 Good morning from beautiful Boston, Massachusetts. I'm standing in Copley Square, one of my favorite locations in one of my favorite cities. Behind me is the Copley Plaza Hotel, which opened its doors to the public on August 19th, 1912. 1912 is going to be an interesting history in the history of our country and in the world in general. This beautiful seven-story limestone facade at this hotel opened on that day. It would change the hotel experience not only in Boston and the surrounding area, but in the United States. We're standing in Copley Square and sharing this location is of course the Boston Public Library that houses the collections of John Singer Sargent. And directly behind me is the Trinity Church. These three buildings are part of the very epicenter of Boston. Now a couple things I want to mention about the hotel, the Copley Plaza, obviously it was named for John Singleton Copley, favorite son and Bostonian. But it was very common for Isabella Stewart Gardner, the patron and philanthropist who underwrote many of these paintings to have lunch with her guest as Sargent painted the portraits for the Boston Library. This is a beautiful spot in the history and then juxtaposed to the Copley Plaza Hotel is this magnificent structure which also reflects the Copley at night. So juxtaposed with the 19th century is of course the 21st century and all that is characteristic of Boston. Welcome to Copley Plaza Square, welcome to the Copley Plaza Hotel and now we will go inside where the American College of Dentist was founded more than 100 years ago. I'm standing in the St. James room of the Copley Square Hotel and in this room is where the American College of Dentist was founded more than 100 years ago. It was founded in conjunction with the National Dental Association's meeting, its annual session in Boston, Massachusetts and what had been thought through and devised and scheduled as early as April in Iowa would come to reality at the Copley Plaza Hotel. Well let me tell you a little bit about Boston first on our tour and then we'll tour the hotel and the location where those in the conference made the dream of the college their reality. Welcome to Boston. Boston is one of the oldest municipalities in the United States, founded on the Charlotte Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan settlers from the English town of the same name. It was the scene of several key events in the American Revolution such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill also known as the Battle of Breeds Hill and the Siege of Boston. Upon American independence from Great Britain the city continued to be an important port and manufacturing hub as well as a center for education and culture. The city has expanded beyond its original peninsula through land reclamation and predictable municipal annexation. Boston has been called the Athens of America for its literary culture earning a reputation as the intellectual capital of the United States. In the 19th century Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Margaret Fuller, James Russell Lowell and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote in Boston. Some consider the old corner bookstore to be the cradle of American literature, the place where these writers met and where the Atlantic monthly was first published. In 1852 the Boston Public Library was founded as the first free library in the United States. Boston's literary culture continues today thanks to the city's many universities and the Boston Book Festival. In its long history Boston has witnessed many firsts. The Boston Common was the first public park in America. The first subway system in the United States began in Boston in 1897 and it was undoubtedly protected by the first police force in the country which began in the city in 1838. The Boston Latin School founded in 1635 was the first public school in America while Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning or higher education. On top of all that, the first United States lighthouse dating back to 1716 stood in Boston Harbor and the first telephone call that was from Alexander Graham Bale to his assistant Thomas Watson occurred in his Boston laboratory. Finally, and important to me and many others, the very first chocolate factory in America was introduced in Dorchester in 1765. Part of what makes Boston distinct is the fact that there are more than just a few districts that make up the city. In all, 23 very different neighborhoods comprise the entirety of Boston, each bringing their own personalities and cultures. The Back Bay, Beacon Hill and the South End are each home to gorgeous streets lined with historical brownstones. Jamaica Plain and Roslindale offer an array of local community shops and green spaces while Alston has the feel of a many college town. Roxbury, East Boston and Dorchester are among Boston's most diverse neighborhoods, each with its own heritage and vibrant culture. And the North End and downtown are two of the most popular neighborhoods among tourists for their historical attractions such as the Paul Revere House, the Old State House and the Freedom Trail. The North End was the site of a particularly unusual occurrence in the history of the city. On January 15, 1919, a 55-foot steel tank filled with 2,319,525 gallons of molasses ripped apart, releasing a 13,000-ton wave on Boston's North End that destroyed nearby vehicles and homes and businesses and apartment buildings. It took over six months to clean up and it caused more than 40 injuries and tragically 21 deaths. Until the scent finally faded in 1995, the fragrant smell of molasses still permeated through Boston on the hottest days. This is often referred to as the Boston molastica by the locals, not to be confused of course, with the Boston massacre. Boston has a special significance to the American College of Dentist as this is where the organization was officially founded more than a hundred years ago. Recall that it was in Iowa in the spring of 1920 that four prominent dentists met for dinner to discuss their concerns about dentistry and the direction the profession might take. This was not an accidental encounter. This was a deliberate engagement strategy by the leaders in dentistry in attendance where Iowa's John V. Considt, the president of the National Dental Association, presently the American Dental Association, H. Edmund Frizzell from Pennsylvania, the president-elect of the National Dental Association, Otto Ulysses King from Illinois, the secretary of the National Dental Association and Arthur Davenport Black, the son of Green Varderman Black and the president of the Dental Teachers Association, presently known as the American Dental Education Association. They came to the conclusion that they should seek the cooperation of additional dental leaders and they invited 19 dentists from across the United States to come to the next meeting of the National Dental Association in Boston. It was scheduled for August the 20th, 1920 and the hosting hotel was the Copley Plaza Hotel. 