Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine - Synapsis Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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1936 ; ] ' iiapsis t tKfje J|is;torp of tije IDfjilabelpljia College of £iteopatf)p I iT WAS in 1899, when the science of Osteopathy had been on a scientifically taught basis for only a quarter of a century, that Dr. O. J. Snyder and Mason W. Pressly, early disciples of Andrew Taylor Still, first conceived the idea of founding a center in the East for the teaching of their profession. Accordingly rooms were rented in the Stephen Girard Building, and the insti- tution, incorporated under the name of the Philadelphia College and Infirmary of Osteopathy, received its start. The classes were naturally at first small, the first group graduating in the year 1901, trained and taught almost exclusively by the founders themselves, who, together with one secretary, ran every department of the institution. The Dean at this time was Dr. McCurdy, a grand gentleman and a true Osteopath, whose memory will ever be honored. In 1904 a series of changes began, due to the combined effects of the growth of the school and to financial embarrassment. From the Witherspoon Building, P. C. O. ' s second home, to the building ever after known as 33rd and Arch, in 1906, were the next two moves, and from here the college moved north to 715 North Broad Street. During this period, the student body being by no means large enough that their fees would support the college, the burden of expense was largely shared by the leading members of the faculty. Osteopathy at this time enjoyed but little recognition, and had a large and critical medical fraternity to pit itself against. The courage of these men who staked their all in order to give Osteopathy the Page Ten

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1936 pnapsis T ifitorp of tfje Jjilabelpfjia College of ©steopatijp JL Page Nine

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growth and rights they felt it deserved is inspiring to us of a later and more enlight- ened generation. It is interesting to note at this point that Dr. O. J. Snyder still owns those same offices in the Witherspoon Building that were the scene of so many of Osteopathy ' s early trials and difficulties. In those days there were but one class- room and but few laboratory facilities, all work being of a didactic nature. From an enrollment of thirty-five students at the 33rd and Arch building, the college had now grown, until at Broad and Columbia, the number now stood at about 60. In spite of great opposition from the medical profession, the students enjoyed the privileges and use of first the Philadelphia School, and later, the Har- vey School, of Anatomy. Some laboratories were modestly eguipped, and even the stables of the building were transformed into a gymnasium for the use of the students. Dr. Charles J. Muttart records an amusing incident, when he conceived the idea of photographing the college building from a certain position which incor- porated in the picture the rather imposing dome of a building in the background, the result of which, he reports, added considerably, if rather misleadingly, to the appearance of our modest building. Some surgery was performed at the college at this time, the dissection room being called into service, sometimes at short notice, for this purpose! The scene of activity changed once more, in 1911, to 9th and Pine Streets, the college being now under the Deanship of Dr. Arthur M. Flack, whose term of office lasted until 1924, a space of fifteen years. Here is a man to whom more than ordi- nary credit is due. He tcok over the controlling office at a time when the college was passing through one of its most critical phases; for the next few years all the brunt of criticism, responsibility, and financial liability were imposed upon this one rxjlfopt Toad Street Page Eleven