Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
154-73; Shapin & Barnes 1977). The movement spread from England to
the Continent. Henry Brougham's
Practical Observations upon the Edu-
cation of the People, Addressed to the Working Classes and their Em-
ployers
(1825) was also very influential outside England.
10
In Germany,
the
Polytechnische-
and
Gewerbe-Vereine
in various cities took charge
of organizing evening and Sunday courses (Homburg 1993a, pp. 197,
233-6, 247, 400, 410, 414, 418), while in the Netherlands in 1825 King
William I ordered the universities to deliver public lectures on the 'appli-
cation of chemistry and mechanics to the useful arts' (Loschacoff-de
Kanter 1970; Goudswaard 1981, pp. 33-5, 133-69). Shortly thereafter, on
the initiative of the Society for the Common Good and the Maatschappij
ter Bevordering van Nijverheid (Society for the Promotion of Industry),
such education was also started up outside of university towns.
11
In the second quarter of the nineteenth century, to serve those who at-
tended evening and Sunday classes, various 'popular' chemistry instruc-
tion topics were issued. In England this involved either practical guide-
lines for simple experiments with a 'portable laboratory' or 'chemistry
chest', or traditional, not-too-difficult textbooks (Gee 1989, Homburg
1999). In 1836, under the direction of the Amsterdam professor of
Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry W.S. Swart (1807-1847), who in
1830 had taught craftsmen and manufacturers, Erdmann's
Populäre Dar-
stellung der neueren Chemie
was translated by two of his pupils. Eight
years later a Dutch translation of Girardin's
Leçons de chimie élémen-
taire appliquée aux arts industriels
appeared (Erdmann 1836, Girardin
1851).
12
In addition, original Dutch instruction topics for evening schools
were published as well, such as Van der Boon Mesch's
Leerboek der
scheikunde
(1831-35) and Meijlink's
Allereerste beginselen der schei-
kunde
(1836-38).
The differences between these new popular instruction topics and
those of the previous generation were substantial. Physico-theological
10
There is also a Dutch translation, Brougham 1826.
11
Physics and mechanical engineering were commonly the main subjects. Chemistry
courses were given in Leiden (1826), Groningen (1826), Utrecht (1829), Amsterdam
(1829, 1846), Maastricht (1838), Delft (1841) and, probably, Haarlem and Deventer
(MacLean 1977; Goudswaard 1981, pp. 54-60, 93-5, 169-85).
12
The first edition of Girardin appeared 1844-45, later editions in 1862-63 and 1867.
