (received), 1935-1939, 1945, 1947-1951,1963-1964 (15 folders)
Marsilje, Minnie [mother] (send), 1935 - 1951 (17 folders)

Box 2

Correspondence (cont.)
Marsilje, Minnie [mother] (send), 1952 - 1964 (13 folders)
Mathews, Aley, 1975-1979
Spykerman, Alice, 1972-1974 (2 folders)
Swierenga, J.B., 1932, 1934
General, 1921 - 1980 (6 folders)
Birthday and seasons greetingcards, n.d.
Family correspondence [Marsilje, rev. P.J. and mrs. M. Marsilje] (received and send), 1866-1964
Deed and Abtract from 147 W. 14th. St., 1972
Schoolreports, 1920-1927
Graduation nursingschool and becoming a missionary, 1938
Medical File, 1950-1973 [RESTRICTED]
Schoolwork, n.d.
Notebooks, n.d.
Emphemera, n.d.
Emphemera - parents, n.d.
Clippings, n.d.

Box 3

Memorybook, n.d.
India
Correspondence
Circulate Letters, 1939-1961
Travels to India, 1959-1967
Board RCA, 1966-1975 (2 folders)
Nursingschool
Correspondence dean nursingschool India, 1973-1974
Bibleclass lessons and examquestions, India, 1946-1973
Correspondence textbook for nursingschool India, 1962-1970
Textbook nursingschool India, 1951
Manuscript textbook nursingschool India, 1962-1969
Manuscript textbook (incl. notes) nursingschool India, n.d.
Textbook religioustraining nursingschool India, n.d.
Teachingmaterial for nursingschool India, n.d.
Golden Jubilee Scudder Hospital Ranipet, India, 1973
Plays for India, n.d.
Procedure committee Scudder Hospital Ranipet, India, n.d.
Programs services India, 1946-1975

Box 4

Photographs (Personal)
Arendshorst, Bernard
Arendshorst, Will
Barkema, Antje
Barkema, Martha
Blevins
Boer, A.
Brunsting, B
Ceramen, Mr. & Mrs
Cook, Ellen
Dijkstra, Rev.
Dunday, W.A.
Duren, Fam.
Family (unidentified)
Fishers, Fam.
Hasselinks, Fam.
Hoffman, Fam.
Hospers, Hendrina
James, Rev.
Johnson, Mary Ellen
Lanting, Larry
Marsilje, Lois Mae (3 folders)
Marsilje, Lois Mae and mother (Marsilje, Minnie)
Marsilje, Lois Mae and others (unidentified) (2 folders)
Marsilje, Minnie [mother] (3 folders)
Marsilje, Minnie [mother] and other (unidentified) (2 folders)
Marsilje, Rev. P. J. [father]
Marsilje, Rev. P.J. and Minnie Marsilje [parents]
Marsilje, grandparents
Marsilje, grandmother
Mathews, Aley
Moser, Fam.
Nijboer, Henrietta
Rozendaals, Fam.
Scholten, Ruth
Stetekee Arendshorst, May
Stoltz, Dan
Tetter boys
Van Eck
VandeHaan, Maurice
Vander Ploeg [family Minnie Marsilje]
Vander Ploeg, aunt
Vander Ploeg, grandfather
Vander Ploeg, grandparents
Vander Ploeg, Hanna [grandmother]
Vander Ploeg jr., Henry James
Vander Ploeg, Mark
Vander Ploeg, Paul
VanderWerf, Rev.
Van Vuren, Marie
Waalwijk
Wagner, Carl
Wayer, J.
Weller, Marilyn
Westerhof, Karl
Wheater, Mary Elias
Will, brother
Williard Vander Ploeg, J.H.
Workers, Alice
Zonnebelt, Leonora
Photobooks family (2 folders)
Negatives with explanation
Animals
Anchor staff, 1902
Churches
Church supper in Zeeland
Choral union of Hope, 1900
Fifty Year Circle
Geronimo
Geneva Lake conference
Graduation Marsilje, Lois Mae
Golden Agers First Church, 1962
Holland, MI
Nursing school Chicago, Marsilje, Lois Mae
Ottowa, Il, 1912
Presbytery of Canadian Elk City, Okla
Sundayschool teachers First Church
Vacations Marsilje, Lois Mae
Tulip Time, Holland, MI
Women's sportclub, 1921

Box 5

Photographs
India - Hospital
Scudder, Ida
Scudder Hospital, Ranipet, India (9 folders)
Scudder Hospital - patients
Scudder Hospital - buildings
Scudder Hospital - nurses
Languageschool
India - General (6 folders)
Agna
Cochin
Darjeeling
Kodai
Kodaikanal
Religion and superstition
Trips to India

Box 6

Photographs - Unidentified

Box 7

Photographs - Oversized

Box 8

Slides - Personal

Box 9

Slides - India

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