Guide to the Elon H. Clark Papers, 1920 - 1991
Abstract:
Contains the personal and professional papers of Elon H. Clark, who served as coordinator and professor of the Department of Medical Illustration from 1934 to 1974. Also contains materials pertaining to the establishment and operation of many departments within the Duke University Medical Center: Medical Illustration and Audiovisual Education (both now part of Educational Media Services in the Duke University School of Medicine), the Facial Prostheses Unit, and Medical Center Archives. Types of materials include correspondence, reports, memoranda, budgets, planning materials, sketches, illustrations, reprints, clippings, photographs, short writings, grant materials, rosters, and memorabilia. Major subjects include the Duke University Medical Center, Duke University Medical Center Archives and Memorabilia, hospital planning, medical illustration, and prostheses and implants. Major correspondents include W.C. Davison, Sam Agnello, William G. Anlyan, and Barnes Woodhall. Materials range in date from 1920 to 1991 (bulk 1940-1973).
- Contact Information:
- Duke University Medical Center
Archives and Memorabilia
DUMC 3702
Durham, North Carolina
27710 USA
Phone: (919) 383-2653
Fax: (919) 383-1649
Email: dumc.archives@mc.duke.edu - Processed by
- Emily Glenn
- Date Completed
- June 2003
- Encoded by
- Emily Glenn
- Date Encoded
- June 2003
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Elon H. Clark Papers, 1920 - 1991 (bulk 1940-1973)
- Creator
- Clark, Elon H.
- Extent
-
- 3 record storage boxes,
- 3,000 items,
- 3 linear feet
- Repository
- Duke University Medical Center Archives.
- Call Number
- MC0036
- Location
- Archives Stacks: 9c
Information for Users
- Usage Restrictions
- Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
- Preferred Citation
- [Identification of item], Elon H. Clark Papers, Duke University Medical Center Archives.
Biographical Note
Born in New York City in 1909, Clark graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology (1931) and then from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medical Art (1933). At Johns Hopkins University, Clark was appointed instructor of medical art and studied under Max Brödel, a leading medical artist.
Clark left Johns Hopkins in 1934 to come to Duke University. This followed a tradition established earlier by School of Medicine dean Wilburt Cornell Davison of recruiting and hiring Johns Hopkins-trained individuals. In 1935, Clark was appointed director of the Department of Medical Art and Illustration. As the director, Clark led a service-oriented research program that concentrated on the development of improved cosmetic prostheses, particularly facial restorations. Medical Illustration staff was also responsible for the coordination of pamphlets, charts, illustrations, and photographs used in many Duke University and Duke University Medical Center publications.
In the years that followed, Clark received further appointments at Duke and served as a consultant in medical illustration at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Durham. He took a six-month leave of absence from in 1949 to serve as the Veteran Administration's art and photographic section chief in Washington. His work with the Veterans Administration involved the production of visual aids for teaching and publication.
Clark was granted full professorship at Duke University in 1952 and thereafter broadened his responsibilities, becoming a special assistant to the vice president in the area of archives. Clark, along with Barnes Woodhall and G.S.T. Cavanagh, was instrumental in developing the Duke University Medical Center Archives. In 1968, Clark began collecting official papers, photographs, printed materials, and interviews pertaining to the history and business of the Duke University Medical Center. Materials collected by Clark formed the base of the Duke University Medical Center Archives, formally established in 1977.
In addition to his duties as Coordinator and Professor of Medical Illustration, Clark also worked with Sam Agnello to establish audiovisual education resources for the Duke University Medical Center, and directed the Facial Prostheses Unit. He also coordinated portrait appraisal and placement, visited select hospital patients, arranged for memorials within buildings, and worked extensively with Duke University hospitals to coordinate a color-coded navigational scheme known as SEDO. In 1966, he designed and produced a new identifying symbol on behalf of the university. After his 1974 retirement, Clark was the first president of the Duke University Retiree Association, formed in 1983.
As a charter member of the Association of Medical Illustrators, he became chairman of its board of governors, and served on many of its committees. Clark was frequently consulted on issues of illustration quality and intellectual property. He also served for a time as president of the Children's Museum in Durham (now the Museum of Life and Science), as a member of the Warren Wilson College advisory board, and as a founding member and secretary of the Duke-Semans Fine Arts Foundation. Clark also published many scientific papers and was art editor for Urologic Surgery.
Elon H. Clark died in 2001. He was married to Helen Greene and had three daughters. As of 2003, the department of Medical Illustration is known as the Department of Medical Art, part of Educational Media Services, within the Duke University School of Medicine.
Collection Overview
Organized into the following series: Medical Illustration Department, 1954-1978 Audiovisual Education, 1964-1971, n.d.; Correspondence, 1920-1977; Subject Files, 1968-1973; Committees and Projects, 1963-1973; Medical Center Interviews, 1964-1965; Reprints and short writings, circa 1940-1970; Materials Designed by Elon Clark, circa 1940-1973; Other Materials, circa 1933-1991, bulk 1933-1971; Photographs, 1945-1975.
Online Catalog Headings
- Agnello, Sam A.
- Anlyan, William G.
- Clark, Elon H.
- Davison, Wilburt Cornell, 1892-
- Duke University -- Faculty.
- Duke University. Medical Center. Archives and Memorabilia.
- Duke University. Medical Center.
- Duke University. School of Medicine. Educational Media Services.
- Hospital Planning.
- Medical Illustration.
- Medical Illustration Education.
- Prostheses and Implants.
- Woodhall, Barnes, 1905-
Collection Series
Detailed Description of the Collection
Contains reports, memoranda, minutes, proposals, sketches, and grant materials pertaining to the establishment, arrangement, funding, and management of the Medical Illustration department (now part of Educational Media Services in the Duke University School of Medicine).
Contains proposals, budgets, correspondence, memoranda, and space Planning materials pertaining to the Audiovisual Education Department (now part of Educational Media Services in the Duke University School of Medicine), developed by Elon H. Clark in cooperation with Sam A. Agnello.
Contains personal and professional correspondence. Subjects include medical illustration, education, employment opportunities, leisure activities, and authorship of biographical works. Correspondence with Max Brodel also includes Brodel family memorabilia circa 1920-1940.
Contains general correspondence and subject files reflecting opinions and interests of Elon H. Clark, particularly authorship of biographies and memorials. Ordered alphabetically.
Contains correspondence, memorabilia, minutes, reports, sketches, drafts, and final products relating to projects at Duke University. As a committee member, Clark was consulted because of his aesthetic and artistic expertise.
Contains materials pertaining to the production of group oral history interviews of original chairmen of Duke University Medical Center departments. Dr. William Anlyan was greatly supportive of these initial interviews, and supplied the budget and means to Sam A. Agnello and Elon H. Clark for this purpose.
Contains reprints of articles written by Elon H. Clark on the subject of medical illustration, prostheses, and medical art.
Contains designs, drafts, and final products of materials commissioned by Duke University and the Duke University Medical Center. Also contains personal designs. Some materials are unsigned, but can be attributed to Clark based on correspondence.
Contains a speech, conference presentation notes, memoranda, greeting card, and photographs.
Related Material
Collection: Medical Center Archives records.
Repository: Medical Center Archives, Duke University.
Collection: Robert L. Blake papers.
Repository: Medical Center Archives, Duke University.
Collection: Sam A. Agnello papers.
Repository: Duke University Medical Center Archives, Duke University.