Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Southern Illinois University School of Medicine wouldn’t be where it is today without the help of a local brewery. It is hosting an event to celebrate that fact on September 10 called, “Beer, Brats, & Beginnings”. Michael Moseley, the Director of Pearson Museum at SIU School of Medicine was a guest on The WTAX Morning Newswatch to discuss the upcoming event.

What’s the history behind this?

“There was this thing called the Cambler Report in 1968. It’ actually called Education in the Health Fields of Illinois. It just sort of outlined the need for downstate medical school because there were no medical schools outside of Chicago at that time. 
And there was this shortage of doctors and for the doctors who were down here, there was no way for them to continuing education or anything like that. So, the state legislature said SIU Carbondale should set up a medical school”

Anything we can expect at this event?

“We are mostly going to focus on the history of the school when they come into the museum. Like I said, the brewery was opened in 1849 and closed in 1966 and they sold the Land Memorial. But, uh, Sangamon County is full of fans of the old brewery, and I want to point out, the Reichs had a tradition of supporting the Springfield community. So they, supported St. John’s, and the Springfield Art Association.”