Local figure

W. Reece Berryhill

Berryhill was physician-in-chief at the University infirmary and director of the student health service in Chapel Hill from 1933 to 1941, then professor of medicine and dean of the UNC School of Medicine from 1941, leading its expansion from a two-year to a four-year program.

Source: UNC Libraries finding aid: Walter Reece Berryhill Papers, 1919-1979

Also found in catalogs as W. Reece (Walter Reece) Berryhill.

1900–1979 · Dates from the Library of Congress · Library of Congress authority record ↗

7 works about W. Reece Berryhill are indexed here, as is one work by Berryhill.

Search these works Research sources View indexed works ↓

Life and Orange County connections

Storylines this person is part of, in date order. Each has its own page.

The hard winter of 1935–19361935–1936 · 3 events · Chapel Hill had not had so cold a winter since 1899, said Clyde Eubanks, who kept the town's weather records, and by February 1936 snow and sickness had put off University events and closed the Chapel Hill school. Snow and ice lay on the ground almost without a break from just before Christmas 1935, and on January 28 the thermometer near Phillips Hall read 6 degrees above zero. The heaviest of six snows, beginning February 6, left about a foot. On February 11, in what Dean Robert B. House called a mild epidemic of colds, the University postponed Parents' Day, the midwinter dances and the week's athletic events, and the school closed on February 13 and 14.

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 15 dated events in the chronology →

