•,·._ 

Volume 2 

NEWSLETl'ER 
OF THE 

OPTOMETRIC HISTORICAl, SOCIETY 

February 1971 

Nov () r. !C'" . . ''? 

Number 1 

11Let us praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us." 
--Ecclesiasticus 

I would like to start th~ first issue of the Newsletter with 
a tribute to Harry Anthony Jankiewicz (1908-1970). Professor 
Jankiewicz was a 'stickler' for detail and accuracy. Undoubtedly 
he would, were he still with us, have reprimanded me fo~ b2ing 
so late with the Newslettero It should have been 'out' in January. 
He would also have forgiven me. I first met him prior to his 
taking up an appointment as Professor of Anatomy at th8 University 
of Houston, College of Optometry, in 1963. Before going to Houston 
he had demonstrated how superb a teacher he was at Los Angel8s 

· College of Optometry (1937-1963). Harry Jankiewicz receivad his 
A.B. at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1929. During 
the period 1932-1935 he was employed at Los Angeles County Livestock 
Parasitological Research. After completing his Ph.D. at the Univer­
sity of Southern California he became an Instructor at the University 
for the next two years. But his long association with LACO stemmed 
back to 1937, when he had commenced being an instructor in Anatomy 
and Physiology. He ultimately became Professor of Anatomy and 
Physiology at that institution. Over the years he published on 
diverse aspects of vision, a particularly important area being 
concerned with genetical1y determined pathological conditions. His 
course on the genetics of visual anomalies was one of the first to 
be offered to students in the United States. Equally sough~ after 
by students was his course on experimental embryology and ocular 
development. Dr. Jankiewicz w~s aw~rded the Doctor, of Ocular Science, 
in 1963, by Los Angeles College of Optometry, as a tribute to his brilHant­
teaching extending over one quarter of a century. Th9 Iowa Optom~tric 
Association selected him for the John E. Martin Award, in 1167. 

The non-academic side to Dr. Jankiewicz was no less intriguing. 
He was coach to the tennis team, sang bass in the Chopin Choir and 
was faculty ping-pong champion. ' 

It is perhaps most fitting to conclude this brief tribute by 
quoting th3 obituary in the Optometric ·~Jorld (April, 1970) where he 
is described as an "outstanding scholar, scientist, superb teacher, 
and above all a gentle man." Pax. 

Allied Oetometric Organizations 
In the last Newsletter, we noted an historical Chronology 

of Allied Optometric Associations. By way of further interest I am 
giving a little historical information on some of the organizations: 



.. 

-2· 

International Association of Boards of Examiners in Optometrr (1919) 
Formerly International ooard of Boards, the IAB was proposed 

in 1913 at the AOA Congress in Rochester, New York. At that time 
there were various state boards of examiners in optometry and even 
existed an association that can be said to have been the predecessor 
of all boards of examiners. This association was created in 1910 
at the AOA Congress in Cedar Point, Ohio. D. M. Boney, 2nd vice 
president of AOA was made president of this organization which per­
haps was influential in the creation of the IAB. Yet only in 1919, 

. after several years of recurrent attempts to set a national organiza­
tion, the IAB finally was established and a constitution and by-laws 
were drawn. 

American Academy of OptometEr (1922) 
The Academy was created in St. Louis, at the Planters Hotel 

on January 11, 1922. Dr. Carel C. Koch was elected secretary-treasurer. 
To this day his name is so interwoven with that of the Academy that 
both are almost undiscernible. 

The main objective of the Academy is the improvement of the 
ethical and scientific standing of optometry. The Academy publishes 
the "American Journal of Optometry and Archives of the American 
Academy of Optometry. 11 

The Academy Journal is edited by Monroe J. Hirsch. Dr. Hirsch 
is Professor at the University of California School of Optometry, at 
Berkeley. The Associate Editor is Grace Weiner, Visual Science 
Librarian at the University of Alabama School of Optometry, at 
Birmingham, Alabama • 

Dues: 
This is a reminder that it's dues time for members who have 

been in the Society for 1 year. 

Oral History 
Maria Dablemont, Librarian at the AOA, tells me that the Oral 

History Program, organized by the Library of the AOA, is flourishing. 
Essentially, oral history is the product of a taped interview. Maria 
tells me that she already has several fascinating tapes of great 
optometric historical importance. 

Presidential Return 
Your President has now returned from his world tour, and we 

eagerly look forward to reading of his various exciting experiences. 
He will resume the Editorship for the forthcoming issues. 

J. R. Levene, Editor 


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