Collection ID: 1975.0001

Collection context

Summary

Creator:
Weiskotten, Herman Gates, 1884-
Abstract:
This Collection contains the papers of Herman Gates Weiskotten MD PhD, who served as dean of the Syracuse University College of Medicine from 1922-1951. The collection contains five series: Correspondence, Memorabilia, Photographs, Printed Materials, and Subject Files.
Extent:
7.25 linear ft.
Language:
Collection materials are in English .
Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

The Herman G. Weiskotten MD PhD Papers, Archives and Special Collections of the Health Sciences Library, SUNY Upstate Medical University.

Background

Scope and Content:

This Collection contains the papers of Herman Gates Weiskotten MD PhD, who served as dean of the Syracuse University College of Medicine from 1922-1951. The collection contains five series.

Correspondence: contains folders of correspondence on certain subjects or to certain people. The Geneva College of Medicine, SU Chancellor Charles Flint and the AMA Council on Medical Education and Hospitals are a few examples. The rest are foldered alphabetically as they were donated this way.

Memorabilia: contains a thank you book from the medical students in 1944 and awards given to Herman Weiskotten.

Photographs: contains everything from formal portraits to candid photographs of Dr. Weiskotten and notable persons like Basil O'Connor. Photographs from his time as a student and as a faculty member at SU College of Medicine are also included. Only one scrapbook, from the 50th reunion of the SU College of Medicine Class of 1909, is included.

Subject Files: this series is broken down into subseries: AMA Council on Medical Education and Hospitals; Hospitals; Medical Schools; Nicholas Romayne; SU College of Medicine; SUNY Upstate Medical University, Speeches and Talks, Writings (unpublished works by Dr. Weiskotten) and then General subject files.

Printed materials: items like Alumni News newsletters, certificates and programs are included. Clippings on various topics like the proposed medical center in Syracuse, new faculty appointments, Dr. Weiskotten's appointments with various groups and the history of medicine in the region are also found. Reprints of published articles authored by Dr. Weiskotten are in this series, along with reprints of articles from other authors.

Biographical / Historical:

Herman Gates Weiskotten was born on September 22, 1884. Dr. Weiskotten came from a family of physicians; his uncle, Dr. Alfred Mercer, was one of those responsible for bringing the Geneva College of Medicine to Syracuse University in 1872. Dr. Weiskotten graduated from Syracuse University with a PhD in 1906 and completed his MD with the College of Medicine in 1909. He was made the resident pathologist at Hospital of the Good Shepherd and began his teaching career as an instructor in pathology with the College in 1910. He was elevated to professor of pathology in 1917, and served as the county necrotomist from 1913 to 1925. Dr. Weiskotten was commissioner of health for the city of Syracuse from 1926-1928 and served as director of the Hospital of the Good Shepherd from 1925 to 1941.

He was made acting dean of the College of Medicine in 1922, a position which changed the face of his career markedly. Dr. Weiskotten’s theories and principles of medical education were world renowned. Though his scientific career effectively ended when he became dean, he forged a legacy based on education. Dr. Weiskotten served as dean of the College of Medicine from 1922-1951. These were seminal years in the history of medical school. The grounds of Yates Castle were purchased by the University and the Basic Sciences Building (now Weiskotten Hall) was opened in 1937. A branch of the Medical Reserve Officers Training Program (MROTC) was started at the College of Medicine in 1936 and a residency program was established in 1939. Dean Weiskotten guided the school through World War II, which saw the creation of the 52nd General Hospital Unit out of Syracuse, as well as the implementation of an accelerated medical education program to meet the war time need for physicians. Most importantly, Dr. Weiskotten shepherded the school through change in ownership from Syracuse University to SUNY. This was a turbulent time in the history of the College of Medicine and Dr. Weiskotten’s effective leadership saw the transition through to the end and ensured the existence of what we now call SUNY Upstate Medical University.

Dr. Weiskotten’s professional memberships were myriad, but most prominently he was chairman of the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals of the American Medical Association, a member of the Joint Committee on Medical Education in Time of National Emergency and the National Fund for Medical Education, and was a consultant for the military’s V-12 program after World War II. Dr. Weiskotten also sat on the New York State Public Health Council and the State Committee on Tuberculosis.

Herman G. Weiskotten died in February of 1972. He was the recipient of the Abraham Flexner Award for medical education and was cited by the New York Medical Society for outstanding contributions to medical education.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Mrs. Hazel Weiskotten, 1975.
Arrangement:

The Herman G. Weiskotten papers are arranged alphebetically within each series.

Access

RESTRICTIONS:

There are no access restrictions on this material.

TERMS OF ACCESS:

Written permission must be obtained from the Archives and Special Collections of the SUNY Upstate Health Sciences Library and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

PREFERRED CITATION:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

The Herman G. Weiskotten MD PhD Papers, Archives and Special Collections of the Health Sciences Library, SUNY Upstate Medical University.

LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
766 Irving Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13210, United States
CONTACT:
history@upstate.edu