ISSN 0739-4934 1.APR 3 0 2002 NEWSLETTER HISTORY ~~ OF SCIENCE VOLUME 31 NUMBER 2 April 2002 SOCIETY The Origin of the HSS Newsletter Roger H. Stuewer, University ofMinnesota hirty years ago, when the HSS professional societies periodically published centralization of activities there, the T Newsletter was founded, the History of a newsletter to inform their members of fast­ Newsletter Editorial Committee, as I recall, Science Society was a remarkably different breaking events and other news of their died a natural death, although for a time professional organization than it is today. Its professions, and he suggested that the HSS individual members on it continued to membership was much smaller, and its should consider doing so as well. The Council provide help and advice. meetings took place in alternate years with embraced his suggestion and handed me The HSS Newsletter was an the American Association for the editorial responsibility-my first real job as immediate and wonderful success. Issue after Advancement of Science and the American incoming Secretary. My first act was to issue carried announcements of awards and Historical Association. Its Counci I members establish a geographically representative honors received by HSS members; offered valuable help and advice, but its Newsletter Editorial Committee consisting information on new programs, new courses, daily affairs were largely in the hands of its of senior scholars Bernard S. Finn, David L. and new publications in the field; notices of dedicated officers and Editor of Isis, Robert Lindberg, and John L. Heilbron, and graduate forthcoming conferences and meetings P. Multhauf. The steadfast Treasurer of the students Fred Gregory, Richard H. throughout the world; and news about a host Society, John G. Burke, remains in my Schallenberg, and Arthur L. Norberg. News of other activities in the profession. If I had memory as one of its great unsung heroes. items were to be sent to me, and after to single out its greatest contribution, The origin of the HSS Newsletter, however, assembling them I was to send a copy to however, I would point to its influence in was tied directly to the election of a new Bernard Finn in the Isis Editorial Office at opening up, in the democratization of the job Vice President and a new Secretary of the the Smithsonian Institution for printing and market. Prior to 1972, knowledge of the Society in 1971, Erwin N. Hiebert and myself. distribution. Richard Schallenberg designed existence ofnew jobs was gained largely by I have described elsewhere my deep the masthead, which for years after his early professional debt and close personal death in 1980 served as a memorial to him. continued on p. 2 friendship with Erwin ever since I was his The first issue of the History of Science graduate student at the University of Newsletter was published and distributed to Wisconsin. 1 In 1971 we also were close the entire membership on schedule in CONTENTS geographically. Two years earlier, after February 1972. twelve years on the Wisconsin faculty, Erwin Beginning with that first issue, the Cover Story: 1-2 left for Harvard University, and in 1971, HSS Newsletter was published quarterly, in after four years on the University of February, May, August, and November of Innovations in Education 4-5 Minnesota faculty, I left for Boston each year. But already by the time its second University. Erwin was elected HSS Vice issue appeared, in May 1972, further change HSS Candidates 6-9 President in 1971 to succeed Lynn White, had occurred. I had decided to leave Boston News and Inquiries 10-14 Jr., as President two years later, and sometime University and to return to the University of in the fall of 1971, John C. Greene, the long­ Minnesota, where I would be given an Awards, Honors, serving and enormously dedicated Secretary opportunity to build up a program in the and Appointments 15 ofthe Society, asked me ifl would be willing history of science and technology by hiring Jobs to succeed him beginning in 1972 if elected. additional faculty members. As part of the 15 Thus it happened that I joined Erwin and got package, I also could hire a secretary, Grants, Fellowships, my feet wet at the HSS Council meeting in Maurine Bielawski, who during my entire and Prizes 16 New York City after the Christmas holidays six years as HSS Secretary rendered in 1971. exemplary service by typing up every single Future Meetings 17-19 At some point during that Council issue of the HSS Newsletter save the first Isis Books Received 20-24 meeting Erwin remarked that a number of one. With my return to Minnesota and the HISTORY OF SCIENCE SOCIETY NEWSLETTER APRIL 2002 HSS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE History of Science Society Executive Office President John W. Servos, Amherst College University of Washington Box 351330 Vice-President Seattle, Washington 98195-1330 Michael