Jefferson Medical College - Clinic Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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Drcsibcnt Dotter ll.l.l1XlVl POT'l'lfR, President ofjefferson Medical College, was born in Philadelphia, April l7lIl'l, 1852: is a son of the late Thomas Potter, an eminent citizen of Philadelphia, and of the late Adaline Coleman Potter, whose grandfather General jacob Bower of Reading, and great-grandfather, Colonel joseph VVood of Philadelphia, served as officers in the Continental Line Llllflllg' the entire Revolution- ary XVar, General Ilower being an original member of the Pennsyl- vania Society of the Cincinnati. lVlr. Potter was educated in private schools in Philadelphia and matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania lclass of 18741 but ow- ing to the serious illness of his father, was obliged to leave before being graduated, in order to accompany his parent to liurope. Mr. Potter became a partner in Thomas Potter, Sons X Co., Incorporated, and continued therein as Vice-President for eighteen years, until in 1892 when he entered the services ofthe National Government. In ISQO, Mr. Potter was appointed Special Commissioner to visit London, Paris and Berlin and negotiate the present system of sea- post-offices. The success of this effort led to his appointment as Dele- gate tothe Fourth Congress of the Universal Postal Union, held at Vienna in 1891. lVlr. Potter and His Colleague, Captain Brooks, isu- perintendent of Foreign Nlailsl were given pleni-potentiary power, under which they arranged and signed for their Government a new treaty. This instrument, which went into effect October Ist, 1892, was among the important achievements of President Harrison's administration. At this Postal Congress, it was unanimously decided to hold the fifth congress at NVashington in june, 1897. In 1892, President Harrison appointed Mr. Potter lVlinister to Italy, which important post he filled 11ntil April, 1894. On his return to the United States, lVlr. Potter, in recognition of his patriotic services to his country, whilst abroad, was elected an I -Ionorary lVleniber of the Society of the Cincinnati of the State of New jersey, at its meeting T I.

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February 22nd, 18955 and in 1896, he was admitted to the Philadel- phia Bar. ' Under Mayor Stuart's Administration, Mr. Potter was appointed a member ofthe Permanent Relief Committee of Philadelphia, which or- ganization has given such effective aid in all the great disasters begin- ning with the Johnstown Flood, including the Butler typhoid epidemic, and the Susquehanna floods of this year. In consideration of his well known interest in all educational matters, Mr. Potter was elected a Member of the Board of Trustees of jefferson Medical College, in 1894, and upon the death of joseph B. Townsend, I..I.. D. in 1897, was unanimously chosen its President. In October 1895, Mr. Potter was elected a Manager of the Penn- sylvania Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, and in 1903, one of the Councillors of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. The judges of the Courts of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, appointed him january 4th, IQO4, a member of the Board of Directors of City Trusts. This Board is appointed for life, and has charge of all the trusts left to the city of Philadelphia, aggregating in value upwards of thirty millions of dollars, including the estate of Stephen Girard. jefferson College, and its great Hospital are to be congratulated on having a President, who in conjunction with a Board of Trustees composed of the most eminent citizens of Philadelphia, has placed our Alma on a secure and lasting foundation, where the future gives prom- ise of being even more brilliant than the glorious past. The Class of IQO4, desiring to express for the student body its appreciation of the progressive spirit now animating the Administration of this College, has great pleasure in dedicating its class book to the President of the Board of Trustees. 8