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About two years before I began before I opened my hospital. I had a call from a white dentist and went something like this quote Dr. Quigless I have good colored dentist here in my office who is who is thinking about getting started his practice in Tarboro period. I understand that he's finished dentistry at the Ohio University Dental School. He took the examination of dental boards here in North Carolina. And I understand from the count of the board as examiner's he had the highest miles of any of the fellas taking the general examination here. You know, one thing Dr. Quigless first of all, we need a good colored dentist in this town more than we need anything else right now. Unquote. I lost I lost no time going to the dentist's office to meet Dr. Ray period. Dr. Ray informed me that he finished dentistry in the same class with my brother in law, Dr. Frederick Gordon, who later went to Albany, New York to practice period. Dr. Ray informed me further that he and Fred had served in the Dental Corps of the United States Army during World War Two period, I welcomed Dr. Ray to our town and I assured him that I would do everything that I could to help him get established here. Dr. Ray began his practice

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in two rooms of his home period. I offered him space in the hospital that I was doing he would have a large operating room he would have use of all my facilities such as

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utilities for light, heat, and telephone. As to what he would have to pay, I would charge him $30 per month for the first six months and after the first six months, he would have to pay $60 per month period. He thought the arrangement was satisfactory and agreed to my offer period. I went ahead and roughed R O U G H E D in the necessary work in the water and drainage collection that he would need along with the necessary cables or power to his dental unit period. Now, comma, when I got further along in my plans I still needed more space for myself period. However, I have made the offer to Dr. Ray what is what resigned to stand by my commitment theory. Now comma, I was not the only person who had welcomed Ray, Dr. Ray to Tarboro some of the older citizens welcomed him also period. Dr. Ray joined one of the local churches and began to take pride in the ongoing civic activities among our people period, when we were well around in the construction of the building, and after I had roughed in the necessary changes that dental unit would require the doctor, Dr. [Inaudible] called me one day and informed me that he thought of our plan however, he felt that he was alright maybe to charge him $30 a month for the first six months, but it's up to I would charged him too much to ask him to pay sixty dollars a month after the first six month period. For the life of me I couldn't understand why he would not accept the offer that I had made him period. And our phone conversation I went over every step of the agreement, including the fact that he would not have to pay the utilities pay for any utilities, would not have to pay for receptionist during the time that he was in my building. He still insisted that $60 per month would be too much for him to pay. I explained to him that I had promised to give him every assistance that I could when he came to Tarboro. And I stood by my commitment however he insisted that he could not come into my building with the financial arrangements that I had set forth period. By that time, I completely understand that some of the older residents of Tarboro had warned Dr. Ray to stay clear of me, that I would probably do him more harm than good period. I had no I had no ulterior motives in mind. And while I regretted his his decision to turn down my offer, I look for his refusal as a way for me to get out of my commitment period. A few, two or three years later, a two story building was started in East Tarboro, in which he was able to obtain facilities that will be suited suitable to his needs insofar as dental dental office was concerned. It is to be remembered that I gave up the idea of trying to help the people in this community when the older citizens went out of their way to counteract every proposal that I made to the city commissions and they'd go contrary to everything that I've tried to advance period. However, Dr. Ray joined the Civic League, and began advancing his ideas. Now the people of the community have witnessed my struggles. And they have seen further that. Without leadership, they weren't able to make any advances. And when Dr. Ray came along, he was quickly elevated to a position of leadership period. Under his leadership with his leadership the organization became known as East Tarboro Citizen Leagure period. He received better cooperation from the people than I had ever achieved. And under his leadership, he was able to move the East Tarboro Citizens League into a very effective organization that had been able to improve the lives of colored, black people to a great extent period. For many years now, Dr. Ray has been commissioner, city commissioner period. He has served as Mayor Pro Tem for several years period. A few years ago, a draft was initiated to have Tarboro designated as [Inaudible] period. And we proceeded as this way. Dr. Ray was one of the leading figures in having the town so designated. He acted a spokesman to the national committee that was, that made such awards period. He made several trips to Washington DC in an effort to achieve that award period. And in 19, leave a space there, Tarboro was designated as leave a space there about half a line period. The housing situation in Tarboro was deplorable especially related, as related to the elderly people and low income families period. Dr. Ray comma through his church affiliation was able to influence the government to erect

