Faculty Meeting Minutes of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1856

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 11/14/2025, 5:24:24 AM

Added description

Description

Faculty Meetings, 1856

Overview

This collection comprises the official minutes of the faculty meetings of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania for the year 1856. The documents are written in English, dated between December 31 1855 and May 28 1856, and are presented as a series of typed or handwritten pages, each bearing the date, attendees, and a concise record of business conducted. The files are stored as scanned images (JPEG and TIFF) and a JSON metadata file that links each image to its corresponding meeting event.

Background

The Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, established in 1850 in Philadelphia, was the first institution in the United States to award medical degrees to women. In 1856, the college’s faculty, led by Dean Ellwood Harvey, met regularly to administer the school, appoint faculty, approve theses, and confer degrees. The minutes reflect the college’s governance structure, including a corporation, a faculty board, and a set of regulations adopted in 1854. The documents were produced by the college’s administrative staff and later digitized by the PINAX archival project.

Contents

The collection contains 19 individual meeting minutes, each corresponding to a distinct faculty session. Key subjects include:
  • Administrative appointments (e.g., Dr. Gillingham as Treasurer pro tempore, Dr. Fussel elected Dean).
  • Faculty and staff management (appointments of demonstrators of anatomy, lecturers, and committee members).
  • Thesis review and degree conferral (receiving and voting on inaugural theses of Miss Elizabeth Collins, Miss Debbie A. Hughes, Miss Laura J. Ross, and Miss Jane L. Starr; conferral of M.D. degrees on February 28 1856).
  • Financial matters (payment of janitor services, lecture‑room fees, and other expenses).
  • Regulatory amendments (changes to Article 17 of the college’s regulations and the publication of the Seventh Annual Announcement).
Each minute lists the present faculty, the agenda items, resolutions, and signatures of the Dean.

Scope

The materials cover the period from December 31 1855 through May 28 1856, encompassing 19 faculty meetings held primarily in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The documents focus on internal governance, academic administration, and the conferral of medical degrees to female graduates. They exclude external correspondence, student records, or broader institutional histories, concentrating instead on the procedural and administrative aspects of the college’s faculty operations during that year.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

**Entities (first definition only)**  

@female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania:organization {full_name: "Female Medical College of Pennsylvania", location: @philadelphia, type: "medical school"}  

@ellwood_harvey:person {full_name: "Ellwood Harvey", role: "Dean", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@dr_thomas:person {full_name: "Dr. Thomas", role: "Clinic Physician", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@dr_farnell:person {full_name: "Dr. Farnell", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@dr_gillingham:person {full_name: "Dr. Gillingham", role: "Professor", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@dr_kerr:person {full_name: "Dr. Kerr", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@dr_birdsall:person {full_name: "Dr. Birdsall", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@dr_preston:person {full_name: "Dr. Preston", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@dr_herr:person {full_name: "Dr. Herr", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@dr_russell:person {full_name: "Dr. Russell", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@dr_gilchrist:person {full_name: "Dr. Gilchrist", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@dr_fussell:person {full_name: "Dr. Fussell", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@dr_fussel:person {full_name: "Dr. Fussel", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@dr_hawley:person {full_name: "Dr. Hawley", role: "Former Dean", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@prof_c_d_cleveland:person {full_name: "Prof. C. D. Cleveland", role: "President of the Corporation", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@prof_kilbrough:person {full_name: "Prof. Kilbrough", role: "Treasurer", affiliation: @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania}  
@mr_henderson:person {full_name: "Mr. Henderson"}  
@mr_gunderson:person {full_name: "Mr. Gunderson"}  
@janitor_birnbacher:person {full_name: "H. Birnbacher", role: "Janitor"}  
@mrs_eliza_l_s_thomas:person {full_name: "Mrs. Eliza L. S. Thomas", role: "Demonstrator of Anatomy"}  

@elizabeth_collins:person {full_name: "Miss Elizabeth Collins", gender: "female"}  
@debbie_hughes:person {full_name: "Miss Debbie A. Hughes", gender: "female"}  
@laura_ross:person {full_name: "Miss Laura J. Ross", gender: "female"}  
@jane_starr:person {full_name: "Miss Jane L. Starr", gender: "female"}  

@philadelphia:place {city: "Philadelphia", state: "Pennsylvania", country: @united_states}  
@bucks_county:place {county: "Bucks County", state: "Pennsylvania", country: @united_states}  
@acton_me:place {town: "Acton", state: "Maine", country: @united_states}  
@utica_ny:place {city: "Utica", state: "New York", country: @united_states}  

