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The Nurse Training Act (or the Bolton Act) passed both the House and the Senate and was ready for the President's signature on June 15. The Act became Public Law 74 on July 1, 1943, with an appropriation for the first year of $65 million.

Operation of the Corps. The Public Health Service, under Surgeon General Thomas Parran, was responsible for administration of the Cadet Nurse Corps and accompanying postgraduate programs. In June 1943, the PHS established the Division of Nurse Education to allocate aid to participating nursing schools. Parran appointed Lucile Petry Director of the Division. She thus became the first woman to head a major PHS division.

Women regardless of color qualified for the Cadet Nurse Corps if they were between the ages of 17 and 35, had been graduated from an accredited high school, had earned good grades, and were in good health. After acceptance by a participating nursing school, qualified applicants were given scholarships that covered tuition and fees, as well as a small monthly stipend. The Corps also paid $35-$45 for room and board during the first 9 months of training.

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