SCOUTING YESTERDAY: New medical school brings South Dakota to new level in research industry

This week in South Dakota history: Sept. 6-12

University of South Dakota

University of South Dakota President Jim Abbott announced on Sept. 9, 1998, his plans to renovate or replace the Lee Medicine and Science building, according to the Argus Leader. Abbott explained that the current condition of the building was hurting his ability to attract students and medical faculty, and that he would likely begin seeking donations from alumni.

South Dakota’s College of Medicine was established in 1907 and was originally housed on the second floor of Science Hall. Science Hall saw class sizes of 20 earn a two-year basic medical degree, which could then be used to transfer to a four-year program to receive a medical doctorate degree. The college was renamed the School of Medicine in 1921.

Lee Medicine and Science Hall replaced Science Hall as the home of South Dakota’s medical school in 1953, according to the school. Built on land donated in memory of Andrew E. Lee, a former Vermillion mayor and the third governor of South Dakota, the new building saw the program grow from 40 students in 1955 to 50 students in 1970.

SCOUTING YESTERDAY: Nationwide strikes ground South Dakotans ahead of Labor Day holiday

Following a bill signed into law Feb. 15, 1974, by Gov. Kneip, the School of Medicine began offering a four-year medical degree in 1975, with provisional accreditation. As the school’s program continued to grow over the following decades, the facility’s offerings began to face criticism, which would eventually lead to the construction of the new Lee Medicine and Science Hall.

The South Dakota Board of Regents approved plans for the new $31.7 million medical building on May 8, 2003. Regents President Harvey Jewett said a national accrediting body had repeatedly found problems with Lee Medicine and Science Hall and that the school’s accreditation cannot be jeopardized, according to the Argus Leader.

Groundbreaking of the most expensive public project in state history took place June 25, 2004. Construction took place in two phases, demolishing the east side and building the graduate education and research wing first, followed with demolishing the west side and building the medical education wing.

Dedication of the new 156,000-square-foot building, with a final cost of $37 million, took place Sept 5, 2008, according to the Rapid City Journal. Since the building has opened, class size has increased to 71, and although research had taken place at the school for more than a half century, with the new facilities came an increase in research. Area hospitals including Avera, Sanford and the VA have partnered with the university on projects studying cancer, cardiovascular disease, veteran’s diseases and other health-related issues.

Following a $20-million donation from T. Denny Sanford in 2005, the Board of Regents renamed the school the Sanford School of Medicine.

More notable events in South Dakota history

Sept. 6, 1973 — The Daily Republic reports talks of an Army stockpile of deadly nerve gas being transferred from Denver to an ordinance depot near Edgemont are merely rumors. When asked about the transfer, Sen. Jim Abourezk said, “I assure everyone involved that if the decision is made the Army will be in for the battle of its life.”

Sept. 7, 1923 — The Kadoka Press reports that three special cars will take GAR civil war veterans from Huron, Mitchell and Sioux Falls to the National convention in Milwaukee. Round-trip arrangements were made with half-price fares on all roads.

Sept. 8, 1948 — A 23-year-old German girl who made national headlines six months earlier when she traveled from Germany to South Dakota and down her suitor before returning home is back in South Dakota, according to the Argus Leader. The girl had taken a job at a Watertown hotel 90 miles away from her former suitor in Iriquois.

Sept. 10, 1973 — Gov. Kneip gave the opening address to the Midwest Conference of the Council of State Governments in the Black Hills, attended by more than 200 state senators and representatives from around the U.S., according to the Rapid City Journal. The Council worked on many problems discussed there two months earlier at the Midwest Governors Conference.