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In the winter of 1940, art major Joseph G. Parker was part of the special few who were in the first graduating class of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art. He was also a graduate of Harvard College and the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.  Dr. Joseph G. Parker Joseph Garrison Parker was born on June 6, 1924, in East Orange, New Jersey to Anne Siegel Parker and Dr. Philip Parker. His younger sister, Cyrena, was born in 1926.
 Dr. Philip Parker's dental office Even before starting kindergarten, Joseph showed a precocious ability to draw people and animals using only crayons and pencils.
In 1929, 5-year-old “Joey” attended P.S. 44 Elementary School in the Bronx and he completed 2nd grade in only six months (1931). This was the beginning of a number of rapid advancements, culminating in his graduating high school as a 15 1/2 year-old. A consistent theme throughout that time was Joey’s passion for art - whether it be drawing, sketching, painting, or working on creative projects. In fact, rarely did a day pass that did not find him doing something artistic. When Joey was 7 ½ years old, his mother entered his drawing entitiled “Prying Will” in a Wanamaker Department Store art contest (March 1932), where he became a prize winner.
Joseph also had a knack for music, and at age seven he began piano lessons, which continued throughout high school. However, art was always his first passion although music periodically finds its way into his art.
 Art class in M&A, 1936 (Joseph Parker, far right) The Parker family, May 1937 - Joseph's second year in Music & Art  Cyrena Parker, Dr. Philip Parker, Anne Parker and Joseph Parker Every once in a while, some of Joseph’s work would be entered in outside competitions. On April 19, 1937, Joey was in 9th Grade when the American Institute Children’s Science Fair took place. All NYC school students were invited to participate. Joey built a diorama of a scientist in a lab named "History of Science" and won 1st prize. He received a Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science medal and a massive check for $10.00. Joseph built everything, the scientist, laboratory, microscope, test tubes, Bunsen burner, sink, and even added electricity to light up the diorama. In addition, he submitted a very large pen and ink drawing to fill up space at the exhibit.
Joseph received $10.00 first prize for his diorama project.  Invoice from American Institute of City of New York Music and Art book, June 1938
While at M&A, Joseph's art class was assigned to make marionettes of the symphony orchestra. Joey made a marionette of Arturo Toscanini, its famous conductor at the time (pre-1936). His mechanical drawings are shown. Joey then carved the marionette and baton out of wood. He even hand-sewed the tuxedo. All throughout his time at M & A, Joey was prolific in creating sketches and oil paintings, and it is in his paintings that one can see the development of a distinctive Joseph Parker style. Whereas Joey was capable of amazingly detailed drawings bordering on “hyper-realism” (for example, sketches and medical illustrations), his painting style was much simpler, almost impressionistic at times. His art always evokes moods and emotions.
Joseph was also friends with Bernard Safran, the well-known illustrator and painter of many Time Magazine covers.
 Close-up of Safran sentiments in Joseph Parker Jan 1940 yearbook
 Art Class circa 1939. From left to right top row: Justine Moss, Helen Conin, Annette Dorfman, Flonyn Stank, Corinere Rice, Miss Ridgaway, Diane Panet, Bebe Landes, Gladys Torres, Veronica Hasler, Gladys Homer From left to right bottom row: Tina Muscasella, Ernestine Jaedicker, Violet Avedikian, Anne Triantafilo, Florence Hortinstein, and Joseph Garrison Parker In January 1940, 15 1/2 year old Joseph G. Parker became part of the first graduating class of the High School of Music and Art. All told, there were 146 graduates in the Winter 1940 yearbook. The first Graduation Exercises at the High School of Music and Art, January 30, 1940
 Graduation program, Jan 30, 1940 Award received by Joseph Parker - Graduation program Bausch and Lomb Awards for Proficiency In Three Years of Science  Bausch and Lomb Awards for Proficiency In Three Years of Science  Close-up of Bausch and Lomb Awards for Proficiency Senior Souvenir for the graduating class, January 30, 1940
"JOSEPH PARKER - Keep this a secret between youse. It's such fun being a genius."  Close-up of Joseph Parker on yearbook page Prior to this, in December 1939 Joseph had already received his acceptance letter to Harvard College. However, at 15 1⁄2 years of age, he was simply too young and was not allowed to enter until he was age 16 (June 1940). Therefore, after graduating M&A, Joseph took classes at Drake Preparatory School for 6 months and also took the SATs. It is worth noting that on January 14, 1938, Joseph’s parents helped organize the very first meeting of the M & A Parent Teachers Association (PTA). Moreover, both Anne and Phillip were very active financial supporters of the school with donations for the 30+ year period spanning 1936 to until Anne’s passing in December 1969. As an honor, Anne was invited to sit on the stage at graduations every year until 1969. Joseph’s sister, Cyrena Parker Konecky continued the tradition of donating money to Music and Art for the next 50 years, until she passed away in 2020 In September 1940 – Joseph entered Harvard College as a biology major, but continued to do art on his own. Ultimately, he set his sights on a career in Medicine. Amazingly, Joseph would write to his parents every day! Joseph’s artistic inclinations could never be suppressed. For example, his class notes were filled with sketches of scenes, lecture topics, and even the professors. Moreover, when writing to his parents every day Joseph would frequently draw artwork in the letters and on the envelopes. On provided image, he drew the notes of the theme of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. This was sent during the war years, and note that he drew the Morse code for the letter “V” for victory all around the edges of the envelope.  Artwork drawn on envelope by Joseph Parker There was no formal graduation in 1944 because of WWII. They sent him his diploma. He was very good in languages also and spoke fluent French, German, and Yiddish. On January 19, 1944, Joseph received an acceptance letter from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and began medical school in October of 1944. Joseph was only 20 years old.
