Historical Timeline
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1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
1891 The first Clark doctoral degrees are conferred upon Herman Bumpus, later president of Tufts University, and Herbert Nichols.
1892 Clark President G. Stanley Hall establishes the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA is now the largest scientific and professional organization in the United States. Learn more about the APA at www.apa.org.
 Chemical building under construction in 1889 |
Alex Chamberlain, under the direction of professor Franz Boas, earns the first American Ph.D. in anthropology.
Professor A.A. Michelson determines the length of the international standard meter in terms of a natural constant, the wavelength of cadmium light. In 1907, Michelson is awarded the Nobel Prize for this finding, making him the first American to win a Nobel Prize in science. |
1896 The Clark University Board of Trustees votes that "ladies will be admitted to special courses on the usual terms." Theodate Smith becomes the first woman to formally enroll in courses at Clark.
1899 Physics professor Arthur Gordon Webster founds the American Physical Society (APS). Today, more than 40,000 scientists worldwide belong to the APS. Learn more about the APS on the Web at www.aps.org.
1889 Honorary Degrees Awarded
- Ludwig Boltzmann, Professor of Theoretical Physics, University of Vienna (LL.D.)
- Santiago Raymon y Cajal, Professor of Histology, University of Madrid (LL.D.)
- August Forel, Late Director, Burgholzli Asylum, Switzerland (LL.D.)
- Angelo Mosso, Professor Physiology, and Rector of the University of Turin (LL.D.)
- Emile Picard, Professor Mathematics, University of Paris, France (LL.D.)