RG XXI: Workshop on the History of the Evolution of Modern Mathematics
Historical Note
Activities relating to the Workshop on the Historical Development of Modern Mathematics primarily occurred between 1973-1975. Beginning in 1974, it became a sub-committee of the larger Committee on the History of Recent Science and Technology upon that Committee’s creation. The purpose of the project was to bring together practicing mathematicians and historians of mathematics to discuss the historical development of mathematical ideas in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Garret Birkhoff served as chair for the duration of work.
On August 7-9, 1974, the Academy held a two-day workshop at its House separated into four half-day sessions: Algebra; Topology; Foundation of Mathematics; and Problems of Historical Method in the History of Mathematics. It was planned by I. Bernard Cohen, Thomas Hawkins, and Garret Birkhoff, with advice from Kenneth May and Felix Browder. The proceedings were published in the November 1975 issue of Historica Mathematica and were edited by Garret Birkhoff, with the assistance of Sue Ann Garwood.
Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Scope and Content
The series is contained within the Academy Archives’ Record Group XXI: Academy Projects and Programs. This series contains the records related to the Workshop on the Evolution of Modern Mathematics, from 1971, 1973 to 1976 held by the executive office of John Voss, primarily by Alexandra Oleson with other project files. Included among the records are administrative records relating to the NSF grant, workshop plans and arrangements, and publication.
Significant material includes responses to invitation, draft papers for the workshop, and a copy of the resulting proceedings published November 1974 in the Historica Mathematica.
See related records RGXXII: Academy Projects and Programs, Committee on the History of Recent Science and Technology.
Arrangement
Processing for the series utilized MPLP principles, thus minimum preservation steps were taken, and folder titles listed in the finding aid are as they appear on the actual folders. Records of the Committee were kept by Alexandra (Sandy) Oleson, within the Executive Office of John Voss. Papers were loose without folders; however original order was roughly maintained with ascribed folder titles given to groups of papers. Some files were created outside the filing system and were incorporated with like materials.
The series contains no subseries and is arranged chronologically.
ITEM LIST
Box 1
| Folder 1 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Planning, 1971, 1973] [folder 1 of 2] |
| Folder 2 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Planning, 1971, 1973] [folder 2 of 2] |
| Folder 3 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Invitation - Letter of Inquiry, 1973 May- Jul] |
| Folder 4 | [loose] [Addendum to Proposal for Conf. on History of Modern Mathematics, 1973-1974] |
| Folder 5 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Invitation and Responses, 1973-1974] |
| Folder 6 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Invitation and Responses, 1974] |
| Folder 7 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Invitation - RSVP Form Responses, 1974] |
| Folder 8 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Arrangements, 1973-1974] [folder 1 of 2] |
| Folder 9 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Arrangements, 1973-1974] [folder 2 of 2] |
| Folder 10 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Papers, 1974] [folder 1 of 2] |
| Folder 11 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Papers, 1974] [folder 2 of 2] |
| Folder 12 | Histoy of Mathematics -1974 - Miscellaneous [Transcripts and Papers] |
| Folder 13 | History of Mathematics - 1974 - Analysis and Topology [Papers] |
| Folder 14 | History of Mathematics - 1974 - Foundations [Papers] |
| Folder 15 | History of Mathematics - 1974 - Historiography [Papers] |
| Folder 16 | History of Mathematics - 1974 - Algebra [Papers] |
| Folder 17 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Post-conference Correspondence, 1974] |
| Folder 18 | Math - Publication [1974] |
| Folder 19 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Publication, 1974-1975] [folder 1 of 2] |
| Folder 20 | [loose] [Conference on the History of Mathematics - Publication, 1974-1975] [folder 2 of 2] |
| Folder 21 | [bound] Historia Mathematica, Vol. 2, pp. 425-624 / November 1975 “Proceedings of the American Academy Workshop on the Evolution of Modern Mathematics Held at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts, August 1-9, 1974.” Edited by Garrett Birkhoff with the assistance of Sue Ann Garwood. |
| Folder 22 | [loose] [Final Report Submitted to NSF, June 29, 1976] |