1920 Delta Tau Delta buys Alice Jones's West Franklin Street property The Delta Tau Delta fraternity bought the West Franklin Street house and lot of Miss Alice Jones. In 1936, remodeled, the house became Dr. W. Reece Berryhill's home. People: W. Reece BerryhillSearch the index · Bernard Lee Bryant Jr., Occupants and Structures of Franklin Street, Chapel Hill (1998; Chapel Hill Historical Society, 1999), scan p. 219
by September 15, 1933 Dr. W. Reece Berryhill becomes University physician Dr. Walter Reece Berryhill, a 1921 graduate who had been on the Western Reserve medical faculty in Cleveland, took up the post of University physician in succession to the late Dr. Eric A. Abernethy. Since Abernethy's death the infirmary had been run by Dr. Foy Roberson. People: Eric A. AbernethySearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, September 15, 1933, p. 5
by June 21, 1935 Chapel Hill bars young children from swimming pools as infantile paralysis spreads With infantile paralysis spreading in eastern North Carolina, health officer S. A. Nathan and University physician W. R. Berryhill had signs posted at Sparrow's and Hogan's pools and the University Lake pool barring children under 15. Parents were asked to keep small children from the movies, and Sunday school classes for small children were dropped. No case had yet appeared in Orange County. People: S. A. Nathan, W. Reece Berryhill, Clyde EubanksThe Chapel Hill Weekly, June 21, 1935, p. 1
February 11, 1936 University calls off Parents' Day, dances and games during an outbreak of colds and influenza On the advice of University physician W. Reece Berryhill, University authorities and student leaders postponed Parents' Day, Student-Faculty Day, the midwinter dances and the week's athletic events and barred large student gatherings because of what Dean Robert B. House called a mild epidemic of colds, respiratory infections and occasional influenza. The infirmary held 64 patients on February 12. People: W. Reece Berryhill, R. B. HouseSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, February 14, 1936, p. 1
July 1, 1940 W. Reece Berryhill becomes acting dean of the University medical school Berryhill, assistant dean for three years and earlier University physician, took over as acting dean on July 1. Dr. William deB. MacNider, dean since the fall of 1937, had resigned in June to give his time to his research. People: William de Berniere MacNiderSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, July 5, 1940, p. 3
January 16-27, 1941 An influenza epidemic closes the Chapel Hill, Carrboro and White Cross schools With 335 children absent and hundreds of cases in town, Superintendent A. W. Honeycutt, on the health officer's advice, closed the white and Black schools of Chapel Hill and the Carrboro and White Cross schools at midday until January 27. The University filled its Infirmary and turned the Faculty Club rooms into a ward for 156 sick students, helped by some 200 student volunteer nurses. People: William P. Richardson, W. Reece Berryhill, Allison W. HoneycuttSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, January 17, 1941, p. 1
September 9, 1941 W. Reece Berryhill becomes dean of the UNC School of Medicine Berryhill, who had been physician-in-chief at the University infirmary and director of the student health service in Chapel Hill since 1933, became professor of medicine and dean of the School of Medicine. The trustees, meeting in Raleigh on September 9, 1941, elected him dean and chairman of the new division of medical sciences; he had been acting dean since William deB. MacNider resigned the year before. He led the school's expansion from a two-year to a four-year program.Search the index · UNC Libraries finding aid: Walter Reece Berryhill Papers, 1919-1979 · Also: Chapel Hill Weekly, September 12, 1941, p. 1
by January 23, 1942 The University goes on a year-round four-quarter schedule To speed the training of young men for the armed forces and war work, the University announced that freshmen could enter in a summer quarter from June 11 to August 28, putting it on a full four-quarter, twelve-month schedule, and the medical school went to a twelve-month year with a new class every nine months. President Graham also opened admission by special examination to highly qualified students without diplomas. People: W. Reece Berryhill, Frank Porter GrahamSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, January 23, 1942, p. 5
by June 26, 1942 A draft medical examining board is set up in Chapel Hill At the request of Clarence Pickard of the Orange County draft board, state Selective Service headquarters authorized a medical examining board in Chapel Hill, so that men in the southern part of the county no longer had to travel to Hillsboro for their physical examinations. Seven physicians under Dr. Ed Hedgpeth, serving without pay, were to examine white and Black registrants on separate days each month at the University infirmary. People: W. Reece Berryhill, Clarence PickardThe Chapel Hill Weekly, June 26, 1942, p. 1
April 24, 1951 UNC admits Edward O. Diggs, its first Black medical student UNC mailed Edward O. Diggs of Winston-Salem, a pre-medical student at A&T College in Greensboro, his letter of admission to the School of Medicine under the trustees' April 4, 1951 policy. He enrolled in the fall of 1951. People: W. Reece Berryhill, Gordon Gray, R. B. HouseThe Daily Tar Heel: A&T Student Becomes First To Enter UNC, April 25, 1951
1952 Isaac M. Taylor joins the new Department of Medicine at the UNC School of Medicine Taylor, a 1942 Carolina graduate with a Harvard medical degree, returned to Chapel Hill in 1952 at the invitation of medical dean Reece Berryhill as one of the first members of the medical school's department of medicine. People: W. Reece BerryhillSearch the index · Greensboro News & Record: Former dean of UNC School of Medicine dies at 75
April 23-24, 1953 North Carolina Memorial Hospital is dedicated Exercises at Chapel Hill on April 23-24, 1953, dedicated North Carolina Memorial Hospital and marked the new four-year School of Medicine and the schools of dentistry and nursing. The hospital had opened in September 1952. People: W. Reece Berryhill, Henry T. Clark Jr.Lefler and Wager, Orange County, 1752-1952 (1953), p. 164

Show all 15 dated events

October 5, 1953 County commissioners name the rural members of Chapel Hill's enlarged planning and zoning boards Under a 1953 legislative act that extended Chapel Hill's planning and zoning to a limited area outside the town with equal rural representation, the commissioners appointed Wallace Womble, Sandy McClamroch, Glenn Snipes, Frank G. Umstead and Luke Connor to the Planning and Zoning Commission. They named J. H. Sparrow, William B. Aycock, Dr. W. R. Berryhill, Roland Womble and John S. Williams to the Board of Adjustment, joining members already chosen by the aldermen. People: Sandy McClamroch, William B. Aycock, W. Reece BerryhillSearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), October 8, 1953, p. 1
1964–1971 Isaac M. Taylor serves as dean of the UNC School of Medicine Taylor succeeded W. Reece Berryhill as dean in 1964. Student enrollment, faculty and research funding grew during his deanship, and a ten-year capital building program began that produced Berryhill Hall, the first phase of the Health Sciences Library, and the Brinkhous-Bullitt and Burnett-Womack Buildings. People: W. Reece BerryhillSearch the index · Carolina Story: Isaac Montrose Taylor (1921-1996) and Taylor Hall
1970 Berryhill Hall is completed and named for W. Reece Berryhill The University completed a medical school building in Chapel Hill in 1970 and named it for W. Reece Berryhill, who had been dean of the School of Medicine since 1941.Search the index · Carolina Story: W. Reece Berryhill, Norma Berryhill and Berryhill Hall

People named in the same events

People named in the same dated entries as W. Reece Berryhill, those sharing the most entries first. Each line links one of the shared entries in the chronology, where its source is cited. A shared entry shows these people in the same event, not how well they knew each other.