Self-portrait by Joseph Parker, June 1945  Self-portrait, Joseph Parker, June 1945, oil painting. Bright, young and pensive While at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Joseph Parker studied medical illustration with Alfred Feinberg, one of the foremost medical illustrators of his time and a member of the Pathology Department. Inasmuch as cameras were not allowed into the operating rooms, whenever images were needed of either the procedures, medical abnormalities, or of patients, they would ask Joseph to do the drawings. Of course, these were always gratis. However, there were times that Joseph would capture the overall impression of the experience, as can be seen with the pastel image.  Pastel drawing of operation by Joseph Parker, May 4, 1946
During medical school lectures at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, the creative energies of his mind could not be suppressed. For example, during one lecture he did the pencil sketch below. Later he painted the oil painting. Close inspection shows that his sketches mapped out what color he was going to paint on the different parts of the flowers.
It is nevertheless difficult to provide insight (or paint a picture of) into the brilliantly creative mind of Joseph Parker with a small sampling of his artistic works. Art was always an indelible part of Joseph Parker, and the way he saw the world. This is perhaps best demonstrated when Joseph discarded a crumpled piece of paper that he tossed into a garbage basket (circa 1946). When Joseph walked by it later that day, it occurred to him that the crumpled paper resembled a nun’s habit. From this came sketches that ultimately translated into a fascinating oil painting on canvas.
 Dr. Joseph G. Parker with mural he painted in the Pediatrics ward for the children during Christmas. During 1948, after graduating from medical school, Joseph did a one-year residency in Internal Medicine at Mt. Sinai Hospital in NYC, and in the following year a residency at Duke University Medical School in N.C. After this Joseph went back to Mt. Sinai for one year and then finished with the Sara Welt Fellowship in Pathology from Duke University Medical School. At this point in time, his focus appears to have been on research as well as patient-centered clinical medicine.
During 1953, 28 year old Dr. Joseph G. Parker worked in Public Health in Cincinnati, Ohio when he became terminally ill with leukemia. It is largely believed that, ironically, he contracted this disease while doing cancer research in the lab. Joseph Parker belonged to the American Physician’s Art Association (APAA). Founded in 1936, the APAA had annual exhibitions for many years that were held in conjunction with the American Medical Association’s annual conventions. Living in Cincinnati, Dr. Parker submitted an oil painting of the well-known Mt. Adams. This turned out to be his last painting, as he died shortly afterwards. Below is his pencil sketch, and the subsequent oil painting. This painting was recognized for the Award of Merit in June 1953.
Unfortunately by that time Dr. Parker was too ill to attend the ceremonial dinner, so his mother Anne and one of her sisters went to accept the award in his honor.  American Physician Artist’s Association awards dinner, June 1953
Dr. Joseph G. Parker passed away on June 21, 1953 at the young age of 29, from leukemia. Much like creative geniuses such as Mozart and others, one can only wonder at what might have been had Joseph lived longer. It is fortunate that he created so much art in the relatively short time he was with us. After he died, his parents established a number of awards in his memory (the Dr. Joseph Garrison Parker Prize) at the following intitutions: -Music and Art -Harvard College -Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons -Skidmore College -Jewish Theological Seminary -Brandeis University. This was a new college and the Parkers felt it was worthy for students in need. The award went to the best student (or students) in science and the arts. His parents also established the Fiorello H. LaGuardia Award in honor of Mayor LaGuardia.
* Article from the NY Times (12/29/1935) announcing HSM&A - https://mycastletreasures.com/the-beginning.html All materials of Dr. Joseph G. Parker were contributed by his niece, Margaret Konecky, M&A Class of 1973.
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