F. W. Clarke and Nineteenth Century Undergraduate Research at the University of Cincinnati Mel Gorman University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 941 17
Isolated instances of undergraduate research in chemistry occurred throughout the last century and into the early years of the nresent centurv. hut it was not verv common. The first American research university featuring graduate work on thr German model. Johns Hookins, was not foundrd until 1876, and i t was not onti1 the fbllowing decade that the need for research made an impact on the minds of academics (1). Undergraduate chemical research became common only after World War 11 12). It hegan to appear as an option for upper division requirements of the CommitLee on Professional Training in the 196O's, hut it was not until 1972 that an emphatic endorsem~ntof undergraduate research made its nppeurmce in the Committee's standards. The importance of this topic today can be gauged from the scheduling by the IXvision of Chemical Education of two symposia at national meetines devoted to it. one at Chicago in 1977 and the orher a t ~ a n i a City s in 1982. The nresent uaner is a case studv of a sustained Droeram ( 1 8 7 ~ i 8 8 3 )~ f ' u n d e r ~ r a d u a research te directed dy s a n k Wigglesworth Clarke a t the University of Cincinnati (3).He is best remembered as an analyst who applied his expertise to geochemical determinations and to the evaluation of atomic weights while he was chief chemist of the U.S. Geological Survey from 1883 to 1924 (4). "He has one of the most incredible publication records of any American chemist" (5). He was chosen to be chairman of the International Committee on Atomic Weights in 1900 and president of the American Chemical Society in 1901. He received numerous American and foreign honors, for example, appointment as the Wilde lecturer on the occasion of the Dalton atomic theory centenary ( 6 ) .The effect of these manv distinctions. comiue in his matuiity, has led to a neglect ofhis importantteaching role early in his career. Clarke was horn in Boston in 1847. In 1865 he entered the Lawrence Scientific School affiliated with Harvard College. He studied inorganic and analytical chemistry in the laborstorv of 0 . Wolrott Gihbs (1822-1908J. receiving his bachelor's degree in 1867 magna cum laude, but he remained an additional year to carry out research. He wished to embark on a career of teaching and research, but his first position involved teaching only. He was appointed professor of chemistry and metallurgy a t the Boston Dental College in 1868. Most of his lectures were accompanied by demonstrations. He finished the course on Januarv 4.1869. A few davs later he deoarted for Cornell where he
