Call Number:

CPP 2/013-01

Repository:

Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia

Extent:

.8 linear feet (2 document boxes)

Language:

English

Date:

1972-2006 (inclusive) and 1999-2001 (bulk)

Creator:

College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Office of the President and Myers, Allen R.

Form:

Clippings, Correspondence, Minutes, and Reports

Abstract:

Allen R. Myers was born in Baltimore on January 14, 1935. He graduated from University of Pennsylvania and received his M.D. from University of Maryland in 1960; his medical specialties were Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. He spent the majority of his career in academia and was elected College President in 2000 and served two terms. Myers died in January 2020. This collection dates from 1999-2003, and documents Allen Myers' time as College President. It contains correspondence, committee meeting reports and documents, information related to College Fellowship, information relating to building restoration projects and facility usage during the presidency, reports from the president and executive director, two public health programs, and press releases from the College.

The Office of the President of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia is first described in the 1787 constitution. The constitution states that the President "shall have power to call extraordinary Meetings whenever important, or unexpected Business shall require, of which he shall be the Judge;" the constitution also states that the president was authorized to call a special session when requested by at least six Fellows. According to the 1834 by-laws, the president was responsible for presiding at College meetings and signing orders from the treasurer, but he could not discuss any questions while in the chair except when necessary to come to a decision. This latter regulation was dropped from the 1863 by-laws, and new responsibilities were added in 1882, when the president was given "general supervision of the affairs of the College" and was required to present an annual address.

In 1886, due to the influence of president S, Weir Mitchell, the by-laws were again amended. Mitchell secured the right to be informed of all committee meetings and to attend them if he wished, Another of Mitchell's requests, for a five year presidential term, was never approved. The responsibilities of the president remained much the same until 1914. In the by-laws of this year, the president's duty of "sign[ing] all warrants on the Treasurer" was omitted. 1925 marked a major change in the Office of the President; in this year, he was granted ex-officio membership in all standing committees and had the power to elect most committee members. The first regulation concerning the president's term was instituted in the 1935 by-laws, which state that no president may serve more than three years in a row. Additional changes in the Office of the President did not occur until 1972. The by-laws of this year state that the president must publish his annual address, submit a yearly summary of the activities of the College, and "appoint all standing committees and designate the Chairmen." with the exception of the Nominating committee, The president's term was again restricted in the 1984 bylaws, which state that the president is limited to one two-year term. As of 2020, this is still an active office.

Allen R. Myers was born in Baltimore on January 14, 1935. He graduated from University of Pennsylvania and received his M.D. from University of Maryland in 1960; his medical specialties were Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

Myers served as a Surgeon for the military's Heart Disease Control Program from 1964-1966.

After serving in the military, he spent 50 years in academia, which included a stint at University of Pennsylvania as an Associate Professor of Medicine and a staff physician at its hospital, and time as dean of Temple University's School of Medicine.

Myers served on the Finance Committee from 1998-2000, at the same time, he served as President Elect. He was elected President of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia in 2000; his term lasted until 2002.

In 1960, he married Ellen Patz; they had three sons, Robert, David, and Scott.

Myers died January 15, 2020.

This collection dates from 1999 to 2003, and documents Allen Myers' time as College President. It contains correspondence, committee meeting reports and documents, information related to College Fellowship, information relating to building restoration projects and facility usage during the presidency, reports from the president and executive director, two public health programs, and press releases from the College.

This collection is divided into six series. Series I: Administration, dating from 2000-2001, consists of three different topics related to the College of Physicians of Philadelphia's administration: Building restoration, facility usage, including rental of the facility and events held in the facility; and Fellowship.

Series II: Committees documents the meetings and activities of, and some correspondence, from 14 committees during the years of 1999 to 2003, bulk 2000 to 2001. The committees in the collection include: Administration, Admissions, Awards, Finance, Investment, Nominations, Programs, Executive, Development, Library Advisory, Strategic Planning, Women's, and general information about the composition of committees. Types of records found in this series include minutes and correspondence.

Series III: Correspondence, dating from 1972-2001, with the bulk of records created between 2000 and 2001, consists of undated documents, consists of correspondence to and from Allen R. Myers, College President; Marc Micozzi, Executive Director; Antonia Oberthaler, Director of the Division of Institutional Advancement; and Edward Plocha, Director of External Affairs; and general correspondence by staff and fellows at the college. The correspondence topics include: general College business, emails, and some of Allen Myers' personal correspondence. Researchers may be interested in correspondence regarding the 2003 Mütter Museum exhibit "Only One Man Died."

Series IV: Reports covers the annual report of the President for fiscal year 2001, and reports of the Executive Director for April to June 2001.

Series V: Public Health includes correspondence on two topics that the college supported during Allen Myers' presidency: Tom Ridge's usage of Tobacco Settlement money to improve public health in Pennsylvania, and the emergence of West Nile Virus.

Series VI: Press Releases consists of releases written by the College, Philadelphia Business Journal, and Physician's News Digest. The Philadelphia Business Journal article is an interview with Allen Myers and the Physician's News Digest article is about how the College's role has changed over time and what their relationship with the Philadelphia Health Department was during the presidency. The final two articles in the series include an article about the College's commitment to public service written by Allen Myers and another about the two men who were the first non-physicians to become Trustees of the College.