A Little More on the History of Science

Since I had a good response on my major...

I decided to write a little bit about my major. So today in my History of Media class (HSCI 3493) we took a class field trip up to the 5th floor of the Bizzel Memorial Library, Galileo's World, and what I like to think of the home of the History of Science Collections. The History of Science department was established in 1972.

 

 These images are my own taken today, (Sept. 10, 2018) in the History of Science collections in the Bizzell Memorial Library. This room is filled with various sizes of Bibles, from the smallest no bigger than my fingernail to vary large and thick editions. I believe most are in different languages. I tried to get a panoramic view of the room, but as my class was in there with me I had to do it in sections.

 This is a few of the smallest Bibles that we have here at OU, and there is even one smaller than the ones shown here. In the image below there is a "few" of the larger Bibles. The book cases along the bottom encompassing about half of the room is filled with these larger and thicker Bibles. I even want to say that here in the collections we have a copy (or a facsimile) of the Luther Bible translated into German from Latin.

 This is a Historic plaque in the room giving us some information on the Bible Collection that we have. "William Bennett Bizzell, president of The University of Oklahoma from 1925 to 1941, purchased his first old Bible for $1 while a college student in Boston. That Geneva Bible is just one of the 665 Bibles included in the Bizzell Bible Collection.
In addition to more common European languages such as Greek, Latin, German, French and Spanish, President Bizzell collected many Bibles in numerous other languages such as Cherokee, Muskogee, Hindi, Swahili, Javanese, Mongolian, Tartan, Mooltan, and Turkish. Additional related works include commentaries, textual studies, illustrations, geographies and histories of the holy land, works on the life of Christ, prayer books and hymnals. The collection includes several incunabula (books published in the infancy of printing, before 1500). The oldest book is a hand-painted manuscript prayer book written on vellum in the fifteenth century.
The collection was given to the University in 1949 by Bizzell's family, with the provision that it be kept intact. Since 1987, the collection has been housed in the Gaylord Room of the Bizzell Memorial Library. President Bizzell's love for scholarship and books is reflected in his drive to complete the University Library in 1930. A statue of President Bizzell gazes perpetually on the south entrance to the library which now bears his name." From the Library's page about the Bible collection.

"Since 1983 students have had the opportunity to complete requirements for a Minor in the History of Science. In 2011, the BA in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine was approved, thereby offering OU students an undergraduate program in which to inquire into the development of scientific thought from its origins in the cultural and intellectual efforts of the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece and Rome, through the Islamic and Christian civilizations of the Middle Ages, to the modern period. History of science courses place strong emphasis upon both the internal growth of scientific ideas and their development within the wider political, social, economic, religious, and cultural context of Western history."--From the Home page of the department of the History of Science. This makes since as to why it took me so long to find this department and for a degree program that I truly love.

 

From Christoph von Hellwig book published in 1720 

Here is a current (fall2018) class catalogue in the History of Science. For all of the medical professionals look into taking History of Public Health (HSCI 3263) with Aparna Nair. Interesting at taking a look at pictures and information of diseases that affect the public. I am sure the department will update the list of classes for the spring 2019 semester (or later semesters if you are reading this at a later date) closer to when it is time to enroll for the next semester.

 

And we even have a book on William Shakespeare

The History of Science Collections have a Twitter and a Facebook page if you would like to follow them for more of what they have in the massive collections here at OU. I have been told by numerous faculty that "We have one of the largest collections in the History of Science here in the Nation." That is saying a lot since our undergrad department is still so new. If you have yet to go and see Galileo's World or been to the History of Science collection, please go. The people that work there are wonderful and would love to have more undergraduates come to visit. For more information on classes in the History of Science department you can talk to Stella Stuart as she is (and my) advisor. Follow the link above to the departments website for her contact information.  

From Leonhart Fuchs book on Botany publish in 1542