(Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Dr. Eric Russell. Dr. Russell teaches Chiropractic Principles and Philosophy at Parker College of Chiropractic. He also maintains the blog Chiropractic Philosophy.)
When asked to write this guest post concerning Dr. Mary Ann Pruitt, I was both honored and nervous because I want to give proper due to a great Upper Cervical Chiropractor. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to spend time with Dr. Pruitt when I moved to Texas in 2002 until her passing in 2005.
One of my fondest memories was watching Dr. Sanford Black (PSC ’47 and Blair practitioner) adjusting Dr. Mary Ann Pruitt and being witness to the half hour discussion of Innate Intelligence that spontaneously happened right before me. The power and conviction of those two doctors continue to inspire me to this day. If you knew Dr. Pruitt, there was no denying her power and conviction, but as time passes (Principle #6), memory of her work fades and I appreciate this opportunity to honor her.
Dr. Mary Ann Pruitt was raised as a child during the heyday of Lyceum at Palmer. Dr. B.J. Palmer used to call her, “his yellow rose of Texas” when Dr. Pruitt was a child. She graduated from the Palmer School of Chiropractic in 1949 (in the Mabel Heath Palmer memorial class) and her seatmate was her father, Dr. Sterling Pruitt, who graduated from the PSC in 1925 but re-entered when Palmer taught HIO.
Dr. Pruitt earned a membership in the exclusive Order of the Black Tie upon graduation and remained pure to her PSC principles throughout life. She received her Fellow in the Palmer Academy and was very active in the Palmer College of Chiropractic International Alumni Association where she has served as Regional Director and Texas President.
While attending Palmer School of Chiropractic, Dr. Pruitt became a member of the Sigma Phi Chi Sorority in 1948 and maintained activity on the sorority’s national board by serving as Vice-President.
In practice, Dr. Pruitt was one of the longest-standing Blair practitioners, as she and her father helped convince their friend, Dr. Bill Blair to teach his system of analysis to others. She was also part of a research team in X-ray Spinographic work for Blair advanced analytical work.
Dr. Pruitt could not wait to go home to Texas following her graduation from PSC. In Texas, she was very involved in chiropractic. She was one of the “Dirty Thirty” which consisted of thirty upper cervical PSC graduates that formed what is now the Chiropractic Society of Texas (CST). Dr. Pruitt held every office for the CST and was the first woman President. She received numerous awards for her involvement in the CST, including Texas Chiropractor of the Year and the Life Service Award.
A strong supporter of the International Chiropractors Association (ICA), Dr. Pruitt was named a Distinguished Fellow of the ICA in 1970. She was an officer for the Association for Chiropractic Educational Standards and fought for the rights of both DCs and students to be allowed to practice pure unadulterated Chiropractic.
Besides being a strong supporter of the Democratic Party, Dr. Pruitt also was involved in the Eastern Stars and served as a trustee for the University United Methodist Church.
As her friend Dr. Rob Sinnott said, “If you were fortunate enough to be part of her efforts in the profession, there was no bounds to her friendship and caring. If you opposed the Chiropractic principle, you had gained a formidable opponent. Dr. Pruitt was what I refer to as a ‘black & white’ Chiropractor. She never operated in shades of grey. There is always a right and wrong side of any issue and she knew it was yielding to the grey that had so damaged our profession.”
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I remember hearing her speak at Parker 7-8 years ago. I thought she had tremendous spirit and energy for a woman her age (in her 80′s at the time?). She was still practicing and seeing quite a few patients as well at the time.
I have heard so much about Mary Ann Pruitt the last few months. I would have loved to meet her!
Dr. Beck: Wow! That would have been awesome to hear her speak at Parker. I don’t think they would have someone like her there now. Things are a lot different at the school than they were just 2-3 years ago.
January: I agree. I would have loved to learn a thing or two from her.