University of Maryland School of Pharmacy - Terra Mariae Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

Page 26 text:

21 ' Crrra iMariar. 1 a 1 1 1 he aw ardiiii, ' (if credit.-. liuultl rc.-i xilcly with the Dean, Mich credentials Ijeing pre- served and i)ruiii])tly returned on proper occasion. From this office a yearly report should he mailed to the student, or his parents, and the student should be relieved uf the humil- iation of depositing two cents for postage, but should receive his mail as he would from anv other business house or individual with whom business led him to corres])ond. I do not suggest that the entrance reciuireiiients be raised, hut that the standard estalilished be, rigidly enforced Sd that the present ruiuors of laxity, in this particular, shall, for want of ])roof, die out. The honor system luning arisen in the student body of our Medical Department, will for its continuance depend upon the confidence and encouragement of the teaching body, who could greatly enhance its value by luaking little talks relating to the demands lit the honor system before each examination. Academic day should be attended by every member of the different faculties, and each should stand ready to work up, if required, a jirogram that no student would care to miss. The Faculty should avoid such petty irregularities as. when under their guidance, a subscription was taken among the students to erect a tablet to one of our distinguished alunmi. which, when unveiled, read: Erected l)y the Regents of the University of .Mary- land. The students ' confidence and admiration should he gained and held 1) - a constant opportunity for a closer association with his teachers. The collections of clinical knowledge and experience into papers and books would bring fame to their authors and reflect credit upon our Universitv. Our local Medical As- sociation needs tender nursing and fostering care from all connected with it. Prestige conies with the presence of the Faculty at all of its meetings. Since the audiences con- sist largely if students, they could be stimulated to greater effort by the election of the ice-|)resideiit fnjiii their luimlier. Criticisms by school inspectors and those who would further the interests of institutions should be given a patient hearing, while we lend dili- gence to the elimination of all that is really defective, leaving truth, more powerful than wdrds. to defend our cause. The course of stud ' should include all (|uizzes and dem- onstrations necessary for the develojjiuent of a good ])rofessioiial man. ( )ur most bene- ficial i)aid quizzes will be made to suffer with their less worthy brothers, but if these bridges iiuist co er the gaps, then let them become a i)art of each studv. Then those who lack the funds, and who perhaps need tlieni most, ma)- share in their ad antages. I have on several occasions, with pride, corrected the misstatement that we were without an academic department at the termination of an experimental affiliation. I ])ray that those who participate will not let the little misunderstandings of mortal man weaken the bond of union between these two great institutions and that their association lie con- tinued with an ever-increasing harmony that will lessen the great distance that separates us. Candidates for entrance miiNi judge the Tnixersity liy oui catalogue. ( )ur n.ible old school deserves a more vdhiiiiinoiis edition, one that will tell in detail the course of study, the ground covered and method of instructi( jii, and if these catalogues contained the names and addresses of all the living or known alniiini il would call to the mind of the prospective student the lives of many men uliom ilu-y would lie glad to cimilatc and renew the school ' s pride as being able to |)oint to s( , many who have lived wortliily. reflecting undying fame upon those at whose feet they had the goo d fortune lo sit when young. Hir lilir.ary is almost useless; it oi ' cupies an cnliie liuilding. et gix ' es litllc in re- turn. If its doors were o])ened early in the nionhng ami kept i pen f ir a lilile while at nighl, in charge of some zealou student trving to work his wav ihiough collci;e, ihe

Page 25 text:

