Gross/Denver University Medical School records

Collection

Identifier: COU:2832

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Gross/Denver Medical School records contains many volumes of the records and minutes of the Medical Department of the University of Denver and Colorado Seminary. Also, it contains volumes of minutes and records from the Gross Medical School. It also contains announcement catalogs, account books, and receipts for all the schools. In addition, there are several containers of portraits of faculty and students of the schools from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Furthermore, the collection contains many Wooden Block Prints of the various hospitals and buildings in the Denver area. The actual photos of the buildings can be found at the Denver Public Library.

There is also a large amount of correspondence, business agreements, and declarations of trust from the mergers and construction of the schools. The collection also has dispensary reports and annual reports for the era. Contained in these reports is inventory of the schools, patient and student records, notes, exams, reports, lectures, and pharmacology examinations.

The final part of the collection contains school constitutions, by-laws, registration, minutes of the board of trustees and executive committees, and miscellaneous information. Also, there is a large amount of bills, receipts, vouchers, and invoices from the day to day operations of the medical schools.

Dates

Creation: 1880 - 1910

Biographical / Historical

The Gross Medical School begun when a number of doctors were not made faculty of the newly organized University of Denver medical department in 1881. The group of physicians formed a rival proprietary school. They named the college the Gross Medical College after the distinguished surgeon, Dr. Samuel D. Gross. The school was known as the Medical Department of the “Rocky Mountain University” and was incorporated under Colorado State law in May 7, 1887.

The University of Denver tried to remove the Gross Medical School and the University of Colorado Medical School from Denver in the State Courts. The Gross Medical School posted in their “Gross Medical College Bulletin” a plea for the three schools to join into one functioning medical school in Denver. The other institutions were not interested in merging at the time.

However, over time the Denver Medical School and Gross Medical School became more professionally close. They began attempts to combine in 1900. The schools merged September 1902. Upon merging the schools, they focused their efforts on facility improvement. The University of Denver and Colorado Seminary owned property on the south side of Arapahoe, between 13th street and 14th street. The facility was built in 1906 and was opened in 1907. The total cost of the renovation was about $21,000 dollars, all of which was raised by the Medical College.

To avoid competition in enrollment, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that the University of Colorado Medical School could not operate in Denver in 1897. The University of Colorado tried supporting bills that would allow them to conduct medical work in Denver. The University of Denver successfully opposed the bill until 1909 when initial talks on merging the school, led by the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association begun.

In 1908, Dr. W. A. Jayne was elected Dean of the Medical College and accepted the office on a condition that he could attempt to consolidate the Denver and Gross Medical College with the University of Colorado. Negotiations between the committees from both schools reached an agreement in June 1910. The three consolidated schools began operations in January 1911. The three schools have been functioning under the University of Colorado in Denver ever since the merger.

Extent

27 linear feet : 49 document boxes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Gross/Denver University Medical School records contains materials relating to school operations including: faculty minutes, student records, account books, pictures, legal documents, correspondence, bills, receipts, vouchers, and invoices. The Gross Medical College began as a subsidiary of the Denver Medical College on May 7, 1887. The collection contains announcements from catalogs that were created by the school and ran from 1888-1902. Also, it contains records from the school’s brief period before it was merged to the Denver Medical College. In September of 1902, the two schools merged to form one functioning medical school. The records contain many photographs, correspondence, and records from the time of the merger to around January, 1911; when the University of Colorado Medical School merged with them to turn the three competing medical colleges into one operating school.