@seventh_annual_announcement:document {type: "announcement", edition: 7}  
@regulations:document {type: "college regulations", adopted: @date_1854_01_04}  
@article_17_regulations:document {type: "article", number: 17, parent: @regulations}  
@degree_md:document {type: "medical degree", level: "M.D."}  
@faculty_meeting_minutes:document {type: "minutes", year: @date_1856}  

@meeting_1855_12_31:event {description: "Faculty meeting", when: @date_1855_12_31, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_01_17:event {description: "Faculty meeting", when: @date_1856_01_17, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_01_18:event {description: "Faculty meeting", when: @date_1856_01_18, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_01_25:event {description: "Faculty meeting", when: @date_1856_01_25, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_02_01:event {description: "Faculty meeting", when: @date_1856_02_01, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_02_08:event {description: "Faculty meeting (no business)", when: @date_1856_02_08, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_02_15:event {description: "Faculty meeting – inaugural theses received", when: @date_1856_02_15, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_02_22:event {description: "Faculty meeting – thesis voting", when: @date_1856_02_22, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_02_25:event {description: "Faculty meeting – degree conferral planning", when: @date_1856_02_25, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_02_28:event {description: "Degree conferral ceremony and faculty meeting", when: @date_1856_02_28, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_03_26:event {description: "Faculty meeting – announcement & regulations amendment", when: @date_1856_03_26, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_04_28:event {description: "Faculty meeting – Demonstrator of Anatomy report", when: @date_1856_04_28, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_05_05:event {description: "Faculty meeting – adjourned to May 5", when: @date_1856_05_05, location: @philadelphia}  
@meeting_1856_05_28:event {description: "Faculty meeting – Dean election & appointments", when: @date_1856_05_28, location: @philadelphia}  

**File‑to‑content relationships**  

@file_pinax -> documents -> @faculty_meeting_minutes:document {year: @date_1856, description: "Metadata for the 1856 faculty meeting minutes"}  

@file_a092_001_093_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1855_12_31:event  
@file_a092_001_094_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1856_01_18:event  
@file_a092_001_095_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1856_02_01:event  
@file_a092_001_095_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1856_02_08:event  
@file_a092_001_095_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1856_02_15:event  
@file_a092_001_096_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1856_02_22:event  
@file_a092_001_096_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1856_02_25:event  
@file_a092_001_097_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1856_02_28:event  
@file_a092_001_098_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1856_03_26:event  
@file_a092_001_099_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1856_04_28:event  
@file_a092_001_100_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1856_05_28:event  
@file_a092_001_101_jpg -> documents -> @meeting_1856_05_28:event  

**Key decisions & appointments (selected)**  

@meeting_1855_12_31 -> appointed -> @dr_farnell:person {role: "Clinic charge"}  
@meeting_1855_12_31 -> appointed -> @ellwood_harvey:person {role: "Clinic charge"}  
@meeting_1855_12_31 -> ordered payment -> @janitor_birnbacher:person {amount: "$??"}  

@meeting_1856_01_17 -> appointed -> @dr_gunderson:person {role: "Lecture‑room user", fee: "$1 per night"}  
@meeting_1856_01_17 -> appointed committee -> [@dr_birdsall, @dr_farnell]:person {task: "Find new college property and building"}  
@meeting_1856_01_17 -> appointed committee -> [@dr_kerr, @dr_farnell]:person {task: "Prepare Seventh Annual Announcement"}  

@meeting_1856_01_18 -> resolved -> faculty_meeting_schedule {frequency: "Every Friday", time: "1:30 PM"}  

@meeting_1856_01_25 -> appointed committee -> [@dr_fussell, @dr_harvey]:person {task: "Obtain suitable persons for vacant chairs (surgery, chemistry)"}  
@meeting_1856_01_25 -> appointed committee -> [@dr_birdsall, @dr_harvey]:person {task: "Audit Treasurer’s accounts"}  

@meeting_1856_02_01 -> ordered payment -> @janitor_birnbacher:person {amount: "$27.81"}  
@meeting_1856_02_01 -> reported -> clinic_cases {count: 110}  

@meeting_1856_02_15 -> received theses from -> [@elizabeth_collins, @debbie_hughes, @laura_ross, @jane_starr]  
@meeting_1856_02_15 -> assigned dissertation reviewers -> { @elizabeth_collins: @dr_gillingham, @debbie_hughes: @dr_herr, @laura_ross: @dr_farnell, @jane_starr: @dr_birdsall }  
@meeting_1856_02_15 -> ordered payment -> @janitor_birnbacher:person {amount: "$11.55"}  

