Pennsylvania College of Optometry - Iris Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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E IRIS i934 0 ALBERT FITCH, OD., F.A.A.O. President of College Corporation Dean of Faculty Professor of Gptometrical Practice and jurisprudence Fellow, American Academy of Optometrists Nineteen

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ya,-gm . Eighteen THE IRIS l Brief Sketch of the Qrigin ol the pennsylvania State College ol Qptometry By DR. ALBERT FITCH ' Much as I should like to go into the details of organizing the college and mention the names of the many public spirited Optometrists who by their work and generosity in helping to establish the College, have proven that they have the professional man's conception of service to both his pro- fession and humanity, the brief space available for this purpose in a book of this kind makes it impossible to do so. ' The first thought of a college, founded as this one was, came at the time Governor Brumbaugh signed the Optometry Bill making Optometry a legally recognized profession. This was in l9l7. ' The first attempt to interest the Optometrists in the project was made in the Society of the Pennsylvania College of Optometrists at the meeting immediately following the signing of the Optometry Act. After much dis- cussion the matter was finally dropped by this society. Friends of the new college, however, continued their efforts to interest the Optometrists out- side of this organization. They succeeded so well that the idea of the new college found its way into the Philadelphia Society of Optometrists and after much discussion, lasting over a period of several months, was referred to the board of directors of the society where it remained without action. Prac- ticany a year passed since the first mention of the new college. At this time the writer induced a few men to hold a meeting independent of either of the societies mentioned and they decided to tour the city to get the senti- ment of the best Optometrists and succeeded in getting fifteen men to signify their willingness to organize for the purpose of establishing a college to be managed and supported without profit. They held their first meeting September 26, l9l8, in the Continental Hotel and continued to hold frequent meetings thereafter, always adding to their membership until they felt sure that they had enough enthusiastic Optometrists won over to the idea of the new college to risk a big mass meeting, which was eventually held on janu- ary 3O, l9l9, on the roof of the Adelphia Hotel. At this meeting the fou-nd- ation was laid for the building of the largest and best-equipped Optometry college in existence. ' The various steps found necessary to produce this result would, l am sure, make very interesting reading if space would permit. However, the writer assumes that most of the history since the inception of the College is generally known to the present graduating class, and that what they really desire is a sketch of the very earliest beginnings, which he has attempted to condense in the small space available in a pulblication such as this.

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Twenty A 0 THE IRIS l The Award ol the Distinguished Service Foundation of Qptometry ' The winning of the Distinguished Service Foundation medal by Dr. Albert Fitch seems to us to be of importance because it was conferred by a group of gentlemen who 'have been prominent in the profession for many years. They have varied perspectives of the profession for some are scien- tists while others are interested in the art of the practice of their profession. ' Dr. Fitch chooses to look upon the award as a valued recognition and honor to Pennsylvania State College of Optometry, and those who have sac- rificed along with him to produce it, rather than a recognition of personal attainment. Together they started under tremendous handicaps and labored to make the College what is probably the foremost optometric educational institution in the United States. 0 That the members of the Foundation chose to present the 1934 award to Dr. Fitch proves that the leaders in our profession value very highly the latest trend in optometric education-they subscribe to the training given students at this College. We like to believe that this token is an index of the attitude of the profession in general which would mean that both the older and the newer members of the group are in harmony as to ideals and methods. This is a happy thought for very often there tends to arise between the older practitioners and the recent graduates an unwarranted antagonism. The event which we have discussed tends to wipe out antagonism and to replace it with a unity of thought and purpose making for the future progress. We are now all travelling in the same direction.