Page 18 - Howard University Medical Department A Historical Biographical

HOWARD UNIVERSITY. 5

the plan, and the writer was the one teach righteousness; to the second com­
chosen by the other two of the committee, mission the first was joined, and I have
and the one who actually drew it. All been ministering to the body by teaching
teachers were to give their services with­ as well as to the soul.
out charge until permanent arrange­
ments could be made ; and as both teach­ Dr. Robert Reyburn, the only member
ers and prospective scholars were engaged of the first Medical Faculty, who is also
during the day hours the sessions were a member of the present one, was asked
to be at night.
to write up
Referring to the commencement, March
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE MEDICAL
i, 1871, when he graduated in medicine, DEPARTMENT AND ITS FIRST
he says: SESSION.
As I stood on that historic day in a He writes that
class of five, one at least of the class slave-
born, going forth with our diplomas on The close of the Civil War in 1865
the divine mission to heal the sick, surely left such a chaotic condition of society in
it was a small beginning. But it was a the Southern States of our Union as can
small beginning too when a group of men hardly be realized in our day, except by
gathered at the foot of the Capitol grounds those who were living and witnessed it
in Washington, a group of workmen at the time. Eight millions of people
armed with picks to pick the cobble had been emancipated and thrown upon
stones for the coming of comfort and their own resources, and in order to pro­
speed, for the beginning of the fulfilment vide for their educational, industrial, so­
of prophecy, “ Behold I make all things cial and religious development, the Bureau
even.” Behold the beautiful city now. of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned
One who viewed that beginning writes Lands (commonly called the Freedmen's
this sketch, made the report named, was Bureau) was founded and placed under
one of the founders of the University, one the charge of General Howard. The ed­
of the five who looked into the future and ucation of the freed people of the South
the glorious triumph of right over might, was, for the time being, zealously cared
one who read the future in the words of for by the various educational associations
Faber: which were established for that purpose
in the Northern, Eastern and Western
But right is right since God is God, and right the
day must win ; States of our Union at the close of the
To doubt would be disloyalty, to falter would be war. In order to give an opportunity
sin. for the children of the freed people to
The prophecy has been more than ful­ receive a higher education than could be
filled. The little one has become a power, given in the ordinary schools, Howard
a resistless force. Those who gave mo­ University was founded. It was char­
tion to this force have passed to the be­ tered by Congress, entitled to confer
yond or are on waiting orders. The degrees, and authorized to establish Col­
worker dies, but the work goes on. The legiate, Medical, Legal and such other
810 students in the University this year departments as usually belong to mod­
confirm what I say. ern universities.
From the day I received my diploma After these preliminary remarks, Dr.
from Gen. O. O. Howard, then the Presi­
dent of the University, until now, when I Reyburn, continuing, gives in a condensed
am over 83 years old, I have not received form the information contained in the
as much as a dime for medical services ; University and Medical Faculty records,
one dozen sweet oranges in Florida is the as follows :
sum total of what the world would call
fees. I held a commission from higher At a meeting of the Board of Trustees,
authority than human to go forth and January 8, 1867, a committee, consisting