One of Canada's most prominent astronomers and a world authority on globular clusters, Helen Sawyer Hogg is also credited with helping to popularize the science of astronomy and for providing an important role model for women in the Physical Sciences.
Born Helen Battles Sawyer on August 1, 1905 in Lowell, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of a banker and schoolteacher from Dunstable, Massachusetts. She attended public school in Lowell and in 1922 she entered Mount Holyoke College, earning an A.B. (Magna cum Laude) in 1926. It was here that she was influenced by the inspirational teachings of Anne Sewell Young, who in no small measure helped to forge her interest in astronomy. It was also at Mount Holyoke she met another major figure in women's astronomy, Annie J. Cannon who was visiting from the Harvard College Observatory. Helen was later offered a Harvard College fellowship to pursue graduate work on globular star clusters where she worked under the leading expert in the field, Harlow Shapley. She obtained her A.M. from Radcliffe in 1928, earned her Ph.D. from the same institution in 1931 and continued to specialize in globular clusters throughout her professional life.
She met her first husband, Frank Scott Hogg, a Canadian graduate student, at the Harvard Observatory and was married in 1930. In 1929 Frank Hogg received the first doctorate in astronomy awarded by Harvard College and Helen Hogg's own Ph.D. was only the third accorded by Radcliffe College, its women's college affiliate. In 1931, Frank Hogg accepted an appointment at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Victoria B.C., then under the directorship of J.S. Plaskett. She followed her husband, continuing her research at the observatory, first as an unpaid volunteer and later with the help of foundation grants.
In 1935, Frank Hogg accepted a position at the University of Toronto with the David Dunlap Observatory, which was to have its formal opening that year. Initially Helen Hogg once again worked as an unpaid volunteer until receiving an appointment as a research assistant with the University in 1936. She continued to teach at the University and work at the observatory for the following four decades. Frank Hogg became director of the observatory in 1946, a position he held until his death at age 46 in 1951. Career advancement came more rapidly following the death of her husband and Helen Hogg attained the standing of professor with the university in 1957, became research professor in 1974 and professor emeritus in 1976.
She interrupted her work at the University twice throughout her career. The first was as Acting Chairman of the Astronomy Department at Mount Holyoke College in 1940-41. The second time was in 1955-1956 when she spent an academic year in Washington as Program Director for Astronomy at the National Science Foundation.
Apart from her responsibilities at the University, Dr. Hogg was very active in numerous academic and astronomy associations. Among the many important positions she held were: president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (1957-1959); first woman president of the Physical Sciences section of the Royal Society of Canada (1960-1961); president of the Royal Canadian Institute (1964-1965); founding president of the Canadian Astronomical Society (1971-1972). Outside her academic milieu, her leadership was recognized when she was appointed one of the first two women directors of Bell Telephone Company of Canada (1968-1978). She also served on the Advisory Committee of Science and Medicine for EXPO 1967.
When her husband Frank Hogg died suddenly in 1951, Dr. Hogg took over the writing of a weekly column "With the Stars" which he had been producing for the Toronto Star. For the next thirty years, she faithfully churned out the column which would provide her with the basis for her popular science work "The Stars Belong to Everyone" (1976). Together, the book and the column, along with a TV Ontario series on astronomy in 1970, established her as one of Canada's best-known popular astronomers. In 1983, Dr. Hogg was the first Canadian to receive the Klumpke-Roberts Award from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for her work in public education, whose past recipients include Isaac Asimov and Carl Sagan.
In addition to her work in popular astronomy, Dr. Hogg was also a recognized expert in the study of globular clusters, an area of research on which she published over a hundred articles, including several editions of "A Catalogue of Variable Stars in Globular Clusters". In 1972, an International Astronomical Union Colloquium was held in honour of her life work in this field. Another area, which drew her interest, was the history of astronomy on which she was also widely published.
Throughout her lengthy career, she received numerous honours, awards and medals including the Annie J. Cannon Prize (American Astronomical Society 1950); the Rittenhouse Medal (< biblio >); the Sandford Fleming Medal (Royal Canadian Institute 1985). In 1967 she was invested into the Order of Canada and in 1976 she attained the Order's highest level when she was made a Companion of the Order, an honour accorded to only 150 Canadians at any one time. She received honorary degrees from Mount Holyoke (1958), University of Waterloo (1962), McMaster University (1976), University of Toronto (1977), Saint Mary's University (1981) and University of Lethbridge (1985). She has had two telescopes dedicated to her: one at the National Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa (1987), the other at the University of Toronto Southern Observatory in Chile (1992). Asteroid 2917 was named Sawyer Hogg in 1984. In 1985 the Canadian Astronomical Society and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada established the annual Helen Sawyer Hogg lectureship in her honour.
