ACOFP: OUR CONTINUING HISTORY 27 Onward and, Eventually, Upward CONCLAVE OF FELLOWS Early in ACOFP’s history, the award of Fellow was used to recognize those who had made a significant contribution to ACOFP. There were no formal criteria for the award; several recipients were not even ACOFP members. In 1962, then presidentelect James Rowland, DO, FACOFP, declared the establishment of the Conclave of Fellows and outlined the requirements for obtaining this honor. During this period, ACOFP was receiving little respect or voice among other divisions of the osteopathic profession. Dr. Rowland knew ACOFP was in need of a move to lift its image and morale. In his mind, those who obtained the honor of Fellow would be the foundation of ACOFP leadership. He believed that this should be an honor equal to professorships of universities or other academic degrees. Dr. Rowland believed that recipients should wear caps and gowns to set the award apart from any award given by ACOFP in the future. He turned to the Peterson Company in Kansas City for advice on designing ACOFP’s robes and hoods. It was determined that all recipients would wear the doctoral robe trimmed with green, the color traditionally denoting a degree in medicine. Many records were lost in the move from California, but the list of recipients was preserved and remains complete from 1955 to the present. On January 30, 1957, Awards Committee Chair Frank York Lee, DO, wrote a letter from the ACOFP office at 5880 San Vicente Blvd., in Los Angeles, California, to all Divisional Societies of the AOA and all state presidents. In that letter, he asked for assistance in the nomination of a national candidate for General Practitioner of the Year. He pointed out that the second recipient of the award was Claude B. Root, DO, who was honored at the July 1956 AOA Convention in New York City. For a complete list, see “A Look Back: Award Recipients,” in the Appendix, page 177. Dr. Frank York Lee outlined the process for selecting the honoree: “Obviously, there should not be stringent conditions to govern the selection of such a highly esteemed Physician. However, we do prefer that he be a member of the society. Nominations from your divisional society of the AOA or your state society of the G.P. College are welcome. Please include a biography of the nominee and send it to this Committee on or before May 1, 1957. Our method of selection is somewhat similar to that of the American Medical Association. With the exception of the Chairman, the members of the Award Committee are secret.” James Rowland, DO, FACOFP
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