Former student shares memories of St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Pierre; Public invited to brief ceremony Monday at noon

February 24, 2025:

The former School of Practical Nursing building on the southeast corner of the Avera St. Mary’s campus in Pierre has been vacant since the fall of 2017, and will be torn down in the near future to make way for future expansion and growth needs on the Avera campus. The attached buildings and skywalk will not be affected.

Pat Woolridge is the Avera Cancer Institute Pierre Clinic Manager. She graduated from the school in 1975.

Woolridge said she had done a year of nursing school at South Dakota State University in Brookings, then moved with her husband when he got a teaching job in Pierre.

The nursing school closed in 1985 and Woolridge says she and some classmates had a reunion in 2022.

Avera St. Mary’s says when the School of Practical Nursing was built in 1951, it was the first building in the nation specifically designed for practical nurse education. Eventually the building transitioned to house some grant-funded programs, the St. Mary’s Foundation and Avera@Home staff. Shortly after the Helmsley Center project was announced, remaining staff were relocated to other areas of campus.

A tribute to the former nursing school is being held at noon Monday (Feb. 24, 2025). The public is invited to attend.

Prior to the demolition, the cross hanging above the main entrance, the two corner stones, the original mailbox and some additional heritage items will be saved and maintained. Construction activity could begin as soon as this week when crews finish emptying the building. The activity will not impact patient care or staff.

Pat Woolridge is the first person on the left.
Photo courtesy of Pat Woolridge.

Sister Deb Nelson.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

Regional President and Avera St. Mary’s CEO Shantel Krebs.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

Tribute event for former Pierre School of Practical Nursing building.
Feb. 24, 2025.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

Tribute event for former Pierre School of Practical Nursing building.
Feb. 24, 2025.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

Tribute event for former Pierre School of Practical Nursing building.
Feb. 24, 2025.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

Tribute event for former Pierre School of Practical Nursing building.
Feb. 24, 2025.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

Tribute event for former Pierre School of Practical Nursing building.
Feb. 24, 2025.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

Tribute event for former Pierre School of Practical Nursing building.
Feb. 24, 2025.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

This cross will be taken down and saved.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

These cornerstones will be removed and saved.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

These cornerstones will be removed and saved.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

These cornerstones will be removed and saved.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

The former Pierre School of Practical Nursing building (left) will be torn down. The old hospital building (right) and the skywalk connecting the old hospital to the new Avera St. Mary’s Hospital will remain in place.
Feb. 24, 2025.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

Former Pierre School of Practical Nursing building.
Feb. 24, 2025.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

The skywalk that connected the old hospital building to the new Avera St. Mary’s Hospital will remain in place.
Feb. 24, 2025.
Photo credit to Jody Heemstra, DRG Media Group.

February 19, 2025:

The former School of Nursing building on the southeast corner of the Avera St. Mary’s campus in Pierre will soon be no more.

While there are no current plans for the lot, Regional President and CEO of Avera St. Mary’s Hospital Shantel Krebs says razing the building will provide options for future expansion and growth needs.

Krebs says none of the structures that are nearby or connected to the old nursing school will be affected.

Krebs invites the public to attend a short tribute to the building Monday (Feb. 24, 2025) at noon.

Prior to the demolition, Krebs says the cross hanging above the main entrance, the two corner stones, the original mailbox and some additional heritage items will be saved and maintained. She says construction activity could begin as early as next week as crews finish emptying the building, but the activity will not impact patient care or staff.

Photo courtesy of Avera St. Mary’s.

WRITTEN VERSION:

The former School of Nursing building on the southeast corner of the Avera St. Mary’s campus in Pierre will soon be no more.

While there are no current plans for the lot, Regional President and CEO of Avera St. Mary’s Hospital Shantel Krebs says razing the building will provide options for future expansion and growth needs. She says the building has significant structural and maintenance issues and continuing to maintain the building is not a cost-effective or practical option.

Prior to the demolition, Krebs says the cross hanging above the main entrance, the two corner stones, the original mailbox and some additional heritage items will be saved and maintained. She says a short blessing and tribute to the building will be held Monday (Feb. 24, 2025) at noon outside the front entrance of the facility. The public is invited to attend.

Construction activity could begin as early as next week as crews finish emptying the building before it’s demolished. There are no planned road closures, and this activity will not impact patient care or staff. The former hospital building (known as the South Building) and the skywalk will not be affected.

Avera St. Mary’s history of the building:

Built in 1951, the School of Practical Nursing was the first building in the nation specifically designed for practical nurse education. It included dormitories and classrooms for students who preferred to attend a small school rather than large schools in neighboring states. Many nurses completed their training in Pierre until the school closed in 1985.

Eventually the School of Nursing building transitioned to house several grant-funded programs, the St. Mary’s Foundation and Avera@Home staff. Shortly after the Helmsley Center project was announced, remaining staff were relocated to other areas of campus. The building has sat vacant since the fall of 2017.

“The Benedictine and Presentation Sisters as well as Avera St. Mary’s Hospital have always been passionate supporters of and active participants in training future health care professionals. The School of Nursing building is a testament to the value placed on education,” Krebs said. “Rest assured, we will continue to invest in and explore new opportunities for workforce pipeline building, nursing education and other avenues to explore health care careers in central South Dakota.”