Srrra iHariar. 1911 19 prcigress has surrounded her with a network of streets and buildings froii which she can never escape. Her site must ever be the same. hile deprived of a Utopian home, she may still be made beautiful, so priceless are her assets that yet remain. The grass plant- ed on the toy campus died of thirst last summer. This should he replaced, the hedge groomed, and a few tastily arranged flower beds placed here and there. A wooden fence would stay the trampling of feet until radiant beauty lent its own protection. )ur his- toric old columns are due a coat of white. Even these minor changes would force the trav- eller, on the electric highway to the nation ' s capital, to feel that he was approaching his- toric ground; a region so sacred that even its barren soil gave forth suggestions of the beautiful. The interior of our buildings do not meet the modern demands for cleanliness. The ' should be washed and disinfected. The process could be greatly facilitated by a lib- eral application of the old-fashioned elbow grease, then painted. This would cost only the price of the material consumed ; the work could be done in half a summer by the janitors of the respective buildings during their periods of relaxation, which constitutes the major part of each day. During a like period the electrician should install lights in our dark hallways and lecture rooms to preserve the students ' eyes, which must be sub- jected to f iur vears of constant strain. The chairs in our lecture rooms each year dimin- ish in number. Had a carpenter administered the proverl)ial ounce of ])re ' enti(in when tliev liegan to weaken the saving would help to j ay his salary. With such improvements — in themselves almost costless — we could cease to call our halls anti(|uated and dub them historic. More blackboards should be installed in most of our lecture halls. Thev would assist the teacher in making more practical his explana- tions. To our laboratories should be added a few desks, even at the risk of crowding. Their equipment needs a little enlargement; just a little each year would mean so much to those who seek to know the hidden mysteries of nature. The erection of a students ' dormitory, on our unoccupied corner, would go far toward rescuing the boys from the unhygienic and often immoral influences of boarding houses. Such an undertaking would be thoroughly ])racticable. The building could be erected by a bond issue, using only so much of the school ' s funds as might be desired in the construction and equipment. An annual con- tingent fee would jirotect the bond-owners against property damage in the boys ' moments of superhilarity. In mv humble opinion, it is not best for the University to be controlled by the State. Its present laws ])ermit the management to e.xercise the prerogative of silence, but would it not be better that an annual report be given to the public, pacifying it and showing it that its deep-rooted doubts as to the institution ' s proper administration are not well founded? If this public mistrust will be satisfied by a president, then let us have one, but I fear lest the great and wise, if restricted, would not give us sufficient time and thought to lead us aright, while the restricted and small man would only imjiede our progress. It is only fair and just that a portion of the University income should be expended (m the buildings and their ec|uipnicnt, for ' tis an unwise man who would kill the goose that lays the golden egg. The Dean ' s office should be made more imposing and attractive to prospective stu- dents and a friendly interest shown them by one conversant with our courses and the relation they bear to those of other colleges. Only guarded promises should be made them, and, when given, recorded and fulfilled.

Page 27 text:

(Trna iflariar. 1311 students wduld while away their leisure hours, wjiieh now, for the lack of elsewhere to go. are often spent in saloons, poolroonis and moving picture parlors, among the books and studying medicine in the more than thirty journals which at present are filed as out of date, their covers unopened, their tale untold. The library should be general and con- tain books of interest to all the departments of the University and its use sliould be free from any expense to students, even at the loss of a few books each year. If some place for recreation in an atmosphere of thought and learning were provided for the men they would quickly avail themselves of the opportunity ofifered. When publishers found our library used, as a medium of advertising they would soon fill its shelves with the best literature of the world. The obsolete volumes would find place in the basement to make room for the new. and while the beneficial work goes on our students would grow broader, learn more medicine and finally become more intelligent men and capable phy- sicians, raising our standards by common consent of those who have the institution ' s welfare at heart. A University can remain no greater than the final attainment of those who leave its doors, and much ought to be done just by the utilization of this one latent resource. If ordered by the authorities, the hospital students would l)e i)erfcctlv willing to dress in white, securing not only the aid to uniformity and discipline that at- tends similarity of dress, but would be pleasing to the eye and secure a more willing ac- ceptance by the patients. ' hen so attired the use of the front stairs would save the stu- dents many steps. The hospital students have recently l)een deprived of the assistance of nurses, but upon reflection the impossibility of aseptic dressings, under such conditions, will make this rule short-lived. The two hours, morning and evening, allotted to ward work are almost entirely consumefl at meals and classes, anfl as the unoccupied hours of dif- ferent sections are not the same, it is not unreasonable to ask that this work be allowed throughout the day, e. ce])ting visiting hours. If the chiefs of clinics were required to be at the dispensary promptly at tweh ' e the work could be finished in time foi- posted stu- dents to attend the one o ' clock clinics. ' IMie superintendent of the hospital should protect the students from those who would needlessly waste their time or inflict other impositions, and while ever mindful of their welfare and willing to listen to their reasonable re(]uests, he should rule them with a rod of iron, oft ' ering encouragement to those conscientious and untiring in the flischarge of duty and giving no C|uarter or consolation to the negligent and slothful. ( )ur nurses and students are constantly thrown together in their work; in concession to the undying interest i)uth finds in youth, would it not be l)etter that the meetings on dark street corners be replaced by visiting privileges at reasonalile hours in the hospital ])arlors. under proper restriction and supervision? A system of jjermits might l)e devised allowing them to attend together theatres or other proper places of amusement, in the somewhat dubious medical student the nurse finds a man more aware of his moral respon- sibilities than is the case with other men who flock to our large cities, whom she with- out social introduction must sooner or later be thrown. At least let it be remembered that the springtime of life is short and to change the natural course of human e ents is difii- cult. If the dental students were to use the medical library its sco])e of usefulness would be greatly augmented s])eedil ' covering the needs of that department. The dental smoking- room could be made attractive by the addition of a few pieces of furniture. Their lec- ture-room chairs might be. for order, wired to the floor. The reception-room should be less l)ul)lic and provided with retiring departments. A more detailed dissection of the head an l