St. Luke’s Administrator Randy Hartley and Sister Clare Marie Angermaier look forward to the tradition continuing for years to come.

St. Luke's Hospital opened its doors to become the first hospital in the State of Florida, in 1873, in a building between Duval and Monroe Streets. It soon outgrew its first facility, and after a fire and other disasters, moved to Palmetto Street in1880. After many years it relocated to a new building on Eighth and Boulevard with a two story building for student nurses. Young people today would find the commitment to three consecutive years of training with its concurrent restrictions hard to believe.

The nursing school opened in 1885 to claim its distinction as the first nurses' training school in the state of Florida, graduating its first student, Florence Platt in 1888. The last graduating class was 77 years later in 1965.  St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association claims the distinction of being the longest active nursing school alumnae association not only in the state of Florida but possibly in South East.

The goal of the Alumnae Association is to assist qualified nursing students through its scholarship fund, while deceased members are honored by contributions to the fund.

 Graduates of the school became an organization in about 1900 and have met continuously since that time. In the beginning monthly meetings were held but once the school graduated its last students in 1965, the organization began to meet annually.

Graduates of the School of Nursing were known for providing outstanding nursing care and were recognized for high scores on the national exams to become Registered Nurses. Many of these young ladies furthered their education by becoming Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners.