Thomas L. Hankins papers, 1964-2000

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Hankins, Thomas L
Title
Thomas L. Hankins papers
Dates
1964-2000 (inclusive)
Quantity
9.69 cubic feet (11 boxes)
Collection Number
5186
Summary
Writings, research, correspondence, course files, committee files, and lecture materials of Thomas Hankins, a Professor of History at the University of Washington, Seattle
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Open to all users.

Languages
English, French

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Thomas Leroy Hankins is Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington Department of History. He was born September 9, 1933. He earned a B.S. in physics from Yale in 1956, an M.A.T. from Harvard in 1958, and a Ph.D. in history from Cornell in 1964. Hankins began his service at the University of Washington as an assistant professor in the History Department in 1964. He was promoted to associate professor in 1969 and full professor in 1975. Hankins retired in 2000. From 1971 to 1973 he also served as associate chairman of the History Department. He served on the History Department Curriculum Committee and numerous search committees.

Hankins specialized in the history of science, focusing on 18th-19th century mathematical physics and scientific biography. He was an active member of the History of Science Society, acting as advisory editor of the Society's quarterly journal Isis from 1976 to 1980, and as contributing editor to the Society's annual journal Osiris. He also served as the Publications Committee chair for the History of Science Society from 1987 to 1989. Hankins was active in the international community of historians of science, serving as chair of the United States National Committee for the International Union of the History and Philosophy of Science from 1983 to 1985.

Hankins' publications include: Jean d'Alembert: Science and the Enlightenment; Science and the Enlightenment; Sir William Rowan Hamilton; and Instruments and the Imagination (with Robert Silverman).

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Writings, research, correspondence, course files, committee files, and lecture materials related to Thomas Hankins' career as a professor and historian of science.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 2 accessions.

  • Accession No. 5186-001, Thomas L. Hankins papers, 1964-2000
  • Accession No. 5186-002, Thomas L. Hankins papers, 1965-1994

Processing Note

Processed in 2005-2006 by Eric Anderson and Daniel Waters.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 5186-001: Thomas L. Hankins papers, 1964-2000Return to Top

9 cubic feet (9 boxes)

Scope and Content: The Thomas L. Hankins papers document Hankins' research, teaching, and publishing activities during his 36 years as professor of history at the University of Washington. The papers contain material relating to his publications as well as unpublished research. His research files concern both technical and social aspects of science history. They provide insight into the development of his publications on the 18th century French mathematician and physicist Jean Le Rond d'Alembert, and Enlightenment era science. They also describe the 10 years of research and correspondence that culminated in Hankins' intellectual biography of 19th century Irish mathematician Sir William Rowan Hamilton. The Hankins papers document his relationship with the History of Science Society and its journal Isis—as a committee member, a book and article reviewer, and an article contributor. The collection also reveals a collaborative project, with David C. Lindberg among others, to develop a history of science textbook for college courses, which was ultimately aborted.

Hankins was an energetic promoter of history of science research both at the University of Washington and internationally. These papers document his views on graduate education in history, his course topics and teaching style, and his support of an interdisciplinary degree program for History of Science, Technology and Medicine at the University of Washington. They also afford a glimpse into the mechanics of promoting and organizing an international conference of historians and philosophers of science that united researchers from both sides of the "iron curtain" in the early 1980s.

The papers include correspondence with a wide array of historians, scientists, philosophers, and friends. They contain writings, course files, university and departmental committee files, History of Science Society, and International Union of the History and Philosophy of Science-United States National Committee records.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Thomas Hankins in 2000.

