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Case School: The Evolving History

Mathematics Department Timeline

01-01-1881John Stockwell, Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy, is considered the first department head
1881First students enrolled and classes held in the Case Homestead
1884Math courses offered at the time were: Algebra, Plane and Sphereical Triginometry, Analytical Geometry, and Calculus
1885Kerr Professorship in Mathematics established by Laura Kerr Axtell in honor of brother Levi Kerr (cousin of Daniel Kerr and Catherine Case, sister of Leonard, Sr.)
1886Dr. John Stockwell named first Kerr Professor of at Mathematics, Harry Reid joins faculty as Instructor in Mathematics
1887Harry Reid named second Kerr Professor of Mathematics
1889Harry Reid became head of the Department of Physics, succeeding Dr. Albert Michaelson
1889Dr. Charles S. Howe joins the faculty, 
1890Charles S. Howe is first officialy named department head, and Kerr professor
1890Title of department was Mathematics and Astronomy
1892Dr. Theodore M. Focke joins department
1894Dr. Reid resigns from faculty
1903Charles S. Howe is president of Case, continues as department head
1906Charles F. Thomas joins the faculty
1908Dr. TM Focke is named department head and fourth Kerr professor
1918October 1, the US government assumed authority over students due to World War I . Courses of study were for 8 weeks
1921Courses return to normal
1930Department of Mathematics and Astronomy seperate into two departments
1930Dr. TM Focke is the department head of Mathematics with 9 faculty
1930Dr. Nassau is the head of the department of Astronomy with 1 faculty
1931Courses were enlarged to include Vector Analysis, Modern Geometry, Advanced Calculus , Theory of Equations, Graphic Calculus and Monography, Higher and Linear Algebra, Theory of Nmnbers and Invariants, Differential Geometry, Theory of Functions of Complex Variables, Infinite Sines and Products, and Calculus of Variations
1933Mathematics club created by students
1935Quantum Mechanical and Theory of Matrices were added to class list
1935Mathmatical physics group begins to meet, made up of faculty members and graduate students
1938First M.S. degree granted in Mathematics
1943Department grows to 12 faculty
1944Professor Charles F. Thomas becomes acting department head
1945all day symposium held on campus called "Mathematical analyzers and their applications in industry"
1945Sidney W. McCucksy is named department head, fifth Kerr professor of mathematics
1946Bachelor of Science Degree cirriculum in Mathematics was approved by the faculty
1946PhD program in Mathematics established
1946Drs. Brown and Nassau completed their star charts for navigation in Astronomy dept, known as the Brown-Nassau star finder. Chart was well recieved by the Hydrographic office of the Navy
1947Mathmatical laboratory development initiated under professor O.E. Brown housing a harmonic analyzer, synthesizer, and computing machine
1947Faculty consisted of 19 men
1949First graduates of the BS in Mathematics were Ernest B. Leach and Frank P. Palermo
1949Fred C. Leone joins the department with special training in statistics
1951First two PhDs were conferred
1953IBM computing equiptment installed in a Statistical and Computation laboratory, initiating statistical studies for Case personell and outside industries
1955Mathematics fellowship program created for high school teachers
1956Honors section in freshman math formed
1956Notable increase of enrollment, due to increased interest in computing
1957M.S. degree in computation established by staff of the computing center
1957Case helps create the Midwestern University Computer Conference
1960Robert A. Clark becomes acting department head