M. Sokal, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Phone: 206-543-9366 Secretary Fax: 206-685-9544 Margaret J. Osler, University of Calgary Email: [email protected] Treasurer Web site: http://www.hssonline.org Marc Rothenberg, Smithsonian Institution Physical address (Fed-Ex, UPS): Johnson Hall, Room 236 Editor Margaret W. Rossiter, Cornell University University of Washington Seattle, Washington 98195-1330 Executive Director Robert J. Malone (ex officio) Subscription Inguiries: ISIS and HSS Newsletter Please contact the University of Chicago Press directly, at: [email protected]; fax: 773-753-0811 . The Origin of the USS Newsletter Or write University of Chicago Press, Subscription continued from p. 1 Fulfillment Manager, 1427 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637-7363. word of mouth, through private telephone calls and personal Moving? correspondence, and slots often were spoken for or filled before Please notify both the HSS Executive Office and the many of the young people entering the profession could seek job University of Chicago Press at the above addresses. interviews at the annual meetings ofthe Society. The HSS Newsletter changed that, gradually at first, but with increasing momentum as HSS Newsletter time went on. Now new job openings were listed openly in the Newsletter, and in the many supplements distributed to departments Editorial Policies, Advertising, and Submissions between issues, so that young people no longer had to rely primarily The History of Science Society Newsletter is published in on their professors to inform them of job openings; they could January, April, July, and October, and sent to all individual discover them for themselves and compete for them openly. members of the Society; those who reside outside of North This transformation, in fact, came none too soon, since by America pay an additional $11 annually to cover a portion of 1972 the job market had contracted dramatically. Listen to the words airmail charges. The Newsletter is available to nonmembers and of future HSS President Richard S. Westfall in the first issue of the institutions for $25 a year. Newsletter: "As you may know, during the past decade positions in The Newsletter is edited and desktop published in the our fields have appeared to be virtually unlimited. That is no longer Executive Office on an Apple Power Macintosh system using the case." And those of Professor John W. Abrams of the University Microsoft Word and Adobe PageMaker. The format and editorial of Toronto: "I do not know of any open positions in Canada for policies are determined by the Executive Director in consultation historians of science ...." Now young people at least could acquire with the Committee on Publications. All advertising copy must information on new jobs themselves. Conversely, they could inform be submitted camera-ready. Advertisements are accepted on a prospective employers of what they had to offer: The section on space-available basis only, and the Society reserves the right not "Dissertations Recently Completed or in Progress" in the very first to accept a submission. The rates are as follows: Full page (9 x issue of the Newsletter contained no less than fifty entries from 7.5"), $400; Horizontal or Vertical Half page (4.5 x 7.5"), $220; seven universities in the United States and Canada and one each Quarter page (3 x 5"), $110. The deadline for insertion orders and from a university in England and Germany. Such open knowledge camera-ready copy is six weeks prior to the month ofpublication about prospective employers and employees was simply unthinkable (e.g., 20 November for the January Newsletter) and should be prior to the existence of the HSS Newsletter. sent to the attention of the HSS Executive Office at the above The Newsletter, in sum, has served and continues to serve address. HSS recommends that all camera-ready ads be sent via many vital functions forthe History of Science Society. As Erwin N. overnight or 2-day mail to the physical address above. Hiebert has remarked more than once to me and others, "How did we The deadline for news, announcements, and job/fellowship/ ever live without it?" I know that I also speak for Erwin when I say prize listings is firm: The first of the month prior to the month that both ofus are proud of the roles we played in creating the HSS of publication. Long items (feature stories) should be submitted Newsletter thirty years ago. six weeks prior to the month of publication as email file attachments or on a 3.5" disk (along with a hard copy). Please 1 Mary Jo Nye, Joan L. Richards, and Roger H. Stuewer, eds., The send all material to the attention of Gail Alexander at the HSS Invention ofPhysical Science: Intersections ofMathematics , Theology address above (email or disk appreciated). and Natural Philosophy Since the Seventeenth Century: Essays in 0 2002 by the History of Science Society Honor ofErwin N.