Harry J. Sears lantern slide collection

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: 2006-011

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of twenty glass lantern slides of the University of Oregon Medical School faculty members and their families, donated by Harry J. Sears, Ph.D. A handwritten list of the slides describes each photograph. The photos were used for a talk given before the wives of UOMS faculty members in 1950.

Dates

1916-1941

Creator

Sears, Harry J., 1895-1962 (Person)

Restrictions on Access

There are no restrictions on access. This collection is open to the public.

Conditions Governing Use

OHSU Historical Collections & Archives (HC&A) is the owner of the original materials and digitized images in our collections, however, the collection may contain materials for which copyright is not held. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials. Consult with HC&A to determine if we can provide permission for use.

Biographical Note

Harry J. Sears, M.D., was born in Daviess County, Missouri where he attended a one room grade school. He earned a B.A. in 1911 and an M.A. in 1912 from Stanford University. Sears remained at Stanford to obtain a Ph.D. which he earned in 1916. He spent two and a half years as Director of the Berkley, California City Health Laboratory before he came to Portland. He paid for his education cleaning bricks from the earthquake damaged buildings on campus, washing dishes, and working on a railroad construction crew.

He married Huldah Meyer of Palo Alto, California, with whom he had two daughters and two sons, Thomas and David.

Until his retirement in 1956, Harry J. Sears served as the first chair and professor at the University of Oregon Medical School's (UOMS) Department of Bacteriology. When Sears first arrived in Portland from Berkley, he was the only bacteriologist in the state of Oregon. He began teaching at the medical school in 1919 when it was still located at the corner of NW 23rd and Lovejoy. There, he organized UOMS's first Department of Bacteriology. He was among the first small contingent faculty of the school, teaching both bacteriology and chemistry.

In his early days, he was among the teams who sought to find the causes and treatments for influenza, typhoid, paratyphoid, and diphtheria. Sears also helped to establish the state civil service merit system of examinations and served as first director of the merit system.

It was said of Sears that “He was one of our great pioneers.” He retired in 1956 after serving as the Head of the Bacteriology Department for 38 years. Over the course of his career, Sears authored and published 30 professional papers. He died at the age of 77 at his daughter's home on October 27, 1962.

Medical Practice:

Head of Bacteriology – University of Oregon Medical School

Memberships:

Friends of the Library Committee – Portland Academy of Medicine

Society of the American Association for Advancement of Science

The Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine

The Portland Academy of Medicine

Phi Beta Kappa

Sigma Xi

Phi Lambda Upsilon.

Publications:

A list of Sears' publications can be found in the Historical Collection & Archives' Biographical Files.

Extent

0.5 Linear Feet (1 archives box )

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The collection consists of twenty glass lantern slides of the University of Oregon Medical School faculty members and their families. The slides were used for a presentation in 1950 and donated by the University of Oregon Medical School Department of Bacteriology Head, Harry J. Sears, Ph.D., from 1918 until 1956.

Technical Access

No special equipment is required to view the materials, although the slides may be shown on a glass lantern slide projector or light table if needed.

Acquisition Information

The materials were donated to the University of Oregon Medical School Library in 1950 by Harry J. Sears, Ph.D. No other details of provenance are known.

Related Archival Materials

Historical Image Collection:

The Historical Image Collection contains additional images of the University of Oregon Medical School campus, faculty, and students. To view images, see the OHSU Digital Commons.

http://digitalcollections.ohsu.edu/

Related Archival Collections:

Willamette University Medical Department Records, Accession number 1999-001

Harry J. Sears Papers, Accession number 2005-005

Biographical Files:

See the Biographical Files for additional information related to the life and work of Harry J. Sears, Ph.D. as well as other University of Oregon Medical School faculty members.