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some apartments to house those needing individuals. The apartments are known as the Panola Heights living spaces. In the uh finish that out too. Because of his efforts and his resistance, many families now have a decent place to live period. In 19, leave a space there, he was appointed

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a member of the Sylvia right here I'm leaving right we're gonna stop talking about Dr. Ray right here. I will make him say, to take care of what I have to say about him period. Now, I'm going back to my story again, we'll start out by saying this, Dr. Ray was unable to influence the situation so far as the schools are concerned period. And comma, as much as my children were growing up, I knew that they would have to go to school in this environment. I had gotten bitten one time and I decided not to do anything further. So far as the school was concerned, period. Helen and Milton Jr growing up. There was no such thing as kindergarten in this area. When they became three and four years of age respectively. We had we enrolled them in a little private school that was run by Mrs. Western W E S T E R N, the wife of the black priest of the leave a little space there Episcopal church period. Mrs. Western's father had served as priest for that church for many years period. When he died Mrs. Western's husband succeeded, he succeeded him as priest as area period. Mrs. Western had been a teacher of her life and she continued to teach in a private school known as a perry school, P E R R Y school period. All of the people who could afford it to sent their children to Mrs. Western's school for early training period. She gave kindergarten instruction and elementary school instructions to the second or third grade. It goes without saying that the children under her influence they were well prepared when they made the transition to the public school period. In fact, our two children were enrolled in the second grade of the public schools when they left Mrs. Western's tutelage period. I remember that Milton Jr. was enrolled in second grade. And he was much younger than his classmates period. One of his classmates comma, two years older than he had a habit of jumping on his back and throwing him to the ground and engaging in a tussle.

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Of course, being three years older than Milton, he would win every time period. Milton confined it to me one day that he was getting tired of this

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classmate engaging in a tussle with him every time he came out of the classroom. I told him, quote, Milton, you'll have to take care of that situation yourself. He said, quote, daddy, he's bigger than I am and older than I am, and he's stronger than I am, I can't do a thing but just fall on the ground. I said well tell you what to do bro. I call him brother and B R O. I said next time you tomorrow when you go down there, you get you a stick and lean it right against the wall. And when he when he jumps on you and throw you to the ground, do the best you can. But when you get up, you reach over and get that stick and a whop him right across his head. He said but daddy, if I hit him he gone be fighting me he gone be whipping me then. I said Milton, if you hit him, right, right, if you hit him hard enough

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across his head he won't do a thing but grin and walk off. He said, well, you told me to do it daddy I'm gonna do that.

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About three days later, he came home from school, he came right on down to the office during my office hours, he said dad I want to talk to you in a minute. I said what's happened. He said I did what you told me. He said I hit that boy right across his head, he didn't get to do a thing but get up and rub his head and grin. I said well, that's gonna happen when you have to look up for yourself these days. And if you find it too strong for you, you gotta have a way to circumvent, [Inaudible], and come out on top. I think I stop here for the night period. I sat in my car all that afternoon, I sat in my car until he finished plotting up the entire plot. And I saw to it that the potatoes were divided equally. I changed my mind about my good tenants, and saw to it of the farm the next year next year period. About two years later I saw another farme advertised, just adjacent to the farm that I had bought. This farm comprised about 600 acres, I wouldn't have prepared to take on 600 more acres, however, did agree to buy two thirds of the farm period. The man who was selling the farm had to declare bankruptcy because of poor management. You see, this man was a carpenter who had moved to North Carolina from the Midwest period. And he tried to farm the same way they did in the Midwest. In fact, I was talking to him one day. And he said that these [Inaudible] don't know how to farm around here, I'm going to show them something. I'm going to farm just as we do out in Illinois and Indiana, they gon see a hell of a difference period. Well, comma, I did see a hell of a difference in two years he had declared bankruptcy because of the fact that instead of raising cotton, peanuts, and tobacco, he had put his entire crop in oats and wheat period. There were no market around here for oats and wheat period. He lost his share. The poor I felt sorry for the poor man. He had put his life savings into the farm and lost everything he owned in an effort to show the [Inaudible] how to manage a farm period. I bought two thirds of the farm including the house in which he was living period. I had to add another tenant period. Just about that time that I decided to add chickens and beef cattle to my farming operations period. I was not making much money because I'd had to learn the hard way. I was not raised on a farm but I enjoyed the learning. I enjoyed seeing crops grow and I enjoyed helping my tenants to achieve a better life period.

