From its inception in 1926 until its final commencement exercises in 1971 and amalgamation with the National College,1 the Lincoln Chiropractic College was an exceptional institution. Conceived as an alternative to the Palmer School,2 from which its founders had departed from 1924 to 1926 in the wake of the neuro-calometer's introduction,3,4 the Lincoln earned a reputation as a "straight" chiropractic institution with a greater-than-average commitment to academics.
The school is gone now, but its memory is institutionalized in the Lincoln College Education and Research Fund, by supporters of the Florida State University College of Chiropractic, and by the National-Lincoln postgraduate division of the National University of Health Sciences. The influence of the Lincoln can also be recognized in the works of its many graduates, including the following:
Alumnus | Year Graduated |
| Phil L. Aiken, DC, DABCO | 1949 |
| Jerome Auerbach, DC | 1954 |
| Elmer A. Berner, DC | 1949 |
| William H. Bromley, DC | 1961 |
| Asa J. Brown, DC | 1951 |
| William C. Chapel, DC | 1949 |
| Nelson O. DeCamp, DC | 1965 |
| Frances O. DeVore, DC | 1940 |
| Wolden W. DeVore, DC | 1940 |
| James J. DiPietro, DC | 1952 |
| Hoyt B. Duke, DC | 1942 |
| Harold W. Evans, DC | 1949 |
| Kenneth H. Evert, DC | 1941 |
| Maurice W. Flack, DC | 1948 |
| Jean M. Gaudet, DC | 1928 |
| Monte Greenawalt, DC | 1948 |
| Herbert E. Hinton, DC | 1951 |
| Samuel Homola, DC | 1956 |
| J.O. Edgar Houle, DC | 1928 |
| Cruse J. Howe, DC | 1949 |
| Joseph S. Hoyt, DC | 1932 |
| Kenneth Luedtke, DC | 1953 |
| Edward L. Maurer, DC, DACBR | 1958 |
| Montfort C. Mitchell, DC | 1951 |
| Rudy O. Mueller, DC | 1937 |
| Carrol J. Ohlson, DC, JD | 1938 |
| Kenneth Padgett, DC | 1951 |
| Alice Papa, DC | 1929 |
| Joan E. Partridge, DC | 1960 |
| Audrey Ploudre, DC | 1938 |
| Frank G. Ploudre, DC | 1938 |
| Hilary W. Pruitt, DC | 1937 |
| Earl A Rich, DC | 1943 |
| Robert I. Runnells, DC | 1943 |
| Richard C. Schafer, DC | 1952 |
| August L. Schultz, DC | 1930 |
| Leslie J. Shaw, DC | 1956 |
| Daniel C. Spears, DC, DPT | 1937 |
| Vern R. Webster, DC, DABCO | 1949 |
| William A. Watkinson, DC | 1934 |
| Ronald J. Watkins, DC, DACBR | 1942 |
| Paul Vogel, DC | 1951 |
| A. Glynn Till, DC | 1962 |
| Chester C. Stowell, DC | 1948 |
| L.L. Steinbach, DC | 1954 |
| Harry K. Sproviero, DC | 1940 |
| Howard M. Spears, DC, DPT | 1938 |
| Leo Wunsch II, DC | 1952 |
Of course, the credits of the Lincoln extend beyond its alumni to include the various faculty; administrators; members of the board of trustees; and the alumni of Lincoln and other chiropractic colleges who shepherded the institution throughout its 45 years. Of special note are the alumni of the Universal Chiropractic College (UCC), founded in Davenport, Iowa in 1910, and relocated to Pittsburgh, circa 1918. The UCC closed its doors in 1944, a victim of decline in student enrollment attributable to World War II; its alumni were merged with those of the Lincoln, and UCC graduates made Lincoln their home.
After more than 30 years since its closure, memories of the Lincoln are fading. Lest they be forgotten, images of a few of the people who made the Lincoln a significant institution are presented below. Who can you identify? (Answer key following):
Answer Key:
A: James N. Firth, DC, graduate of the Palmer School; co-founder and president of the Lincoln Chiropractic College.B: Harry E. Vedder, DC, graduate of the Palmer School; co-founder and president of the Lincoln Chiropractic College.
C: F. Lorne Wheaton, DC, graduate of the Universal Chiropractic College, chairman of the Lincoln College board of trustees; chairman of the board of directors of the National Chiropractic Association; and co-founder of the National Chiropractic Insurance Company.
D: Ernest A. Thompson, DC, graduate of the Palmer School, radiologist and member of the Lincoln College board of trustees.
E: Stephen J. Burich, DC, graduate of the Palmer School and co-founder of the Lincoln Chiropractic College.
F: Arthur G. Hendricks, DC, graduate of the Palmer School; co-founder and president of the Lincoln Chiropractic College.
G: Richard C. Shafer, DC, graduate of the Lincoln and author and editor of many books for the American Chiropractic Association.
H: Leo J. Steinbach, DC, graduate and final dean of the Universal Chiropractic College; professor at the Lincoln College
I: Frank G. Ploudre, DC, graduate of the Lincoln and member of the Lincoln College board of trustees.
J: John A. Herring, MA, DC, professor of diagnosis and technique at the Lincoln College.
K: Maurice W. Flack, DC, graduate of the Lincoln Chiropractic College and professor of anatomy at the Lincoln.
L: Rudy O. Mueller, DC, graduate of the Lincoln Chiropractic College and dean of the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College.
M: Lewis F. Bierman, MA, DC, graduate of the Palmer School and president of the Lincoln Chiropractic College.
N: Hilary W. Pruitt, DC, graduate of the Lincoln Chiropractic College; radiologist; and member of the board of directors of the National Chiropractic Association and the National Chiropractic Insurance Company.
O: Forrest H. McIlroy, DC, graduate of the Universal Chiropractic College and clinic director of the Lincoln College.
P: Elmer A. Berner, DC, graduate of and faculty member at the Lincoln College; president of the American Chiropractic Association; and member of the board of directors of the National Chiropractic Mutual Insurance Company.
Q: Edward L. Maurer, DC, DACBR, graduate of the Lincoln Chiropractic College; chairman of the board of the American Chiropractic Association and the Lincoln College Education & Research Fund.
R: Herbert E. Hinton, DC, graduate of and instructor at the Lincoln Chiropractic College; chairman of the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Chiropractic Education.
S: Chester C. Stowell, DC, graduate of the Lincoln Chiropractic College; professor and administrator at the Lincoln and National Chiropractic Colleges.
T: Kenneth Luedtke, DC, graduate of the Lincoln Chiropractic College and president of the American Chiropractic Association.
U: Ronald J. Watkins, DC, DACBR, graduate of the Lincoln Chiropractic College and dean of the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College.
V: Richard M. Simon, EdD, final president of the Lincoln Chiropractic College.
W: Earl A. Rich, DC, graduate of and professor at the Lincoln Chiropractic College; radiologist; and researcher.
X: Leo Wunsch II, DC, radiologist and member of the board of directors of the National Chiropractic Mutual Insurance Company.
References
Joseph Keating Jr., PhD
Phoenix Arizona
jckeating@aol.com
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
