The History of the West Virginia University School of Medicine
By Edward J. Van Liere, MS, MD, Ph.D., Litt D, Dean Emeritus (1963)
On February 3, 1867, the State Legislature created an “Agricultural College” of West Virginia. This institution opened its doors in September 1868. The following year the name was changed to West Virginia University. One year later, namely, in 1869, a distinguished Morgantown physician, Hugh Workman Brock, MD, taught a course in “Anatomy, Physiology and Hygiene.” Since that time, there has always been at least one person on the faculty who held the MD degree.
In the early 1890’s, the medical classes were held in Woodburn Hall. From 1893-1904 dissection was done in a small building which rejoiced in the name of the “Hick House.” It was located in Falling Run just north of Woodburn Hall. In 1904, a building known as Fife Cottage was acquired and was occupied for 12 years. It stood where the University cafeteria now stands. In 1916, a three-story building was erected on Beechurst Avenue, across from the old field house (at site of PRT station), at a cost of $18,000. It served a most useful purpose for 41 years although it became inadequate shortly after it was built. It was demolished in the summer of 1957.
By order of the University Board of Regents, a two-year School of Medicine was formally organized on May 4, 1912. The order reads in part:
“Whereas the Association of American Medical Colleges, through its Judicial Council has decided that a Department of Medicine* is not a School or College of Medicine that would be recognized for membership or otherwise by said Association, and has expressed the opinion that work done in such a Department of Medicine would not legally comply with the law of several states requiring four years’ work in a standard college of school . . .
Ordered that the Department of Medicine of the University be a separate and distinct division of the University to be known as the School of Medicine.
The staff of instructors shall, until further ordered be as follows: John N. Simpson, MD, Dean and professor of anatomy and physiology; Clyde Emil Watson, MD, professor of anatomy and physiology; Albert M. Reese, Ph.D., professor of zoology; John L. Sheldon, Ph.D., professor of botany and bacteriology; Alexander R. Whitehill, ScD, professor of chemistry."
It remained a two-year school until 1960. Throughout the years many serious attempts were made by the University administration to create a four-year curriculum, but none were successful.
On March 9, 1951, the State Legislature passed House Bill No. 477 which read in part:
“The Board of Governors is hereby authorized, and, as soon as funds shall be available for the purpose, is directed to establish and maintain in the university a four-year school of medicine, dentistry and nursing . . . “
The development of a four-year medical school was favored by West Virginia citizens. The most active group was the West Virginia State Medical Association. Aid was given by other health groups such as dentists, nurses, and pharmacists. At the time the enabling act was passed by the State Legislature, the population of the State was less than 2,000,000.
The Medical Center was developed on a 145-acre tract of land and was financed by a tax on soft drinks. This “pop tax” amounted to a penny on each bottle of soft drink and soft drink syrup. The first year the tax was in effect, it produced a revenue of $2,939,674.
The Basic Science Building was completed in 1957 at a cost of $13,782,625, including fixed equipment. It was occupied on July 1, 1957, and classes began in September. The 522-bed hospital was completed in 1960 at a cost of $15,897,777 which included fixed equipment. It opened for patients in August, 1960 with 150 beds in use, the following year, the number increased to 250 beds.
An outstanding clinical faculty was recruited. All major clinical departments, except psychiatry, were represented by7 a full-time chair by September 1960. The first medical class of third-year students (completed first 2 years in Two-year School) 16 students enrolled in September 1960. The first class (all 16) graduated in June 1962.
*(Following the Flexner visit, at a meeting of the University Board of Regents on October 26-27, 1910, the following order was passed: “Ordered that the College of Medicine in the West Virginia University be discontinued on and after June, 1911. Ordered that a Department of Medicine be established in the College of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1, 1911.”)