Medical College of Virginia - X Ray Yearbook (Richmond, VA)

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Dedication WE COUNT it a rare pleasure and privilege to dedicate this fourth volume of the X-Ray to such an one as Mr. L. Z. Morris. Yet we feel our utter inability in so short a sketch to do justice to a man whose life and zeal for this institution cannot be measured by words. To accomplish such a task would but be to recount those priceless moments of thought and vision and love and hope for the future of the Medical College of Virginia which this man among men has devoted since his connection with her interests. To-day the spirit of commercialism reigns supreme in the body politic. Rarer than the precious stone is the man who still sees visions, who still finds time in the fierce unending struggle for existence to put the best that is in him toward the consummation of an ideal, and who unostentatiously with the true spirit of the Great Benefactor gives his utmost and asks naught in return. Such an one is Mr. L. Z. Morris. Since his affiliation with the affairs of our Alma Mater, Mr. Morris has labored unceasingly, quietly, tellingly for her advance- ment. No moment of the day or night has ever found the approaches to his heart or his ears closed to appeal. Lacking something of the radiance cast by Dr. Mitchell, Mr. Morris has served since that scholar ' s departure efficiently and well as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Visitors.

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History of the Medical College of Virginia HE MEDICAL COLLEGE OF VIRGINIA is the only structure in the ■ ■ United States built in real Egyptian Architecture. The building besides being unique in this respect inspires one with a feeling of awe and grandeur. It closely resembles the monumental tombs and sepulchres of the ancients. It now has the added dignity of age. Its sombre gray walls are ivy clad and present in winter an extremely dismal appearance. Doubtless it reminds the students of that place on the door of which is written, All hope abandon, ye who enter here. Approaching the building from the east (front) there is absolutely no sign of a door. You pass between the massive columns and come upon a sheer wall rising to a height of fifty feet. The captions of the square columns are engraved with that classical Egyptian Arabesque, the Isis. In the wings of this mythical bird are entwined their heads which come over the bird ' s body and face each other. If we turn to either side we find a door built in the corner as it were, flush with, and not breaking the continuity of the wall. The door as well as the knobs are in that same sombre gray and are practically invisible. Who should preside over such a building? Should we not expect a man wrinkled and gray, shrunken with years, the spirit of which was service. One who smilingly greeted the young men with Good morning, doctor, how are you feeling to-day? One who always had the boxes of bones ready for the Freshmen, and who always had the dissecting hall ship-shape? Chris Baker looks as if he were the ancient occupant of the tomb risen from the dead. Instead of going into this door, let us go around to the back. Along the sides we still have the square columns and between these long rows of windows with diamond-shaped panes. The back very closely resembles the front, though it has a door in the center. The interior more clearly shows age and its atmosphere bespeaks toil and achievement. There are cases filled with specimens of every description where one may learn both medicine and zoology.