14 of the 23 invitees were in attendance when the meeting was finally called to order. Those who could not attend the inaugural meeting sent messages of support for the concept and their well wishes. Discussion at that meeting resulted in the concept of an organization, a college, with the purpose of strengthening dentistry's transition from a trade to a profession. The founders had a clear vision for the college. It was the desire of those dental leaders in attendance to create an organization that would encourage practitioners to continue their studies through post-graduate education, encourage students to aspire to higher ideals in the practice of their profession and recognize contributions made toward the advancement of the profession free from political pressures and friendly influences. The founding of the American College of Surgeons in 1912 provided a structural framework for the proof of concept. The Copley Plaza attendees worked diligently to create an organization and an organizational structure for dentistry that would be devoted to the betterment of the profession. The organization they proposed became the American College of Dentist. The American College of Dentist was born in the post-pandemic haze of the roaring 20s, where post-war prosperity was responsible for much of that roar. World War I veterans returned to the labor force and fueled an explosion of the industrial growth in the United States, Canada, and beyond. Indeed, this was a period of social, artistic, cultural, and economic dynamism. America stood at the crossroads between innovation and tradition. And from this backdrop, a thoroughly modern America emerged. And the soundtrack was jazz. In 1920, a small group assembled at the Copley Plaza Hotel. As part of that National Dental Association meeting that year, and continued the discussion related to the founding of the college. As it turned out, the Copley Plaza was the perfect location to launch this bold initiative. The Copley Hotel was truly a destination hotel of the era. The elegant Copley Plaza Hotel had just opened on 19 August in 1912. Now, 1912 was an interesting year for many reasons. Woodrow Wilson had been elected president. The RMS Titanic had departed from South Hampton in April. And shortly thereafter, the British ocean liar sinks on its maiden voyage. And tragically, more than 1,500 passengers were killed. The Republic of China was founded. The summer Olympics were held in Stockholm, Sweden. Closer to home, New Mexico was admitted as the 47th state. And Arizona soon followed as the 48th state. Alaska became an organized territory for the United States that same year. After two rain delays, Fenway Park finally hosted its first professional baseball game on April 20th of 1912. Fenway Park opened with a game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, who were known at that time as the Highlanders. Massachusetts, with thereafter, passed the first minimum wage law. And the elegant Copley Plaza Hotel opened its doors to the public. The mayor of Boston, John F. Honey Fitzgerald, President Kennedy's grandfather, presided over a reception for more than 1,000 guests, including local and national dignitaries, civic leaders, captains of industry, as well as stage and movie stars. So prestigious was the Copley Plaza's opening that rooms had to be blocked 16 months in advance. The total cost to open the hotel was an extravagant sum of $5.5 million. And as one newspaper noted, the opening presented to Boston one of the most colorful and brilliant pictures the city had ever seen. It marked a new era in hotel keeping not only in Boston, but in the entire country. The Copley Plaza was built on the original side of the Museum of Fine Arts, named in honor of John Singleton Copley, the great American painter. It stands, as I mentioned, with the Boston Public Library and Trinity Church as one of the architectural jewels of Copley Square. The hotel's architect was Henry Janeway Hardenburg, who also designed other famous hotels, including the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC, and the Plaza in New York City. The Plaza is considered Copley's sister hotel. Though many decades have passed since the Plaza and the Copley had opened, today's visitor would have an experience very similar to visitors in 1912. Much of the classical architecture and decor have been preserved. This includes the famous back-to-back p-monogram seen throughout both hotels today. The Copley Plaza is often called the Grand Dom of Boston, and it is easy to understand why. This majestic seven-floor limestone structure combines the best elements of French and Venetian architecture. For more than 30 years, two gilded lions have guarded the St. James interest to the hotel. Sculpted by Alexander Pope, the lions were originally carved for the entrance to the nearby Kensington Hotel. When that hotel was demolished in 1967, the lions were, of course, rescued by the Copley Plaza Hotel and have been here since that time. Since its early days, the Copley Plaza has hosted many of the world's most distinguished citizens. Every president, since William Howard Taff, has visited the Copley Plaza. Royalty from Greece, Thailand, Apsenia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Belgium, Denmark, and England have visited the hotel. Celebrities including Tony Bennett, Lena Horne, Dorothy Lewis, Frank Sinatra, and, of course, Luciano Pavarotti have all been guest. The gilded ages who flocked to the hotel made its famed Peacock Alley their catwalk. The long hallway was the place to see and, of course, be seen making an entrance at the Copley Plaza