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

Page 17 text:

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

Page 16 text:

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

Page 18 text:

iC)Zp r -d pruee treats flowing proportions. The solution remaining was to build our own home. Accord- ingly a fourth campaign was instituted in 1929, which resulted in the goal of a million dollars being exceeded by several thousands. A plot of land was purchased on the northeast corner of 48th and Spruce Streets and few will forget the pride and prayers felt when the foundations of the present institution were laid. Our last illustration shows to some extent the beauty of the great building which was to be the head- quarters of Osteopathy in the Eastern states. The wise choice of Collegiate Gothic as the style of the new building was cleverly adapted to permit of wide expansion at any future time when circumstances permit. Visitors and new arrivals to the college and hospital cannot fail to be impressed by this magnificent building, modern in every conceivable degree and with an organization enviable throughout the world of Osteopathy. Through the energy of a real leader, already with more than ten years of Deanship behind him, and through the mechanism of an expertly organized Department of Public Relations, the name of Osteopathy is becoming gloriously associated with Philadelphia, the city where Osteopathy, Missouri-born, has spent a hard-fought but forever wonderful youth. Our chronicle is ended. Insufficient and superficial as it is, we present it for those who bear with us this far, to help them realize that, as Shakespeare wrote, Things were not ever thus. What we see today is the result of years of toil and heartache, yet those men to whom we owe the preservation of the name we one day hope to claim, ask no more than Floreat P. C. O. Page Fourteen