The UAB School of Optometry’s first graduating class marked its 50th anniversary. Bernie Scott, OD, Michael Raim, OD, and Ron Dachelet, OD, members of the 1973 class, attended the 2023 Convocation and Hooding Ceremony to recognize this milestone.

Dachelet, who spoke during convocation on behalf of his classmates, had enrolled in Indiana University months after returning from Vietnam. After meeting Henry Peters, MA, FAAO, the founding dean, he transferred to UAB. Driving his prized 1967 Mustang—which he still has—from Indiana, he became the first person affiliated with the School to establish a residence in Birmingham. Even Peters hadn’t fully relocated to the city when Dachelet arrived.

In his remarks, Dachelet described what it was like to attend UAB optometry during the early years when the School was in the Crippled Children’s Hospital. That facility closed following the eradication of polio.

“There were only seven students—we called ourselves ‘the magnificent seven—and because the class was so small, Dr. Peters taught his courses at a table outside his office,” Dachelet said.

Other faculty included Dr. John Amos, former dean and emeritus professor, and Dr. Boyd Eskridge. Also, the first class took classes with dental and medical school students, like students do today.

“Everything happened so fast at the time!” he said. 

Peters took Dachelet under his wing. One of his favorite memories is he and Peters being roommates in Washington DC at the National Academy of Science meeting, where they were the only attendees affiliated with optometry. Peters paved the way for him to become a founder and the first vice president of the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA).

“I had the pleasure of chairing the first AOSA house of delegates when the AOSA was formed and the opportunity to visit all the optometry schools, there were about seven at the time, encouraging students to stay involved with the AOA,” he said.

The AOSA serves the same purpose today.

As Peters predicted, Dachelet stayed in Alabama after graduating. Dachelet had met his wife Terrye in Birmingham and married during his third year of optometry school. The couple moved to Anniston, AL, to work with Dr. Donald Springer, one of the School’s founders.

Four years later, Dachelet started his practice called Anniston Eye Clinic. Of four children, his daughter followed in his footsteps. Dawn Dachelet Wilczek, OD, graduated from the UAB School of Optometry in 2003. On March 28, 2018, he retired and passed the torch to her.

“There were exactly 1000 graduating students between dawn and me!” he said. “One of the greatest compliments is a child going into your profession.”

While there were seven students in the first class, the School currently accepts up to 55 students and is housed in the Henry Peters Building. Students remain involved in AOSA and, like Dachelet, often hold national leadership roles. Also, in contrast to the 1970s, when there were seven schools, there are 26 optometry schools nationwide. That number continues to grow.

When asked about the significance of this milestone, Kelly Nichols, dean, said, “This is such an important historic event for the School and I am thrilled to have spent time with the class of 1973 graduates. Their pride for the school and the memories of their time at UABSO show just how far the School has come in the past 54 years, all while maintaining a long-standing history of excellence.”