Northwestern University Dental School - Purple and Gold Yearbook (Evanston, IL)

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Cushing, J. S. Marshall, Charles P. Pruyn, Isaac A. Freeman, Thomas L. Gilmer, Arthur B. Freeman, B. S. Palmer, W. V. B. Ames, Arthur E. Ma.tteson, E. L. Clifford, G. W. Haskins, G. VV. Vlfhitfield, D. M. Cattell and H. P. Smith. Arrangements were made with the medical school by which the dental stude-nts took the lectures in anatomy, physiology, histology, chemistry, materia medica and therapeutics, medical jurisprudence and genera.l surgery with the medical classes. The school was re- moved to more commodious quarters on Twenty-second Street, but near enough to be convenient to the medical school, which was also removed to new quarters -on Dearborn Street near Twenty-fourth. In the summer of ISQI the NationalAssociation of Dental Faculties passed an orde.r which required all schools affiliated with it to extend the co-urse of study to three terms of not less than six months each in separate years before graduation., This order was complied with at once and the neworganization began its first session with a class of fifty-three students, only six of who-m came from the old scho-ol. 'After two years in this location the schoo-l was m-oved into new buildings erected on Dearborn Street, between Twenty-fourth and Twenty-lifth streets, and was housed with the medical school, each, however, having its o-wn rooms, clinical outfits and laboratories. In this location., and with these arrangements, the school was fairly prosperous and the number of students more than doubled, so that in the fall of ISQS there were a hundred and twenty-eight. VVith this number in the dental school, and the continued increase in the medical school, the space was overcrowded, so that it became neces- sary to procure additio-na.l b-uildings outside fo-r a portion of the labo-ra.tories of the dental, school. This arrangement was very unsat- isfactory, as it required much running to and fro, and it was clear that something else must be do-ne in order to accommodate the in- creasing demands. - ln the mean-time the American College of Dental Surgery had been purchased -by Dr. Theodore Menges and o-thers, its equipment had been improved, it was beinig put in a. better condition for giving instruction, and its classes were rapidly increasing in numbers. Dr. Menges, who was showing much energy and tact, especially in gain- ing students, pro-posed in the winter of 1895-96 a consolidation of these two schools. After numerous conferences usual to such pro- 222

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In the winter of 1890-QI there were a number of men who had obtained some prominence as teachers in dentistry in Chicago who were not then engaged in teaching. Dr. Thomas L. Gilmer gave a dinner at the Leland Hotel, to which Drs. George H. Cushing. Edgar D. Swain, Edmund Noyes and XV. V. B. Ames were invited, and to whom he opened the subject of the formation of a new dental school. There were at the time two or three dental schools in the city that were not succeeding well, and the question of the reorgan- ization of some one o-f these was discussed, with the result that Dr. Gilmer was authorized to investigate the advisability of the purchase of the American College of Dental Surgery, then under the control of Dr. Clendenen. At a subsequent meeting Dr. Gilmer reported adversely to the purchase of that plant. Chicago University was then in process of organization, and an interview was had with Presi- dent Harper with reference to the organization of a dental school as a department of that university, but at that time they were not ready for such an undertaking. The discussion of various schemes con- tinued from time to time until the resignation of the faculty of the University Dental College- seemed to create an opening in that direc- 'tion. Dr. Henry Wfade Rogers had recently become President of Northwestern University and was actively engaged in bringing the professional schools, which had previously but a nominal connec- tion with the university at Evanston, into a close relationship. He was seen with regard to the reorganization of this college, which he actively favored. After a number of conferences between the parties interested, which included the outgoing members of the old faculty and the officers of Chicago Medical College. an organization was effected under the charter of Northwestern University. and the charter of the University Dental College from the state allowed to lapse. In making this change the word college was dropped and the word school substituted, in accord with a policy of thc univer- sity, in which the teaching organizations under its jurisdiction are called schools rather than colleges. The new school took the name Northwestern University Dental School. Chicago Medical College also came int-o a closer relationship with the university and took the name Northwestern University Medical School. The new dental faculty was composed of Edgar D. Swain CDeanj, Edmund Noyes CSGCl'6iQ211'j'Il, G. Y. Black. GCOVHU H- 221

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ceedings, this was effected during the following spring on terms which, for the time, left the principal immediate management of the school in the hands of Dr. Menges, but provided for its ultimate com- plete ownership by the university. The faculty was again reorgan- ized, a part of each of the old faculties being retained. The new fac- ulty at the beginning of 1896-97 was composed of Edgar D. Swain fDeanj, G. V. Black, George H. Cushing, Thomas L. Gilmer, l. S. Marshall QEmeritusj, B. Cigrand, A. H. Peck, E. H. Angle.iEd- mund Noyes, I. B. Crissman, NV. B. Harper, G. XV. Haskins, .lames H. Prothero, G. W. Schwartz, Wfilliam Stearns, Charles B. Reed, F. B. Noyes, B. Wiggin, VV. T. Eckley, L. B. Haymen, George Leininger, C. E. Sayre, V. Hall and Theodore Menges CSecretary and Business Managerj. The dental school was removed to the building that ha.d been occupied by the American College of Dental Surgery, on the c-ornezr of Franklin and Madison streets, where it has since remained. In this building additional space co-uld be had from time to time 'for indefinite expansion.. In this arrangement the American College went out of existence, and as its students would have no alma mater it was agreed that those students who graduated from that college in 1890, and since, should be made alumni of North- western University Dental School. Northwestern University Dental School now undertook to teach allof the departments, including the fundamental branches, by its own professors and instructors, thus separating them entirely from the medical school. The work was now with much larger cla.sses than had before been assembled in dental schools,-and as the year passed it was se-en that while the general methods of instruc- tion in vogue were well adapted, much improvement in the system- atization of the work of the teaching force was desirable. At the end of the yea.r the Dean, Dr. Edgar D. Swain, resigned. Dr. Ci. Y. Black wa.s then appointed Dean, and was charged especially with the systema.tization of the methods of instruction. Each of the de- partments of instruction was gradually brought under the control of a single respo-nsible professor, who controlled the methods of presentation of the subjects in his field of work by those associated with him, and the courses of study so graded that the classes of each year 1-emgrined separate in the class room. Personal teaching was provided for by the separation of classes into sections and the arrangement of quiz masters and demonstrators for special duties. so that the individual student could at any time obtain a personal answer to his question or the demonstration of a technical procedure. 2:3