Watson, Barbara J. Robinson

CONVOCATION, OCTOBER, 1994
BARBARA J. ROBINSON WATSON
to be Doctor of Science

Barbara Robinson is a retired pediatrician. Look at her academic credentials and you would say that her life and career represent the easy achievement of a gifted person. She was born in Marysville, sailed through school there, always at the top of her class, excelled at Fredericton High School and in her pre-med program at UNB. She entered Dalhousie Medical School with glowing recommendations from Professor Bill Argue of UNB, and once she had her MD and her pediatric specialty in hand, she returned to Fredericton for a highly successful career. She made it all look easy.

But it was not easy. Like others of her generation, war disrupted her schooling, and in fact, before she could pursue her medical training, she worked in an anti-aircraft gun factory. When she entered Dal, she was the only woman in her class. When she returned to Fredericton to set up practice, she was the first pediatrician in the city and for nine years she was the only pediatrician. In a word, she was a pioneer, which took both determination and courage. She brought to Fredericton the new technology of transfusion exchange for babies born to RH negative mothers. She saved hundreds of babies from certain death. Sick children from all over central and northern New Brunswick were brought to her. And in these days before medicare, she was a doctor who made house calls, and who accepted payment when and if the patient could afford to pay.

Ironically, when other younger pediatricians began arriving on the scene, Dr. Robinson chose not to slacken off or rest on her laurels. Instead, she sought more training to develop her interest in childhood respiratory diseases and allergies, and then brought her new skills back to Fredericton. She was among the first to mount an antismoking campaign here and she became active in the New Brunswick Lung Association, serving eventually as its president. She became medical advisor for asthma summer camps and developed better breathing programs for children.

Much of her service has been voluntary, and fittingly, she has been recognized for it with a Canada Volunteer Award, the Ann Bell Award of Excellence from the New Brunswick Child Welfare Association, and honours from her medical colleagues. Even in retirement, she remains active in her church, several local organizations, and the medical community. While it is hardly incidental, one must also add that, in addition to her remarkable career, she married and, with her husband Robert Watson, raised three children, one of whom - her daughter - has followed in her footsteps by becoming a medical doctor.
It takes a special kind of person to defy convention, to break away from the rest, and if necessary to lead. She once gave credit to one of her Marysville teachers for encouraging her to pursue excellence. Miss Zula Hallett, one of UNB's early women graduates, was her model and inspiration. In the same way today, Barbara Robinson is both model and example for our current graduates. She represents a commitment to excellence, the courage to stand alone, the conviction that life embraces service to others, and the belief that with talent there is also obligation. For all of these things, UNB honours her today.

From: Honoris Causa - UA Case 70, Box 3