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Central Administration Records, Subgroup 1, Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Dean for Medical Affairs – Early Files of the Office of the Dean, mainly 1902-1960

Washington University School of Medicine, North Building, 1930s
Washington University School of Medicine, North Building
Central Administration Records, Subgroup 1, Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Dean for Medical Affairs
Volume: 26 linear feet
Bulk dates: Mainly 1902-1960
Collection code: RG01C-01
Organization of the Collection
Container List
PDF Version

Historical Note

The Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs and Dean is the chief administrative officer of the School of Medicine. This record subgroup comprises mainly those chief administrative functions of the office that began in 1899 – with the merger of St. Louis Medical College and Missouri Medical College under the aegis of the University – and that continue to this day. During the first two-thirds of the twentieth century, the deanship was a part-time responsibility. The first Assistant Dean was appointed in 1938. Beginning with M. Kenton King’s time of service (1964-1989), the Dean has been a full-time administrator. In 1989, under William A. Peck, the positions of Vice Chancellor and Dean were merged. Since 1993, the position has been styled “Executive Vice Chancellor and Dean.” Presently the Dean’s Office includes several subdivisions under the supervision of Associate Deans, Assistant Deans and Directors with employees numbering in the hundreds.

Deans of Washington University School of Medicine, 1899-present:
Henry Hodgen Mudd 1899
Gustav Baumgarten 1899-1900
Winfield Scott Chaplin (acting) 1900-1901
John B. Shapleigh 1901-1902
Robert Luedeking 1902-1908
William H. Warren 1908-1910
George Dock 1910-1912
Eugene Opie 1912-1915
Philip A. Shaffer 1915-1919
G. Canby Robinson 1919-1920
Nathaniel Allison 1920-1923
W. McKim Marriott 1923-1936
Philip A. Shaffer 1937-1946
Robert A. Moore 1946-1954
Carl V. Moore 1954-1955
Oliver H. Lowry 1955-1958
Edward W. Dempsey 1958-1964
M. Kenton King 1964-1989
William A. Peck 1989-2003
Larry J. Shapiro 2003-present
Vice Chancellors for Medical Affairs of Washington University:
Carl V. Moore 1964-1965
William H. Danforth 1965-1971
Samuel B. Guze 1971-1989
William A. Peck 1989-2003
Larry J. Shapiro 2003-present

Provenance

Most of the early files of the Office of the Dean were entrusted to the Library in 1977 (Accession 77-012). Smaller accessions are noted in the series descriptions. The collection was officially opened for qualified historical research by Dean M. Kenton King in 1989.

Access and Use

The collection is open and accessible for research. Certain categories of documentation, however, carry restrictions on access. For detailed information, contact the Archives and Rare Book Section (arb@wusm.wustl.edu). Large portions of the collection are on microfilm and the individual series descriptions indicate where the reels begin and end. The Library holds copyright to the writings of its administrators on behalf of the Dean’s Office.

Scope and Content

See individual series descriptions.

Organization of the Collection (Series List):

Series 1: Correspondence and Other Documents in Letterpress Copybooks, 1902-1912, Volumes 1-10, Reels 6-9.

Series 2: General Files, mainly 1909-1960, Boxes 1-44, Reels 10-32.

Series 3: Buildings and Equipment, 1912-1914, Boxes 45-46, Reel 33.

Series 4: X-ray bids and Specifications, 1931, Box 47, Reel 33.

Series 5: Reports, Surveys, and Miscellaneous Data, 1937-1964, Boxes 48-49.

Series 6: Additional General Files, 1899-1980, Boxes 50-51.

Series 7: Files of a Special Consultant for Historical Projects, 1989, Box 52.

Series 8: Annual Reports and Special Reports, 1941-1988, Box 53.

Series 9: Additional General Files, 1915-1960, Boxes 1-39.

Series 10: General Files, 1960-1982, Boxes 1-72.

Series 11: Selected Historical Files, 1909-1977, Box 1-2.

Series 12: Clinical Office Building Information Systems Strategic Plan, 1991, Box 1.

Series 13: Files of Assistant Dean, Valery Hambley, 1986-1990, Box 1.

Series 14: Historical Files from Selected Crises, 1911-1977, Box 1-2.

Container List

Series 1: Correspondence and Other Documents in Letterpress Copybooks, 1902-1912

The series consists of 10 bound volumes of letterpress copybooks. The “letterpress copybooks” are the earliest series of documents compiled in the operation of the Dean’s Office. Such books were first produced in a time before carbon copy paper was readily available, using a 19th-century technique whereby documents were handwritten or typed using special copy inks or ribbons, then moistened slightly and pressed against the thin tissue paper-like pages of the books, creating sometimes clear, but other times barely legible copies. All the letterpress copy volumes in this series were probably manufactured with paper covers (the pressure needed for copying the originals being achieved by rolling the books) and – six decades or more later, upon accessioning by the Library – were rebound with library-style buckram hard covers. All have handwritten indexes listing the names of correspondents in alphabetical order with corresponding page numbers. Some of the volumes also contain vouchers for payment for goods and services ordered by the Department and personnel pay lists, as well as various other documents concerning the operation of Washington University Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital and the O’Fallon Dispensary. Many loose documents to be found inserted between the pages of the books. Probably included with the “transfer file” (for more concerning which, see Series 2), Accession 77-012. Volumes 1-10. Microfilm Reel 6-9.