Arrangement: Arranged into 6 series:
  • Personal and professional papers, 1964-2000
  • University of Washington committee files, 1977-1991
  • University of Washington History Department records, 1964-1991
  • Columbia History of Science Group records,1986-1995
  • History of Science Society records, 1965-1993
  • International Union of the History and Philosophy of Science, United States National Committee records, 1978-1988
Container(s) Description Dates
Series 1: Personal and Professional Papers
1964-2000
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 5186-001
Biographical Information
undated
General Correspondence
Scope and Content: Writings from various authors are included with correspondence in some folders.
Box/Folder Accession
1/2-38 5186-001
A-L
1965-1998
2/1-30 5186-001
Mc-Z
Scope and Content: Folder 22 includes one photograph of Hankins with Marina Tolmacheva and an unidentified person in the background, Friday Harbor, Washington, 1990.
1965-1998
2/31 5186-001
American Philosophical Society Library
1974-1977
2/32-33 5186-001
Badash, Lawrence
1970-1972
2/34 5186-001
Bauman, Harold
1965, 1967
2/35 5186-001
Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (Stanford)
1984, undated
2/36 5186-001
De Villafranca, George W.
1968
2/37 5186-001
Farrar, Lancelot
1973-1975
2/38 5186-001
Federico, P. J.
1975-1980
2/39-40 5186-001
Goslin, David
1983-1985, 1988
2/41-42 5186-001
Greenberg, John Leonard
1973, 1981, 1983-1986, 1988
2/43 5186-001
Guerlac, Henry
1965, 1968-1973
3/1 5186-001
Hahn, Roger
1965-1972, 1983-1984
3/2 5186-001
Hindle, Brooke
1984-1985
3/3 5186-001
Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences
1982, 1986
3/4 5186-001
Hogness, John R.
1974-1975
3/5 5186-001
Holl, Jack M.
1974-1975
3/6-7 5186-001
Hunt, Bruce J.
1980-1987
3/8 5186-001
International Academy of the History of Science
1993-2000
3/9 5186-001
The Johns Hopkins University Press
1978-1980
3/10 5186-001
Kargon, Robert
1965-1975, 1982, 1984, 1993
3/11 5186-001
Katz, Solomon
1977-1979, 1983
3/12 5186-001
KCTS/9
1981-1982
3/13 5186-001
Kuhn, Thomas
1967-1969
3/14 5186-001
Lindberg, David C.
1966
3/15 5186-001
Machamer, Peter K.
1972-1973
3/16 5186-001
May, Kenneth O.
1968-1970
3/17 5186-001
Odegaard, Charles E.
1969-1973
3/18 5186-001
Pitt, Joseph C.
1992-1995
3/19 5186-001
Porter, Roy S.
1974-1978, 1994
3/20 5186-001
Pyenson, Lewis
1977-1983
3/21 5186-001
Richards, Joan L.
Scope and Content: Includes writings of Joan L. Richards.
1978-1979, 1988, 1994
3/22 5186-001
Roberts, David
1964-1966
3/23 5186-001
Schwab, Richard N.
1966-1968
3/24 5186-001
Scott, Wilson L.
1968, 1972
3/25 5186-001
Shapere, Dudley
1967-1970
3/26 5186-001
Sokal, Michael M.
1979-1989
3/27 5186-001
Spitzer, Paul
1968-1971
3/28 5186-001
Stacey, Robert C.
1992-1997
3/29 5186-001
Strickland, Stuart
1991-1992
3/30 5186-001
Tenner, Edward
1982, 1989, 1991
3/31-32 5186-001
Terrall, Mary
1986-1993
3/33 5186-001
Turner, G. L'E
1989, undated
3/34 5186-001
University of Hawaii
1978-1980
3/35 5186-001
Van de Wetering, Maxine and John
1966, 1968-1970
3/36 5186-001
Van Helden, Albert
1989
3/37-38 5186-001
Voisé, Waldemar
Scope and Content: Includes writings of Waldemar Voisé.
1964-1965, 1967, 1983
3/39 5186-001
Weiner, Charles
1972-1973
3/40 5186-001
Westfall, Richard S.
1976, 1982-1983
3/41 5186-001
Williams, L. Pearce
1981, 1987, 1991-1997
3/42 5186-001
Woolf, Harry
1970-1973
General Correspondence Regarding
Box/Folder Accession
3/43 5186-001
18th Century Mathematics
1982-1986
3/44 5186-001
Bouvet and Leibniz Correspondence Project
1978-1981
3/45 5186-001
Coleridge, Samuel Taylor
1974, undated
3/46-48 5186-001
D'Alembert book
1966-1973
3/49 5186-001
Evans, James
1982-1986
3/50-51 5186-001
Greene, Mott T.
1974-1995, undated
3/52-54 5186-001
Hamilton, William Rowan, Sir
Scope and Content: Includes communication with A.P.W. Malcomson, John W. H. O' Regan, William O' Sullivan, Helena Pycior, Patrick A. Wayman, and Jacqueline Wehmueller.
1972-1979
4/1-2 5186-001
Hamilton, William Rowan, Sir
1972-1979
4/3 5186-001
Hanford Project
1981, 1984-1985
4/4 5186-001
Jean Scott Prize
1992-1993
4/5 5186-001
Kilcup, Rodney W.
1978-1981
4/6 5186-001
Oeuvres de D'Alembert
1991, 1993
4/7 5186-001
