Feet First Exhibition
David McKay, Coordinator
Phone: (847) 578-8417
E-mail: david.mckay@rosalindfranklin.edu

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FEET FIRST: THE SCHOLL STORY

Welcome to FEET FIRST: THE SCHOLL STORY, a one-of-a-kind exhibition dedicated to Dr. William Mathias Scholl and to the amazing structures that are our feet. This permanent exhibit is housed at the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University.*

The Exhibit is organized into two galleries. The first gallery is dedicated to the foot itself. Upon entering, visitors are invited to touch and examine an oversized (4.5 ' x 1.5 ') skeletal model of the human foot. Organized tours hear about the bones and many functions of the foot. Visitors can read about the walking process, or gait cycle, which is a complex series of movements coordinated between brain and body. This is clearly illustrated by spinning the Zoetrope, a nineteenth-century forerunner of the motion picture projector, to see the gait cycle in action. An interactive computer is available for visitors to learn about the layers found under the skin, as well as view demonstrations of six common surgical procedures.

A fluoroscope, commonly found in shoe stores until the 1950s, can also be found in this gallery. An X-ray of a foot inside a shoe is on display within the fluoroscope, very much like one which a customer would have seen when placing their own foot in this device.

All feet are different, and visitors will see why when viewing the prints made by various feet, now on display as plaster casts. This display makes clear the many types of arches found within the walking population. Members of organized tours get a print of their own foot with the help of medical students who act as tour interpreters.

The Amazing Feet display allows the viewer to light up sequential displays. See how growing feet, sporting feet, working feet, and aging feet do their important jobs.

A re-creation of a Scholl Foot Comfort Shop storefront from the 1930s invites the visitor into the second gallery, where Dr. William M. Scholl’s story is told. Through historical photos and artifacts, visitors meet Dr. Scholl, whose lengthy career bridged the worlds of business, foot care, and education. He left his mark on all three. Dr. Scholl was a master marketer, as samples of his advertising, promotion and product display materials reveal. Visitors can listen to a series of Scholl radio commercials from the 1930s, and view memorable television commercials. He used every means available to reach the broadcast base of customers.

Not merely content with manufacturing products, Scholl recognized that he would need a strong sales force. Early training materials on display attest to his enthusiasm for education. Audio recordings of amusing company convention songs of the 1920s reveal something of the corporate spirit.

The EZ Your Feet Theater presents a 9 minute film tracing Dr. Scholl’s life and the rise of the company he built into an international foot comfort empire. The film includes rare footage of a 1937 training film for his salespeople.

The world’s largest shoe is also on display at the Feet First Exhibition. Worn by Mr. Robert Wadlow of Alton, Illinois, this shoe leaves the visitor awestruck at its size (35). When fully grown, Mr. Wadlow was 8 ' 11.1" and wore a size 44 shoe.

The Feet First Exhibition provides tours for school groups of all ages, as well as adults and senior citizens. Teachers are invited to submit their curriculum goals prior to their tour. Classes studying healthcare professions can meet with current students of podiatric medicine. The students are eager to share their backgrounds which led to their current podiatric medical student status.

We are pleased to announce the release of Podiatric Medicine and The Dr. William M. Scholl College authored by Dr. George B. Geppner, President Emeritus of Scholl College. For a minimum donation of $25, you will receive an autographed copy of the book, which has already gained international attention. All proceeds from the sale of Dr. Geppner’s book will go directly to the Scholl College Scholarship Fund. Contact David McKay for ordering information.

(*The college is not, nor has it ever been, associated with Scholl, Inc. or its parent company Schering-Plough Corp. Scholl College, however, was founded by Dr. Scholl in 1912.)