October 6, 1935: Popular, Successful Doctor Dismissed of Duty

By Margaret Leidy Harner from her book One Day at a Time: A Social History of Boyertown, PA

October 6, 1935: With the state government’s usual bureaucratic disregard of personal or civic feelings, the Secretary of Health has ordered the dismissal of Dr. Charles B. Dotterer as the school district’s medical inspector, a position he has held for the past 19 years.

A World War I vet Dotterer has survived not only that conflict, but also all the political changes in state and local politics during those 19 years. He and the community were shocked by the move. During those years, Dotterer installed a system of files and reports that are so efficient that they are now being used in school districts all over the state.

He was unaware of any complaints about the job he had been doing. It is expected that a protest will be launched regarding his firing because he is very popular in the community and very active in many civic and fraternal organizations.

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