THE PLACE

At the time The Doctors were attending Mendel Catholic H.S., Roseland was a community in transition from middle and working class White to working class Black. By the time most of The Doctors graduated from Mendel 1978 Roseland was not only almost a completely Black community, it had begun enduring an economic decline, as a lot of the major businesses that had sustained the previously largely White community started closing and / or leaving. Though facing shrinking student enrollments, Mendel H.S. was one of the few institutions from "old" Roseland to remain viable & vital to the "new" Roseland along with The Donut Shop.

In 1975, Father Gavin, the principal of Mendel Catholic High School, noticed that parties at the school were becoming increasingly popular, all thanks to The Doctors. When he learned of their involvement, he called the students into his office and asked if they were indeed The Doctors. Upon their questioning "Why do you want to know?" Father Gavin revealed he wanted to host parties at the school and needed their help to make it happen. This marked the beginning of a partnership that benefited both The Doctors and the school financially, socially, and holistically.

The Catholic schools that hosted parties typically adhered to a basic structure, with rules set by the Catholic Archdiocese regarding time, refreshments, dress codes, and so on. Mendel, however, stood out due to its large, college-like campus with two levels, which made it a more appealing venue for high school partygoers. With The Doctors influence, it quickly became the headquarters of the city's party scene. As their popularity spread beyond Chicago, The Doctors realized they had unknowingly created a “brand” before branding was even a thing. The group’s fame pushed them to innovate continually, keeping them at the forefront of the scene. As a result, Mendel's reputation as the party destination grew exponentially.

When the Doctors first formed in 1975, they enjoyed their initial success, and the only pressure they felt was self imposed - they wanted to be the best dance performers they could be and compete with the group that inspired their inception, The Bisease Boys. As they became more popular, the collective group image and the distinctive individual personalities of the members quickly inspired an entire social scene of similar performance / party / social groups that mimicked The Doctors.