Intertwined with her career was Dr. Hogg's devotion to her family and friends, an aspect well documented within her personal papers. When she died at the age of 88 on January 28 1993, she was survived by three children, seven grand children and four great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her first husband Frank Hogg and her second husband Dr. F.E.L. Priestly, whom she had married in 1985.
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This fonds contains the personal and professional papers of Dr. Helen Sawyer Hogg documenting her contribution to professional astronomy, her high regard as a popular educator as well as her responsibilities as a parent, daughter, wife and friend. The records have been arranged into series either by type of record or to reflect a certain type of activity. Records documenting various aspects of her career are filed first, followed by papers reflecting her personal life.
Included is both professional and personal correspondence; records relating to her activities on associations, boards and organizations; records such as draft manuscripts, correspondence and outlines and data relating to her publishing activities and research; papers relating to her education and her teaching responsibilities; as well as diaries and family papers series.
Because Dr. Hogg's career spanned nearly seven decades during a time astronomy as a discipline was still developing both nationally and internationally, these records are not only useful to those researching Dr. Hogg's achievements but will be insightful to those researchers studying the development of astronomy as a science and profession. Moreover, Dr. Hogg was a woman in a field of science, which is still dominated by men. Those studying women's history may find Dr. Hogg's personal records a useful case study in one woman's success in a largely male dominated profession.
Contained within the Helen S. Hogg personal records are three sous-fonds: Frank S. Hogg [1922-1952], her first husband and also an astronomer at the David Dunlap Observatory; Prof. Ruth Northcott [1932-1969], close personal friend and professional colleague of Helen Hogg, also on staff at the D.D.O.; Dr. C.A. Chant [193- - 194-], director emeritus of the D.D.O and head of the Department of Astronomy at the University of Toronto from 1904-1935. These sous-fonds are individually described and have been filed after the Helen Hogg personal records.
Although special media records such as slides, photographs, sound recordings, films and videos directly relate to the textual series, they have been arranged by media at the end. Exceptions to this arrangement are the photographs which were found in textual files and which were removed whenever possible for conservation reasons. In such cases a sheet noting the removal of the image(s) to a specific file in Box B1994-0002/001P was placed in the file so that researchers could easily find the related photographs.
- Finding aid for B1994-0002 prepared by Marnee Gamble and Steve Zoltai, December 1994
- File list for B2015-0007 prepared by Zoe Weber, May 2016
- Fonds added to AtoM by Emily Sommers, March 2017
Records are open unless otherwise noted in the Series or Sous-Fonds Descriptions.
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This series contains records from three accessions: B1994-0002, B2009-0021, and B2015-0007. The bulk of the files are from accession B1994-0002, and consists of general incoming and out-going correspondence mainly of a professional nature. It is arranged in two parts. The first part consists of files created by Helen Hogg containing correspondence and other accompanying material with individuals, institutions, clubs and associations regarding research, special projects, events, visits, excursions, travel, donations, lectures, awards and publications. For access, these have been arranged alphabetically by file title. Some of the more notable correspondence are with colleagues such as Amelia Whelau (University of Western Ontario), Steven Van Agt (Germany), Martha Liller (Harvard Observatory), Bart J. Bok (Harvard and Australia), Chu Yu-Hua (China), and there is also extensive correspondence with Harlow Shapley, director of the Harvard College Observatory and mentor to Prof. Hogg.
The second part of this series consists of miscellaneous correspondence arranged by decade. Far from being extraneous pieces, this correspondence is quite extensive and reveals much about her professional activities and on-going research. These files contain the largest volume of correspondence documenting both her and Frank Hogg's early career in the 1930s and 1940s. These files were created from loose correspondence within the records or from files, which were clearly miscellaneous.
Researchers should note that while this series does not represent the whole of the Hogg correspondence (much of which is specific to each series), it is a good representation of the scope of her interests and activities. Some of the correspondence relates directly to records in other series and researchers should bear this in mind when investigating a particular topic.
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File consists of correspondence between Helen Hogg and American astronomer Dr. Wayne Osborn of Central Michigan University discussing research on variable stars.