Salmon, Wesley C. (Danz Lectureship)
1978-1979
4/8 5186-001
Sloan, Phillip
1977-1979, 1990
4/9 5186-001
University of British Columbia History Workshop
1971
Interdepartmental Correspondence Regarding
Box/Folder Accession
4/10 5186-001
Academic Programs (History of Science, Technology, and Medicine)
1987-1988, 1994, 1996, undated
4/11 5186-001
Academic Program Board
1981
4/12 5186-001
Alumni Vacation College
1978, undated
4/13 5186-001
Film Forum
1977
4/14-16 5186-001
John and Jessie Danz Lectureship
1973-1983, undated
4/17 5186-001
Katz Lecture
1988
4/18 5186-001
Nakayama, Shigeru lecture
1982, undated
Speeches and Writings
Scope and Content: Also includes correspondence.
Box/Folder Accession
4/19 5186-001
1788 Exposition at the Musee de la Revolucion Francaise
1987-1988
4/20 5186-001
CHANCE Article
1998-1999, undated
4/21-22 5186-001
D'Alembert, Jean Le Rond
Scope and Content: Contains writings on other 18th century natural philosophers, as well as various aspects of 18th century physics.
undated
4/23 5186-001
Hamilton Chapter for Trinity College Dublin
1979, 1981-1983
4/24-35 5186-001
History of Science Textbook Project
Scope and Content: Folder 4/27 includes an undated photograph of Hankins, David C. Lindberg, and four unidentified persons.
1984-1991, undated
5/1-2 5186-001
History of Science Textbook Project
1984-1991, undated
5/3 5186-001
"History of Science: The Creation of a Discipline"
undated
5/4-5 5186-001
Newton's Legacy (Symposium)
1987-1989
5/6 5186-001
"Personality, Metaphysics and Mathematics in the life of Sir William Rowan Hamilton"
1980
5/7 5186-001
Edit of an article for Random House Encyclopedia Microsoft Version
1993, undated
5/8-10 5186-001
Science and the Enlightenment
Scope and Content: Includes 2 transparencies. One 8x10 of the tree of knowledge from D'Alembert and Diderot's Encyclopédie of 1750, and one 3x5 of Lavoisier conducting an experiment on human respiration.
1977-1988, 1990, undated
5/11 5186-001
Sir William Rowan Hamilton
1980, 1986, undated
5/12-13 5186-001
William Rowan Hamilton
Scope and Content: Contains notes and bibliography on works relating to Hamilton.
undated
5/14 5186-001
"William Rowan Hamilton-- A Portrait on Paper"
1984-1985
5/15 5186-001
William Rowan Hamilton Lecture Discourse
1985
Speeches and Writings of Others
Box/Folder Accession
5/16 5186-001
"Growth and Diversity in the Organization of American Learning" by Dael Wolfe
1983, 1986-1987, undated
5/17 5186-001
Miscellaneous
1971, 1979, undated
Course Files
Box/Folder Accession
5/18 5186-001
20th Century European History
1969, 1972, undated
5/19 5186-001
Bibliography and Syllabi
1968, 1970-1971, 1982, 1993
5/20-21 5186-001
Comparative History of Ideas 390
1991, 1992, undated
5/22 5186-001
Exams
1971, 1974, 1981, 1986, 1993
5/23 5186-001
Field Course
1982, undated
5/24 5186-001
Films
1977, 1980
5/25 5186-001
The German Bomb
1976, undated
5/26 5186-001
German History
1969, 1971-1972
5/27 5186-001
History 192
undated
5/28 5186-001
History 192 Readings
undated
5/29-31 5186-001
History 215
1986-1987, 1993, undated
5/32 5186-001
History 215 Lecture Notes
1973-1974
6/1 5186-001
History 215 Lecture Notes
1973-1974
6/2 5186-001
History 215 Correspondence and Miscellaneous
1970-1976, 1984-1985
6/3-5 5186-001
History 215 Readings
undated
6/6 5186-001
History 310
1977, 1984, 1991, 1993
6/7 5186-001
History 310 Course Syllabi
1991, 1993, 1995,
6/8 5186-001
History 310 Midterm and Final Exams
1979, 1980, 1984-1985, 1991, 1993, 1995, undated
6/9-10 5186-001
History 312 Lecture Notes
1985, 1989, 1991, 1994-1996
6/11 5186-001
History 312 Midterm Examination
1966, 1969, 1977, 1985-1987, 1991, 1994, undated
6/12-13 5186-001
History 312 Readings
1984-1985, 1989
6/14 5186-001
History 313
1985, 1987-1989
6/15 5186-001
History 390
1995
6/16 5186-001
History 411
1973, 1976, 1980, 1981, undated
6/17-18 5186-001
History 411 Readings
undated
6/19 5186-001
History 412
undated
6/20 5186-001
History 418
1973, 1980-1981, undated
6/21 5186-001
History 490 H and History 491 H
undated
6/22 5186-001
History 498
undated
6/23 5186-001
History 512
undated
6/24 5186-001
History 520- Enlightenment
undated
6/25 5186-001
History of Science 18th Century
1982, undated
