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This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the FAQ section for more information.
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Collection Overview
| Size | 3.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 500 items) |
| Abstract | The Department of Physics was officially established in 1907, although courses in natural philosophy, as the subject was called through most of the nineteenth century, had been given as part of the mathematics curriculum since about 1820. In 1973, the name of the Department of Physics changed to Department of Physics and Astronomy. The collection is mainly files relating to the history of the department; a number of reports on and studies of the department, done at various times between 1938 and 1963; and several files relating to the National Science Foundation Science Development Program, 1964-1974. Also included is a DVD of a 2008 departmental symposium titled "Physics and Astronomy at UNC-CH: Where Have We Come From, Where Are We Going?" |
| Creator | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dept. of Physics and Astronomy. |
| Language | English |
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Information For Users
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
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Related Collections
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Historical Information
The Department of Physics was officially established in 1907, although courses in natural philosophy, as the subject was called through most of the nineteenth century, had been given as part of the mathematics curriculum since about 1820. In 1973, the name of the Department of Physics changed to Department of Physics and Astronomy.
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Scope and Content
Mainly files relating to the history of the department; also a number of reports on and studies of the department, done at various times between 1938 and 1963; and several files relating to the National Science Foundation Science Development Program, 1964-1974. Also included is a DVD of a 2008 departmental symposium titled "Physics and Astronomy at UNC-CH: Where Have We Come From, Where Are We Going?"
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Department of Physics, 1944-1963.
Various reports related to and a brief history of the Department of Physics. These records were transferred to the University Archives in September 1978. Information in the scope/content notes was prepared by Professor Paul E. Shearin and Professor Everett D. Palmatier on 5 September 1978.
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History of the Physics Department by Paul E. Shearin, 1944 #40084, Series: "1. Department of Physics, 1944-1963." Box 1, Box 1This was written in 1944 by P. E. Shearin, chairman of the Department of Physics. The chancellor had requested that all chairmen prepare a short history of their respective departments as material for the Sesquicentennial celebration of the University. As noted in the document, in 1965, W. E. Haisley added the names of those who had earned the Ph.D. in the department. |
Whyburn Report, 1950? #40084, Series: "1. Department of Physics, 1944-1963." Box 1Sometime during the years 1949-1950, the university administration appointed a committee (Professor W. Whyburn of Mathematics, Professor D. Costello of Zoology, and Professor Crockford of Chemistry with Professor Whyburn as chairman) to study the needs and goals of the Physics department. This study led to a special appropriation to the department ($40,000) for the purchase of teaching and research equipment. This committee is referred to briefly near the bottom of the first page of the following report (at this later date, Arthur Roe, chairman of Chemistry, replaced H. Crockford) |
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Wheeler Report, 1954 #40084, Series: "1. Department of Physics, 1944-1963." Box 1Owing to continuing pressure from the Physics department, President Gordon Gray, in 1953, appointed an outside committee of distinguished physicists to make an independent study of the state of the department. This committee was composed of Professor Lloyd P. Smith of Cornell University, Professor J. C. Street of Harvard University, and Professor John A. Wheeler of Princeton University (chairman). Their report, which became known as the Wheeler report, was submitted to President Gray during January 1954, and a special presentation by all three members of the committee was also made directly to Governor Luther Hodges in Raleigh. In fact, their first two recommendations out of a total of eleven (see page 26 of their report) bear directly on the foundation of what is now known as our present day Research Triangle. It should be noted that this presentation had the full blessing of the university administration as the committee, when it visited the governor, was accompanied by Mr. W. D. Carmichael, vice president of the university. A special legislative appropriation of $15,000 per year for two years was made shortly after this for further equipment to tide the department over until the university administration could launch a major effort to implement the recommendations of the Wheeler committee. |
