Science & Mathematics

Chemical Balance

The Museum's collections hold thousands of objects related to chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and other sciences. Instruments range from early American telescopes to lasers. Rare glassware and other artifacts from the laboratory of Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen, are among the scientific treasures here. A Gilbert chemistry set of about 1937 and other objects testify to the pleasures of amateur science. Artifacts also help illuminate the social and political history of biology and the roles of women and minorities in science.

The mathematics collection holds artifacts from slide rules and flash cards to code-breaking equipment. More than 1,000 models demonstrate some of the problems and principles of mathematics, and 80 abstract paintings by illustrator and cartoonist Crockett Johnson show his visual interpretations of mathematical theorems.

Topic: Religion

Kappa Mu Epsilon Certificate of Recognition

In April 1981 in Springfield, Missouri, Kappa Mu Epsilon celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. At this celebration KME, a mathematics honor society with chapters at institutions that emphasize undergraduate mathematics programs, named fifty members as Distinguished Members.
Description
In April 1981 in Springfield, Missouri, Kappa Mu Epsilon celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. At this celebration KME, a mathematics honor society with chapters at institutions that emphasize undergraduate mathematics programs, named fifty members as Distinguished Members. Sister Helen Sullivan was one of those so honored.
In about 1936 Sister Helen Sullivan organized Euclid’s Circle, a mathematics club at Mount St. Scholastica College. In 1940 she founded the Kansas Gamma Chapter of Kappa Mu Epsilon there. Sullivan often served as the faculty sponsor of her local chapter of KME, and in 1967 the alumnae of that chapter established the Sister Helen Sullivan scholarship in her honor. On the national level Sullivan served as KME’s historian in the years 1943–47, and as an assistant editor of its journal, The Pentagon, during those years and again from 1961–70.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1981
maker
Kappa Mu Epsilon
ID Number
1993.3019.03
nonaccession number
1993.3019
catalog number
1993.3019.03

Engraved woodblock of an "Iroquois mask"

This engraved woodblock of an "Iroquois Mask" was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published as Plate XXII.49 (p.
Description
This engraved woodblock of an "Iroquois Mask" was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published as Plate XXII.49 (p. 189) in an article by William Healey Dall (1845-1927) entitled “On Masks, Labrets, and Certain Aboriginal Customs with an Inquiry into the Bearing of Their Geographical Distribution” in the Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian, 1881-82. According to the annual report, the mask was “used by the order of ‘Falsefaces’.” Lewis Henry Morgan (1818-1881) was the original artist.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1884
publisher
Bureau of American Ethnology
printer
Government Printing Office
author
Dall, William H.
original artist
Morgan, L. H.
block maker
A. P. J. & Co.
ID Number
1980.0219.0437
accession number
1980.0219
catalog number
1980.0219.0437

Engraved woodblock of a "Haida medicine rattle"

This engraved woodblock of a “Haida medicine rattle” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the image was published as Plate XXII.50 (p.189) in an article by William Healey Dall (1845-1927) entitled “On Masks, Labrets, and Certain Aboriginal Customs w
Description
This engraved woodblock of a “Haida medicine rattle” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the image was published as Plate XXII.50 (p.189) in an article by William Healey Dall (1845-1927) entitled “On Masks, Labrets, and Certain Aboriginal Customs with an Inquiry into the Bearing of Their Geographical Distribution” in the Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian, 1881-82. According to the annual report, the mask shows “the shaman, frog, and kingfisher with continuous tongues.” The image was drawn from a “specimen obtained by J. G. Swan [(1818-1900)] at Port Townsend, W. T. from a Queen Charlotte Island Haida.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1884
publisher
Bureau of American Ethnology
printer
Government Printing Office
author
Dall, William H.
ID Number
1980.0219.1294
catalog number
1980.0219.1294
accession number
1980.0219

Engraved woodblock of a "Zuni effigy"

