Carol (Sunderland) '76 & Jeff Fegan '76
(Submitted by Carol Sunderland Fegan)
I do not know quite where to begin this story, but I do know that because of this scholarship, the story will never end. To the scholarship recipient, you may not remember Jim and Maggie Sunderlands’ names , but I hope some aspect of the story resonates with you.
The story started in 1918 for Margaret Munder who grew up on Walbrook Avenue in Baltimore City. Across town, James Sunderland was born in 1921 and was raised in Sparrow’s Point. Margaret graduated from Western High School and was urged by her parents to attend Business School and become a secretary. Margaret had always wanted to be a nurse and after a short stint in “Business Arithmetic” among other classes, she finally succeeded in convincing her parents to allow her to attend nursing school. She graduated as a registered nurse from Maryland General Nursing School and was hired as a pediatric nurse – her dream realized! In the meantime, Jim graduated from Sparrow’s Point High. He began working at Bethlehem Steel as a machinist. His father and older brother were already employed there.
Life changed drastically for Margaret and Jim when World War II began. Jim enlisted as a private in the Army and served in the Pacific Theater. Margaret left her job at Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. to enlist as an army nurse. Under ordinary circumstances, their paths would never have crossed. However, this being a time of war, Margaret was assigned to Fort Belvoir Military Hospital in Virginia. James was a patient there and that is where they met. After an extended engagement, since Margaret required James to save $2,000 before she would set a wedding date, they married on May 7, 1949 in Baltimore. After their marriage, Maggie worked as a nurse at Kernan Children’s Hospital. Jim remained in the army and was stationed at Fort Meade.
This scholarship has a two-fold purpose. First, although Jim could never realize his dream of attending college, this will provide the means for someone else’s dream of a college education to materialize. Secondly, what better way to honor Maggie than to offer the opportunity for someone to pursue a career in a profession to which she dedicated herself and so dearly loved.
To the scholarship recipient I would add, you may not remember their names, but perhaps you will remember the story of two people who are now a part of your story as the recipient of the A. Margaret and James C. Sunderland Nursing Scholarship.