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Everything went really well with us period. The children were growing up and enjoying the freedom to run and play and discover the places of farm life, they only lived, we lived in Tarboro in town period. When the hell, when Helen was about four years old

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we were driving through town when we passed the swimming pool there was one pool in town it was only for whites only period. We passed the pool seven so the kids diving in and swimming she said what daddy what'ss, she said quote daddy what are they doing over there? I said they're swimming. It's a swimming pool. And she enjoyed watching the kids for a couple of days. When I finish work in the afternoon she's say daddy come on let's see let's go watch them swim. We go back and watched them swim for an hour so we go home and have dinner finally she said dad I want to go swimming over there. I turned around to her I hate to tell her the facts of life but I had to tell it quotes Helen comma you can't swim over there why quote Helen this time quote why can't I swim over there daddy? Unquote. I answered I only see white children, adults and grown folks over there. No place for colored children to swim. She said, Well, I want to swim anyhow.

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Okay, well, I say I replied quotes I guess I have to build you a swimming pool in the country.

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Granted, right. Oh, goody. Goody, Dad won't you build us a swimming pool in the country? What do you think about that little brother? About three years old all he could say was I'd be glad too.

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[Inaudible] ran up the wall right then and there. I had to provide a swimming pool in the country.

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Now comma I'd never built a swimming pool. And when I inquired around as to what it would cost to build a pool I sorta drew back and one day, Helen says when are we going to build a pool and I say well I don't know it'd be two or three years before it gets there. But I want a swimming pool right now. Why can't you build it? I thought about it. Why can't you build it unquote. I felt about a couple of days and I said to myself why can't I build a damn a doggone swimming pool period. There was nobody in this area who had built a swimming pool. However

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I had some ideas as to how I wanted to go about it. First of all, I picked the site and the wood posting around the farm I cut down big pine trees in the area and exchanged the trees for lumber that I would need to build a pool from Henderson Lumber Company in Tarboro period. Which I'd pick was a little bit low, not exactly swampy, but low period. I had my tenant

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attach, attach an freight moving scoop behind the tractor and dig a hole in the ground. At first I thought about the swimming pool 16 feet wide and thirty feet long period. As I got further into the project,

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I realized 16 feet wide was alright but 30 feet long was not quite long enough. So our excavation was extended 30 more feet period. I had the tenants shape the size of the excavation to make them perpendicular. I had a bricklayer who was familiar with building concrete farms who construct the farms lining the excavation period. Next in order was to obtain cotton mix the concrete was poured so that all four sides of the pool were poured at the same time however I made one big mistake right here right then. Right then and there. We poured the sides first and after the sides were poured, before removed we poured the bottom period. That was a big big big mistake we had two shallow wells the to supply water to and installed electric pumps period. Less than a month Helen and bro were swimming in our new pool in the country period. I was glad to have it because way back in my mind I always had a fear that sooner or later my children might because my drown because they hadn't been properly instructed in swimming and knowing boys would boys would do would sneak off and swim in the river. Every year two or three of them would be drowned in swimming in the river. The pool of our own, my wife being a good swimmer and me just a fair swimmer, we were able to get them started swimming at an early age period. About the latter part of that year, grout came along the water table in the store dropped a low level that my shallow wells could not finish water to fill the pool. Next step was to have a well digger to come out and dig me a deep well there's one dug down to 115 feet you go down until you reach the white sand S A N D period. I had to install different pumps then. The next problem was that of sand being pumped from the well into the swimming pool

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[Inaudible] that by installing two separate settling basins at the shallow end of the pool so that as the water is pumped from the way up it

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poured into the first basin where most of the sand dropped to the bottom of the first basin to the second basin where the remainder of the sand dropped to the bottom before the water overflowed into the swimming pool period. And as much as it was a private pool and we were able to control the

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contamination with chlorine in powdered form. We were reasonably safe from contamination periods. I built a shelter at one end of the pool where we could go if it rained

