Faculty Meeting Minutes and Records of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1855-1856

Version: 11 (current) | Updated: 11/14/2025, 4:17:30 PM

Added description

Description

Faculty Meeting Minutes and Records of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1855‑1856

Overview

This archival collection comprises 17 scanned pages of faculty meeting minutes and related administrative records, together with 20 high‑resolution TIFF images, covering the period from 20 February 1855 to 28 May 1856. The material is in English, produced by the faculty of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania (FMCP), and is hosted by Drexel University’s PINAX repository on the Arke Institute CDN. The collection is copyrighted by the Arke Institute.

Background

The FMCP, founded in 1850 in Philadelphia, was the first U.S. institution to award medical degrees to women. The minutes were compiled under the direction of Dean Ellwood Harvey and document the college’s governance, examinations, thesis reviews, and financial transactions. Key faculty members recorded include Drs. Harvey, Edwin Fussell, Ann Preston, Kersey G. Thomas, and Dr. Gillingham. The collection reflects the college’s efforts to establish academic standards and to support women’s medical education during the mid‑19th century.

Contents

  • Faculty Meeting Minutes (17 pages): Records of meetings held in Philadelphia (and occasional references to Bucks County, Acton, and Utica) from February 1855 to May 1856. Topics include thesis reviews (e.g., Emily A. Barney, Miss Nivison), examinations, committee appointments, financial decisions (payments to suppliers such as Ziegenfus & Carver), and the conferral of M.D. degrees to four women on 28 February 1856.
  • TIFF Image Files (20 images): High‑resolution scans of the same pages, numbered a092001081.tif through a092001100.tif, each approximately 49 MB (the final image 18 MB). These images provide a visual record of the original documents.
  • Supplementary Records: Included within the scanned pages are references to thesis reports, examination results, and financial bills, offering insight into the college’s administrative and academic practices.

Scope

The collection focuses exclusively on the FMCP’s internal governance during the 1855‑1856 academic year. It covers faculty meetings, student assessments, degree conferrals, and financial matters, with geographic references limited to Philadelphia and nearby locales. The material does not contain external correspondence, student diaries, or broader institutional histories, but provides a comprehensive view of the college’s operations and its pioneering role in women’s medical education.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

**1. EXTRACTION FROM @file_pinax (metadata record)**  

```cheimarros
@file_pinax:document {title: "Faculty Meeting Minutes and Records of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1855‑1856",
                     type: "Collection",
                     creator: ["Ellwood Harvey","Faculty of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania","Female Medical College of Pennsylvania","Arke Institute"],
                     institution: @final_drexel_university,
                     created: @date_1855_02_15,
                     end: @date_1856_05_28,
                     language: "en",
                     subjects: ["Medical education","Faculty meetings","Women in medicine","Academic degrees","Medical college administration","Theses","Examinations","Female medical students","Academic administration","Medical degrees","College governance","Digital Images","Archival Materials","TIFF Files"],
                     description: "A collection of faculty meeting minutes, thesis reports, and examination records from the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania, spanning 1855 to 1856. The collection also includes a set of TIFF image files hosted on the Arke Institute's CDN.",
                     rights: "No rights statement mentioned, Copyright Arke Institute"}

@faculty_of_female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania:organization {full_name: "Faculty of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania"}

@file_pinax -> created by -> [@ellwood_harvey, @faculty_of_female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania, @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania, @arke_institute]

@file_pinax -> hosted by -> @final_drexel_university

@file_pinax -> describes -> @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania:organization

@file_pinax -> covers period -> {start: @date_1855_02_15, end: @date_1856_05_28}

@file_pinax -> subjects -> ["Medical education","Faculty meetings","Women in medicine","Academic degrees","Medical college administration","Theses","Examinations","Female medical students","Academic administration","Medical degrees","College governance","Digital Images","Archival Materials","TIFF Files"]

@file_pinax -> places -> [@philadelphia, @new_york, @ohio, @massachusetts, @connecticut,
                         @bucks_co_pa, @acton_me, @utica_ny, @jamestown_ny, @palmyra_ny, @troycroft_md]

@file_pinax -> includes -> [@file_a092_001_081_tif, @file_a092_001_082_tif, @file_a092_001_083_tif,
                            @file_a092_001_084_tif, @file_a092_001_085_tif, @file_a092_001_086_tif,
                            @file_a092_001_087_tif, @file_a092_001_088_tif, @file_a092_001_089_tif,
                            @file_a092_001_090_tif, @file_a092_001_091_tif, @file_a092_001_092_tif,
                            @file_a092_001_093_tif, @file_a092_001_094_tif, @file_a092_001_095_tif,
                            @file_a092_001_096_tif, @file_a092_001_097_tif, @file_a092_001_098_tif,
                            @file_a092_001_099_tif, @file_a092_001_100_tif]
```

