Beatrice B. Hagen, DC (1919-2005)

Beatrice B. Hagen, DC, FICC, past president of Logan College of Chiropractic in Chesterfield and the first woman to serve as president of a chiropractic college on a long-term basis, passed away on April 8. Dr. Hagen, who was 86, had fought a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. She had been living at a nursing home in central New York near her family.

Dr. Hagen served as president of Logan College of Chiropractic from 1980 to 1992. Under her leadership, Logan broadened and modernized its school curriculum and expanded its research program.

"Dr. Hagen touched the lives of countless members of the Logan community over the years," said Logan President George A. Goodman, DC, FICC. "Her fine work in advancing the college curriculum and adding campus facilities helped bring Logan College much recognition during her years as president. Her loss is very saddening to all of us, as well as to the profession." Hagen appointed Dr. Goodman, then a Logan faculty member, vice president of chiropractic affairs at the college in 1981. He succeeded her as president upon her retirement at the end of 1992.

Beginning in 1972, Hagen served eight years on the Logan College Board of Trustees, including her final three years as board chairwoman. During her tenure as Logan's president. Hagen oversaw construction of two new facilities on the Logan campus, the Dale C. Montgomery Health Center (completed in 1982) and the Science, Research and Ergonomics Center (constructed in 1988). She also established an outreach program through Logan that provided chiropractic care to the homeless at the Salvation Army's Harbor Light Center and the Shamrock Club in St. Louis.

Hagen was a nationally renowned chiropractor and was named a fellow of the International College of Chiropractors. In 1982, she was selected as "Chiropractor of the Year" by the American Chiropractic Association, and again, in 1987 by "The American Chiropractor." She was the first woman to head the Council on Chiropractic Education, a national accrediting agency for chiropractic, where she served a two-year term as president in 1986-1988.

Hagen originally enrolled at Logan College after experiencing successful chiropractic treatment for severe debilitation that had resulted from a fall. A native of Rome, N.Y., she studied under the college's founder, H. B. Logan, DC, graduating in 1940 and joining the college faculty several months later as World War II began. She met her husband, the late Otto Hagen, DC, when he enrolled at Logan after returning from the service. He passed away in 1972.

Practicing chiropractic with her husband on Long Island during the 1950s and in Frankfort in upstate New York during the 1960s and 70s, Hagen became active with the New York State Chiropractic Association. She led committees, helped develop the association house of delegates and served as president of the auxiliary.

During the 1980s, chiropractic colleges began substantive upgrading of academic standards and pursuit of professional and general accreditations. Determined to make Logan College a leader in that effort. Dr. Hagen worked closely with Vice President of Academic Affairs William Ramsey, PhD, a nationally recognized educational leader whom she recruited to work at Logan. After securing its first accreditations from both the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the Council on Chiropractic Education during the 1980s, Logan became the first college to receive the maximum seven-year re-accreditation from the CCE (1991) and the maximum 10-year re-accreditation from the North Central Association (1992).

After her retirement from Logan, Dr. Hagen pursued research and teaching in the chiropractic field. At that time, she returned to New York to be closer to her four children.

Dr. Hagen's survivors include daughter Karen Bromley, sons Kurt Hagen and Kris Hagen, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Kim Hagen, her youngest daughter, passed away last year.

Contributions in memory of Dr. Hagen may be made to Logan College of Chiropractic, 1851 Schoettler Rd., PO Box 1065, Chesterfield, MO 63006-1065.