ISSN 0739-4934 NEWSLETTER ...... !STORY OF SCIENCE J-~~-~-~-~-~ --~_SOOETY NEWS OF THE SOCIETY COUNCIL ACTIONS AT RALEIGH MEETING HSS EXECUTIVE Vice-President Mary Jo Nye presided over the meeting in the absence of Presi­ COMMITTEE dent William Coleman. She expressed the group's sense of regret at the neces­ sity of his resignation, effective 1 November. She also thanked the various PRESIDENT retiring Council members, officers, and committee chairs. MARY JO NYE, University of Oklahoma It was decided to maintain the dues at $34 for regular individual memberships SECRETARY and $19 for students for 1989, to raise the institutional subscription rate for Isis MICHAEL M. SOKAL, Worcester from $90 to $97, effective in 1989, and to raise the individual subscription to Polytechnic Institute Osiris from $15 to $17 .SO and the institutional rate from $25 to $36, also effec­ TREASURER tive for 1989. The Publications and Executive Committees were authorized to MARY LOUISE GLEASON, New York City consider the possibility of a reduced combined subscription rate for those indi­ EDITOR 'Jiduals who subscribe to both Isis and Osiris. CHARLES ROSENBERG, University of The Treasurer was authorized to spend up to $2,000 in the next fiscal year on Pennsylvania expenses of her office, this amount to be subtracted from the sum budgeted for outside bookkeeping, which she expects to need only quarterly rather than monthly as in the past. The lieasurer pointed out that there are potential budget difficulties in the future, since we are currently using Reserve Funds to Tbe Newsletter of tbe History of Science make up the difference between income and expenses, and this cannot be con­ Society is published in January, April, July, and tinued indefinitely. Osiris currently costs considerably more than it takes in in October. Regular issues are sent to those indi­ vidual members of the Society residing in subscriptions, as was expected for the initial years of publication. The Publica­ North America. Airmail copies are sent to those tions Committee is beginning the planned five-year review of Osiris and to this members overseas who pay $5 yearly to cover end placed a questionnaire on Osiris in the October Newsletter. postal costs. The Newsletter is available to non­ members and institutions for $20 a year. In 1989-1990 the subject for National History Day will come from the history The Newsletter is overseen by a Steering of science or technology. The Council voted to offer $500 in prize money in Committee consisting of the President, the continued on next page Executive Secretary, and the Editor of the His­ tory of Science Society. It is edited by the Execu­ tive Secretary, Dr. Michael Sokal, and is produced at the Society's Publications Office under the supervision of Dr. Frances Kohler. Send news items to Newsletter, History of Science Society, c/o Michael Sokal, Department of Humanities, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609. The deadline for receipt of news is the tenth of the month prior to publication; for articles and other long copy, the first of the month. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE NOMINEES FOR VICE PRESIDENT 5 HSSPRIZE COMPETITIONS ANNOUNCED 14 MANCHESTER MEETING Ricluud S. Westfall, winner of the 1987 Zeitlin-VerBrugge Prize, with Frederick Gregory, cbaii of REGISTRATION FORM 16 the Committee on Prizes and Honors page2 History or Sdalce Society 11nn1euer NEWS OF THE SOCIETY-continued year period to review and evaluate the divisions. Professor Numbers will begin Society's current programs and priorities his official term as Editor on 1 January connection with this event. Kathryn with an eye to deciding the directions in 1989. Olesko, as chair of the Committee on which we want to move in the future. Education, will talk to the organizers of In addition to the motions passed by the FUTURE ANNUAL MEETINGS National History Day about the detailed Council, reported above, there were, of arrangements. course, extended substantive discussions William Ashworth has been appointed The Council endorsed the 1940 AAUP of the various committee reports, the program chair for the 1989 annual meet­ Statement of Principles on Academic results of which will emerge in the course ing to be held in Gainesville, Florida, 26- Freedom and Tenure, something it had not of time. 29 October. Frederick Gregory and Robert done earlier. It also adopted for transmis­ Hatch are local arrangements chairs. At the Council meeting in Raleigh in sion to the Business Meeting proposed MOTIONS PASSED BY THE 1987 October, Seattle was approved as the site Bylaws on Interest Groups in the Society, BUSINESS MEETING as detailed elsewhere in this Newsletter. for the annual HSS meeting in the fall of It passed a motion directing the President Those present at the Business Meeting 1990 (local arrangements chair: Keith to write a letter to the relevant authorities voted to accept the Council's recommen­ Benson) and Madison, Wisconsin, was stating in the strongest