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

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©ur i£eto Affiliation AXV of our alumni have already learned through the public press of the new relations assumed between their Alina Mater, the Philadelphia Dental College, and Temple University of this city. To those living at a distance and who may not have heard of the change, the announcement will probably come as a surprise, while to all is due a statement of what the movement means and how it came about. As is well known to almost everyone, when the effort was made to organize the first school for the teaching of dentistry, nearly seventy years ago. it was proposed that it be made a department of the medical school already in existence and of high standing. The offer was rejected by the medical authorities because of the supposed inferior status of dentistry at that time. No other way being open, the school had to establish itself as a separate or independent institution with an individual charter, building, equipment and teaching corps. Having proven successful, other institutions of like character gradually became established in several states. Not until some thirty years after the establishment of the first dental school, and after the need of special dental instruction had become plainly apparent, did the medical schools decide to organize dental departments. Later, universities with medical departments, also, in many instances established department or schools of dentistry. The courses of instruction in the separate dental schools and those connected with medical colleges and universities have been almost exactly identical through all the years, excellent work being done in each, as shown by examinations before the State Board of Examiners. However, of later years, some preference has been shown by intending students (especially those from foreign countries) for dental schools associated with universities, a university diploma seeming to loom larger before their eyes than one issued bv a separate or independent school. The Philadelphia Dental College has noticed this gradual change of sentiment for several years, and for some time it has become apparent to both the Board of Trustees and the Faculty that an affiliation with some larger educational institution would be advantageous to its interests. Temple University was thought of. but. although it had prosperous departments of Medicine. Law, Theology, Science and Art. it was not known that it desired to include Dentistry in its educational field. In a chance conversation between an official of each of the two institutions it transpired that Temple University did desire to have a dental college affiliation, but did not wish to undertake the establishment of a dental department de novo. Thus the way was open for conference and negotiations which eventually resulted in a federation of the two institutions. 5

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with a total yearly attendance of about five thousand students. In the forty years of its existence the Philadelphia Dental College has graduated no less than three thousand students. I.ike the other schools, it has advanced from a two-year to a three-year course, with supplemental spring and fall courses, covering three months or more. From a yearly curriculum that required thirty-four lectures from each professor. it has advanced into one in which more than one hundred didactic lectures are given annually by the incumbent of each chair. In addition to this, the clinical facilities have been enlarged, thereby giving to the students opportunities which were undreamed of years ago. One of the most recent advancements has been the establishment of technic courses in the Freshman and Junior years, this being of a great advantage to the new student. The Philadelphia Dental College was the first to introduce into its curriculum a course of oral surgery and the first to establish a hospital for the treatment of diseases of the oral cavity. Professor Garrctson was first to introduce this, as a part of the dental curriculum. The Philadelphia Dental College in the many years of its existence has lost but six of its professors through death. These men were Dr. Garretson, Dr. McQuillen. Dr. A. C. Kingsbury, Dr. J. F. Flagg. I)r. H. H. Burchard and Dr. II. C. Boetining. Each of these was a master in the art of teaching, and each at the time of his death, with the exception of Dr. H. C. Boenning. was not only the Dean of the school, but the most distinguished member of the Faculty. During its existence two changes of location have been made necessary by the growth of the college Upon its establishment it was located at the northwest corner of Tenth and Arch Streets. There it remained until 1887. when it removed to a new and larger building on Cherry Street, below Eighteenth. Outgrowing these quarters in the course of eight years, it was decided to purchase ground in a new locality and erect a large and commodious building, adapted solely to its own educational purposes. In 1896 a suitable location was found at Eighteenth, Buttonwood and Hamilton Streets, and here ground was broken and the erection of a new building begun. The cornerstone was laid with Masonic ceremonies, January 13. 1897. and the building opened for the fall term of September 1st. and formally dedicated on October 4th. In honor of its founder, the hospital has been named the Garretson Hospital. It occupies a large portion of the first floor of the new building, and is very beautifully equipped with all the needs of such an institution. In 1905. owing to the increase in patients, tile hospital required more room, and a demand, or rather a petition, was made to the State for money to build a new hospital on the campus of the college. Great credit is due to Dr. Boenning. whose untiring efforts succeeded in getting enough money to build the now hospital. The new hospital is now fully equipped and stands as one of the most modern hospitals in the city. Last year the board of lady managers presented the hospital with a fine, up-to-date ambulance, which adds greatly to the efficiency of the hospital service. H. T. 4

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Temple University has acquired by purchase the entire plant of the Philadelphia Dental College and the Garretson Hospital. This includes ground, buildings, equipment and outstanding obligations. The Trustees of Temple University became the Trustees of our institutions anti regulate all of its atTairs. The teaching faculty will receive fixed salaries and be relieved of all financial problems. The Dental College will remain in its present quarters and its method of instruction will remain practically the same. The Medical School of Temple University will remove to the Dental College building and utilize its classrooms and laboratories in the evening when the dental students have no need of them. As will l e seen by Dr. UonweU's communication on another page, the name of the Philadelphia Dental College, as well as its identity, will be preserved. What does the new order of things mean to both parties interested? To Temple University it means the extension of its educational field to include an important and growing branch of humanitarian science and art. It means the acquirement of valuable property well adapted to the requirements of its medical school, whose quarters have heretofore been cramped and inadequate. It means the acquisition of a second hospital (Samaritan being its first), with increased clinical facilities for its medical students. To the Philadelphia Dental College the change means relief for the Faculty from cares and burdens of a financial or business character, so that all of their energies may be devoted to educational work exclusively. More important, however, than this, it means affiliation with an institution having an enrollment of three thousand students, offering fifty separate courses of instruction, a teaching faculty numbering one hundred and sixty, and a record of thorough and progressive educational work scarcely equaled, and certainly not excelled, by any other eastern institution. We believe that the new order will work to the advantage of both institutions by enabling each one to aid the other. It seems like one of these occasional combinations in other fields of human activity in which neither is the loser, but both are gainers. It is not too much to hope and believe that the old and honored Philadelphia Dental College, under the new arrangement will make for better things in education and practice than it has even done in the past, and to bespeak for it in its new relations the cordial support of its three thousand alumni. S. H. G. 16