Wake Forest School of Medicine - Gray Matter Yearbook (Winston Salem, NC)

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Dr. Herbert Moffett Vann 1893 1951 Dr. Vann, professor of anatomy in the llowman Gray School of Medicine and beloved friend of the medical students who had known him. died Sunday afternoon, October 1-1. 19:11. at the North Carolina Baptist Hospital following a week of ill- ness caused by coronary occlusion. Dr. Vann was born in Danville. Virginia, on February 8. 1893. He attended Mars Hill and XVake Forest College, receiving his 15.5, from V1'ake Forest in 1915 and his M.A. in 1910. He attended Ielferson Medical College and received his BLD. there in 1917. Following overseas service in World VVar 1 as a First Lieutenant in the Medical Corps. he returned to VVake Forest College and served as Professor of Anatomy in its medical school from 1919 to 1951, except for two years as assistant professor of anatomy at Tulane Medical School. 1926-1928. ln addition. he organized the medical detachment of the 115th Field Artillery of the North Carolina National Guard and served as maior in charge until 19-111. Surviving him are his wife, the former Miss Mildred Arzani of Ansonia. Pennsylvaniag his son. Dr. Robert 1.. Vann. assist- ant resident in pediatrics at the North Carolina Baptist Hospitalg his daughter, Mrs. Iames 1. VValler of VVinston-Salem: his sister, Mrs. 1Villiam D. livin of Salzburg. Austria: and his two broth- ers. Rev. Luther R. Vann of Roanoke. Virginia. and Capt. lohn W. Vann. MC. USN, of Coro- nado. California. The impact of this great man's life and spirit could perhaps best be appreciated by a glimpse at the sum total of the memories of him cherished by all of us, his medical students. To the students during his teaching lifetime. Dr. Yann and his course in human anatomy were practically the embodiment of the medical school of VVake Forest College. As early as premedical days. bull sessions about medical school in smoky fraternity rooms. at Sun- day School luncheons. and in crowded cafes sooner or later centered on Dr. Vann. VVhenever a dele- gation would come from the medical school to interview prospective students in undergraduate school, Dr. Vann would be the hrst person to bc singled out. The concensus, in any case. was that although with stern pedagogy he required thor- ough mastery of the 131111-odtl pages of Ciray's Anatomy. he knew more about entering medical students than anyone else in school and was actu- ally their closest friend. No consideration of Dr. Vann would be com- plete without watching him survey one by one a class of freshman medical students as they would take their places in the anatomy dissecting room. dressed in their starchy, untarnished lab coats and armed with their fresh crackling editions of Gray's Anatomy. Dr. Vann expected and received a great deal from his medical students. He expected them to be in their places and ready for work at 3311 AM: he expected them to work diligently at all times and set a high mark for themselves. He con- tinually stressed their privilege in being in medical school: and he treated them with dignity and ex- pected from them a mature. sincere conduct. Through the years we will recall many familiar scenes with Dr. Yann. VVe will recall not only somewhat terrifying moments in quiz sessions. but also his cheery greetings from his ollice as we passed by in the hallway, his occasional beckon- ings to see a gorgeous autumn scene from his win- dow. and his enthusiasm before a Vllake Forest Homecoming football game. But most of all. we will remember that Dr. Vann not only knew the full name of everyone of us who studied under him but also knew our every eccentricity and cap- ability and was our confidant and counselor in many problems. VVhenever in the future we may be tempted to make shabby compromises with our professional and personal integrity. we will be prompted by the memory of The Maioru always upholding standards of discipline and duty.

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HAROLD XV. Titiisistit, Th.D.. Ph.D. P11-,uid ml XVLIRC Forest College .. if 1 ' 'Drug Cox' C. C.xRPhNTLR, M.D. Dean Bowman Gray School of Medicine Professor of Pathology ADMINISTRATION The Bowman Gray School of Medicine is the medical school of Vlhike Forest College and an expansion of the two-year school at NVnlte Forest founded in WUI. The name was changed by action of the Board of Trustees in recognition of the benefuction of the late Bowman Gray, Sr.. who left provision of funds in his will which were awarded to XVg1ke Forest College. making the establishment of the four-year medictil school pos- sible. Although presently separated from the p.trent institution. the dean in his administrative capacity is responsible to the President of XVake Forest College and. through him. to the Board of Trus- tees of VVake Forest College. The North Carolina Baptist Hospital. the main teaching hospital of the medical school since IQ-ll, was founded in l923. The activities of the two institutions. both operf ated under the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. are integrated and correlated in the best interests of medical education and medical care.