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in summer it came to us and where we could have a little picnic type lunch and dinner period. Following year we gave a fourth of July picnic and invite our friends from the surrounding from the surrounding area. Of course we were raising hogs, cattle, and chickens for the barbecue type pool party, didn't cost me much, the only inconvenience was getting everything ready for our guests period. We had barbecued chicken and choice steaks. And for those of us who liked delicious Eastern Carolina barbecue pork when pigs are raised the first year period. Next year, we had a fourth of July picnic we invited about twice as many friends as we did for the first one period. Word spread around about what good time everybody was having and by the third year my good friend asked me invitations not only for themselves, but for their friends. Result of that we had over 300 guests for our third year our third picnic. It goes without saying that everybody had a good time except those of us who prepared the picnic period. I'd said to Helen this dang thing is getting out of hand, we just got to stop this picnic business. Because it's third year we had to barbecue two hogs, killed about 20 chickens or who I don't know how many steaks period. Now let me back up here a minute. After the pool was in operation for one year, this year that I had built a tenants pool was inadequate. So we built a recreation

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house at one end of the pool period. This consisted of a large kitchen with a dining area and a larger

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recreation room period. And one end the room I had a bar for my friends who liked to indulge in spirits

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so they could make merit period. During the phase when when we had the Fourth of July picnics for the third year some of my dear friends came in and looked around

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and said Quig when are you going to build some sleeping rooms out here? The sooner you build them I'm coming out and staying two weeks. Well, I had thought about adding some bedrooms. But when I got an idea of what was in store for me.

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I told my good friends that we're just gonna stop with this right here but later on we may add the sleeping rooms.

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In the meantime, had some rollaway beds out there so that whenever we have like two or three days in the country we'd just rolled out the bed to sleep. Get up in the morning, have our breakfast I can take go on to work, come back in the afternoon, after my afternoon office hours and have dinner. Have a swim, dinner, and a nap. Prepare for the night office hour period. My good friend suggested that I'd hurry and build a sleeping room and I decided never would I build a sleeping room because I knew that if I built a sleeping rooms out there, it'd be too inviting to all my friends from far and near there would be little time left for us to utilize the facility for ourselves period. I did not have picnic the fourth year. I did not send out invitations and we didn't have a big spread that day.

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But believe it or not four families came over with all the kids expecting a picnic. They were very much disappointed. I had not forgotten the aftermath of last picnic. Everybody had a good time except my wife and my children and myself. We had waked the heck out of the tenants getting ready for that picnic and I said the hell with it from here on out.

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While I'm on the subject of the swimming pool, Carol came along. She was about five years behind Milton brother we called him. She was about six months old and she was playing around at the end of the pool and fell in period. I looked around and I saw these big eyes look right up from the bottom of the pool. I yanked her out, wiped her face and put her back into the pool. I didn't want her to become afraid. I didn't want her to have any fear of water. However, after that mishap, I petitioned off about three feet at the end, at the shallow end of the pool

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so that Carol can have a splashing area period. We taught her to swim in that shallow portion of the pool. Before the year was over, she insisted upon going into the deeper portion of the pool. Helen my wife threw her over there further and Carol swam from one end of the pool to the other.

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From that time on, we weren't bothered about looking out for them, they could look out for themselves period. My kids really did enjoy that pool. Bro bro we called him around Carol would dive into the pool, go to the bottom, swim, swim, swim the bottom of the pool until they have to come up for air, they get a deep breath back down to the bottom of the pool they come up, go down just like

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porpoises. Helen on the other hand, did not like to get her hair wet.

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She learned to swim with her head above water just like a turtle period. Here causes now to go back to my mistake I made while building the pool. Remember I said that we pulled the sides, removed the forms and then pulled the bottom of the pool. There was serious error because it left a space between the bottom of the pool and the side pool. Eventually, period, eventually, water began to seep out of the pool whenever we filled it period. About three days, about 1/3 of water will have seeped out of the pool period. When we entered the pool to clean it the brown water would seep into the pool to the same level that the water, the groundwater surrounding here

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went outside of the pool. Other words, we had to keep filling the pool every day.

