Thomas F. Peterson Collection Celebration

The Kelvin Smith Library is celebrating the recent gift of a significant collection of rare books related to the history of science and technology donated by Thomas F. Peterson Jr. on Tuesday, November 5 at 4 p.m. in the Dampeer Room at KSL.  Mr. Peterson, whose passion for the study of electricity and magnetism inspired the collection, will be the guest of honor.  The books include the works of scientists like Robert Boyle, Athanaseus Kircher, Joseph Priestley, Isaac Newton and Galileo Galilei in rare first editions.


The celebration, co-sponsored by the CWRU Department of History, will feature a lecture by noted scholar Dr. William Newman, Distinguished Professor of the History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine at Indiana University. Dr. Newman studies early modern science and scientists. He will highlight the scientists whose work is represented in the collection including: Galileo Galilei: Istoria e Dimostrazioni Intono Alle Macchie Solari (History and Demonstration Concerning Sunspots) (1613); Christoph Scheiner: Rosa Ursina (1630); Robert Boyle: Experiments and Considerations Touching on Colours (1664); Gaspar Schott: Technica Curiosa (1664); Robert Hooke: Six Chutherian Lectures (1674); and Isaac Newton: The Method of Fluxions (1736). Dr. Newman will provide insight into what scholars can learn about the history of science with access to works like these.


A reception will follow the lecture, during which guests can view an exhibit of items from the collection, including items from a previous donation from Mr. Peterson related to the history of telegraphy.

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