HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE DIVISION OF HISTORY OF CHEMISTRY, AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY* LYMANC. NEWELL, BOSTONUNIVERSITY, BOSTON, MASSAWSE+TS
The Division of History of Chemistry was started by the late Edgar F. Smith. His interest in the history of chemistry began when he was a young man, and during his lifetime he gathered a marvelous collection of books, portraits, autograph letters, and miscellaneous memorabilia of chemists. He gave a course in the history of chemistry for many years. At meetings of the American Chemical Society it was his custom to talk over the history of chemistry with willing listeners and to show them some interesting book or letter relating to a famous chemist or to an important period in the historical development of chemistry. On several occasions Dr. Smith expressed the hope that sometime those interested in the history of chemistry would get together at stated times and talk over matters of mutual interest. It is quite certain that he had in mind for some years the formation of a division devoted to the history of chemistry like the other divisions in the Society. At the Chicago meeting in September, 1920, he discussed this matter at great length with Dr. Charles A. Browne, who told Dr. Smith that there were doubtless enough members of the Society interested in the history of chemistry to establish a Section if they could be induced to take the time from some other Section with which they were already connected. Dr. Smith evidently was convinced of sufficient support because a t the Rochester meeting in April, 1921, he, aspresident of the society, announced the informal formation of a Section of History f: Chemistry, stated also that he had brought with him some old books, autograph letters, and other historical material, and concluded by inviting all who were interested to attend the meeting in Room 111 a t the Mechanics Institute. Nearly fifty chemists responded. Dr. Smith spoke delightfully about his hobby and displayed some intensely interesting material on early chemistry in America. Drs. Browne, Parsons, Dains, Franklin, Moore, Frankforter, and Rice also spoke, the first-named a t length on men who contributed to chemistry in America. In response to the inquiry of Dr. Charles E. Coates if it was desired to organize the Section of History of Chemistry upon the same basis as other sections and divisions of the American Chemical Society, Dr. Smith replied he thought it would be better not to force the movement but to let the matter develop freely and spontaneously, meeting a t first for a friendly exchange of views and display of material without a pre-arranged schedule and postponing formal action until enough interest showed that the proper time for action had come.
* Presented before the Divisions of Chemical Education and History of Chemistry of the A. C. S. at Buffalo, N. Y., September 1, 1931. 667
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JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
APRIL,1932
The expected interest developed more rapidly than was anticipated, and in the program of the New York meeting in September, 1921, this item was included in the announcements: ITistory of Chemistry.-President Edgar F. Smith and kindred spirits will meet Friday afternoon, September 9, in Room 301, Mines, t o discuss their hobbies. The response to this characteristic invitation, which was probably written by Dr. Smith, was large enough to dispel any doubt he may have had about interest in the history of chemistry. About one hundred chemists gathered in a rather small room on the afternoon of September 9, 1921. A few had been previously informed about the meeting and came prepared to participate. Dr. Smith stressed the importance of bringing American chemistry to the attention of an interested hut uninformed public in Europe as well as in the United States. He exhibited a letter of Priestley, also a photograph and a large lithograph of the copy of the Stuart portrait of Priestley recently made by the Philadelphia artist, Albert Rosenthal. Papers were read by Drs. Newel1 and Browne, who exhibited illustrative material relating to their subjects. Several men spoke enthusiastically of the proposed plan of having regular meetings devoted exclusively to the history of chemistry. This meeting was an inspiration to those who were familiar with the history of chemistry and a revelation to many whose interest in this field was sincere though dormant. As a result, proper steps were taken 4 a t once to organize formally the Section of the History of Chemistry. Subsequently Dr. Charles A. Browne was elected chairman and Dr. Lyman C. Newell secretary of it. The first regular meeting of the Section of History of Chemistry was held a t Birmingham, Alabama, in the spring of 1922. The attendance was large, so large, that it effectively answered the doubts expressed by some individuals, official as well as non-official,about the real interest in such an unimportant branch of chemistry as its history. There were eleven papers on the program and several were supplemented by exhibits of rare books, autograph letters, and apparatus. On September 5, 1927, the Section became a Division, and Dr. Lyman C. Newell was elected chairman and Dr. Tenney L. Davis secretary. The Section and Division have held nineteen meetings, including three jomt meetings, a t which one hundred seventy-three papers were presented. At several meetings special exhibits of historical material were arranged, conspicuously at Pittsburgh, New Haven, Ithaca, Swampscott, Atlanta, and Columbus. Most of the papers a t each meeting have been supplemented by portraits, autograph letters, books, and other memorabilia; lantern slides have been freely used.
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During the last two years or so the Division has limited its programs to only a few papers, and these largely by invitation. By this plan a coordinated program was offered, and time was available for discussion and for display of illustrative material. Dr. Smith attended all meetings of the Section and Division up to and including the meeting a t St. Louis in the spring of 1928. His death occurred on May 3, shortly after this meeting. From the first regular meeting at Birmingham through the succeeding six years (1922-28) Dr. Smith participated actively in the work of the Section and Division. He presented papers a t most of the meetings. These papers were published either EDUCATION or as brochures, and generously in the JOURNAL of CHEMICAL distributed. They form a valuable contribution to the history of chemistry in America, particularly the papers on Thomas Cooper, James C. Booth, Jacob Green, Martin Hans Boy&,and John Griscom. At every meeting Dr. Smith gave practical advice about teaching the history of chemistry, fortified by his long experience. Those who have attended meetings of the Section and Division will always remember the occasions when Dr. Smith urged us to collect and preserve historical material, and will also recall vividly his look of satisfaction as he extracted a rare book from his capacious pocket and told the story of its acquisition, place in the development of chemistry, and meaning to those who would take time to look it over. Moreover, hardly a meeting passed without tangible evidence of Dr. Smith's generosity. Portraits, books, photographs, and autograph letters were bestowed freely, and many a collection was started or enlarged a t our meetings. ~nbse;uent to a meeting some expressed wish would often be gratified by a gift accompanied by a sincere, friendly letter. Truly, the Division of History of Chemistry owes its inception, development, standards, and permanency to the vision, wisdom, generosity, intelligence, and culture of our incomparably beloved patron, Dr. Edgar F. Smith.