This engraved woodblock of a “Zuni effigy” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published in 1883 as Figure 463 (p.365) in an article by James Stevenson (1840-1888) entitled “Illustrated Catalogue of the Collections Obtained from the I
Description
This engraved woodblock of a “Zuni effigy” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published in 1883 as Figure 463 (p.365) in an article by James Stevenson (1840-1888) entitled “Illustrated Catalogue of the Collections Obtained from the Indians of New Mexico and Arizona in 1879” in the Second Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian, 1880-81.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1883
publisher
Bureau of American Ethnology
printer
Government Printing Office
author
Stevenson, James
ID Number
1980.0219.0141
catalog number
1980.0219.0141
accession number
1980.0219

Engraved woodblock of an "Indian mask from the northwest coast of America"

This engraved woodblock of an “Indian mask from the northwest coast of America” was prepared by Henry Hobart Nichols (1838-1887) and the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published in 1884 as Plate XIII.20 (p.171) in an article by William Healey Dall (
Description
This engraved woodblock of an “Indian mask from the northwest coast of America” was prepared by Henry Hobart Nichols (1838-1887) and the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published in 1884 as Plate XIII.20 (p.171) in an article by William Healey Dall (1845-1927) entitled “On Masks, Labrets, and Certain Aboriginal Customs with an Inquiry into the Bearing of Their Geographical Distribution” in the Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian, 1881-82.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1884
publisher
Bureau of American Ethnology
printer
Government Printing Office
author
Dall, William H.
graphic artist
Nichols, H. H.
block maker
N. J. Wemmer
ID Number
1980.0219.0165
catalog number
1980.0219.0165
accession number
1980.0219

Engraved woodblock of a "Dancer holding up the great plumed arrow"

This engraved woodblock for “Dancer holding up the great plumed arrow” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published as Figure 54 (p.434) in an article by Dr.
Description
This engraved woodblock for “Dancer holding up the great plumed arrow” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published as Figure 54 (p.434) in an article by Dr. Washington Matthews (1843-1905) entitled “The Mountain Chant: a Navajo ceremony” in the Fifth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian, 1883-84.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1887
publisher
Bureau of American Ethnology
printer
Government Printing Office
block maker
A. P. J. & Co.
author
Matthews, Washington
ID Number
1980.0219.0438
accession number
1980.0219
catalog number
1980.0219.0438

Engraved woodblock of an "Aleut dancing or mortuary mask"

This engraved woodblock of an “Aleut dancing or mortuary mask” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published in 1884 as Plate XXVIII.71 (p.201) in an article by William Healey Dall (1845-1927) entitled “On Masks, Labrets, and Certain
Description
This engraved woodblock of an “Aleut dancing or mortuary mask” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the print was published in 1884 as Plate XXVIII.71 (p.201) in an article by William Healey Dall (1845-1927) entitled “On Masks, Labrets, and Certain Aboriginal Customs with an Inquiry into the Bearing of Their Geographical Distribution” in the Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian, 1881-82.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1884
publisher
Bureau of American Ethnology
printer
Government Printing Office
author
Dall, William H.
ID Number
1980.0219.0164
catalog number
1980.0219.0164
accession number
1980.0219

Engraved woodblock of the "Dance of the Nahikai"

This engraved woodblock of the “Dance of the Nahikai” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the image was published as Plate XII (p.438) in an article by Dr.
Description
This engraved woodblock of the “Dance of the Nahikai” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the image was published as Plate XII (p.438) in an article by Dr. Washington Matthews (1843-1905) entitled “The Mountain Chant: a Navajo ceremony” in the Fifth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian, 1883-84. The illustration was engraved by Henry Hobart Nichols (1838-1887).
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1887
publisher
Bureau of American Ethnology
printer
Government Printing Office
graphic artist
Nichols, H. H.
author
Matthews, Washington
block maker
A. P. J. & Co.
ID Number
1980.0219.1539
accession number
1980.0219
catalog number
1980.0219.1539

Engraved woodblock of an "Indian mask from the northwest coast of America"