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Status of the Department, 13 June 1957 #40084, Series: "1. Department of Physics, 1944-1963." Box 1This summary of data pertaining to the status of the department relative to physics departments in surrounding universities of the southeastern United States was prepared by the chairman of the department and submitted to the chancellor. |
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Michael Saphier Report, 15 April 1957 #40084, Series: "1. Department of Physics, 1944-1963." Box 1This study was performed, at the instigation of Governor Luther Hodges, by an independent consulting firm from New York. Its major purpose was to determine the space requirements of the department, both in amount and type of space. This study, which definitely assisted in the obtaining of legislative approval for funds for a new building and equipment, cost $25,000. This amount was taken from the money approved by the legislature for the new building! Note (1) Sometime in mid-1957, the legislature approved the construction and equipping of a Physics Building (75,000 square feet at a cost of $900,000 plus an additional $300,000 for equipment). The reference for this authorization is State of North Carolina: The Budget, Volume III: Capital Improvements, 1957-1959 (II-IV) pages 24-25 (On file in the North Carolina Collection as C336 N87gl). Note (2) Although the above approval strictly refers to a new building for the Physics Department, as it was the desire of all concerned to: (a) not split the mathematics and physics library; (b) keep the physics and mathematics departments in close proximity; and (c) have a university-wide computer facility in the physics building, it was agreed to add a new wing to Phillips Hall and have the various departments simply spread out horizontally, staying on the floors which they already occupied. |
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Consultant's Report, March 1958 #40084, Series: "1. Department of Physics, 1944-1963." Box 1This is a study of the elementary physics courses made for the department by an outside consultant, Professor G. E. Grantham of Cornell University. |
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Commentary on Consultant's Report, 1958 #40084, Series: "1. Department of Physics, 1944-1963." Box 1This is a commentary on Professor Grantham's report and on the state of our elementary physics teaching. It was prepared by Professor J. W. Straley of the Physics department, who at the time was beginning an extensive development program for the elementary classes. |
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Self-Study, January 1963 #40084, Series: "1. Department of Physics, 1944-1963." Box 1This is a departmental self-study, prepared at the request of Chancellor Aycock. |
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Series 2. National Science Foundation Science Development Program, 1964-1974.
Files of Professor Everett D. Palmatier, chairman of the department's National Science Foundation Science Development Program Study Committee.
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Series 3. Waldo E. Haisley's Physics and Astronomy at Chapel Hill (1795-1946), 1823-1989.
Chiefly notes, source materials, and typed manuscript of Physics and Astronomy at Chapel Hill (1795-1946) by Professor Waldo E. Haisley. Source materials include copies of some of the items in Series 1 and photocopies of pages from University of North Carolina course catalogs, 1823-1918.
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Series 4. Other Materials, 1883, 1938, 1960, 2008.
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Letter from J. E. Hilgard to Kemp P. Battle, 24 April 1883 #40084, Series: "4. Other Materials, 1883, 1938, 1960, 2008." Box 2Letter from J. E. Hilgard, Superintendent of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, to Kemp P. Battle, President of the University of North Carolina, enclosing copy of a 27 January 1883 letter to the Governor of North Carolina concerning delivery of the state's set of standard weights and measures. |
Physics Instrument Shop Study, March 1960 #40084, Series: "4. Other Materials, 1883, 1938, 1960, 2008." Box 2Prepared for Dr. E. D. Palmatier, chairman of the Physics department, by Lewis W. Pifer, P.E. |
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"Research Program and Facilities, Department of Physics, UNC," by Arthur Ruark, December 1938 #40084, Series: "4. Other Materials, 1883, 1938, 1960, 2008." Box 2 |
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| Digital Video Disc DVD-40084/1 |
"Physics and Astronomy at UNC-CH: Where Have We Come From, Where Are We Going?" 10 October 2008 #40084, Series: "4. Other Materials, 1883, 1938, 1960, 2008." DVD-40084/1 |
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Processed by: University Archives Staff
Encoded by: ByteManagers Inc., 2008
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