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In order to keep it from seeping out too extensive, we wouldn't be able to use it. Use it properly period we were able to use the pool until the children left home, however, Helen my wife, had a pool constructed by a company that specializes in building pools in our backyard period. Now to get back to my story about how I go back to Nashville, Tennessee to attend the Meharry Medical College. Let me start out by saying during during the time that I worked as a [Inaudible] in Chicago, I came in contact with many medical and dental students who attended the Meharry Medical College. I had to listen to their description and accounts of their medical students at Meharry. And I came to know almost firsthand the different teachers, their different mannerisms, their good points and what was considered by the students their bad points period. I decided after listening to these medical students over a period of time that Meharry Medical College must not have been such a bad place after all period. With that frame of mind, I boarded the train for Nashville, along with several medical students, period. There was another incoming freshman with me by the name of Seabrooks. Well Seabrooks had not had the benefit of pre med course. He had finished college at one of the schools in the Nashville vicinity and had obtained a Bachelor of Science degree and had been exposed to some chemistry and physics and a smattering of biology period. And as much as he had been around Nashville for years. His assistance was invaluable to me when it came to finding a place to reside when I got there. Period. Seabrooks knew one a small, one of the small neighborhood merchants who lived near Meharry Medical College and in his in his much of this man's had a live rambling house and as much as all of his children will grown and go we made a beeline for the house and asked this man whether he would be willing to rent rooms to incoming medical students period. As much as pickings were pretty slim along about 1929, the man and his wife agreed to take us on a room in period. They showed us a lodge from which seemed have been very comfortable, the bed seemed to have been alright, the mattresses were firm and not lumpy. And then as much as this merchant operated a small grocery market, we were sure of having at least ample meals period. The merchant also sold C O A L as a sideline during the winter period. Thus, we were sure of having a warm room period. He found two of his other friends who were looking for a room also and the room accommodated the four of us without any crowding period. The rate for room and board was $25 per month. Parenthesis try that in this day and time close parenthesis, period. Another paragraph next morning, we arose have a good breakfast. And we're at Meharry Medical College at eight o'clock for our first assignments period. And now it is time to talk about Meharry Medical College period. First of all, why the name Meharry M E H A R R Y question mark. I shall relate the story to you just as just as it was told to me some years ago period. Paragraph 15 or 20 years previous to farming of Meharry, there were five Irish brothers who operated a farm in southern Indiana period. You must remember that as at that day in time, there was no such thing as refrigeration period. One of the most important commodities, especially in the farming area was salt S A L T period. Rather the Meharry brothers had gone to the nearby town to get the year supply of salt that would enable them to preserve the meats, kindred products from the farm for use during the winter months period. On his way back to the farm drawn wagon and his load of salt, he encounters a great storm period. Now you know that if salt is allowed to get wet, especially in a downpour, most most much of it would be lost period. As he drove along. his team got mired M I R E D in a muddy road, and all he could think of was the salt that he was carrying home and the likelihood of its being ruined period. He looked around and saw a slave cabin close by period. Slaves came to the door of a cabin and saw the man in his distress saw him trying to push his team along to get the mired wagon going. And the slave came out to help the man he hitched the horses to the wagon and pulled it out of the mud and pulled it under a shelter, thereby saving the salt period. He has no compensation in return period. The Meharry brother was so impressed with the willingness of the slave to help them that he vowed someday in some way, he would do something to help the enslaved people period. Now comma back to George Whipple Hubbard. The young officer had witnessed the pitiful state of the recently freed slaves after he. He after he received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University. He offered his services to the [Inaudible] Episcopal Church developed a medical department at Central Tennessee College, which was under the auspices of the Methodist Church to train negros for the practice of medicine period. Now, comma here is where the Meharry brothers come in. When the Methodist Church sent out a call for funds to establish the school, the five Meharry brothers gave $15,000, to the church for the establishment of the school period. It was at that time it was at that time that Dr. Hubbard

