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Looking Back at USC's Faculty

James Harmon Hoose initiated the teaching of six academic disciplines at USC. A veteran New York school administrator, he founded the pedagogy department in 1895. He was the first head of the philosophy department; The James Harmon Hoose Library of Philosophy in Seeley Mudd Hall commemorates him, and the north wing of Bovard is The James Harmon Hoose Hall of Philosophy. USC's sociology, history, economics and psychology departments also developed out of his classes. He was a founding member of USC's Graduate Council, which evolved into the Graduate School, and received an honorary degree in 1913.

William Lees Judson, an important Canadian artist and teacher, in 1895 because the first Professor of Drawing and Painting and head of the Art Department. In 1901 he was named founding Dean of the College of Fine Arts, and served until 1922. The Judson Studios, stained glass makers managed by his sons, took over the old fine arts college building in Highland Park. The London Museum in Ontario, Canada, exhibits Judson's work.

Thomas Blanchard Stowell became head of the education department in 1909, and the first dean of the School of Education in 1918. At his retirement he was named dean emeritus. He had formerly headed for 20 years what is now The State University of New York at Potsdam, and Stowell Hall on that campus honors him. Bovard's south wing is the Thomas Blanchard Stowell Hall of Education, and a research library was donated by him and his students in his name. Stowell published papers on human and comparative anatomy, as well as educational psychology, history and philosophy; he contributed to volume 1 (1891) of The Journal of Comparative Neurology and was a member of the Association of American Anatomists' nomenclature committee.

Joseph P. Widney, USC's 2nd president, was founding president of the Los Angeles County Medical Association.

He was shortly followed as LACMA president by W. Jarvis Barlow, who in 1902 established the Barlow Sanitarium for the "indigent tuberculous" (it still exists near Dodger Stadium), and was subsequently dean of medicine.

Other tuberculosis experts were Francis Marion Pottinger and Norman Bridge, remembered in Bridge Hall.

John Randolph Haynes of the medical faculty is known as the father of the initiative, referendum and recall; the foundation named in his honor is a frequent supporter of USC research.

The first woman physician to practice in Southern California (1877) and the medical association's first female member in the 1880s was Elizabeth A. Follansbee. In 1885, she joined the inaugural faculty at the new medical school at USC as a professor of children's diseases - the first woman faculty member at a medical school in California.

Beulah Wright was longtime dean of the College of Oratory from 1904, and Charlotte Brown was University Librarian.

George Smith was a prolific author of California Supreme Court opinions.

James Maine Dixon was widely honored in Europe, Asia and North America for his interpretations of Robert Burns's poetry, and had lectured on English literature at the Imperial University in Tokyo for 13 years. He founded USC's Japanese collection in 1911, and taught literature and Oriental studies for 50 years.

USC has had a number of female deans: Mrs. C.S. Nellis USC Thornton School of Music 1884 to 1886 (principal); Lucy H. Stagg USC Thornton School of Music 1886 to 1890 (principal)1893 to 1895 (dean); Beulah Wright USC College of Oratory 1903 to 1918; Arlien Johnson USC School of Social Work 1939 to 1959; Martha Boaz USC School of Library Science 1955 to 1978; Dorothy Wright Nelson USC Gould School of Law 1968 to 1980; Sherry P. May USC School of Continuing Education 1983 to 1986; Barbara Solomon USC Graduate School 1986 to 1988 (acting)1988 to 1994(dean); Elizabeth Monk Daley USC School of Cinema-Television 1991 to the present; Jane Pisano USC School of Public Administration (now part of the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development) 1991 to 1998; Barbara Solomon USC School of Theatre 1992 to 1993(interim); Alice C. Parker USC Graduate School 1994 to 1996; Ruth Weisberg USC Roski School of Fine Arts 1995 to 2010; Marilyn Flynn USC School of Social Work 1997 to the present; Karen Symms Gallagher USC Rossier School of Education 2000 to the present; Madeline Puzo USC School of Theatre 2002 to the present; Elizabeth M. Zelinski USC Davis School of Gerontology 2004 to 2007; Catherine Quinlan USC Libraries 2007 to the present; Rochelle Steiner USC Roski School of Fine Arts 2010 to the presen.

Economist Rockwell Dennis Hunt was called "Mr. California" for his works on the state's history. In 1920 he was founding head of both the School of Commerce and Business Administration and the Graduate School. A trophy in his name is awarded to a graduate student who was also a USC undergrad.

Tema Shults Clare, who taught botany from 1931 until 1963, was a nationally recognized authority on woods. Howard Hughes once sat in on her class to see why so many of his employees were studying with her.

Biochemist Margaret Morehouse, nutrition expert, served from 1929 until 1972

In the 1930's, Floyd Hogeboom was a pioneer of children's dentistry.

In the same eara, Spencer Atkinson and Harvey Stollard were leaders in orthodontics.

George Hollenback invented dental instruments and equipment used worldwide.

Wilma Motley was a major figure in dental hygiene.

Francis De Erdely, faculty member 1945-1959, was instrumental in the West Coast Modernist movement, depicting the regional minorities of African and Mexican heritage and conveying a sense of strong social commentary. His art is in the collections at the Metropolitan, Corcoran, Chicago Institute of Art, National Gallery in Melbourne, and Carnegie.

Harpsicordist Alice Ehlers, a former student of Wanda Landowska, joined the faculty in 1941.

Ingolf Dahl, Stravinsky's long-time collaborator, taught composition, conducting, and music history, and directed the university's symphony orchestra 1945-1958.

Gwendolyn Koldofsky, who was a famed accompanist for many performers, including her own pupil Marilyn Horne, taught 1945-1990.

The great voice teacher William Vennard's book, Singing, The Mechanism and Technique, is still a standard.

Walter Ducloux, who had been a guest conductor for Toscanini, directed the USC Opera Theater 1953-1968, showcasing 25 operas in Los Angeles when few such performances could be heard.

In 1949, Daniel C. Pease and Richard F. Baker produced the first photograph of genes, magnified 120,000 times.

Charles C. Hirt, internationally recognized choral conductor, established the USC Chamber Choir in 1954.

Frances Lomas Feldman, a social work professor for 36 years, remained active through her 90's. Her study of money stress on families led to establishing the Consumer Credit Counselors, which has counseled hundreds of thousands of people.

Ward Edwards was noted for his contributions to behavioral decision theory and decision analysis.

Architect Archibald Quincy Jones was a pioneer in the use of greenbelts and green design in urban planning. Dean Emmet L. Wemple was a leading landscape architect who designed the J. Paul Getty museum garden in Malibu.

Among the many USC faculty remembered for their inspirational teaching are Tully Knowles, Rene Belle, John Russell and Gibson Reeves of astronomy, Earl V. Pullias of education, and J. Wesley Robb of religion, to name a few.

At the University's Centennial Celebration in 1980, the faculty honored were Anton Burg, chemistry; Elwood Davis, physical education; Hugh Edmondson, medicine; J.P. Guilford, psychology; Arlien Johnson, social work; Maurice Mautner, business administration; Robert Vivian, engineering; and Harold Von Hofe, German.