6/26 5186-001
History of Science Lecture Series (Continuing Education)
1981-1982, undated
6/27 5186-001
Index Cards
undated
6/28 5186-001
The Manhattan Project and the Origins of 'Big Science'
undated
6/29-30 5186-001
Miscellaneous
1987, undated
6/31 5186-001
Notes of Visiting Lectures
undated
Box/Folder Accession
6/32 5186-001
Course Files of Others
undated
6/33-35 5186-001
Reviews of Proposed Publications
1967-1987, undated
Reviews
Box/Folder Accession
7/1 5186-001
D'Alembert Biography
1970-1971, undated
7/2 5186-001
Hamilton Biography
1980-1983
7/3 5186-001
Science and the Enlightenment
1985-1987
Box/Folder Accession
7/4 5186-001
Notes
undated
7/5 5186-001
Grant Files
1969, undated
7/6 5186-001
Newsletter of the International Council of Scientific Unions
1984
Subject Files
Box/Folder Accession
7/7 5186-001
Atomic Bomb
1979, undated
7/8 5186-001
Disney, Catherine
Scope and Content: Relates to Hamilton research, and includes copies of manuscripts dated 1834 and 1854, as well as the following reproductions of a painting of Catherine Disney: one 35mm color slide, one 3x5 color slide, and three 5x7 color prints.
undated
7/9 5186-001
Friends of the Georgetown Steam Plant
1980, 1985, undated
7/10-11 5186-001
Humanities Faculty Seminar
1980-1981, undated
7/12-13 5186-001
Lakeside School Year Round Facility Use Task Force
1981-1982, undated
7/14 5186-001
Manhattan Project
undated
7/15 5186-001
Travel Plans
1972
Box/Folder Accession
7/16-17 5186-001
Ephemera
1969, 1971, 1973, 1977, 1984, 1985, undated
7/18 5186-001
Miscellany
1980, 1983, undated
Clippings
Box/Folder Accession
7/19 5186-001
Early 20th Century Physics
Scope and Content: Includes photocopies of physics articles from 1898-1914
1961, undated
7/20 5186-001
University of Washington History of Science Program
1986, 1987, undated
7/21 5186-001
Miscellaneous
undated
Series 2: University of Washington Committee Files
1977-1991
Box/Folder Accession
7/22-24 5186-001
University of Washington, College Studies Program Executive Committee
Scope and Content: Contains communication with Hazard Adams.
1987-1991
7/25 5186-001
University of Washington, Committee on Classified and Proprietary Research Review
1977, 1981, undated
7/26 5186-001
University of Washington, Committee on Science and Technology Policy Seminars
1983-1986
7/27 5186-001
University of Washington, Comparative History of Ideas Executive Committee
1983-1987
7/28 5186-001
University of Washington, Department of Biomedical History Chairman Search Committee
1986
7/29 5186-001
University of Washington, Department of Medical History and Ethics Assistant Professor Search Committee
1988
7/30 5186-001
University of Washington, Distinguished Teaching Awards Committee
1981-1982
7/31-32 5186-001
University of Washington, Engineering Group (Social Management of Technology Program)
1973, 1977-1978
7/33 5186-001
University of Washington, Germanics Department Chairman Search Committee
1977
7/34 5186-001
University of Washington, Humanistic-Social Studies Department Search Committee
1980
7/35 5186-001
University of Washington, Professor of the Humanities Search Committee
1979
Series 3: University of Washington History Department Records
1964-1991
Box/Folder Accession
7/36-37 5186-001
Interdepartmental Correspondence Regarding History of Science Program
1984-1991
Intradepartmental Correspondence
Box/Folder Accession
7/38 5186-001
Miscellaneous
1980, undated
7/39 5186-001
Bologna Seminar
1987
Committee Files
Box/Folder Accession
7/40 5186-001
Chairman Search Committee
1971
7/41 5186-001
Graduate Studies Committee
1972
7/42-44 5186-001
Salary Committee
1981, undated
7/45-46 5186-001
Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
1973-1975
Box/Folder Accession
8/1 5186-001
Bulletins
1970-1972
8/2 5186-001
Faculty Biographies
1971, undated
Subject Files
Box/Folder Accession
8/3 5186-001
Budget Requests
1973-1975
8/4 5186-001
Course Assignments
1972-1973
8/5-8 5186-001
Departmental Affairs
1964, 1970-1972, 1977-1978, 1988, undated
Series 4: Columbia History of Science Group Records
1986-1995
Box/Folder Accession
8/9 5186-001
Newsletters
1986-1995
8/10 5186-001
Conferences and Conventions Files
1987
8/11 5186-001
Miscellany
1988, undated