BOUND VOLUMES

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Series 2: General Files, 1909-1960

This is the earliest of the alphabetically filed series of correspondence and other documents compiled by the chief executive of the School. It was removed from active use in the Dean’s Office sometime in the 1960s. Although a few items pertain to matters as late as 1970, most files were inactive by 1960 or earlier. The Dean’s Office entrusted it to the Library on July 28, 1977 (Accession 77-012). Thereafter this block of files was for a time (late 1970s-early 1980s) cited as the “Transfer File” or “General Corporation” records series, because of the corrugated transfer containers where they continued to be stored in the Library and their somewhat misleading markings. The series was repackaged in archival document boxes and inventoried in the late 1980s. It includes many files containing historical information about School of Medicine departments. Files in this series were opened for qualified historical research by Dean M. Kenton King in 1989. Boxes 1-44, Microfilm Reel 10-32.

Box 1

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Box 2

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Box 3

Box 4

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Box 5

Box 6

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Box 7

Box 8

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Box 9

Box 10

Box 11

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Box 12

Medicine, School of, folders 12:15-23:10

Box 13

Medicine, School of, folders 12:15-23:10

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Box 14

Medicine, School of, folders 12:15-23:10

Box 15

Medicine, School of, folders 12:15-23:10

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Box 16

Medicine, School of, folders 12:15-23:10

Box 17

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Medicine, School of, folders 12:15-23:10

Box 18

Medicine, School of, folders 12:15-23:10

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Box 19

Medicine, School of, folders 12:15-23:10

Box 20

Medicine, School of, folders 12:15-23:10

Box 21

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Medicine, School of, folders 12:15-23:10

Box 22

Medicine, School of, folders 12:15-23:10

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Box 23

Medicine, School of, folders 12:15-23:10

Box 24

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Box 25

Postgraduate courses, folders 25:6-26:8

Box 26

Postgraduate courses, folders 25:6-26:8

Box 27

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Box 28

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Box 29

Box 30

United States Military, folders 30:1-31:7

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Box 31

United States Military, folders 30:1-31:7

Box 32

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Box 33

Washington University, Chancellor, folders 33:1-39:8

Box 34

Washington University, Chancellor, folders 33:1-39:8

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Box 35

Washington University, Chancellor, folders 33:1-39:8

Box 36

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Washington University, Chancellor, folders 33:1-39:8

Box 37

Washington University, Chancellor, folders 33:1-39:8

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Box 38

Washington University, Chancellor, folders 33:1-39:8

Box 39

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Washington University, Chancellor, folders 33:1-39:8

Washington University, folders 39:9-43:14

Box 40

Washington University, folders 39:9-43:14

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Box 41

Washington University, folders 39:9-43:14

Box 42

Washington University, folders 39:9-43:14

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Box 43

Washington University, folders 39:9-43:14

Box 44

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Series 3: Buildings and Equipment, 1912-1914

A series of files documenting the construction and furnish of the first buildings of the present Medical Campus. The series was transferred to the Archives from the Registrar’s vault in 1977. Accession 77-012. Box 45-46, Microfilm Reel 33.

Box 45

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Series 4: X-Ray Bids and Specifications, 1931

This short series pertains to the outfitting of the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, which opened in 1931. Accession 77-042. Box 47, Microfilm reel 33.

Box 47

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Series 5: Reports, Surveys, and Miscellaneous Data, 1937-1964

This is a series compiled in the Library from various and sundry reports and files sent as historical curiosities from the Dean’s Office to the Library Director’s Office and passed on from there to the Archives. Boxes 48-49.

Box 48

Box 49

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Series 6: Additional General Files, 1899-1980

This is a series arranged by the Library staff in the early 1980s. Folders 50:1 through 50:19 were compiled in the Dean’s Office, part of accession 77-012, and created mainly from the first years of the century. Folders 50:20 through 50:23 were from accession 94-018. The contents of box 50 were microfilmed by the Library. Items in box 51 are of various provenance and arranged with the preceding files as important documents pertaining to WUSM history. They were not microfilmed. Boxes 50-51.

Box 50

Box 51

The contents are of various provenance and arranged with the preceding files as important documents pertaining to WUSM history. They were not microfilmed.

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Series 7: Files of a Special Consultant for Historical Projects, 1989

Marion Hunt. Accession 89-006.

Box 52

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Series 8: Annual Reports and Special Reports, 1941-1988

This is a series arranged in the Library Archives to contain reports issued at various times by deans and vice chancellors that contain important summary information or assessments of the state of the School with respect to the University and the affiliated hospitals. Files 53:1 to 53:5 are from the Office of the Dean, accession 89-035. Files 53:6 to 53:8 are from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs Samuel B. Guze, at that time separate from the Dean, accession 2006-054. Chronological arrangement.

Box 53

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Series 9: Additional General Files, 1915-1960

When Dean M. Kenton King neared retirement in 1989, he authorized the release of files of the same period as those in Series 2, but had been retained for active use by his administration. Accession 89-022.

Box 1

Box 2

Box 3

Box 4

Box 5

Box 6

Box 7

Box 8

Box 9

Box 10

Box 11

Box 12

Box 13

Box 14

Box 15

Box 16

Box 17

Box 18

Box 19

The following files, 19:1 through 21:15, were arranged as a subset of the heading “Medical School.” They in turn are followed by five files (22:1-5) out of alphabetical order and relating to Maternity Hospital.

Box 20

Box 21

Box 22

Box 23

Box 24

Box 25

Box 26

Box 27

Box 28

Box 29

Box 30

Box 31

Box 32