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Records in this series document Dr. Hogg's involvement in numerous associations relating to the study of astronomy. The series, comprised mainly of correspondence, memoranda, reports, membership lists, newsletters, agenda and committee minutes, documents the various positions of authority she held in the leading national and international astronomical and scientific organizations. They cover a twenty-five year span including:
Program Director for Astronomy, United States National Science Foundation (1955-1956); president of the International Astronomical Union Subcommission on Variable Stars in Star Clusters (1955-1961); president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (1957-1959); first woman president of the Physical Sciences section, Royal Society of Canada (1960-1961); president of the Royal Canadian Institute (1964); Councillor of the American Astronomical Society (1965-1968); first president of the Canadian Astronomical Society (1971-1972); honorary president of the Toronto Centre, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (1972-1977) and honorary president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (1977-1981).
The series also serves to document the wider activities of these organizations in addition to simply shedding light on the activities of Dr. Hogg alone. Notably, council and committee minutes strongly document the workings of the Toronto Centre of the R.A.S.C. between 1961-1986, the R.S.C. between 1955-1985 and the R.C.I. from 1954-1968. The activities of the IAU are also well represented. In particular, a series of reports and memoranda between 1952-1981 highlight the workings of Commission 27 on Variable Stars. Related records outlining the activities of these professional organizations can also be found in the General Professional Correspondence Series (Series I).
Arrangement is alphabetical by association, which include:
- American Astronomical Society (AAS)
- American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
- Canadian Astronomical Society (CAS)
- International Astronomical Union (IAU)
- National Research Council (NRC)
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC)
- Royal Canadian Institute (RCI)
- Royal Society of Canada (RSC)
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This is an extensive series, which documents Dr. Hogg's publishing activities. Since many of her published articles were addresses delivered at symposiums or reports made to professional committees, addresses and talks have also been included in this series. The files, usually titled by the name of the article, book or publisher contain not only manuscripts and drafts but related correspondence, notes, memos and outlines.
The arrangement of this series is as follows, starting from general articles to the specific endeavour
- Bibliographies and lists of publications
- General articles, addresses, contributions to encyclopedias
- Obituaries
- Academic Papers on Star Clusters
- Bibliography and Catalogue of Star Clusters
- Contributions to "Out of Old Books"
- "The Stars Belong to Everyone"
- Toronto Star Column
- Miscellaneous Writings
- Reprints
Records in this series document both Dr. Hogg's stature as an authority on variable stars and star clusters as well as her role as a teacher of popular astronomy. Draft articles and related notes and correspondence on numerous scientific papers as well as files documenting her contribution to encyclopedias and handbooks reflect both of these roles.
Notably, her work on various editions of "A Catalogue of Variable Stars in Globular Clusters" (1st ed. 1939, 2nd ed. 1955, 3rd. ed. 1973 and 4th incomplete), as well as her time spent on "A Bibliography of Individual Globular Clusters" (1947, 1st supplement 1963) is extensively documented through drafts, research data, original manuscripts. These records relate specifically to the card index found in Series IV, Star Cluster Files and Index Cards.
The arrangement within each sub-series varies but is usually chronological. Files containing draft bibliographies of her writings are filed at the beginning of this series and a run of reprints of her articles can be found filed by year at the end.
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Correspondence and scripts of an 8-part television series on astronomy prepared by Hogg for the Ontario Communications Authority.
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The Star Cluster files, assembled over her 40 years as an astronomer, represent the core of Dr. Hogg's research in a field for which she is an authority and from which many of her published articles were derived. The files are variously comprised of raw data, calculations, correspondence, draft and published articles relating to specific globular clusters. Prints from photographic plates also accompany some files . Most files are titled according to the New General Catalogue number, e.g. NGC 6626, of the star cluster and are arranged numerically following Dr. Hogg's own filing system.
A set of ten boxes of bibliographic index cards accompanies the Star Cluster Files. Cards in boxes seem to relate to specific subjects ie. external galaxies, variables in clusters, interstellar absorption. Boxes /044 - /048 are arranged more or less chronologically by the date of the bibliographic references. All were used for various editions of "A Catalogue of Variable Stars in Globular Clusters". Box B1994-0002/048 appears to relate specifically to references used in "A of Bibliography of Individual Globular Clusters" and its supplement. Index cards in box B1994-0002/049 do not appear to be bibliographic references but rather relate information on specific star clusters and are arranged by NGC number.
Photographs have been left in their original files because of their immediate association with the research materials. It was feared that removal of these photos from individual files would obscure the meaning of both the research in the file and the photographs themselves.
