Concise Encyclopedia of Tufts History
Sauer, Anne
Branco, Jessica
Bennett, John
Crowley, Zachary
2000
Williams, Harold, 1853-1926
Harold Williams (1853-1926), H1905, served as the Tufts College Medical School's third dean (1891-1913) and professor of Disease of Children and professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine. | |
Williams was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on December 5, 1853. He attended Brookline High School and Harvard Medical School, graduating in 1878. He spent the following two years travelling and working in Europe. He returned to Boston in 1880, establishing his own practice and serving as physician to the Boston Dispensary. | |
From 1894 to 1899, Williams was professor of Disease of Children at Tufts Medical School and chairman of the Committee of Health and Physical Training at Wellesley College. In 1897, he was elected president of the staff of the Boston Dispensary and the following year was made a trustee of the Boston Dental College. | |
Williams served as dean of Tufts' medical and dental schools from 1898 to 1913. He also held the position of professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine during this time. Tufts awarded Williams an honorary doctor of laws degree in 1905, in recognition of his distinction as a surgeon and physician. In 1913, Williams resigned from Tufts Medical School. He was later appointed to the Visiting Committee of the Harvard Medical School. | |
Williams held several positions and affiliations within both national and local medical organizations, including chairman of the Committee on Excursions of the American Medical Association and President of the Boston Society for Medical Improvement. He was also appointed by Massachusetts' Governor Guild to a committee to prepare a circular of advice to school physicians in 1907. | |
Williams was a noted rope-climber, winning a gold medal at the world's championship for the sport in March 1890.He also won the Boston Athletic Association Championship for the same feat, climbing 35 feet in 12.6 seconds. | |
He and his wife, Alice Cary, whom he married in 1876, had four children. He died on April 3, 1926, in St. Augustine, Florida. | |
Source: VF; HTCMS, 213-215 | |
Subject terms: |