and in 1840, after many vicissitudes, the Fairfield Medical School was discontinued. A stone monument on the old campus bears the following inscription on a bronze tablet, copied by the author in August, 1935:
On this campus Fairfield Academy was founded in 1802, the funds being raised by a committee headed by Captain Moses Mather. In 1803 was incorporated by the regents of the State of New York and in 1812 the College of Physicians and Surgeons was established, continuing until 1839 and graduating 555 physicians.[1] The Academy was continued and reoragnized as Fairfield Seminary in 1839 for the higher education of both men and women. Conducted as a military academy from 1891 to 1902.
Erected August, 1923 by
Fairfield students.
1802-1902.
Fairfield is described as the only medical school outside of the three large cities, Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Students were numerous, one class reaching 217 in attendance, while the largest graduating class was 54. It was situated away from the lines of commerce which developed, and the village of Fairfield was left in an eddy in the currents of contemporary activity. The neighboring towns of Geneva and Albany soon were able to offer better facilities for bedside teaching, so important in medical instruction. Internal friction also increased to such an extent that in 1839 "it went to pieces owing to disputes concerning the division of lecture fees." In 1840 most of the members of the Fairfield faculty moved en masse to the Geneva school, taking many of the students with them. Spalding writes: "Fairfield died a natural death. Its record, however, was splendid."[2]
It is not clear that W. C. McKay was definitely registered at Fairfield. It will be recalled by students of the history of old Oregon that Billy and his brother were being sent with the Montreal express, in the fall of 1838, to Scotland to study medicine.[3] Their father, Tom McKay, preceded the express a few days to Fort Walla Walla and paid a visit to Dr. Whitman, with