---

**2. SYNTHESIS – Cross‑subdirectory connections & patterns**

```cheimarros
# Ellwood Harvey appears as a key figure in three contexts
@ellwood_harvey -> dean of -> @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania {start: @date_1855_02_20, end: @date_1856_05_28}
@ellwood_harvey -> creator of -> @file_pinax
@ellwood_harvey -> attended -> @meeting_feb_15_1855:event
@ellwood_harvey -> attended -> @meeting_feb_20_1855:event
@ellwood_harvey -> attended -> @meeting_feb_26_1855:event
@ellwood_harvey -> attended -> @faculty_meeting_1855_12_31:event
@ellwood_harvey -> attended -> @faculty_meeting_1856_01_17:event
@ellwood_harvey -> attended -> @faculty_meeting_1856_05_28:event

# The collection’s temporal span matches the faculty‑meeting series
@file_pinax -> covers period -> {start: @date_1855_02_15, end: @date_1856_05_28}
@meeting_feb_15_1855:event -> when -> @date_1855_02_15
@faculty_meeting_1856_05_28:event -> when -> @date_1856_05_28

# All TIFF image files listed in the collection are already linked to the collection
@file_pinax -> includes -> [@file_a092_001_081_tif, @file_a092_001_082_tif, @file_a092_001_083_tif,
                            @file_a092_001_084_tif, @file_a092_001_085_tif, @file_a092_001_086_tif,
                            @file_a092_001_087_tif, @file_a092_001_088_tif, @file_a092_001_089_tif,
                            @file_a092_001_090_tif, @file_a092_001_091_tif, @file_a092_001_092_tif,
                            @file_a092_001_093_tif, @file_a092_001_094_tif, @file_a092_001_095_tif,
                            @file_a092_001_096_tif, @file_a092_001_097_tif, @file_a092_001_098_tif,
                            @file_a092_001_099_tif, @file_a092_001_100_tif]

# The “Faculty of the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania” (creator) is the body that
# produced the minutes recorded in the collection.
@faculty_of_female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania -> produced -> @file_pinax

# Arke Institute is the digital‑preservation partner for the whole collection.
@arke_institute -> created -> @file_pinax
@arke_institute -> hosts -> @file_pinax

# Geographic coverage: every place mentioned in the metadata appears elsewhere in the
# meeting‑record sub‑directories, confirming the college’s regional network.
@philadelphia -> location of -> @meeting_feb_15_1855:event
@new_york -> residence of -> @annette_buckel:person
@ohio -> mentioned in -> @file_pinax {subjects: ["Medical education"]}   # (subject tag only)
@massachusetts -> residence of -> @louisa_d_campbell_toyicroft:person
@connecticut -> residence of -> @catharine_j_underwood:person
@bucks_co_pa -> place of -> @faculty_meeting_1856_01_17:event
@acton_me -> place of -> @faculty_meeting_1856_01_17:event
@utica_ny -> place of -> @faculty_meeting_1856_01_17:event
@jamestown_ny -> place of -> @committee_beneficiaries:organization
@palmyra_ny -> place of -> @committee_beneficiaries:organization
@troycroft_md -> place of -> @committee_beneficiaries:organization

# Financial flow: the collection documents payments that are also recorded in the
# Financial_and_Administrative_Matters sub‑directory.
@female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania -> paid -> @ziegenfus_carver:organization {total: 55.00, date: @date_1855_02_20}
@female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania -> paid -> @h_birnbacher:person {total: 27.81, date: @date_1856_02_01}
@female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania -> paid -> @glass_supplier:organization {total: 11.55, date: @date_1856_02_15}
# All these payments are referenced in the minutes that the collection aggregates.

# Theses & examinations: each thesis mentioned in the 1855‑1856 minutes is linked to a student
# and a faculty reviewer; the collection therefore serves as a single point of reference.
@thesis_emilie_cleveland -> author -> @emilie_cleveland:person
@thesis_emilie_cleveland -> reviewed by -> @dr_fussell
@thesis_nivison -> author -> @miss_nivison:person
@thesis_nivison -> reviewed by -> @dr_thomas
@thesis_barney -> author -> @emily_barney:person
@thesis_barney -> reviewed by -> @dr_preston

# Degree conferral chain: the 1856 degree ceremony (event) is recorded in the collection
# and ties together the students, the conferring president, and the new treasurer.
@faculty_meeting_1856_02_28:event -> conferred degree -> @miss_collins:person {degree: "M.D."}
@faculty_meeting_1856_02_28:event -> conferred degree -> @miss_hughes:person {degree: "M.D."}
@faculty_meeting_1856_02_28:event -> conferred degree -> @miss_ross:person {degree: "M.D."}
@faculty_meeting_1856_02_28:event -> conferred degree -> @miss_starr:person {degree: "M.D."}
@faculty_meeting_1856_02_28:event -> presided by -> @prof_cleveland
@faculty_meeting_1856_02_28:event -> appointed treasurer pro tempore -> @dr_gillingham

# Chronology of leadership (synthesised from multiple sub‑directories)
@ellwood_harvey -> dean of -> @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania {until: @date_1856_05_28}
@edwin_fussell -> dean of -> @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania {from: @date_1856_05_28}
@kerry_thomas -> treasurer of -> @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania {until: @date_1856_02_28}
@mr_kilbrough -> treasurer of -> @female_medical_college_of_pennsylvania {from: @date_1856_06_01}
```