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This is a series comprised of research notes and data relating to specific projects or articles as well as notes taken by Prof. Hogg at various lectures and seminars. Filed at the end are some miscellaneous files containing notes with little or no identification. Arrangement is chronological, with the research notes superseding the seminar notes.
File B1994-0002/050(02) contains notes on a symposium by G. de B. Robinson, Institute of Technology, on the responsibilities of the Canadian University. Also contains notes on a seminar by J.T. Wilson on “Recent Physical and Geological Evidence Leading to a New Theory of Continental Drift” 1963
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This series documents Dr. Hogg's role as a member of the Department of Astronomy, especially her responsibilities as a teacher. Included are attendance lists and grades, laboratory exercises, term papers (1963-64), tests and examinations, and lecture notes. There is also reports and related correspondence showing Hogg's participation on Ph.D. Oral examining boards as well as a file of correspondence relating to the evaluation and recommendation of students and graduates of the Department.
Apart from records that relate directly to Dr. Hogg's teaching function there are also some records related to general administrative issues. Among these are files containing progress and work reports, requests for grants to the National Research Council, correspondence on Dr. Hoggs' salary and tenure status as well as general issues at the David Dunlap Observatory.
Arrangement is by type of record, following as described above.
Restricted access to files containing grades and/or evaluations for 75 years from the latest date of file activity. All other files are open. Please consult archivist for further information.
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In 1930-31, while working on her doctorate degree, Dr. Hogg taught astronomy at her alma mater, Mount Holyoke College. A decade later after following her husband to Canada, she returned to Mount Holyoke for a one-year appointment as Acting Chairman of the Astronomy Department. Records in this series which include lecture and lab notes, course outlines, tests and grades document her teaching activities in these early years of her career and supplement records found in Series 6.
Arrangement is by type of record and chronological.
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Includes mainly copies of minutes, reports, agendas and correspondence of the Advisory Committee on Science and Medicine - EXPO, of which Dr. Hogg was an active member. There are also copies of speeches given by EXPO officials. Much of the papers relate to the development of "Themes" including storylines and exhibit designs.
Interfiled with copies of minutes and reports, is some original correspondence between Hogg and members of the committee which documents, to some degree, her particular role in the committee. The most extensive original material relates to her role as chairman of one of the lectures given as part of the Noranda Lecture Series. Included is correspondence, drafts for her introductory note, and progress reports of the series. The lecture series itself, sponsored by Noranda Mines, featured a host of international scientists, including Nobel Prize Laureates and was attended by specially invited audiences during EXPO '67.
The records are filed chronologically.
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This series concerns Dr. Hogg's tenure as a member of the Board of Directors of Bell Canada (1968-1978) and her participation in, and chairmanship of its Social and Environmental Affairs Committee (1973-1978).
It consists primarily of general company related correspondence and memoranda which outline aspects of the workings of this major corporation over a ten year span, and the minutes and correspondence of the Social and Environmental Affairs Committee which she chaired from 1974-1978. The files also include several company-sponsored reports on various topics.
The records are arranged with general company files at the beginning followed by documents relating specifically to the Social and Environmental Affairs Committee. They are filed chronologically within.
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This series contains extensive correspondence from family and friends documenting Dr. Hogg's personal relationships throughout her lifetime. The bulk of it is incoming correspondence, which has been filed by year to impose some order. Filed at the beginning are some files created by Dr. Hogg which also include outgoing correspondence. This is usually filed by correspondent chronologically.
Of significance are the courtship letters between Helen and Frank in the late 1920s, as well as her letters home to her family in Dunstable from the Dominion Observatory in Victoria B.C. and later from the David Dunlap Observatory in Toronto. These letters not only lend insight into their personal lives during these early years but detail, as well the progress of their astronomical work and the general activities at each observatory. They would be useful to anyone researching early astronomy in Canada.
Researchers should note that most of this correspondence was found loose and that attempts to sort it and identify it as personal have been made. However, some of the correspondence may relate directly to professional activities and will inevitably discuss professional as well as personal matters.
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This series consists of 27 diaries and 3 appointment/address books. The former is particularly valuable in chronicling, if only intermittently, the personal and professional life of Dr. Hogg over a 60-year span. Notable among these is her 1958 Russia diary that describes her attendance at the 10th General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union in Moscow.