terms the Society's dation that the proposed Bylaws on Inter­ approved as the site for the HSS annual opposition to the proposed dismantling of est Groups, as modified by friendly meeting in the fall of 1991. It is expected the Library of Congress card catalogue. amendment in the Council meeting, be that the 1992 meeting will be a joint Proposed sites for the 1990 and 1991 adopted. As a point of clarification it was meeting with the American Historical annual meetings were approved, as re­ stated that only additional funds raised Association. ported elsewhere. and not dues of the interest group would The Council accepted for transmission be required to be audited. See the state­ THEMATIC MEETINGS to the Business Meeting the Committee ment of the Bylaws on page 4. The Business Meeting, like the Coun­ The HSS .Committee on Thematic Meet­ on Apartheid's recommendation that the ings has endorsed the 200th birthday Society organize a session at the Cincin­ cil, also passed a motion directing the Officers of the Society to protest strongly anniversary celebration for Charles Bab­ nati meeting concerning such subjects as bage in 1991. The principal organizer of the history of anthropology in Africa, the against the dismantling of the Library of Congress card catalogue. the event is the Institution of Electrical impact of racial segregation on science, Engineers in London. The Charles Bab- the scientific concept of race, or other In addition to these motions passed, the Business Meeting also discussed at some bage Institute at the University of Minne-~ similar topics that might enable the Soci­ sota is a cosponsor. ety to make a positive contribution toward length the current financial status of Osiris and the ways in which it might The Committee on Thematic Meetings the eventual end of the apartheid system has recommended HSS cosponsorship of a in South Africa. In accepting this recom­ become self-sustaining in the next few years. The various motions passed by the symposium on the history of modern mendation, the Council decided against mathematics to be held at Vassar College, the alternative of recommending divest­ Council the previous day were reported, including the recommendation to ask the Poughkeepsie, New York, 13-17 June ment. 1988. Graduate students wishing to apply Modified guidelines for the Watson program committee to arrange a special joint session in Cincinnati on race, soci­ for travel funds to the meeting should Davis Prize, spelling out the coordination write to the HSS Executive Secretary, of procedures for the Society's various ety, and science or related subjects. It was suggested that there be a more regular Michael Sokal, for further information. prizes (for instance, that a single letter The committee has also recommended should be sent to publishers asking for procedure by which issues discussed at one Business Meeting and left unsettled HSS cosponsorship of a conference cele­ nominations for the Pfizer Award, Watson brating the 350th anniversary of Des­ Davis Prize, and Prize for History of might be made part of the agenda of the subsequent Business Meeting. cartes's Discourse on Method, to be held Women in Science), were accepted. 15-17 April1988 at San Jose State Univer­ It was decided that the person with the sity. Graduate students wishing to apply EDITORSHIP OF NEWSLETTER next highest number of votes in the 1987 for travel funds to this meeting should election to Council should be appointed SHIFTS TO SOKAL write promptly to Michael Sokal, HSS to fill out the last year of Michael Sokal's With this issue the editorship of the Executive Secretary, for further informa­ elected term on·Council. John Beatty will Newsletter shifts to the new Executive tion. consequently be a member of the Council Secretary, Michael Sokal. News items for for 1988. future newsletters should be sent to him. TRAVEL SUPPORT It was decided to ask the 1987 Nomi­ TO BSHS-HSS MEETING nating Committee to nominate two candi­ SEARCH FOR THE EDITOR OF ISIS dates for Vice-President in 1988-1989 to The History of Science Society is explor­ become President in 1990-1991. The The Council has voted to accept the ing possible sources of funding to assist 1987 committee was instructed to consult recommendation of the Committee on participants in the joint meeting with the with the 1988 Nominating Committee. Publications that Ronald Numbers be British Society for the History of Science The results of this endeavor are an­ appointed Editor of Isis, the appointment with their travel expenses. Those in need nounced elsewhere in the Newsletter. being contingent on appropriate assur­ of financial assistance are urged to send a Mary Jo Nye was authorized to appoint ances of financial and staff support from letter of application by 1 March 1988 to a committee to work over a one- or two- the University of Wisconsin or its various Michael Sokal, Department of Humani- )Muryll88 ties, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, of the committee, Pamela E.