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

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man, and it is due to him that the institution has risen from its then insignificant status to the flourishing concern of which Philadelphia is so proud today. The course had by now been extended from its original two years of ten months each to four years of eight months. Surgery was now included, being taught by Drs. Pennock and Bashline, the former at this early date not yet performing surgery himself, the latter owning today the fine hospital at Grove City, Pennsylvania. The amphitheatre was only an improvised affair, since the first Osteopathic Hospital was not founded until 1911, on South Ninth Street. Realizing the need for expansion a campaign for funds was begun, resulting in the acguisition of the building at Nineteenth and Spring Garden Streets, where a fifty-bed hospital was erected behind the college building, eguippsed with our first permanent amphitheatre. This marked an important point in the establishment of the institution, since this was the first building the organization had actually owned — all its previous homes having been rented. The faculty now enjoyed the suppiort and teaching ability of such men as O. J. Snyder, C. D. Balbirnie, Arthur M. Flack, Charles Muttart, D. S. B. Pennock, J. Ivan Dufur, Wm. Nichol, E. G. Drew, and Wm. Otis Galbreath, many of whom are now nationally known figures both in and outside of Osteopathic circles. It is not our intention to include in this tale statistics, figures, and extended flights of eulogy. For these purposes the Catalogue is more than adequate. At this point, however, it is most fitting to comment on the most extraordinarily success- tgiz S irfciStrcdt ' Page Twelve

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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

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i9 r j[p s ond px jncf Oarden ' trzct vincfOa ful financial achievement in Osteopathic history. We refer to the inauguration of a series of campaigns, the first in 1916 for the further eguipment of the existing h os- pital. Three years later a second campaign was held, and in 1923 a third, which it must be admitted, realized far more than had dared been hoped for. The following year was heralded by a loss to the college, occasioned by the retirement of Dr. Flack, after fifteen years of Deanship. Under the leadership of this man, the college had now risen from a small, struggling, underprivileged school to a thriving, solvent institution. As his successor. Osteopathy in the East was fortunate to acguire the untiring services of Dr. Edgar O. Holden, one of the college ' s own graduates of 1922. A young man when he accepted the position, he lost no time in adding his efforts to those of his predecessor, and under his guidance the graduating classes continued to increase in size, and the buildings continued to improve. The curriculum was constantly widened, new subjects and courses being introduced to conform with State requirements, for the institution was now incor- porated under the laws of Pennsylvania. As a result, each succeeding year the col- lege was producing more fully trained physicians, and the Profession was receiving the benefit of their broadened training. Laboratory and clinic facilities were better eguipped, the hospital was filled to capacity, and the Staff were constantly over- taxed to give attention to the growing demands of the sick and needy. The capacity of the 19th and Spring Garden building was proven insufficient. Renting buildings had resulted in heavy indebtedness in the early days of the school; the bought building had only fulfilled needs until the institution swelled to over- Page Thirteen