A collection of material documenting the life of William J. Gies. Included are his birth and baptismal certificate; many magazine and newspaper clippings; photographs from throughout his life; and a small amount of correspondence.
History and Biography
| Timeline | |
|---|---|
| 1872 | Born in Reisterstown, Maryland, February 21 |
| 1888 | Graduated from Manheim High School, Manheim, Pennsylvania. |
| 1893 | B.S., Gettysburg College |
| 1894 | B.Ph., Yale University. |
| 1896 | M.S., Gettysburg College. |
| 1897 | Ph.D. in biochemistry, Yale University. |
| 1898 | Instructor, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University |
| 1899 | Married Mabel L. Lark (3 sons, 1 daughter). Studied in Switzerland |
| 1901 | Founded department of physiological chemistry (biochemistry) at the College of Physicians & Surgeons, the first to be created in an American medical school. |
| 1905 | Created medical section of American Association for the Advancement of Science; Promoted to Professor of Biochemistry, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University. |
| 1905-21 | Secretary of the Faculty, College of Physicians & Surgeons. |
| 1909 | Began dental research at request of Dr. Arthur Merritt |
| 1916 | Member, Committee for a Columbia University Dental School. |
| 1917-22 | Secretary, Administrative Board, School of Dental and Oral Surgery. |
| 1919-36 | Founding editor of Journal of Dental Research.Founder of International Association of Dental Research. |
| 1921-26 | Conducted study on dental education in the U.S. and Canada for the Carnegie Corporation. |
| 1923 | Organized American Association of Dental Schools. |
| 1926 | Publication of Dental Education in the United States and Canada by the Carnegie Corporation. |
| 1937 | Retired from Columbia faculty. |
| 1956 | Died, Lancaster, Penn., May 20. |
Author or co-author of over six hundred articles and eight books.
Organization
This is a created collection of material documenting the life of William J. Gies, biochemist, dental educator, and one of the founders of the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery.
Included are his birth and baptismal certificate; confirmation certificate; many magazine and newspaper clippings; photographs from throughout his life; and a small amount of correspondence. As additional material is received, it will be added to the collection.
| Box | Folder | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Birth and baptismal certificate, 1872; confirmation certificate, 1890 |
| 2 | Biographical material: largely newspaper and magazine clippings, 1870, 1920s-1950s | |
| 3 | Correspondence, 1927-1948 (with gaps) | |
| 4 | "The Findings of the Carnegie Foundation's Survey of Dental Education": typescript of Gies address to the New York Academy of Dentistry, no date, but c. 1926. | |
| 5 | Journal of Dental Research: prospectus, 1919; appeals for donations to endowment fund, 1924, 1936 | |
| 6 | William J. Gies Foundation: correspondence, press releases, 1958 | |
| 7 | Writings, articles, 1890s-1940s | |
| 8 | Photographs, 1864-1951 | |
| 9 | Photographs, 1864-1951 | |
| Loose in box | ||
| [Physiological chemistry. Laboratory notes for students] Mimeographed volume of laboratory directions for students in Gies' classes on the physiology of nutrition, 1914-1915 edition. This copy bears signature of C. A. Slanetz and is dated March 17, 1921 | ||
| Dental Caries: Findings and Conclusions on its Causes and Control. American Dental Association: Advisory Committee for Research in Dental Caries. Copy of 1st (1939) and 2nd (1941) editions, each with a special presentation page to Gies signed by members of the Committee. | ||
| 2 (flat box) | Volume of printed letters to Gies on his 25th anniversary as chairman of the department of biochemistry at Columbia University, 1926. Includes bibliography, 1891-1926. | |
| Guest book from banquet in honor of Gies given by the American College of Dentists, Atlantic City, NJ, July 11, 1937. | ||
| Photograph: dinner in honor of Anna Veronica Hughes given by the faculty of the School of Dental & Oral Surgery, Faculty Club, Columbia University, May 26, 1943 | ||
| Rolled photograph - depiction unknown: conservation required | ||
| Map Case 2-7 | ||
| Framed testimonial from nine dental organizations presented to Gies at the 17th Convocation of the American College of Dentists, Atlantic City, NJ, July 11, 1937. | ||
Subject Headings and Related Records
Administrative Information
Gifts from several donors including members of the Gies family. The collection originally formed part of the "William J. Gies Collection in the History of Dentistry," an amalgam of William B. Dunning papers, Gies memorabilia, SDOS records, and records relating to SDOS that had been removed from the Central Records of the Office of the Vice President for Health Sciences. With the accession of the complete Central Records of the Vice President in 1993 by Archives and Special Collections, Vice President's records in the "Gies Collection" were returned to Central Records and the remainder of the Collection was reorganized into its component parts.
Collection processed and finding written by Stephen E. Novak, 2001. Processing of the collection was made possible through generous funding by the William J. Gies Foundation.