Isaac Montrose Taylor 2 entries, including Isaac M. Taylor joins the new Department of Medicine at the UNC School of Medicine (1952)
R. B. House 2 entries, including University calls off Parents' Day, dances and games during an outbreak of colds and influenza (February 11, 1936)
Allison W. Honeycutt 1 entry: An influenza epidemic closes the Chapel Hill, Carrboro and White Cross schools (January 16-27, 1941)
Clarence Pickard 1 entry: A draft medical examining board is set up in Chapel Hill (by June 26, 1942)
Clyde Eubanks 1 entry: Chapel Hill bars young children from swimming pools as infantile paralysis spreads (by June 21, 1935)
Eric A. Abernethy 1 entry: Dr. W. Reece Berryhill becomes University physician (by September 15, 1933)
Frank Porter Graham 1 entry: The University goes on a year-round four-quarter schedule (by January 23, 1942)
Gordon Gray 1 entry: UNC admits Edward O. Diggs, its first Black medical student (April 24, 1951)
S. A. Nathan 1 entry: Chapel Hill bars young children from swimming pools as infantile paralysis spreads (by June 21, 1935)
Sandy McClamroch 1 entry: County commissioners name the rural members of Chapel Hill's enlarged planning and zoning boards (October 5, 1953)
William B. Aycock 1 entry: County commissioners name the rural members of Chapel Hill's enlarged planning and zoning boards (October 5, 1953)
William P. Richardson 1 entry: An influenza epidemic closes the Chapel Hill, Carrboro and White Cross schools (January 16-27, 1941)

Show 1 more

William de Berniere MacNider 1 entry: W. Reece Berryhill becomes acting dean of the University medical school (July 1, 1940)

Indexed works

Works about or by W. Reece Berryhill. Each links to the institution that holds or provides it. Background reading appears below.

By W. Reece Berryhill

Medical education at Chapel Hill.

Berryhill, W. Reece · 1979

Two-volume centennial publication of the UNC School of Medicine, marking a hundred years of medical teaching at Chapel Hill, 1879 to 1979. The first volume, 'The First Hundred Years', written by Berryhill with William B. Blythe and Isaac H. Manning, narrates the school's history and reprints portions of Medicine in North Carolina (1972). Raleigh Mann compiled the second volume, a centennial alumni directory, with the school's centennial committee. Published 1979 by the school, illustrated with portraits, 26 cm.

NC Cardinal Duke UNC CH Historical Society

About W. Reece Berryhill

Bettering the health of the people : W. Reece Berryhill, the UNC School of Medicine, and the North Carolina Good Health movement

McLendon, William W. · 2007

William W. McLendon's biography of W. Reece Berryhill (1900-1979), the dean who led the UNC medical school from a two-year program to a four-year school with a university hospital. Chapters follow him from a rural Southern childhood through study at UNC, Harvard and Western Reserve, the Poe Commission and Sanger report, the 1940s Good Health movement, and his later work in community medical education. Published 2007 by the UNC Library with the Medical Foundation of North Carolina, 477 pages, illustrated.

Included because: Catalog heading in the Durham record: Berryhill, W. Reece 1900-1979.

NC Cardinal Duke NC State UNC Durham Library of Congress Wake Forest Davidson CH Historical Society

Norma Berryhill : a North Carolina treasure

Berryhill, Norma · 2006

Published in 2006, 'Norma Berryhill : a North Carolina treasure' is a single illustrated volume with portraits that transcribes conversations Norma Berryhill held with George Johnson, Jr. over a three year period. Topics include her life, W. Reece Berryhill, who died in 1979, the University of North Carolina, and Warren County biography. Part of the Rare Book Collection at UNC.