Showpiece. We have now come deeper into the hotel, and we're in the legendary Venetian room, just off the oval room I mentioned earlier. As the American college was founded at this property in 1920, America had entered prohibition. And from 1920 to 1933, prohibition would pay a large part not only in the history of this hotel but in the history of our culture. While officially prohibition existed during this time, it may have existed but been minimally complied with. And people sought very unique responses to the concept of prohibition. In this very room is a prohibition bar. And if you look around, you don't see evidence of a bar. So it required creative strategies to allow for those to abide in public facility. And the Copley Plaza Hotel was no stranger to creative pursuit. Behind this wall is the legendary prohibition bar. It existed for this purpose and could be easily concealed if there were issues related to a visitation by the constabulary. So from this point, we would like to raise a glass to history, to the history of our culture, the history of our college, and to the history of our nation at the prohibition bar. Fortunately, fortunately, they have both gin and bourbon. And God knows what else exactly, aging back here in the prohibition bar. To history. Ohio. Take you now to the oak bar. This is a very curious location and very much the location of the founding of the college, not necessarily at the bar, it was at the wine room. But during prohibition, the oak bar was also known as the merry-go-round bar, a very lively, as you might imagine, gathering place. Today, the oak bar is an elegant lounge, reminiscent of a British officers' club, an ornately gilded coffered ceiling with rich, dark paneling, complemented by cool marble and appropriate wall hangings. Make this an intimate setting for relaxing with friends and mixing with colleagues. Patrons celebrated the end of prohibition in 1933 at the Copley Plaza's famous merry-go-round bar, which featured a working merry-go-round. In 1935, local patrons hosted a dinner to celebrate Babe Ruth's return to Boston, Ruth having spent the previous 16 years of his baseball career with the New York Yankees. In later years, excitement was equally as high as well-wishers waited to greet a young President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and shake his hand. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen mesmerized more than 1,000 guests in the grand ballroom with one of his famous addresses from this location. As we go deeper in the hotel, I want to point out the majestic oval room. Overlooking Copley Square is the exquisite oval room whose Louis XIV decor features an iridescent essence of pearl finish on the shell lighting, a cloud, a sky mural, and faithfully restored relief work. During the 1930s, the oval room was popular scene of many teedances, as well as being the place to be for special events. While painting his murals at the Boston Public Library, John Singer Sargent and his patron Isabella Stewart Gardner would be seen lunching in the oval room. At this site in August 20th, 1920, what was envisioned in April in Iowa of the same year was actualized, and this is the room where it happened. Now that the founders had agreed upon the concept, they began the myriad tasks necessary for the college to function. It was the desire of the founders to ensure that organizational fabric of the college preserved all of the distinctions of an altruistic attempt to carry dentistry and its service to humanity, to greater heights, and to create a professional environment here to fore not visualized. Bylaws had to be drafted, officers had to be elected, membership criteria had to be agreed upon, and the mission to be spread to the broader dental community. The inaugural meeting minutes summed up their intent as follows. The American College of Dentist was not organized with any ulterior motive, but merely with the idea that it shall provide one more means of promoting the advancement in dentistry and adding attractiveness to the study and application. The founders identified the following principles and musts. The organization must have aims of the highest order. Principles must be strictly adhered to with no wavering to accommodate individuals. The organization must be independent of all other organizations. There must be no political influences and membership must be by invitation, not application. Finally, secrecy must be maintained in considering nominations and the person serving in the review committee board must not be known and their decisions must be fully supported. In the scope of three days in August of 1920, at this location, the founders had drafted their charter, aligned their mission, circulated their bylaws and elected four officers. The American College of Dentist came into existence a hundred years ago with its primary aims to cultivate and encourage a higher type of professional spirit and a broader sense of social responsibility, to encourage and to promote professional conduct and to acknowledge such through fellowship in the college. Each decade brought different unique issues to the dental profession and the college had a leadership, the talent and the resources to effectively confront them. Among other successes, the college's push for educational and curricular reform set new standards for dental education. Today, the American College of Dentist continues to embody its founding principles through a thousand acts of professionalism and commitment, thereby maintaining its unique distinction as the conscience of dentistry. The college remains dedicated to creating new opportunities in education and in leadership and professionalism. And finally, I hope you've enjoyed our tour to the Kapli Plaza Hotel and no visit to the Kapli would be complete without a visit with the Fairmont Kapli Plaza's canine ambassador, Corey Kapli. Corey Kapli lives in the hotel lobby as have many of her predecessors. This black Labrador is the hotel's house ambassador. She has inspired two children's books and today, Corey and I have plans, great plans, in the Commonwealth. If you're lucky enough as a patron, you get the opportunity to take her for a walk. I hope you've enjoyed our tour of the founding of the college from this historic location. Thank you very kindly. I will see you in Houston.