Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry, A Guide to the Records of the
Creator
Dates
- 1946-1965.
Extent
4.5 Linear Feet (4.5 linear ft)
Restrictions on Access
No restrictions on access, under the conditions of the Archives access policy.
Language of Materials
English
Organizational History
The state of New Jersey had no facilities for medical and dental education until 1954 when the SHCMD was established under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. The College was incorporated on August 6, 1954 as a legal entity separate from Seton Hall University, but with an interlocking Board of Trustees. In September 1955 remodeling construction was begun in two buildings of the Jersey City Medical Center to house the clinical and teaching facilities of the College. The first class of 80 students was admitted to the four-year MD program in September 1956. From the first graduating class in 1960 through 1964, the College awarded the MD degree to a total of 348 individuals. There were 36 dental graduates in the first class of 1960. By 1963, the total reached 139. The College expanded its program in 1961 when the Graduate School of Biomedical Science was chartered by the State Board of Education. The first candidates for the M.S. and Ph. D. degree entered in 1962.
Early in 1961 it became apparent that the Archdiocese of Newark, could not support the College's growing financial deficit that threatened to force the institution's closure. In April 1964, Governor Richard J. Hughes, with leaders of the Senate and General Assembly, appointed a fact-finding committee to determine the feasibility of the State taking over and operating the SHCMD. On July 28, 1964, the committee recommended that the State purchase the assets of the SHCMD for $4 million and continue its operation under state control. The action was consummated on May 3, 1965, and the institution's name was officially changed to the New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry (NJCMD).
Arrangement
Organized into seven series: Series I: College Publications Series II: Board of Trustees Series III: Office of the President Series IV: Photographs; V. Scrapbooks Series VI: External Financial Resources Series VII: A history of the Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry
Provenance
The records of the SHCMD were photocopied with the approval of Archivist Peter Wosh and Monsignor William Field of Seton Hall University, and given to the UMDNJ University Archives in 1980; other materials are in original format.
Introduction
The records of the Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry date from 1946 to 1965. The collection totals approximately 4.5 linear feet. They form Record Group A in the Bergen University Archives. The records are open for research without restrictions under the conditions of the Archives' access policy.
Scope and content
The SHCMD records span the years 1946-1965. The bulk of the material dates from Seton Hall's introduction to medical education, its post World War II post-graduate program co-sponsored by the Essex County Medical Society to its takeover by the State in 1965.
The UMDNJ Archives hold the official papers of James E. McCormack, M. D. McCormack was the first President of the NJCMD, and served as Dean of SHCMD from 1960-1964. Researchers may wish to check in record group RG/B -NJCMD for additional documentation. Researchers should note that Series 4 Photographs are cross referenced with RG/B-3-A.
Researchers will note that the documents contained in the series are, for the most part, photocopies of originals held in the Seton Hall University Archives.
- Title
- Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry, 1946-1965: A Guide to the Collection
- Edition statement
- Revised February 24, 1999 by Sarah Alison Hull
Part of the RBHS Special Collections in the History of Medicine Repository