Ethan A. H. Shepley Oral History

Interviewee

Ethan A. H. Shepley

Interviewer

Walter W. Walker MA, MLIS

Files

Summary

Ethan A. H. Shepley was interviewed by Walter Walker on October 23, 1969 for approximately 30 minutes.

Scope and Content

Shepley recounts the reorganization of the Washington University School of Medicine and its affiliated hospitals into the Washington University Medical School and Affiliated Hospitals (WUMSAH). He discusses the conflict between the School of Medicine and the board of Barnes Hospitals, and the roles of the individuals involved in the formation of WUMSAH, including Edgar M. Queeny, Edward W. Dempsey, James S. McDonnell, and William H. Danforth.

Biographical Information: Interviewee

Ethan A.H. Shepley was the first native St. Louisan and the first Washington University alumnus to hold the position of chancellor. Born in 1896, he was a third generation Washingtonian, his grandfather having been a member of the corporation during the William Greenleaf Eliot era and his father an 1882 graduate of the law school. He was educated at Smith Academy in St. Louis and a private school in Pennsylvania before entering Yale and earning his undergraduate degree. He entered Harvard Law School but completed his law studies at Washington University, graduating in 1922. From 1921 until 1954, Shepley practiced law in St. Louis and began his lifelong involvement in the city's cultural and civic affairs. He was a member of Washington University's Board of Directors from 1940 until his appointment as chancellor in 1954. Staunch in his defense of academic freedom in the midst of the McCarthy era, he received the prestigious Alexander Meiklejohn Award for Academic Freedom from the American Association of University Professors in 1959.

Biographical Information: Interviewer

Walter W. Walker became an archivist at the Washington University School of Medicine library in 1964. He received a BS from Hampden-Sydney College, an MA (history) from American University, and a Master’s in Library Science from Case Western University.

Interview Date

1969-10-23

Collection Identifier

OH003

Length

Approximately 30 minutes.

Restrictions

Users wishing to publish (in whole, or in part) content taken from the audio or transcript of this oral history interview must request, sign, and return a Statement of Use form to the Becker Archives. For detailed information regarding publication and use of this oral history, contact the Becker Archives (arb@wusm.wustl.edu).

Recommended Citation

Ethan A. H. Shepley Oral History, OH003, Bernard Becker Medical Library Archives, Washington University in St. Louis.

Notes

The audio quality of the interview is poor.

Disclaimer

The Becker Archives provides access to this oral history interview as a record of the past. This interview reflects the attitudes, perspectives, and beliefs of the interview participants, which may reflect outdated, biased, and offensive views and opinions. The Becker Archives does not endorse the views expressed in this interview, which may contain materials offensive to some users.