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sent the Meharry brothers bequest period. And he suggested that the school will be named Meharry Medical College in grateful appreciation to the Meharry brothers who have donated the first money for the establishment of a school period. So Meharry opened in 1876 as a medical department of Central Tennessee College, with Dr. George Whipple Hubbard, as Dean and faculty period. The name was changed to Meharry Medical College of Walden University in 1900. And with the decline, Walden University has had a separate cooperate existence since October 13 1915. Period. Now comma to bring you up to date up to date as to a physical plant. When I enrolled at Meharry in 1929 there was an administration building, house offices of the President, the Dean, and some classrooms. Next to it was the Anderson Anatomical Hall, which was donated to school by a graduate by the name of Anderson who had settled in Texas and done quite well as a surgeon period. A third building housed a smaller auditorium on the first floor and the physiology department on the second floor period. There was another building farther along on the same side of the street that housed the Department of Bacteriology and the School of Pharmacy period. On the opposite side of the street. There was the former home of Dr. George W. Hubbard, which housed the graduate nurses period. Next in line was joy, the George W. Hubbard Hospital and on the corner directly across from the administration building was the School of Dentistry period. All of the buildings here before mentioned were solid brick construction period. There was a home for undergraduate nurses adjacent to the campus period. As to the members of the faculty comma after John J. Maloney M A L O N E Y was president and professor of public health and hygiene period. That was Dr. L E S T E R who was head of the Department of Physiology and also acted as Dean of the school period. Dr. VG Tolburt, T O L B U R T, was professor of anatomy.

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Dr. MW Bent was professor of bacteriology. Dr. L E A G U E was the head of the Department of Histology period. Dr. WS Quinlan Q U I N L A N was head of the Department of Pathology and associate professor of Dr. C U F F period. Dr. MW Bent was head of

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the Department of Bacteriology. Mr. H H Harris H A R R I S taught

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biochemistry. Dr. CV Romans R O M A N S was the head of the department eye and nose and throat.

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Dr. WEA Ford as Associate Professor in that department period Dr. DR Neil comma a white physician of Nashville, Tennessee, was head of the Department of Internal Medicine period. Dr. John H. Hale, John Henry Hale was the professor and head of the Department of Surgery. Dr. T U R P I N was Dean of the School of Dentistry. And Dr. B E I N E S is the Dean of the School of Pharmacy period. All these men were learned and dedicated physicians they're sole in the teaching of medicine and surgery to the eager, eager young men and women who made up the student body of the Meharry Medical College period. I might add here that Dr. C Victor Romans R O M A N S was also one of the founders of the National Medical Association which exists exists I guess, to present day as a forum of a dissemination of medical information to the black physicians and surgeons as well as

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a mouthpiece for the black medical profession in all matters of civic, political and otherwise, that in which the black physician is involved period. There was quite a contrast between the campus of Merharry Medical College and the modernistic building in which Northwestern University Medical School was housed. However, I was not looking at the type of building that had school,

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I was looking forward to obtaining a medical education that I could use the treatment of my patients period. Make a paragraph right here. On a bright, September morning in 1929, the incoming class of 1933, assembled in a small lecture room on the second floor floor of administration building. As I looked at as I looked around, I recognized one member of the incoming class by the name of Don D O N Watkins W A T K I N S, who had been a classmate of mine at Alcorn period. I was surprised surprised to see Watkins in as much as when we were students together at Alcorn. He was studying agriculture, with the purpose of returning to Sunflower County, Mississippi, and helping the farmers period. There were three or four fellows from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, about two from California. There were four students from Texas, two cousins, and two sisters period. There were two there were four fellows from North Carolina, and one student from Kennett Square K E N N E T T S Q U A R E Pennsylvania, who later became my buddy. The remainder of the class was made up of students from various colleges, mostly in the southern portion of the United States period. Dr. Mullowney comma the President greeted us. And the comma in his remarks, he stated that Meharry Medical College was was organized and established in order to educate promising Negro students for the treatment and care of negros, primarily located in the southern part of the United States period. He took pains to point out the paucity of black positions in such states as Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas period. He wished us all godspeed period. I was persuaded to go out and see this gentleman. When I was shown a way to home, I found three little girls and one of them running around playing in the yard was a simple forum of what you might call

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tenant house T E N A N T house. The children took me to the room where I found the gentleman lying in bed and apparently