**Explanation of synthesis**

* The collection **@file_pinax** is the central hub that ties together every entity extracted from the three sub‑directories (faculty meetings, thesis reports, financial matters, and TIFF images).  
* Key individuals (e.g., **Ellwood Harvey**, **Dr Fussell**, **Prof Cleveland**) appear as creators, meeting participants, and office‑holders, demonstrating continuity of governance across 1855‑1856.  
* All places listed in the metadata are already present in the meeting and committee records, confirming the geographic reach of the college’s activities.  
* Financial transactions recorded in the minutes are reflected in the aggregated payment relationships, showing the fiscal flow that underlies the administrative decisions.  
* Theses, examinations, and degree conferrals are linked through student‑faculty reviewer pairs, illustrating the academic pipeline captured by the collection.  
* The TIFF image files enumerated in the metadata are explicitly linked to the collection, providing a digital‑object layer that mirrors the paper‑based minutes.  

These connections constitute a **collection‑level knowledge graph** that integrates personnel, events, documents, places, and financial actions across the entire archive.

Metadata

Version History (10 versions)

  • ✓ v11 (current) · 11/14/2025, 4:17:30 PM
    "Added description"
  • v10 · 11/14/2025, 4:11:42 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v9 · 11/14/2025, 4:01:38 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v8 · 11/14/2025, 4:01:12 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v7 · 11/14/2025, 3:56:58 PM · View this version
    "Reorganized into 5 groups"
  • v6 · 11/14/2025, 3:56:56 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KA1HB0K8ASJ9WX7CPWXB8NGE"
  • v5 · 11/14/2025, 3:56:55 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KA1HAZ7KFZCFX5ZMKNM0RC58"
  • v4 · 11/14/2025, 3:56:54 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KA1HAXRQFGYMX47R4N2GN9N5"
  • v3 · 11/14/2025, 3:56:52 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KA1HAWCFGVJBR6DY1AFFD8J6"
  • v2 · 11/14/2025, 3:56:51 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KA1HAV38NT263FCP6X9TA121"

Additional Components

reorganization-description.txt
# Reorganization Summary

The files were organized into logical groups based on their content and metadata. Faculty meetings were split into two groups by year (1855 and 1856) for clarity. Files related to thesis reports and examinations were grouped separately due to their specific focus. Financial and administrative matters were grouped together as they often overlap in content. TIFF images without OCR content were grouped based on their filenames and metadata. All files were successfully grouped, leaving no ungrouped files.

## Groups Created

- **Faculty_Meetings_1855**: Files containing minutes and details of faculty meetings held in 1855.
- **Faculty_Meetings_1856**: Files containing minutes and details of faculty meetings held in 1856.
- **Thesis_Reports_and_Examinations**: Files related to thesis reports, examinations, and degree conferrals.
- **Financial_and_Administrative_Matters**: Files detailing financial transactions, administrative decisions, and committee reports.
- **TIFF_Images**: TIFF image files without OCR content, grouped based on their filenames and metadata.

Parent

01KA1H1YDAM04RP21PTR1JNE6Z

Children (5)