Series 5: History of Science Society Records
1965-1993
General Correspondence
Box/Folder Accession
8/12-13 5186-001
Holton, Gerald
1983-1985
8/14-18 5186-001
Isis
1965-1985
8/19 5186-001
The Johns Hopkins University Press
1989
8/20-22 5186-001
Osiris
1984-1989
8/23 5186-001
Osiris Survey
1987-1988
8/24 5186-001
Pergamon Press
1989
8/25 5186-001
Price, Derek J. de Solla
1965
8/26 5186-001
Princeton University Press
1989
8/27 5186-001
University of California Press
1989
8/28 5186-001
University of Cambridge Press
1989
8/29 5186-001
University of Chicago Press
1989
8/30 5186-001
University of Wisconsin Press
1989
General Correspondence Regarding
Box/Folder Accession
8/31 5186-001
Cincinnati Meeting
1988
8/32 5186-001
Critical Bibliography and Pricing
1982, 1988-1989
8/33 5186-001
History of Mathematics
1992-1993
8/34 5186-001
History of Science Society Dinner
1977-1978
8/35 5186-001
History of Science Society Guide
1988
8/36 5186-001
Frank James Case
1988-1989
8/37 5186-001
Meeting at Toronto
1980, undated
8/38 5186-001
Reading Group
1984-1986
8/39 5186-001
Teaching Guides
1989
8/40 5186-001
Online Critical Bibliography
1989
8/41-42 5186-001
University Press Options
1988-1989
Committee Files
Box/Folder Accession
8/43 5186-001
International Committee
1985
8/44-45 5186-001
Long Range Planning Committee
1978-1981
8/46 5186-001
National Planning Committee
1984, undated
8/47-48 5186-001
Pfizer Award Committee
1996
9/1-5 5186-001
Publications Committee
1988-1989
Box/Folder Accession
9/6-8 5186-001
Budget Files
1988-1989
Series 6: International Union of the History and Philosophy of Science, United States National Committee Records
1978-1988
Box/Folder Accession
9/9 5186-001
Organizational Information
1983, undated
General Correspondence
Box/Folder Accession
9/10 5186-001
McMullin, Ernan
1982-1983
9/11 5186-001
Widgor, Alexandra K.
1983-1984
9/12-18 5186-001
Miscellaneous
1978-1985
General Correspondence Regarding
Box/Folder Accession
9/19 5186-001
1984 Meeting
1984-1985
9/20 5186-001
Funding
1985
9/21 5186-001
Statutes and Rules of Procedure of the History and Philosophy of Science
1984-1985
9/22-24 5186-001
Study Committee
1985-1986, 1988
Box/Folder Accession
9/25 5186-001
Minutes of the Annual Meeting
1984-1985
Conference and Convention Files
Box/Folder Accession
9/26 5186-001
XVIth International Conference of History of Science
1981
9/27-30 5186-001
XVIIth International Conference of History of Science
1983-1985
Box/Folder Accession
9/31 5186-001
Report to the General Assembly
1985
9/32 5186-001
Newsletters
1982-1985
9/33 5186-001
Bulletins
1981
Subject Files
Box/Folder Accession
9/34 5186-001
Expenses
1978-1979, 1983-1985
9/35-36 5186-001
Fund Raising
1984
9/37 5186-001
General Assembly
1983-1985

Accession No. 5186-002: Thomas L. Hankins papers, 1965-1994Return to Top

0.69 cubic feet (2 boxes)

Scope and Content: Correspondence, "Soloman Katz Distinguished Lecturers in the Humanities Series" materials for his lecture "Instruments and the Imagination," lecture scripts and notes, writings, and correspondence regarding the Instruments issue of "Osiris." Many of the papers relate to lectures and papers about Jean Le Rond d'Alembert.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Judy Peterson, History Dept., 2007-07-18

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • College teachers--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Historians--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Science--Historiography--Research
  • Science--History--18th century--Research
  • Science--History--19th century--Research

Personal Names

  • Alembert, Jean Le Rond d', 1717-1783
  • Hamilton, William Rowan, Sir, 1805-1865
  • Hankins, Thomas L.--Archives

Corporate Names

  • History of Science Society
  • International Union of the History of Science and Philosophy. United States National Committee

Form or Genre Terms

  • Administrative records
  • Correspondence
  • Research (document genres)
  • Writings

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • University of Washington University Archives

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • University Archives/Faculty Papers (University of Washington)