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A Guide to the Records at the Indiana University Archives

Finding aid prepared by Sara Szakaly.

Summary Information

Repository
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives

Creator
Indiana University, Bloomington. Dept. of Chemistry.

Collection No.
C405

Extent
5 cubic feet (5 boxes)

Language
Materials are in English

Abstract
Chemistry has a long history at Indiana University, first being added to the curriculum in 1829 by then-IU President Andrew Wylie. The majority of this collection is comprised of faculty publications, mostly dating from the 1950s to the late 1970s. It also contains a small number of departmental publications, such as the Association of Indiana University Chemists newsletters, and administrative files related to laboratory safety, chemistry departments at regional campuses, and other departmental affairs.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research. Advance notice required.

Administrative History

Chemistry has been part of the curriculum at Indiana University since the very early days of the institution. It was Andrew Wylie, president of the University from 1829-1851, who expanded the original curriculum to include chemistry. The first graduate degrees in chemistry were conferred in 1890. In 1904, when the Graduate School at Indiana University was formally established, a definite schedule of graduate work in chemistry was planned. It was, however, not until 1921 that the first PhD in Chemistry was conferred at Indiana University.

A major event in the history of the department was the construction of a new facility specifically for the discipline in 1931. The faculty and departmental administration began to grow, and some of the Chemistry department’s most well-known and prolific faculty came to the university in the years after 1931.

Today, the Department of Chemistry maintains a tradition of excellence across all areas of chemistry (analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, physical, and theoretical). It is nationally recognized for its research efforts in the development of new instruments and methodologies. Indiana University is also recognized as a center of excellence for synthetic organic chemistry, with a long history of distinguished contributions to theoretical chemistry.

Four undergraduate degrees are currently available through the Chemistry Department: a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in both Biochemistry and Chemistry, as well as a minor in Chemistry. The department also offers both Master’s and PhD programs, including a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) Chemistry.

Arrangement

The collection is organized into three series: Administrative files, Publications, and Audio/Visual. The Publications series is further organized into two subseries: Faculty publications and Departmental publications. Folders are arranged alphabetically within the series and subseries.

Scope and Content Note

The Department of Chemistry records span the period 1922-2003, with the bulk of the items dated from 1950-1980. The collection is organized into three series: Administrative files, Publications, and Audio/Visual. The Publications series is further organized into two subseries: Faculty publications and Departmental publications.

The first series, Administrative files (1961-2003), is a small series but pertains to a variety of subjects, including laboratory safety, colloquia, and departmental committee assignment lists. A large portion of the Administrative files relate to the chemistry departments of what are now two of Indiana University’s regional campuses, IU Northwest and the IU South Bend.

The vast majority of the Publications series (1922-1989) is comprised of faculty publications, including the publications of well-known professors such as Felix Haurowitz, Harry Day, and Henry Mahler. There are also a small number of departmental publications (1981-1999), which include the Association of Indiana University Chemists Newsletter and Journal.

Contained in the audio/visual series are two undated 16mm films, one titled "Safety in the Laboratory" and the other, "Plan to Live."

• Indexing Terms

• The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in IUCAT, the IU Libraries' online catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by searching the catalog using these terms.

• • Names
  • Indiana University. Dept. of Chemistry --Archives.
  • Indiana University. Dept. of Chemistry --Records and correspondence.
  • Indiana University. Dept. of Chemistry --History --Sources.
  • Indiana University. Dept. of Chemistry --Faculty.
  • Indiana University, Bloomington. Dept. of Chemistry --Archives.
  • Indiana University, Bloomington. Dept. of Chemistry --Records and correspondence.
  • Indiana University, Bloomington. Dept. of Chemistry --History --Sources.
  • Indiana University, Bloomington. Dept. of Chemistry --Faculty.
  • Association of Indiana University Chemists --Periodicals.
  • Indiana University. Dept. of Chemistry.
  • Association of Indiana University Chemists.
• • Topics
  • Chemistry --Study and teaching (Higher) --Indiana --Archives.
  • Chemistry --Study and teaching (Higher) --Indiana --History --20th century.

Separated Material

Papers belonging to professors Harry Day, William Nebergall, Frederic Schmidt were found in the accession and were removed for separate processing, as were Elizabeth Greene’s files from her work in transcribing the diaries of Theophilus Wylie.

Two films, described in the finding aid, are housed separately. Consult Archives staff for further information.

One file containing 3 photographs have been pulled and transferred to the Archives Photographs Collection. Consult the Archives Photographs Curator for further details.

Administrative Information

Container List