Alexander Wilmer Duff
A. Wilmer Duff (23 May 1864 – 24 February 1951) was a Canadian-born Professor of Physics who led a career spanning nearly 50 years. He authored what would become the primary textbook for university-level physics for the next several decades. Shortly after his retirement, he received the Oersted Medal for notable contributions to the teaching of physics.
Early life
Alexander Wilmer Duff, often referred to as Wilmer or A. Wilmer, was born on May 23, 1864 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. He was a son of Alexander Duff and Lucy Ann (McKenzie) Duff. His father was an accountant, prominent in his own right as a member of City Council and other local positions.
His mother, Ann Duff, passed away in 1871.[1] His father remarried in 1875 to Elizabeth Miller.[2]
He would have been 13 when the Great Fire of 1877 destroyed much of Saint John. One of his father's buildings is cited as among those destroyed.[3]
Education and degrees
Wilmer started his post-secondary academic studies at the University of New Brunswick in 1881, graduating in 1884 with a bachelor's degree in arts.
Upon graduation in 1884, he took a competitive examination[clarification needed] given by the University of London simultaneously at points across the British Empire, and stood first in that worldwide competition. Duff was awarded a Gilchrist scholarship[clarification needed] for study abroad in Europe,[4] receiving a Bachelor of Arts from the University of London in 1887. Subsequently, he was deemed a Master of Arts by the University of Edinburgh in 1888, graduating with first class honours in Mathematics and Mathematical Physics.[5]
Other degrees held by A. Wilmer Duff:
- Bachelor of Science, University of Edinburgh, 1893
- Doctor of Science, University of Edinburgh, 1901
- Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of New Brunswick 1920
- Honorary Doctor of Science, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 1943
Academic career
His first academic appointment was in India, where he accepted an appointment as professor and Chair of Physics at the Madras Christian College.[6]
At the end of this appointment, in 1890, he returned to Canada. He was appointed a Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton[7] under the presidency of Dr. Thomas Harrison. He was living in 1891 with the janitor for the University of New Brunswick, Giles Osgood, and his family.[citation needed]
In 1893, he received an appointment to Purdue University in Lafayetteville, Indiana where he was professor and Chair of Physics. He held this position until 1899.
His next appointment, in 1899, was to Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts, a city which would become his home for his remaining years. He published several books, the most notable of which was "A Textbook of Physics" published in 1908. This would become the pre-eminent textbook used to teach university Physics for the next several decades, spanning multiple editions, and would cement Duff's legacy as a pioneer in Physics education.[citation needed]
He retired from the Polytechnic Institute in 1938 and was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus.
While his primary noted achievements were in Physics education, Duff also did research work in various fields including viscosity, acoustics, tidal phenomena and cathode rays. During the First World War, he conducted research on the trajectory of bombs.[citation needed]
Marriage and family
Duff married Isabel S. McIntosh in 1894.[8][9] They had one daughter, Ella, born in 1896. She became a physician and a prominent person in her own right. She married George Alvah Good at the age of 40[10] and had one child, Frank Alexander Duff Good, in 1938.
Awards and honours
Besides the several honorary degrees conferred upon A. Wilmer Duff (See above), he received an award for notable contributions in the teaching of physics in 1938.[citation needed]
He was also invited and gave the convocation address at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton in 1906 and 1920.[citation needed]
Publications
- Textbook of Physics, 1908
- Elementary Experimental Mechanics, 1905
- Physical Measurements (with A.W. Ewell), 1910
- College Physics, 1925
- Elements of Physics (with H.T. Wood), 1928
Death and burial
Duff died at the age of 86 on February 24, 1951 at Memorial Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts.[11] He was buried in Fredericton Rural Cemetery, Fredericton, York County, New Brunswick, Canada.[12][13]
Citations
General
- Death Announcement, Physics Today, Vol 4, Issue 6, 1 June 1951.
- A Textbook of Physics, by A. Wilmer Duff at Archive.Org. Retrieved 31 Dec 2021.
- Alexander Wilmer Duff, Archives and Special Collections, University of New Brunswick
- Duff, A. Wilmer 1864-1955, Purdue University Archives and Special Collections
- Council of Psi Sigma Kappa Fraternity, The Signet of Phi Sigma Kappa, Vol 7 P 180. Published 1915.
- Webster, D.L., Alexander Wilmer Duff: Recipient of the 1938 Award for Notable Contributions to the Teaching of Physics, Address to the American Association of Physics Teachers, 1938. Published in the American Journal of Physics Vol 7 No 49 (1939)
Census
- 1871 Census, Portland, Saint John County, New Brunswick, Canada
- 1881 Census, Portland, Saint John County, New Brunswick, Canada
- 1891 Census, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
- "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9BC-CQC : accessed 1 January 2022), A Wilmer Duff, Precinct 3 Worcester city Ward 1, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 1714, sheet 4B, family 106, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,695.
- "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2LM-VB9 : accessed 1 January 2022), Alexander W Duff, Worcester Ward 10, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1916, sheet 21A, family 402, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 633; FHL microfilm 1,374,646.
- "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFS9-49G : 2 February 2021), Alexander W Duff, 1920.
References
- ↑ Death Announcement (Alexander Duff Sr), Saint Croix Courier Sept 28, 1871. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 31 No 1097
- ↑ Marriage Announcement (Alexander Duff / Elizabeth Miller 1875), 'The Daily Telegraph', Jan 22, 1875. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 37 No 295
- ↑ List of Those Whose Buildings Were Burned, The Daily Telegraph, Oct 22, 1877. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 41 No 1388
- ↑ Gilchrist Scholar Leaves for Edinburgh, The Daily Telegraph, Sept 17, 1884. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 61 No 2230
- ↑ Duff Receives M.A. From Edinburgh, The Daily Telegraph May 3, 1888. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 69 No 2716
- ↑ Duff Accepts Appointment in India, Saint John Globe May 21, 1889. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 74 No 2605
- ↑ New Brunswick Boys Abroad, The Daily Sun, July 1, 1890. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 78 No 61 (Reference to being appointed chair of Natural Philosophy at UNB)
- ↑ Marriage Announcement (Wilmer Duff / Isabella McIntosh 1894), 'The Gleaner' June 27, 1894. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 91 No 1356
- ↑ Marriage Announcement (Wilmer Duff / Isabella McIntosh 1894), The Daily Telegraph June 22, 1894. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 93 No 2016
- ↑ Marriage Registration (Ella Duff / George Good), Public Archives of New Brunswick
- ↑ "Dr. A. Wilmer Duff". Poughkeepsie Journal. February 25, 1951. p. 11A – via newspapers.com.
- ↑ Alexander Wilmer Duff at Find a GraveLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 23: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value)., Dr. A. Wilmer Duff (1864-1951)
- ↑ DUFF, Alex Wilmer, Cemetery Transcription, Public Archives of New Brunswick
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