This engraved woodblock of an “Indian mask from the northwest coast of America” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the image was published as Plate XIV.23 (p.173) in an article by William Healey Dall (1845-1927) entitled “On Masks, Labrets, and Ce
Description
This engraved woodblock of an “Indian mask from the northwest coast of America” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the image was published as Plate XIV.23 (p.173) in an article by William Healey Dall (1845-1927) entitled “On Masks, Labrets, and Certain Aboriginal Customs with an Inquiry into the Bearing of Their Geographical Distribution” in the Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian, 1881-82. According to the annual report, the image shows a “dancing mask used by the Indians of Cape Flattery, Washington Territory” and was originally drawn by J.G. Swan (1818-1900).
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1884
publisher
Bureau of American Ethnology
printer
Government Printing Office
author
Dall, William H.
original artist
Swan, J. G.
ID Number
1980.0219.1011
catalog number
1980.0219.1011
accession number
1980.0219

Engraved woodblock of a "Dancer 'swallowing' the great plumed arrow"

This engraved woodblock of a “Dancer ‘swallowing’ the great plumed arrow” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the image was published as Figure 55 (p.434) in an article by Dr.
Description
This engraved woodblock of a “Dancer ‘swallowing’ the great plumed arrow” was prepared by the Government Printing Office in Washington, D.C.; the image was published as Figure 55 (p.434) in an article by Dr. Washington Matthews (1843-1905) entitled “The Mountain Chant: a Navajo ceremony” in the Fifth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian, 1883-84.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1887
block maker
A.P.J. & Co.
printer
Government Printing Office
publisher
Bureau of American Ethnology
author
Matthews, Washington
ID Number
1980.0219.1112
catalog number
1980.0219.1112
accession number
1980.0219

Publications of Sister Helen Sullivan

Sister M. Helen Sullivan donated items to the Smithsonian on the occasion of the August 31, 1981, meeting honoring American women in mathematics. Among these materials were several of her publications.1993.3019.06.01.
Description
Sister M. Helen Sullivan donated items to the Smithsonian on the occasion of the August 31, 1981, meeting honoring American women in mathematics. Among these materials were several of her publications.
1993.3019.06.01. Her doctoral dissertation: The Number and Reality of the Non-Self-Symmetric Quadrilaterals In-and-Circumscribed to the Rational Unicuspidal Quartic with a Line of Symmetry, (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America, 1934).
1993.3019.06.02. Typewritten and bound text: The Christian Approach to Science: A Philosophic Integration for Science Majors in Liberal Arts Colleges. This text was used in a class Sullivan taught at Loyola University during the summer of 1949.
1993.3019.06.03. Published book: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, (New York: Vantage Press, Inc., 1952).
1993.3019.06.04. Spiral-bound copy of her published book An Introduction to the Philosophy of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (1993.3019.06.03) with “Additional Suggested Readings and Bibliography (Revised List – 1960).”
1993.3019.06.05. Carbon copy of a typescript, “Undergraduate Research in Mathematics.” Sullivan presented this paper at a meeting of the American Benedictine Academy in Canon City, Colorado, August 1961.
1993.3019.06.06. Carbon copy of a typescript, “Undergraduate Research in Mathematics in Catholic Colleges for Women.” Sullivan presented the paper at a meeting of the American Benedictine Academy in St. Josesph, Minnesota, August 1965.
1993.3019.06.07. Copy of a typescript with a removable hard cover, “Geometric Transformations.” A unit produced by the College Geometry Project, Minnesota School Mathematics and Science Center, University of Minnesota, under a grant from the National Science Foundation, August 1966.
1993.3019.06.08. Syllabus for a course, MA 465 Modern Geometry, taught by Sullivan at Mount St. Scholastica College during the first semester of the academic year 1969–70.
1993.3019.06.09. Copy of an article, “Catholicism in Ireland, As I See It,” The Furrow 22 (Fall 1971): 615-21. This was published in an Irish journal shortly after Sister Helen Sullivan spent a sabbatical year at University College, Galway.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1934-1970s
maker
Sullivan, Sister Helen
ID Number
1993.3019.06
nonaccession number
1993.3019
catalog number
1993.3019.06

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