New England College of Pharmacy records

In 1927 Constantine Meriano founded the Meriano School of Pharmacy on Huntington Avenue near Symphony Hall. After several years of growth and the success of its comprehensive one- and two-year courses for apprentice pharmacists, the institution was officially incorporated in 1940 as the Boston School of Pharmacy. In 1941 the Board of Trustees initiated a four-year curriculum, and in 1943 the Massachusetts Legislature passed an act authorizing the Trustees to grant the degree of Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. Soon after incorporation, the Trustees suspended the new curriculum program due to declining enrollment during wartime.

When the program resumed in 1946, the school had relocated to new quarters in a building once used by the Sharp School and later by Boston English High School at the corner of Pinckney and Anderson Streets on Beacon Hill. During the same year, the school was approved as a college by the Board of Registration in Pharmacy and by the Massachusetts Department of Education. From its earliest years, the institution focused on the "methodical and thorough training of young men and women who are interested in pharmacy and who are willing to accept the great responsibilities it entails." Towards this end, students enrolled in a rigorous academic program that included course work in anatomy, biology, chemistry, pharmacy, physics, business, law, and English.

The Board of Trustees and the institution's administration, spearheaded by Dean Meriano, embarked on an ambitious plan to oversee the school's advancement in the field of pharmacy education. On January 25, 1949, the Board of Collegiate Authority approved a second name change to the New England College of Pharmacy (NECP), which reflected the administration's intent to attract students from outside Massachusetts. Several months later, the Trustees commenced negotiations to purchase facilities at what was then the Boston University School of Theology located at 70-72 Mount Vernon Street. Students, faculty, and staff moved into the new space in October of that year.

In January 1952 the NECP was accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education with a Class "C" ranking, and in August of the same year became a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Additionally, the school received authorization to confer the honorary degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Science.

In 1957 Dean Meriano resigned from his position as Dean of the College. LeRoy C. Keagle, pledging to continue Dean Meriano's mission of growth and development for the school, was appointed President and Dean. In June of 1957, the NECP received a Class "B" accreditation from the American Council of Pharmaceutical Education. During the next few months, the curriculum was enlarged and strengthened, and additions were made to the teaching staff; in January 1958, the school reached its ultimate goal -- the granting of a Class "A" accreditation ranking.

The NECP received a great deal of publicity in 1960 when Dean Keagle introduced a trimester semester schedule. It was hoped that this plan would make fuller use of teaching resources and help meet the demand for properly educated pharmacists to serve their communities more effectively. Additionally, the trimester program appealed to students because it promised graduation sooner (in forty months) than under the traditional five-year program.

Despite the dedication and motivation of the faculty, staff, and administration, the NECP never experienced a significant degree of financial autonomy. To better serve the students and to preserve the program, President Keagle joined with President Asa S. Knowles of Northeastern University on June 21, 1961 to announce that the NECP would become part of NU in September 1962. At that time, NECP ceased to exist as an independent institution and formed the backbone of the NU College of Pharmacy. The merger meant that the pharmacy program began to operate under the cooperative education plan, incorporating extensive on-the-job training with traditional classroom learning.