Temple University School of Dentistry - Odontolog Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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College History HE history of the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery extends over a half century, dating from the early days when the fever of excitement over the discoveries in California stirred men in every walk of life, and led many to forsake business and all else to join in the mad rush for fortune. After many unsuccessful efforts by a number of the leading men in the medical and dental profession, a charter was obtained, and the Philadelphia College of Dental Surgery was organized, in 1850. The first session was opened in the fall of 1852. occupying rooms in the third, fourth and fifth stories of the building now occupied by Geo. D. Feidt. 528 Arch Street, but at that time owned and occupied by the firm of Jones, White McCurdy, now the S. S. White Dental Manufacturing Company, of Twelfth and Chestnut Streets. During the next four years times were prosperous, and in all sixty-three students were graduated. At this time, however, owing to the unprecedented action of the Board of Corporators in conferring honorary degrees without the recommendation or even consent of Faculty, the latter resigned, and as an active educational institution the college ceased to exist. On April 3, 1856. the charter of the present Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery was obtained by the retiring Faculty, with the Hon. Henry C. Carey as president. At the first meeting of the Board of Corporators, held April 6, 1856, a new Faculty was elected, consisting of: Elisha Townsend. M. D., D. D. S., Professor of Operative Dental Surgery and Special Dental Pathology; Robert Authur, M. D., D. D. S., Professor of Principles and Practice of Dental Surgery; I. F. B. Flagg, M. D., D. D. S., Professor of Anatomy and Physiology; Eli Parry. M. D.. D. D. S., Professor of Chemistry, Materia Medica and Special Therapeutics; Thomas L. Buckingham, M. D., D. D. S., Professor of Mechanical Dentistry. With this organization the newlv-founded college remained in the same building previously occupied by its predecessor, until 1863, when another reorganization of the Faculty took place and the following men were elected to fill the vacancies: J. H. McQuillen, M. D., Professor of Anatomy and Physiology; J. L. Susserott, D. D. S.. Professor of Dental Surgery and Therapeutics; C. N. Pierce. D. D. S., Professor of Dental Physiology and Operative Dentistry; E. Wildman. D. D. S., Professor of Mechanical Dentistry. The rapid growth of the institution made it imperative that more

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PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE OF DENTAL SURGERY

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room and better accommodations be provided and, therefore, the college was moved to a new location on the southeast comer of Tenth and Arch Streets, of which building it occupied the second, third and fourth floors, until the close of the session of 1877-78. At the close of this session another reorganization of the Faculty occurred, and the new men elected to the various chairs were: J. Ewing Mears, A. M., M. D., Professor of Anatomy and Surgery: Wilbur F. Litch, M. D., D. D. S., Professor of Prosthetic Dentistry and Therapeutics; Henry C. Chapman, M. D., Professor of Physiology and General Pathology. Dr. Buckingham and Dr. Pierce were retained in their former positions. But more room again became a necessity, and a much larger building at the northwest comer of Twelfth and Filbert Streets was secured, making available in the second, third, fourth and fifth stories of this building more than double the former space for lecture rooms, operating rooms and laboratories. After the session of 1883-84 a slight change in the Faculty was made, Henry LcfTmann. M. D.. D. D. S.. succeeding Dr. Buckingham as Professor of Chemistry and Metallurgy, and Albert P. Brubaker. M. D., D. I). S., taking the chair of Physiology and General Pathology. Owing to the rapid evolution of dental science, still higher educational standards were required and greater facilities demanded. These requirements, together with radical changes in the length of the college term, made it again obligatory upon the Faculty to seek for better accommodations, and as the outcome the present site on the northeast comer of Eleventh and Clinton Streets was purchased, and a new and commodious college building was erected thereon, being first occupied at the close of the session of 1892-93. Early in 1898 the chairs of Dental Anatomy. Dental Histology and Prosthetic Technics, and that of Clinical Dentistry and Oral Pathology were established, I. Norman Broomell, D. D. S.. and Geo. W. Warren, D. D. S., being elected to the respective chairs. Dr. J. Ewing Mears retired from the chair of Anatomy and Surgery at the close of the session of 1899, and the professorship was divided, the chairs of Anatomy and Surgical Pathology and Oral Surgery being created. Percival E. Loder, M. D., D. D. S., was elected to the former, and W. J. Roe, M. D., D. D. S., to the latter. At the close of the session of 1900, Dr, Henry LefTmann. long occupying the chair of Chemistry and Metallurgy, retired, and J. Bird Moyer, B. S.. Ph. D., was elected to fill the vacancy. From the spring of 1878 to the present time the career of the college has been one of continued prosperity, the number of students increasing steadily, and each year recording some important extension of the college curriculum. Previous to 1878 the annual list of matriculates had not exceeded seventy in number; this year will see graduated from the college a class of over one hundred.