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Medical
Dentistry ➔ Drill
Identifier:
185292Date:
April 28 1868Current Location Status:
In StorageCollection Tier:
Tier 2Source:
Gift Of Holmes, Dr.Exhibit/Program:
Streets of Old Grand Rapids: Dentist Office (2024)Dentistry developed more slowly than medicine and enjoyed little professional status until late in the 19th century. Early dentists competed with physicians, barbers, druggists, and even blacksmiths. Usually the practice involved extracting decayed teeth rather than making any attempt to fill the cavity. Ignorance of dental hygiene and a relatively low standard of living resulted in many individuals losing all of their teeth by middle age.
This dentist office belongs to Dr. Ezra S. Holmes of Grand Rapids who was a long-time dentist and was involved in the professionalization of the field in Michigan. He was a civic leader in Grand Rapids whose involvement with the early development of the museum also makes him a notable historical figure. He served as the President of the Kent Scientific Institute (KSI), was a charter member of KSI and later employed as the assistant to the KSI director from 1903 until his death in 1914.
Related Entities:
Green, G. F. (creator) Dr. Ezra Sprague Holmes (donor)Alternate names: E. H. and Jenny Holmes
Director of the Kent Scientific Institute First annual report of the Grand Rapids Board of Art and Museum Commissioners
May 1918
Dr. Ezra Sprague Holmes
Any sketch of the early history of the Museum would be incomplete without special mention of Dr. Ezra S. Holmes, for to him is largely due the tiding over the interests of the Kent Scientific Institute and its collections from the period of its declining activity to the transfer of its collections to the Board of Education as custodian for the city.
Coming to Grand Rapids from Wilson, Niagara County, NY, in 1865, Dr. Homes brought, in addition to the skill of an eminent practicing dentist, the warm heart and earnest, tireless ambitions of a nature student. It was natural for him to immediately join the Natural History Society composed of kindred spirits.
With the merging of this society and the Grand Rapids Scientific Club into the Kent Scientific Institute in 1868, he became a charter member, and continued in good standing until his death on November 11, 1914 at age 95.
During most of these forty-six years of membership, he held office in the Institute. In 1875 and for a period of years following 1885, he served as president. Since 1871, he served as member of the Board of Directors, and from 1886 to his death, he served as secretary of the board and as ex-officio corresponding-secretary of the Institute. During the literary activities of the Institute, he compiled very comprehensive records of the transactions of the organization, including newspaper notices, and following the cessation of literary activities he conscientiously performed the functions of president, secretary and treasurer, continuing to keep complete records of everything pertaining to the interests of the organization. These records, including most of the records of the preliminary organizations and Dr. Holmes’ biography, are on file in the Public Museum library.
In November, 1903, Dr. Holmes was placed on the Museum staff as assistant to the Director, with title of custodian, and was scarcely absent from the Museum a day until about three months before his death.
The transferring of the collections to the custody of the city, and their reinstallation in the museum building for the use of the public, gratified a long cherished hope.
Dr. Holmes was especially interested in the study of birds and fish. During his earlier residence in Grand Rapids, he was an ardent devotee of the rod and gun, and for sixteen years was president of the Michigan Sportsmen’s Association, which had for its active work the protection of game and fish and the enactment of legislation along that line. He was for many years a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Microscopical Society, and a life member of the American Pomological Society.
His vocation and prime interest was in the field of dentistry, in which he was a pioneer in the developing of instruments and in the initiating of dental methods which were the foundation of much modern practice. In 1869 and 1870 he was president of the Michigan Dental Association and was an important factor in the establishment of the dental department at the University of Michigan.
The development of the Kent Scientific Museum is of interest to most of the older families of Grand Rapids as a lasting monument to the memory of a courteous gentleman, a devoted friend, a skillful practitioner and a public benefactor.
Excerpt from:
Annual Report of the Art and Museum Commissioners
By Grand Rapids (Mich.) Board of Art and Museum Commissioners
Pp31-32