@meeting_1856_02_22 -> thesis voting results -> { @elizabeth_collins: {white: 61, black: 9}, @debbie_hughes: {white: 57, black: 13}, @laura_ross: {white: 61, black: 9}, @jane_starr: {white: 62, black: 8} }  
@meeting_1856_02_22 -> resolved -> degrees_conferred_privately:bool {value: true}  

@meeting_1856_02_25 -> scheduled degree conferral -> {date: @date_1856_02_28, time: "3 PM", location: "Faculty‑Room"}  
@meeting_1856_02_25 -> appointed committee -> [@dr_russell, @ellwood_harvey, @dr_preston]:person {task: "Beneficiaries"}  

@meeting_1856_02_28 -> degree conferral -> @degree_md:document {recipients: [@elizabeth_collins, @debbie_hughes, @laura_ross, @jane_starr]}  
@meeting_1856_02_28 -> ceremony led by -> @prof_c_d_cleveland:person {role: "President of the Corporation"}  
@meeting_1856_02_28 -> resignation accepted -> @dr_thomas:person {role: "Treasurer", effective: "close of session"}  
@meeting_1856_02_28 -> resolution -> acknowledge @dr_thomas performance {type: "acknowledgement"}  
@meeting_1856_02_28 -> appointed treasurer pro tempore -> @dr_gillingham:person  

@meeting_1856_03_26 -> resolved -> publish matriculants & graduates in @seventh_annual_announcement:document  
@meeting_1856_03_26 -> amendment -> @article_17_regulations:document {text: "\"...and shall be under the supervision of the Professor of Anatomy, whose lectures she shall attend, and shall give recapitulations of them twice each week.\""}  
@meeting_1856_03_26 -> appointed -> [@dr_herr, @dr_gillingham]:person {task: "Contact Mrs. Eliza L. S. Thomas regarding Demonstrator of Anatomy duties"}  
@meeting_1856_03_26 -> ordered payment -> @janitor_birnbacher:person {amount: "$20.25"}  
@meeting_1856_03_26 -> ordered payment -> @weigmer_and_brother:person {amount: "$2.25"}  

@meeting_1856_04_28 -> committee report -> @mrs_eliza_l_s_thomas:person {willing: true, duties: "Demonstrator of Anatomy"}  
@meeting_1856_04_28 -> adopted -> @seventh_annual_announcement:document {status: "read and adopted"}  
@meeting_1856_04_28 -> scheduled next meeting -> @date_1856_05_05  

@meeting_1856_05_28 -> recommendation -> @dr_hj_brown:person {position: "Chair of Surgery"} by motion of @dr_fussel:person  
@meeting_1856_05_28 -> appointment -> @mrs_emeline_horton_cleveland:person {role: "Demonstrator of Anatomy", term: "one year"}  
@meeting_1856_05_28 -> election -> @dr_fussel:person {role: "Dean"} by motion replacing @dr_hawley:person  
@meeting_1856_05_28 -> appointment -> @dr_birdville:person {role: "Lecturer"}  

@meeting_1856_05_28 -> by‑law amendment -> treasurer duties transferred to dean {effective: "until otherwise ordered"} by motion of @mr_henderson:person  

@meeting_1856_05_28 -> election -> @prof_kilbrough:person {role: "Treasurer"} by motion of @mr_henderson:person  

**Document‑related relationships**  

@seventh_annual_announcement:document -> prepared by -> [@dr_kerr, @dr_farnell]:person {task: "Prepare Seventh Annual Announcement"}  
@seventh_annual_announcement:document -> to be published -> {date: @date_1856_03_26}  

@regulations:document -> amended by -> @meeting_1856_03_26:event {article: @article_17_regulations}  

**Other notable financial actions**  

@meeting_1856_01_17 -> ordered payment -> @mr_gunderson:person {fee: "$1 per night"}  
@meeting_1856_02_01 -> ordered payment -> @janitor_birnbacher:person {amount: "$27.81"}  
@meeting_1856_02_15 -> ordered payment -> @janitor_birnbacher:person {amount: "$11.55"}  
@meeting_1856_03_26 -> ordered payment -> @janitor_birnbacher:person {amount: "$20.25"}  
@meeting_1856_03_26 -> ordered payment -> @weigmer_and_brother:person {amount: "$2.25"}  

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*All entities are defined once; subsequent mentions reference the defined code.*

Metadata

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 11/14/2025, 5:24:24 AM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 11/14/2025, 5:18:53 AM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 11/14/2025, 5:15:36 AM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 11/14/2025, 5:13:17 AM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Faculty_Meetings_1856"

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Parent

01KA0CEZSHQ9AQ2C2MYDDVQ3JP

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