High-resolution, full color images available online
Search, browse, read, and print yearbook pages
View college, high school, and military yearbooks
Browse our digital annual library spanning centuries
Support the schools in our program by subscribing
Privacy, as we do not track users or sell information
Page 26 text:
“
m our years ago we began our professional education at Columbia. At that time gradu- ation certainly seemed a thing of the far distant future. Today, on the eve of comple- tion of our study program, we can look upon a collection of many happy, a few sad, but always beneficial experi- ences. We came to Columbia from undergraduate schools throughout the country, wide-eyed and enthusiastic; eager to make an auspicious beginning. The first class gathering was the orientation week cocktail party, given in our honor by the Alumni Association. Here, after an introduction to our staff and curriculum, the first organizational influences in the class became apparent. One sober resident of Long Island was imposed upon by his more spirited neighbors to escort them home, and Car Pool 1 was formed. This organization was to last four years, and was matched in duration, even surpassed in size, only by the Thermos Club, a varied bunch who came to school equipped with lunch- boxes and steaming thermos bottles; and the Garibaldis, a group whose common ancestral origins bound them to- gether in an alliance of mutual aid and admiration. As we embarked upon our professional education, the staff stressed the importance of integration and correlation. Any knowledge which cannot be correlated with other knowledge is useless, we were told, and it will be your responsibility to integrate the material presented to you. How true this sentiment was, for as beneficiaries of a newly developed schedule we were shown schemas of the noives while recarving lateral incisors, and learned of the erup- tion patterns of perrnanent teeth by folding lily cups. Those early efforts with selective grinding and waxing crowns were quite frustrating, as we developed a full mouth re- habilitation plan for our typodent models. Slowly, however, we mastered this portion of our education, at the same time pursuing our studies in the preclinical sciences. Here, syringes of pneumococci were thrown at instructors while they were questioned about the eclipse phase of viral growth, sometimes likened to a Hershey bar. The science of Pathology was taught to us in a small, warm, drowwssy roooom, as we superimposed new and colorful cells on our old Histology drawings. Above all, we continued to inte- grate and correlate. On the eighth floor we smudged our faces with rouge and tripoli, and then continued the process downstairs with a smoke blackened kymograph drum. Our introduction to Oral Surgery soon followed on a very grand scale, with stereophonic sound and a wide angle screen. To be sure, many late hours of study marked the Sophomore year, as exams in the science courses stimu- lated our thinking classmates to run a profitable barter system with Central Autonomic stimulants as standard currency. Finally, we emerged, from the queezes in Anatomy and the showers in Biochemistry; from infarcts, sodium pumps, and Neostigmine; eager to ignite our didac- tic education with our clinical experience. The first big test came in Periodontia. One day in Sophomore year, a blizzard blanketed the entire city with snow, and the patient shortage was topped only by the total absence of instructors. In this setting we began our career as clinicians. 22
”
Page 27 text:
“
As Juniors, clinical work occupied the major portion of our daily schedule. The finer points of rubber dam, injection techniques, and impression methods were stressed again and again, and there were even threats that patients would be forthcoming only pending the completion of certain tasks. Our Den Mother rose to the occasion, how- ever. With lectures on procedure and decorum, she ushered us into the clinic, where shortly thereafter, we learned a new game; a form of hide and seek. We hid our superfluous instruments in our pockets, polished up our kits, and still got sixes. Our early clinical experience was indeed different from Typodontia practice. While line angles were still meticu- lously examined through three sets of lenses, special inter- est was also given to rubber dam, inferior alveolar block, and mandibular dislocation. No longer could we fill saliva tubes for Dr. Caries M while plugging foils, nor unscrew abutment teeth for better scrutinization. By midseason we were able to complete a Class II amalgam practical with only one pulp exposure, and had constructed full dentures for five tapering ovoids, three charging tapirs, seven fat squares, and one Square Bur. The hectic confusion of the clinic strongly contrasted with our technique course in Orthodontia. Here the quiet, easy going manner of our instructors gave us new confidence and additional insight into the correlation between mechanical dentistry and growth and development factors. Slowly we became specialists in Surgery, Endodontia, Roentgenology, and Diagnosis. Good students were re- warded by being allowed to buy candy bars for Captain Jack. Here, too, we were introduced to our full Thera- peutic regimen by Willie the Squibb, with special emphasis placed on PL8-6-B-O. Some other specialties were taught only as lecture courses. Occlusal Louis came in to dispel some misconceptions about occlusion and TM Joint prob- lems, while The Rank teamed up with The Big M to show slides of giraffe uvulas, and teach us how to come to class on time. By Junior year we were deemed qualified to participate in the 8 A.M. episode known as the CPC. It was encourag- ing to see how our diagnostic procedures, scientific ap- proach, and awareness of the varying oral lesions gradu- ally matured. On some mornings however, it seemed as if the only treatment for some of humanity ' s most sinister maladies was the alleviation of certain local oral environ- mental factors. The Junior year also afforded some students the oppor- tunity to earn money while participating in a pain thresh- old experiment. The boys were given placebos, and other good analgesics, while their nerves were soothed by two instructors playing clarinet and accordion duets. They were then asked to respond to a moderately painful dental stimu- lus. While the researchers have not yet published their reports, the students predict excellent results, since many of them, in the quest for better grades, did not respond until the painful stimulus was unbearable. Through it all, the class still had its good times. Led by our energetic president, A.J.T., our social calendar was kept as active as our academic one. The first class function was the Inaugural Ball for our new Dean, held jointly with the staff and the other classes on the clinic floor. Inspired by the spirit of togetherness, we then embarked on a series of our own parties. The first of these, a tremendous success, was held at John Jay Hall, where in view of a no liquor edict, some members of the class got surprisingly tipsy. It was at subsequent parties that the class ' s talent became evident, and gifted souls entertained their classmates with stories, jokes, and folk music, attaining almost professional perfection by our Senior year. Perhaps the most memorable occasion of all was the party we had as Freshmen, when Dr. Arden graciously welcomed us to his home. We re- alized then what close friends our instructors were, when Howie donned his chef ' s hat, and the Schvend sat down at the poker table with the boys. Although always a well knit group, our number was not constant. Starting with forty stalwarts in our freshman ranks, we graduate now with thirty-eight, after an interim 23
Are you trying to find old school friends, old classmates, fellow servicemen or shipmates? Do you want to see past girlfriends or boyfriends? Relive homecoming, prom, graduation, and other moments on campus captured in yearbook pictures. Revisit your fraternity or sorority and see familiar places. See members of old school clubs and relive old times. Start your search today!
Looking for old family members and relatives? Do you want to find pictures of parents or grandparents when they were in school? Want to find out what hairstyle was popular in the 1920s? E-Yearbook.com has a wealth of genealogy information spanning over a century for many schools with full text search. Use our online Genealogy Resource to uncover history quickly!
Are you planning a reunion and need assistance? E-Yearbook.com can help you with scanning and providing access to yearbook images for promotional materials and activities. We can provide you with an electronic version of your yearbook that can assist you with reunion planning. E-Yearbook.com will also publish the yearbook images online for people to share and enjoy.
