Department of Physics
1886-1900
Physics instruction was started in the sophomore year, continuing for three years, and all majors in Physics had to write a senior thesis. At first all Case BS degrees were without designation, i.e., they were simply designated as B.S. degrees.
In 1889, Professor Michelson resigned and was succeeded by Dr. Harry F. Reid as Head of the Physics Department. In 1893, Dr. Reid resigns and Dr. Dayton Miller becomes the department head in 1895. At that time, the Physics department occupied five large rooms on the first floor of the Main Building and nine rooms in the basement.
Technology in the physics laboratory that year consisted of: comparator, balance, hectogram balance, reversible pendulum, chronometer and chronograph, cathetometers, dividing engines, level trier, harmonograph, tuning forks and organ pipes, standard thermometers, spectometers, concave grating spectroscope, chemical spectroscopes, diffraction and inference apparatus, chemical apparatus... (continued pg. 5 in the history).
In 1900, Harry W. Springsteen is awarded the first M.S. in physics.