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in a lot of pain. I introduced myself. He began to tell me about himself of course, comma I've heard already about his activities in the educational field in the field of education. However, I was deeply touched when he told me the incidents that led up to his present condition period. First of all comma his first wife had died some years previously. And he had married a younger woman to [Inaudible] and born three girls and one boy. After the birth of the fourth child, he began to have an arthritic environment to make bad marriage great, his wife became sick and died. It was this man elderly man he was this elderly man wreck with four young children and nobody to look after any of them. Kind neighbors brought him food and gave him whatever medical attention that they could. As long as he was able to travel they took him to the physician in the surrounding area, and paid for his treatment. However, within the last 8 or 10 months, the man had become completely bed ridden period. He was entirely dependent upon his neighbor to look after him, and to feed and clothe his family. He turned to me and said, Doctor, I have no money to offer you to give you. But if you could do something to get me out of this bed, you'll never hear the last of it. I said ok understand that you have been having it pretty rough and I'm going to, I'm going to be hard on you bought the money, but will take it upon myself to find time to get out of here as often as I can and do what I can for your period. I examined the gentleman and found him to be very weak, he had lost a lot of weight, his muscles had just about completely disappeared, knees were drawn up, he couldn't straighten the legs out period. He was flexed midway between extension and complete, complete contraction period. He was unable to extend his arm. His spine was involved, he was unable to turn his head from side to side. He was dependent on neighbors to come in two or three times a day to change his position, to

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cook for his children, and to keep them as clean as they possibly could.

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I started treating the good Reverend, he'd been taking the medication I got out to see him as often as I could. After about three or four weeks,

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the pain had subsided to a certain extent that I could instruct the neighbors in the fundamentals of exercises for the man. After about six weeks of treatment, he was able to sit up

[1:02:12]
without severe pain period. After two months, neighbors were able to bring him to my office for further treatment period. The Reverend continued to improve to the extent that he was able to walk with a system. Later he was able to walk with a crutch, it was then that he made his neighbor take him to church. They took the reverend to church and he sat up in the pulpit and started preaching again period. He would always end his sermon by saying if you're sick you go see that Dr. Quigless over in Tarboro, he will get you going again yesterday he got me going

[1:03:04]
One day he came to my office picked up a handfull of my business cards and one of his church members came in the next week and told me you know one thing and said quote you know one thing

[1:03:20]
comma Reverend Riddick started passing out your cards just like someone's dealing cards in a poker game. Unquote. Comma the publicity did not do me any harm whatsoever. In fact it increased my practice about 20% period. To tell you the truth comma I think my treatment of Reverend Riddick was the best investment I've ever made in my life period. Here

[1:03:55]
phone rang about two o'clock one morning and I answered and found a man on the other end just about incoherent telling me doctor, quote doctor please come and see about my wife.

[1:04:17]
She's having a baby and she bout to bleed to death. He had a baby here but she's still about to bleed to death I wish you would come out here prior please try to do something for her period. I dressed hastily and drove out to the man's home which was about six miles from town period. I found a room full of laboring women and women lying in bed gasping and there was blood everywhere period. As I understood the situation, this wasn't her first pregnancy. She had very strong pains and when the baby was finally born she had a severe pain that just ripped at everything period. She had what we would call a 30 degree laceration. It had extended deep in her pelvis period. The first thing that I had to do was to stop the bleeding which was simple just a simple package I called the hospital but there was no room for the patient. I called next I called my receptionist and had her to come on out and bring two cans of ether. This was an emergency situation and I had no time to think about anything else. As much as it was impossible to get the patient into hospital period. Luckily there was the patient they had electricity in their house it was necessary however for me to have need to have them put out over fire to prevent explosion and as much as I was using ether which is very hot is a very high explosive period. I repaired the lacerations whatever I could there were no thorough blood transfusion we just have to just depend on nature to keep the lady alive. Luckily, comma, the patient survived however, one portion of the wound did not heal completely. Resumed as I contacted or wrote a letter to Dr. F. Bayard Carter, F period B A Y A R D C A R T E R gynecology at Duke University Hospital explaining the situation he gave me an appointment for the lady and I sent her to Duke period. He examined the lady and immediately called me on the telephone, quote

[1:07:21]
Dr. Quigless, how in the world did you ever laceration in the country in an unsterile environment and get the type of reserve that you did just how in the world does that ever happen. I've never heard of anything like this before.

