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Dr. Edmund H. Wuerpel, orthodontic mentor, retires
Editorials
Dr. Edmund
II. Wuerpel,
Orthodontic
1107
Mentor,
Retires
P
ROBABLY no other one individual has contributed more to the esthetic and artistic aspect of orthodontic practice during the last quarter of a century than Dr. Edmund II. Wuerpel, retirin, 0’ director of the School of Fine Arts of Washington University. Dr. Wuerpcl is a well-known figure iu orthodontic c>ireles througlfout the United States, and it will be of interest to orthodontists to learn that, after spending forty-four years as a member of the teaching staff of the School of Fine Arts of Washington University, where he has been the Director since 1909, Dr. Wuerpel, at the age of 72, has retired. His career has been that of a great artist and teacher. He has been an inspiration to thousands of students who have passed under his tutelage, and he has left a definite imprint upon the specialty of orthodontics while it has been in the making. For many years he conducted courses in art at the Angle School of Orthodontia, and he has appeared on the programs of various orthodontic societies throughout America. Dr. Wuerpel is the man whom the late Dr. Bdward H. Angle sought out, many years ago, to help him solve orthodontic problems and to assist in finding some of the “missing links” in the esthetic approach to the subject. Not satisfied with the strictly mechanical perspective to the subject at that time, Dr. Angle invited Dr. Wuerpel to lecture to his students in order to broaden the students’ perspective of th.e orthodontic problem. Dr. Wuerpel described this historic incident in the following words: “For five J-ears .I gave those students ‘rules,’ but they were not the rules that. Dr. Angle had dreamed of. Dr. Angle quickly came to the conclusion that he would have to learn something about art-that was the sort of mind he had. After the first week of my lecturing:, he came to me one day and said, ‘Do you know that I really have no business teaching these students when I know nothing about some of the things that pertain to the subject I You, Dr. Wuerpel, have opened a road to me that I have never explored before. I know not,hing about this business, but I want to know. Will you tell me?’ And I gladly agreed, ‘I will tell you as much as I can.’ ” Since that time Dr. Wuerpel has been lecturing and, as he puts it, “preaching” to orthodontists. At the meeting of the American Dental Association in St. Louis this fall he will lecture again before the orthodontic section of that body. Long and gratefully will Dr. Wuerpel be remembered by orthodontists He has supplied as having contributed much to the specialty of orthodontics. the missing link between the purely mechanical and the biological phases of this specialty, in showing orthodontists the artistic viewpoint to the problem. It is to be hoped that in his well-deserved retirement from active teaching he will continue his unflagging interest and valuable contributions to the specialty of orthodontics in which he has been such a great inspiration. Much of the art sections of orthodontic textbooks have been inspired by his work and teaching. H. C. P.
Dr. Edmund
II. Wuerpel,
Orthodontic
1107
Mentor,
Retires
P
ROBABLY no other one individual has contributed more to the esthetic and artistic aspect of orthodontic practice during the last quarter of a century than Dr. Edmund II. Wuerpel, retirin, 0’ director of the School of Fine Arts of Washington University. Dr. Wuerpcl is a well-known figure iu orthodontic c>ireles througlfout the United States, and it will be of interest to orthodontists to learn that, after spending forty-four years as a member of the teaching staff of the School of Fine Arts of Washington University, where he has been the Director since 1909, Dr. Wuerpel, at the age of 72, has retired. His career has been that of a great artist and teacher. He has been an inspiration to thousands of students who have passed under his tutelage, and he has left a definite imprint upon the specialty of orthodontics while it has been in the making. For many years he conducted courses in art at the Angle School of Orthodontia, and he has appeared on the programs of various orthodontic societies throughout America. Dr. Wuerpel is the man whom the late Dr. Bdward H. Angle sought out, many years ago, to help him solve orthodontic problems and to assist in finding some of the “missing links” in the esthetic approach to the subject. Not satisfied with the strictly mechanical perspective to the subject at that time, Dr. Angle invited Dr. Wuerpel to lecture to his students in order to broaden the students’ perspective of th.e orthodontic problem. Dr. Wuerpel described this historic incident in the following words: “For five J-ears .I gave those students ‘rules,’ but they were not the rules that. Dr. Angle had dreamed of. Dr. Angle quickly came to the conclusion that he would have to learn something about art-that was the sort of mind he had. After the first week of my lecturing:, he came to me one day and said, ‘Do you know that I really have no business teaching these students when I know nothing about some of the things that pertain to the subject I You, Dr. Wuerpel, have opened a road to me that I have never explored before. I know not,hing about this business, but I want to know. Will you tell me?’ And I gladly agreed, ‘I will tell you as much as I can.’ ” Since that time Dr. Wuerpel has been lecturing and, as he puts it, “preaching” to orthodontists. At the meeting of the American Dental Association in St. Louis this fall he will lecture again before the orthodontic section of that body. Long and gratefully will Dr. Wuerpel be remembered by orthodontists He has supplied as having contributed much to the specialty of orthodontics. the missing link between the purely mechanical and the biological phases of this specialty, in showing orthodontists the artistic viewpoint to the problem. It is to be hoped that in his well-deserved retirement from active teaching he will continue his unflagging interest and valuable contributions to the specialty of orthodontics in which he has been such a great inspiration. Much of the art sections of orthodontic textbooks have been inspired by his work and teaching. H. C. P.