Chicago College of Optometry - Focus Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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experience in both teaching and practice. Dr. l'licl4s was beloved and respected by his stu- dents, and his efforts in behalf of optometric education will be long remembered. Dr. l-licl4s retired in 1946 and passed away at his home in Naperville, lllinois, three years later. lhe removal of the school to its own new building at 1849 l.arrabee Street in 1946 signified the dawn ofa new era of growth and development for the college. ln 1947 a new structure containing 6,000 sauare feet was erected adjacent to the main building on l.arra- bee Street. lhis building was donated by the US. government for use as a clinic and labora- tory building. A third building adjacent there- to was also acquired and was put into use as a student cafeteria, lcnown as the College Grill. The combined physical plant of the college made it one of the most extensive schools of optometry in the country. lvleanwhile, the college was malcing its marlt in the field of optometric education. Constant improvements in curriculum, facilities, and faculty were made. ln 1945 Dr. Morton l., Abram became associated with the college as assistant director. Later he was elected to the post of vice-president. ln 1948 Dr. Eugene freeman assumed the post of dean. ln 1949 Dr. Richard Tennant assumed the office of clinic director. First home of Chicago College of Optometry on Larrabee Street. Qther well qualified men were added to the teaching and clinical staffs, malting CCC. an outstanding institution. lt was early recognized that one of the most important aspects of a good educational pro- gram would be in the area of clinical optom- etry. Thus the college made plans to strengthen the clinical department, broaden its activities and provide students with much more experience in actual clinical routines. ln 1949 the college established its present northside clinics at the corner of Clarlc and Belden Streets. Within a relatively short time the patient intalce began to grow from approximately 3,000 patients to almost 8,000 per year. Although no actual surveys have been mode, it is conceded that this is one of the busiest eye clinics in the nation. lt is interesting to note that more than YSCZJ of the patients who come to the CCG. clinics are referrals from other patients. This is a tribute to the high standards of performance main- tained by the student body under the direction of its capable professional staff. Demonstrating its confidence in the profes- sion as well as its determination to mal4e CCG. a truly great institution in optometry, the board of trustees of the college authorized its admin- istrative staff in 1952 to seelt ways in which to mal4e it possible for CCG. to reach its ultimate

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D E r an i I' lhe growth and development ol Chicago College ol Qptometry has, in many ways, paral- leled the vigorous course ol progress which has characterized the optometric profession during the past two decades, Qur college was founded in 1937 by a small group ol men under the leadership ol the late Dr. Reuben Seid who acted as president until his untimely passing in gluly1951, The First class was enrolled in September, 1937, in rented quarters at Q07 South Wabash Avenue. From that date until 1947 the college operated under the name ol l'Vlonroe College 4 i 2 X I ,N .M , ,J ,A ol Qptometry. ln November, 1947, a new charter was issued by the state ol lllinois estab- lishing the college as Chicago College ol Qptometry, The college, under both names, has functioned continuously since its inception as a non-profit educational institution under the supervision ol a voluntary board ol trustees. During its early years the college otlered a Four-year course ol study. lts First dean was Dr. Carl Shepherd, the eminent veteran optome- trist, who served in that capacity until 1939. Thereafter the post ol dean was held by Dr. G. L. l'liclcs, an optometrist ol many years

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goals. This culminated in a proposal to re- locate CCC. as an adjunct of some other well established and outstanding educational insti- tution in the Chicago area, Alter malcing carelul analyses, it was proposed that QCQ. join with lllinois lnstitute ol Technology in a worlcing relationship that would be mutually advantageous. lllinois Tech had undertaken a tremendous job ol rehabilitating a large area ol Chicago's central south side in conjunction with several large institutions and municipal agencies As part ol its program to reclaim a blighted area lor educational and cultural purposes, lllinois Tech invited CCC. to build its new home in Technology Center, immed- iately adjacent to the lech campus, thus malcing it possible tor CCG. students to avail them- selves ol the many desirable advantages which are Found on any university campus. lvloreover, CCG. students were given the privileges ol dormitories, apartments, caleterias, recreational lacilities and other facilities which a small pro- fessional college could not atlord to provide for its own students. ln September, 1954, CCG. students began their studies in this new home in lechnology Center, and as these words are written approxi- mately lour months have elapsed since that date. It would hardly be necessary to describe the reaction that tool4 place amongst the student body and faculty when the doors were opened for the First time. With pardonable pride we cannot help but express the thought that our school is housed in one of the most attractive school buildings in the entire country, that it demonstrates not only a new thought in archi- tectural design, but hails the opening ol a new chapter in the history ol Chicago College ol Qptometry. From humble beginnings indeed has our institution progressed through the years. lts constant aim has been to serve laithlully and well in the cause ol sound educational prepara- tion lor a noble profession. lts permanent objective is to maintain a steady course ol con- stant improvement in lullilling its responsibilities. No one has ever measured the Final limits of science's ability to serve manlcind, and none can limit the determination ol optometry to strive to ever higher achievements in its service to humanity. Thus it will be with our Alma Mater: a steady and constant march forward and up- ward, each achievement being but the sparl4 of light that charts our course through the night to the next, no Final goal but a constant one. REUBEN SEID MEMORIAL LIBRARY lx