An Investigation Into the Graphic Innovations of Geologist Henry T
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2003 Uncovering strata: an investigation into the graphic innovations of geologist Henry T. De la Beche Renee M. Clary Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Clary, Renee M., "Uncovering strata: an investigation into the graphic innovations of geologist Henry T. De la Beche" (2003). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 127. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/127 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. UNCOVERING STRATA: AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE GRAPHIC INNOVATIONS OF GEOLOGIST HENRY T. DE LA BECHE A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Curriculum and Instruction by Renee M. Clary B.S., University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1983 M.S., University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1997 M.Ed., University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1998 May 2003 Copyright 2003 Renee M. Clary All rights reserved ii Acknowledgments Photographs of the archived documents held in the National Museum of Wales are provided by the museum, and are reproduced with permission. I send a sincere thank you to Mr. Tom Sharpe, Curator, who offered his time and assistance during the research trip to Wales. He has been most helpful with electronically transmitting images of documents, as well as searching through educational journals in the United Kingdom. Mr. Sharpe’s catalog of the items held in the De la Beche archives is the definitive guide for De la Beche publications. It provided a great deal of assistance in locating De la Beche’s papers and books. Photographs of archived documents held in the British Geological Survey library are reproduced with permission. I would like to thank Mr. Graham McKenna, Chief Librarian and Archivist, for his time and valuable assistance in this research investigation. Mr. McKenna also provided numerous articles on De la Beche that were difficult to access in the United States. Photographs of documents held in the Geological Society of London archives are reproduced with permission. The Geological Society of London reserves all rights relating to wider dissemination of the images, both in this dissertation or out of it in any medium, including electronically. Their consent to the use of the images is on condition that use will only include this dissertation and academic qualification, and for secure internal use by the university in accordance with its normal administrative and academic procedures. Ms. Wendy Cawthorne of the Geological Society of London library provided a seemingly endless stack of journal articles and geology texts during my research visit; her advice and assistance in locating rare journal articles is greatly appreciated. Mr. Andrew Mussell, Archivist, was most kind in granting me access to the iii De la Beche material held in the archives, and in securing permission for the reproduction of the photographs of archived material used in this dissertation. Dr. Martin Rudwick was very generous with his time, and spoke with me in depth for this research endeavor. He offered many valuable insights into the social and cultural climate of the emerging geological sciences. I sincerely appreciate his time and advice. A sincere thank you is also in order for all members of the History of Geology Group who ensured that my field trip was pleasant and informative. Dr. John Fuller has kindly provided information on Henry Darwin Rogers, and Dr. Hugh Torrens has continued an electronic discussion of Mary Anning. Dr. Richard Howarth thoughtfully sent information on the early mathematical visual representations in geology. Dr. Neville Haile, upon hearing of my interest in Henry T. De la Beche, promptly sent the caricature “Cause and Effect,” which he located in the William Buckland papers at Oxford University Museum of Natural History. A special thank you is also in order for Professor Jim Kennedy, who granted permission for the inclusion of the caricature’s photograph in this dissertation. Mr. Simon Winchester provided much assistance in this research endeavor, including electronic mail contacts and introductions. His help is greatly appreciated. Special acknowledgments are also due to several people who facilitated this investigation in the United States. Dr. Brian Lock, Head of the Department of Geology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and former student of Dr. Martin Rudwick, located Dr. Rudwick’s electronic mail address and introduced me to his former professor. He also kindly wrote a letter of introduction for me to the Geological Society of London, of which he is a fellow. Ms. Elaine Smyth, Curator of Special Collections at the Hill Memorial Library at Louisiana State University, wrote several letters of introduction for iv the British Geological Survey, the Geological Society of London, and the National Museum of Wales. Mr. Tom Goodhue electronically mailed his manuscript on Mary Anning, and allowed me to cite from it as needed. His manuscript was quite helpful in the preparation of the Interactive Historical Vignette presented at the 2002 national convention of the National Association of Biology Teachers in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. James Wandersee, my major professor, has provided academic and technical assistance throughout this research investigation, as well as valuable advice and scholarly wisdom. His letter of introduction secured my reader’s card at the British Library. His suggestions for my research trip to the United Kingdom – from luggage to transportation – guaranteed a smooth trip and wonderful experience. Thank you, Dr. Wandersee, for the many hours you spent guiding my investigation, reading and responding to electronic messages, and meeting with me for discussions concerning the research study. This dissertation would not have been possible without your mentorship, as well as friendship. My committee members also deserve a special thank you for the many hours each has spent reading and responding to the dissertation. Dr. Earl Cheek offered much- needed guidance and advice, not only for the dissertation, but also for navigating the official requirements of the Graduate School. Dr. Margaret Stewart has provided meticulous feedback on the dissertation, and has found errors that would have gone unnoticed if it had not been for her thorough reading of the material. I am grateful that Dr. James Stockard agreed to join my committee at the very end of the dissertation process; his helpful comments and feedback have provided valuable assistance. I thank Dr. Nina Lam for her interest, expertise, and professional insights while serving as the Graduate School Dean's Representative on the committee. Dr. Ron Good was kind v enough to retain an interest in this dissertation even after his retirement, and has continued to offer insightful suggestions. I sincerely appreciate the time and efforts of each committee member. Finally, a special thank you is in order for the surviving troops on the home front: My six children provided me with the opportunity to pursue my doctoral degree, and type (almost) uninterrupted. Thank you, Morgen, Mallory, Max, Mason, Michael, and Mary Kathryn. You make this entire endeavor worthwhile. vi Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . .iii ABSTRACT . .. x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION . 1 Geology Instruction and the Importance of Graphics . 2 Geological Graphic Success . .. .4 Early Geological Graphics. .. 5 The Beginning of Modern Geology . 5 Reception of the Huttonian Theories . 8 Age of Focus. .. 10 Early Figures in Geology . 11 Progression of Early Geologic Graphics . .48 Research Questions . .50 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE . 55 Theory of Human Constructivism . 57 Paivio’s Dual Coding Theory . .63 Tufte’s Theory of Graphic Excellence. 68 Effectiveness of Graphics. 73 History and Philosophy of Science in Science Teaching . 79 The Golden Age of Geology . .85 Implications of Literature Research . 88 3 METHODS . 90 Delimiting the Problem: Gowin’s Research Vee. 91 Paradigm of Investigation . .98 Research Design . 102 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN GEOLOGY . .117 Identification of Historical Factors . .117 Discussion . .144 5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: THE GRAPHIC INNOVATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF HENRY T. DE LA BECHE . 149 Henry T. De la Beche . 149 Identification of Graphic Categories. 156 Quantitative Assessments . .223 Discussion . 236 vii 6 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: THE NATURE AND PROGRESSION OF EARLY GEOLOGICAL GRAPHICS . 242 Graphic Trends During the Golden Age of Geology . 242 Discussion . .281 7 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: THE ROLE OF HENRY T. DE LA BECHE AND HIS GEOLOGY GRAPHICS – GOLDEN AGE OF GEOLOGY AND TODAY . .286 Educational Endeavors of Henry T. De la Beche . .286 The Role of Henry T. De la Beche in Shaping Geological Thought . 297 Implications for Geoscience Education . 304 8 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH . .325 The Father of Visual Geology Education . .328 De la Beche and Geoscience Education . 333 Implications for Future Research . 335