After completing his academic work, his intention was to study medicine, and he started to do so at the Twin City Medical College, under the tutelage of Drs. Abell, Smith, Kittrell and Hunt, (the last named being at one time President of the Texas Medical Association). Later due to the wonderful personal results obtained from chiropractic, he decided to study it instead. He also studied Naturopathy and graduated from the Nashville Naturopathic College and the National College of Drugless Physicians.
Dr. Lemly graduated from the Universal Chiropractic College (1914) and did post graduate work at the National College in Chicago, the Los Angeles College and the Texas Chiropractic College. He holds the following degrees: D.C., B.S., F.I.C.C., and the E.E.C. He is said to have had more cases (66) filed against him by the medical profession and was tried more times in the courts than any other chiropractor.
Dr. Lemly is a member of the body of the Scottish and York Rite Masons, a Shriner, Past Patron of the Eastern Star, Past President of the Men-of-the Church of Presbyterians (1960) in Waco, Member of the Waco Chamber of Commerce and a Colonel on the Texas Governor’s staff. He has been licensed to practice in five states and in the Province of Ontario, Canada.
As an example of his Texas and National credentials we quote in part from Volume 12, page 7, July 1943 issue of the National Chiropractic Journal (frontispiece of which shows a picture of the writer) from the article, “Texas Joins the Union” (a description of the legislative fight for chiropractic recognition and passage of the law). It also states that ….”through the fight from start to finish was Dr. Charles C. Lemly of Waco, for eighteen years Chairman of the Legislative Committee and veteran of chiropractic battles in Legislature for twenty eight years. (He lost one case and served a jail sentence for violation of the Texas Medical Practice Act.) He is president and founder of the National Council of Chiropractic Hospitals and Sanitariums and Secretary-Treasurer and founder of the Committee on Development and Foundations, (so called Foundation Accredited Chiropractic Education), and one of the seven charter members of the Texas State Chiropractic Association. It has been said of this battle-scared warrior, who has consistently, over the entire period of twenty eight years, fought for legal recognition and who for months during the session fought single-handed for higher educational qualifications, that without his knowledge of legislative action and conduct, the present chiropractic law in Texas would not have been passed."
Upon the passage of the above law he was appointed by the Governor at that time, Coke Stevenson, to the Board of Examiners. He has been president, secretary-treasurer, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Texas State Chiropractic Association. On his 40th anniversary of practice he received a plaque award and at the present time he is holder of the cherished Keeler Plaque Award presented in 1959. He is now an official of the county, state, and national chiropractic association. During the past years he has served as a member the House of Counselors of the N.C.A. and is now in his third term as Texas State Delegate to the House of Delegates.
At the present time Dr. Lemly is active in his 46th year of practice in Waco.
