Horton family celebrates alumnus during ATSU Founder’s Day

Robert L. Horton, D.O., '41

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. –  Robert L. Horton, D.O., a 1941 graduate of the Kirksville College of Osteopathy & Surgery (KCOS), now A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM), will always be remembered as a compassionate osteopathic physician, faithful husband, and loving father. His loved ones continue to honor his legacy with memorial gifts that can be found on ATSU’s Kirksville, Mo., campus.

Celebrating his legacy

On October 17, during ATSU’s Founder’s Day week, members of the Horton family gathered on campus to remember Dr. Horton, who died in December 1942. The reunion was a long time dream of Dr. Horton’s wife, Nellie (Horton) McCoy, age 90, a resident of Twin Pines nursing home. Her son, born in 1942, Robert L. Horton, Ph.D., travelled from Oregon and his son, Robert A. Horton, Ph.D., travelled from Wisconsin for the gathering.

While on campus, the family visited the Medicinal Garden at the Still National Osteopathic Museum to view a tree that the family donated in Dr. Horton’s memory and also spent time in Centennial Park admiring a newly engraved granite capstone dedicated in Dr. Horton’s honor.

About Dr. Horton

Dr. Horton left his home state of Ohio to follow a dream of becoming a doctor, seeking a professional career as his family before him had, dating back to the 1830s and continuing to this day through the Horton descendants. That dream brought him to medical school in Kirksville where he would meet his wife, Nellie Robertson of nearby Brashear, Mo. While attending KCOS he became a personal assistant to Charles Still, D.O., son of the college’s founder, Andrew Taylor Still, M.D., D.O.

Upon graduation from KCOS, the Horton’s made their way to Climax Springs in the Ozarks of Missouri. With no other doctor for many miles, Dr. Horton established a clinic in his home and relied on Nellie to provide nursing support. Dr. Horton planned to establish a much needed local hospital before his untimely death just one year following his graduation from medical school.

Students enjoy participating in the ATSU's annual 5K run/1 mile walk on October 17

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Faculty, staff, students, alumni, family, and friends joined in celebration of A.T. Still University’s (ATSU) annual Founder’s Day Celebration, held October 15-17.

Festivities included the inaugural Tinning Founder’s Day Osteopathy lecture presented by Edward G. Stiles, D.O. “I was overwhelmed when I was selected to give this lecture,” Dr. Stiles said. “I enjoy teaching and have had a ball in my career. I hope the same for these students.”

President Jack Magruder led the annual graveside ceremony honoring University founder A.T. Still, M.D., D.O. The first memorial ceremony took place December 2, 1919, and each year a wreath is placed on his grave. “(Still was) humble, intellectual, and spiritual in his thinking. He had an honest desire and the competence to treat people and alleviate pain and suffering,” Magruder said. “He gave all he had, all the time. And people loved him for it.”

ATSU Board of Trustees Chair Pete Detweiler and President Magruder kicked off the all-campus meeting by discussing the University’s financial stability and growth during the economic downturn.

Associate Vice President of Admissions and Alumni Services Lori Haxton, M.A., recognized alumni from the classes of 1984 and 1959, awarding gold medallions and pins for 50th anniversary honorees.

School of Health Management (SHM) Interim Dean Kimberly O’Reilly, D.H.Ed., M.S.W., discussed SHM’s past, talked about the present, and outlined the future. She hopes to further develop SHM’s partnership with the A.T. Still Research Institute, is looking forward to other joint initiatives within the university, and moving each program within SHM toward further accreditation.

Closing out the meeting, Dean Philip Slocum, D.O., recognized Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM) students and staff for their accomplishments, including the outstanding devotion KCOM students give towards community service. In the past year, students have given more than 1,000 volunteer hours to the City of Kirksville.

ATSU and the Still National Osteopathic Museum unveiled the Dr. Thomas Quinn, D.O., Reading Room, research center, and new artifact storage area. This marks the third museum move due to growth of the collection and helps to consolidate facilities for researchers and staff duties. Dr. Jamie Archer, Brit. Osteopath, of Ulna, England, signed over the first artifact to the museum’s new collection space— a hand built useable replica of Dr. Still’s treatment chair designed in the 1900s. Dr. Archer built two of the artifacts using Dr. Still’s notes, photographs, and references by significant D.O.s of the time. These are the only two devices known in existence. Dr. Archer later demonstrated the chairs use at the continuing medical education program on Saturday.

Friday night was filled with food and fun at Still-A-Bration 2009, where faculty, students, staff, family, and friends enjoyed games, food and dancing.

The annual 5K run/1 mile walk on Saturday capped the weekend’s festivities with more than 60 participants. Second-year KCOM student Tyler Hill took home the men’s 5K title with a time of 16:36. First-year student Cara Lucas led the women with a time of 23:48.

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Thanks to a generous grant of $125,252 from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, staff members at the Still National Osteopathic Museum will be able to effectively categorize and catalog artifacts as they move toward a uniform inventory of their Osteopathic Heritage collection.

“Certainly, in these economic times, to be getting this kind of money for a job we’ve wanted to do for the last 10 years is really amazing,” said Museum Director Jason Haxton, M.A.

Located on the campus of A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Mo., the museum had applied for the grant for assistance in creating a completely uniform inventory of collection items. Staff members have planned a comprehensive inventory of all collections with digitized and scanned images, as well as online access to the inventory. This award will aid in the first phase of a multiyear project, with an ultimate goal of better serving the public, as well as seeking accreditation from the American Association of Museums.

Museums for America is the Institute’s largest grant program for museums, providing more than $19 million in grants to support the role of museums in American society to sustain cultural heritage, to support lifelong learning, and to be centers of community engagement. Museums for America grants strengthen a museum’s ability to serve the public more effectively by supporting high-priority activities that advance the institution’s mission and strategic goals. In 2009, 433 applicants applied and the Institute awarded over $19 million in grant money to 167 museums.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development.

Earlier in the year, the museum, in collaboration with the A.T. Still Memorial Library, received another grant from the Missouri Digital Heritage Initiative for $38,761. This award is funding a second museum initiative that is to bring hundreds of handwritten documents by Andrew Taylor Still, M.D., D.O., the pioneer of osteopathic medicine, to a web-searchable database. The museum is currently comprised of three collections: the Still National Museum Collection, the International Center for Osteopathic History Collection, and the A.T. Still Memorial Library Special Collection. In the last fiscal year, the museum hosted 6,020 on-site visitors and conducted 63 adult and student programs.