VOL XIX. NO. 3
Publication dale, Saturday.
Subscription. S5.00 per year.
JUNE 16, 1951
Carl Gocrch. Publisher,
Lawyers Bldg., Raleigh, N. C.
Entered as second-class matter June I. 1933. at the Postofficc at Raleigh, North Carolina, under the Act of March 3, 1879
Dr. Della Dixon Carroll
Not only was she on outstanding figure* in
t lie* medical world of \orfli Carolina for
many years but she also was interested in
civic affairs, social reforms and politics.
Member of a family long distin¬
guished in North Carolina. Dr. Delia
Dixon Carroll, one of the pioneer wom¬
en doctors of the state and nation,
carved her own niche in Tar Heel an¬
nals. and became widely known for
her outstanding abilities in the fields
of medicine, education, social reform,
and many other divergent activities.
The recent sale of the Mansion Park
Hotel in Raleigh to the State of North
Carolina for temporary use of several
agencies, recalled that it was in this
building that Dr. Carroll became a
bride while serving as first resident
physician of the newly-established
Meredith College.
At that time, the structure was one
of several buildings on the campus of
the Baptist school for young women,
located in the downtown section of the
state capital, and a portion of it was
used for the college chapel. There she
was married to Dr. Norwood G. Car-
roll, Raleigh dentist, whose death oc¬
curred several years after his noted
wife received fatal injuries in a tragic
automobile accident.
Born in Shelby
Born in Shelby on February 4.
1872, Dr. Dixon-Carroll (as she was
generally known to distinguish her
from her husband) was a daughter of
Thomas Dixon. Sr., scion of a promi¬
nent Cleveland County family. Her
death occurred in Raleigh on May 16.
1934, at the age of 62.
One of her brothers was the late
Thomas Dixon. Jr., internationally
known author and lecturer, one of
whose books on the South of Recon¬
struction Days, was made into the
famous moving picture. “The Birth of
fit/ \\. .1. S VIM I IS
a Nation." Mr. Dixon also died in Ra¬
leigh a few years ago after having
served as Clerk of Federal Court in
that city for some time.
Another brother was the Rev. Clar¬
ence Dixon, an outstanding minister,
who became pastor of the famous
Spurgeon Baptist I abcrnaclc of Lon¬
don. England.
I he accident in which Dr. Dixon-
Carroll received mortal injuries oc¬
curred in West Raleigh while she was
riding in the family car driven by her
husband. News reports of the event
indicated that neither the driver of
their car nor that of the other automo¬
bile involved in the collision was at
fault. Dr. Dixon-Carroll received head
injuries from which she died in Rex
Hospital within 24 hours.
Memorial at Meredith
Alumnae of Meredith have erected
in South Hall of the administration
building of the present extensive plant
of the Baptist school a plaque, bearing
a portrait medallion of Dr. Dixon-Car¬
roll, and a tribute, written by Dr.
Mary Lynch Johnson, expressing the
honor and esteem in which she was
held. Dr. Johnson is still connected
with the college.
A few years prior to the beginning
of the 20th century, the entry of w'ont-
cn into professional fields was not
looked upon with widespread favor,
and when young Delia Dixon decided
she wanted to become a doctor, most
of her family attempted to discourage
her.
However, her b
г о
t h e r, young
I homas Dixon, was heartily in favor
of the idea, and she finally won the
consent of others of the family. At
the time, the Woman’s Medical Col¬
lege of New York was the only school
of its type in the United States which
accepted women students.
Following undergraduate work at
Cornell University, Delia Dixon at¬
tended the medical school, from which
she was graduated with honors in
1895. It is related that she ranked
first among 200 applicants before a
medical board of examiners.
Soon Wins Honors
The fledgling woman doctor served
the usual internships and made a trip
around the world before settling in
Raleigh to practice her profession as
the capital city's first female physician.
She soon became a member, by invi¬
tation. of the Raleigh Academy of
Medicine, and a few years later served
as president of that organization.
Soon after returning to Raleigh. Dr.
Dixon-Carroll was chosen as resident
physician of Meredith College which
was then just coming into existence,
the appointment occurring in 1899.
She continued to serve in that capaci¬
ty. as well as head of Meredith’s physi¬
ology department, until her death 35
years later. It is reported that she nev¬
er lost a patient among the students.
Dr. Dixon-Carroll’s services to the
Baptist school did not prevent her de¬
voting considerable time to private
practice, and she also became vigor¬
ously interested in various problems
of her time. She was a leader in the
movement to establish the home for
( Continued on page 20)
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THE STATE. JUNE 16. 1951
