Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania Faculty Meeting Minutes, January-February 1860

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/4/2025, 4:29:38 PM

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Description

Faculty Meeting Minutes, January–February 1860 – Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania

Overview

This collection comprises four scanned pages from the minute book of the faculty of the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, covering meetings held on January 4, January 19, January 20 (1860), and February 1, 1860. The pages are reproduced in high‑resolution TIFF and JPEG formats and include OCR text. They are part of the larger bound minute book (1850‑1864) held by the Drexel College of Medicine Legacy Center Archives.

Background

The Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, founded in 1850, was the first institution in the world to regularly train women for the medical profession. Faculty meetings were recorded in a bound minute book that chronicled decisions on curriculum, by‑laws, and faculty finances. The 1860 meetings were overseen by Dean Edwin Furness (later Dean Ann Preston) and attended by prominent faculty such as Dr. Birdsell, Emeline H. Cleveland, and Coates.

January 4, 1860 – Appointment of a committee (Birdsell & Coates) to draft an essay on the faculty’s rules and regulations; report on the faculty fund (balance $21.46) and appointment of Dr. Birdsell to audit the account.
January 19, 1860 – Approval of the previous meeting’s minutes; presentation and acceptance of the committee’s report on rules and regulations.
January 20, 1860 – Minutes read and adopted; resolution to hold the annual faculty meeting on the first Monday in January and to reconvene on the following Thursday at 12:30 p.m.
February 1, 1860 – Minutes read and approved; notice of Professor Rackring’s resignation and acknowledgment of his service.

The pages record attendance, decisions, and brief narrative remarks, offering insight into early governance, financial oversight, and procedural reforms at the college.

Scope

The collection documents four specific faculty meetings in early 1860, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It covers administrative topics such as rules and regulations, committee appointments, faculty fund management, and faculty resignation notices. The material is in English, and access is subject to the archive’s copyright and privacy restrictions.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

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Metadata

Title: Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania Faculty Meeting Minutes, January-February 1860
Type: Collection
Creator: Female Medical College of PennsylvaniaEdwin FurnessAnn PrestonEmeline H. ClevelandBirdsellCoates
Institution: Drexel Legacy Collections
Created: 1860-01-04/1860-02-01
Language: en
Subjects: Faculty meetings, Medical education, Women in medicine, Medical colleges--Faculty, Medical colleges--Committees, Medical colleges--By-laws, Curriculum changes, Faculty Fund, Rules and regulations
Rights: Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Additionally, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by privacy and publicity rights, licensing or trademarks. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Place: Philadelphia (Pa.), 229 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Source: PINAX

Files (4)

a092_001_127.jpgJPEG

385.5 KB

OCR Text

Jan. 4th, 1860 Present: Preston, Birdsell Cleveland Coates to Furness A committee consisting of Dr. Birdsell & Coates, were appointed to prepare an essay of the present rules & regulations of the Faculty for discussion and engagement. The dean made a report of the condition of the Faculty Fund to the receipts and expenditures since last report showing a balance in the hands of the dean of $21.46. Dr. & Birdsell was appointed to audit the account. After conversation, informed on different points. Adjourned Edwin Furness Dean Jan. 19th, 1860 Present: Preston, Cleveland Coates & Furness. The minutes of last meeting were read and approved. The committee appointed to prepare an essay of the rules & regulations of the Faculty for discussion amendment & engagement presented their report which was accepted and then taken up for consideration. After discussion and modification, rules relative to

OCR Text

to officers & annual meeting were adopted. The report was then laid on the table. Adjourned to meet on the 26th inst at 12:45 P.M. Edwin Finsell, Dean Jan. 20th 1850 Present, Preston, Cleveland, Foates & Finsell Minutes read and adopted. Bated that the Annual meeting of the Faculty be held on the first Monday in January. Resolved that when we adjourn it be to meet again on next Thursday at 12 1/2 o'clock. Adjourned E. Finsell, Dean Feb. 1st 1860 Present - Preston, Birdsell, Cleveland, Temple, Foates, J. Finsell - The minutes have been read & approved. The dean had a communication from Prof. Rackring giving notice of the necessity of his resignation at no distant day in consequence of incompatible duties, &c. The dean was instructed to acknowledge the kindness of the early notice to the faculty & express our regrets at the necessity which he feels for resigning his past beneficent position.

a092_001_128.tifTIFF