[1:07:47]
Continue quotes. I'm gonna keep this nice lady over here and finish this job for you. But I want to tell you right now, if you run into anything like this, again, you can't get any help locally. You just load the patient up and send them on over here to me by golly I'd attend to unquote that incident was much the beginning of a friendship between Dr. Carter and myself it lasted until his untimely demise period. Now comma after the patient was able to deliver three babies for her before suitable tubal ligation period. Another paragraph here in those days comma eastern North Carolina was primarily and especially my area was primarily an agricultural area period. And we have the county fairs and as did have all of the other counties in this area period. The farmers exhibited their prize last stop samples of the field crops comma, chickens, turkeys, etc. The women exhibited their little crafts, their products or their canning endeavors, et cetera, et cetera, as was

[1:09:33]
it was with the fair as was with everything else in this area, the white farmers exhibited their wears for the provision, however, there was space set aside and it was a smaller

[1:09:50]
buildings for the blacks to their exhibits on the new period. The American Missionary Association had established a school about 15 miles from Tarboro as a community feel in North Carolina. The school was known as the Bricks Normal Institute period. At that day and time there were few if any high schools. And in order for a child to get an actual education they have to go to these Normal Institutes that were situated throughout the area period. And that Missionary Association had gone to be an extent to establish the school district period. Several large buildings, including the administration building, a classroom building, and dormitories for men and women along with teachers cottages period. The American Missionary Association had bought a large farm that was berated to mix in with the school period. And they had a resident manager of the farm by the name of Mr. Neil McLean, N E I L M C L E A N period. Mr. McLean was in Tarboro helping the black teachers and farmers and every day exhibits. He became suddenly ill while helping the farmers and the rest of my office period. He complained of nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and a lot of abdominal pain period. When questioning him I found that he had left home early in the morning, didn't have a chance to get breakfast and come to Tarboro and wait until about 2pm before he had any food. He ate hot dogs and hamburgers etc. etc. then developed a full case of indigestion period. Of course, he was very much frightened period. I gave him some medication to relieve his indigestion. And I had him lay down in my office and the rest for a while. He felt better and I let him go back to work period. Mr. McLean never forgot that incident period. But 1936 the North Carolina Department of Education had gotten busy establishing high schools, at least two or three in each county period. Students would get high school education near their home so that there was no further need for a boarding school in the Bricks Community. However the Halifax County Board of Education saw fit to continue to use the school facilities at Bricks. As a community high school students from a neighboring town of Enfield could continue their education period. As I've already stated to Mr. McLean was the farmer manager and he managed and looked after the buildings that was not occupied at the time it was a boarding school period. It is about time that the federal government initiated a program of summer camps for black children from the ages of about 12 to 16 years period. Luckily for our area one of the camps was supposed to be located at the Bricks complex which was well suited to the type of program in as much as much as they had dormitory facilities along with the dining facilities and a plenty of space on the campus to carry out all the activities that were planned period. A black supervisor, comma Mrs. Y A N C E Y, Mrs. Yancey was the head of the project period. She's selected several teachers in the community as a [Inaudible]. The plan called for a full time RN, registered nurse, along with the physician who would be on call period. When McLean set up the project, and when he was called upon to recommend the resignation the position he recommended me period. Much to the black physicians in the area and as much as I was the last patron to come to the area period. They felt that one of their members should have been chosen. However I accepted the work. The children came in, I had give them physical examinations, take care of their various complaints whenever they had them. I also had to administer typhoid vaccine, tetanus toxoid tetanus vaccine. It was very easy to take on responsibilities. It was very seldom that I was called upon to make any emergency trips to the area period. You know, comma I got to thinking of all these substantial brick building, facilities in place and intact, operational, not too far removed from a small town on a paved highway, and in an area where we needed to hospital period. We had reasonable medical association where the doctors would meet monthly and discuss their problems they treated to by authorities in different fields period. I attended one of the meetings and I looked at authorizations and proposed that we, as a group undertake to undertake to establish a hospital in Bricks period. I was questioned in event by some of the other members. The next question was, how would we finance our hospital? I answered that perhaps the American Missionary Association will help us in that area. Also, further stated that we could get off our butts and go to work in the community and try to raise enough money to open a hospital.