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This series encompasses Dr. Hogg's postsecondary education including her undergraduate schooling at Mount Holyoke College culminating in her earning an A.B. (Magna Cum Laude) in 1926, her graduation from Radcliffe College with an A.M. in 1928 and a Ph.D. in 1931. The series is comprised mainly of course outlines, course and laboratory notes, term papers, examinations, miscellaneous school-related assignments as well as Mount Holyoke and Radcliffe memorabilia. It includes a copy of Dr. Hogg's Ph.D. thesis as well as a critique of it by Harlow Shapley. Some examples of elementary and secondary school notebooks and exercises are also present.
Files B2015-0007/004 (11) & (12) consists of honorary degrees from the University of Toronto (1977), Mount Holyoke College, University of Waterloo, McMaster University, and Saint Mary’s University.
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Series includes autobiographical writings, short biographies and transcripts to several interviews.
- Transcript to the Owen Gingerich interview [B1994-0002/067(22)] is closed until 2023; 30 years from the time of Helen Hogg's death in 1993
- All other records are open.
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File restricted until 28 January 2023.
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This series documents Prof. Hoggs' role as executors of several estates including those of her mother, Carrie Douglass, her housekeeper, Louis Patton, her cousin, Beatrice Whiteside Howell and her friend, Dorothy Flint. There are also account books and dividend books showing her astute financial management.
Includes mainly correspondence re. estates, some papers of the deceased, wills, notices, account books.
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Series includes short stories and poetry written by Dr. Hogg. Also included are some collected poems and a quotations book.
- File B2015-0007/004(16) is restricted for 20 years until 2035.
- All other records are open.
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This series, made up from small items that were found while sorting through this accession, is evidence of Dr. Hogg's keen sense of family history. Most relate to Carrie Sawyer-Douglass and Walter Douglass, her mother and stepfather. There are also some notes on family history and a folder of 19th century documents. Perhaps the most interesting records are a series of daily diaries dated from 1901 to 1909 and 1924 to 1941, kept by Leonora Knapp Battles, a cousin and close friend of Carrie Sawyer.
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Includes invitations, certificates, guest books, Helen Hogg's Baby Book, and scrapbooks. Also includes diplomas, awards and honorary degrees.
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Includes slides and photoprints documenting both Dr. Hogg's personal and professional life including family gatherings and events, trips, astronomical conferences, ceremonies, visits to various observatories. Also included are images she collected regarding the history of Astronomy as well as publicity shots of her taken for various publications.
Photoprints from B1996-0020 document the meeting of the International Astronomical Union Held in the Soviet Union [Russia], 1958. Helen Hogg, as well as other Canadian astronomers including A. Batten and S. van de Bergh, were present and can be seen in these shots.
Photographs, which belong to textual files, are not included in this series.
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These slides have been selected from her personal collection of over 30,000 images documenting mainly her family and friends as well as her numerous trips.
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Photoprints from accession B1994-0002 include colour and black and white prints grouped into the following and arranged chronologically within:
- Family Photographs
- Formal Portraits and Publicity Shots
- Awards and Degrees
- Astronomical Photographs
B1996-0002 documents the meeting of the International Astronomical Union Held in the Soviet Union, 1958.
B2015-0007 includes family and astronomical photographs.
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Images of Helen as a baby and child growing up in Dunstable; snapshots of her and Frank in the 1930s and 1940s including images with their children in Richmond Hill; photos of her parents and Auntie Lenora with whom she grew up. Views of her grand children and great-grandchildren. Wedding portrait of Frank and Helen Hogg as well as more informal photograph of her and Dr. Priestly when they were married in 1985.
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Includes portraits of Dr. Hogg taken at various stages of her life. Many of the publicity photos taken for publications feature Dr. Hogg at work at the Observatory the earliest being 1938 and the latest taken in 1991. There are also a few images documenting her time as a director of Bell Canada and her activities relating to the Noranda Lectures for EXPO.
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Images of Dr. Hogg receiving Honorary degrees from Mt Holyoke College and University of Lethbridge as well as being invested into the Order of Canada in 1969. Also includes receipt of other awards and honours including the dedication of the Helen Sawyer Hogg Observatory in Ottawa, 1989.
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Includes views of the David Dunlap Observatory Staff (the earliest dates 1939); group photos and informal images documenting meetings and events of astronomical associations such as the Canadian contingent to the IAU meeting in Dublin in 1955, a reception of the RASC in 1958, the IAU 1961 meeting at Berkley, the IAU National Committee for Canada meeting in Toronto, 1964, Sir Charles Wright RCI lecture at the University of Alberta, 1965, meeting of the AAVSO in 1983 and several others; photos used in the RASC journal and other images of observatories and/or astronomical observations which were sent to her as a result of her popularity among the general public; some historical photographs including images of Harlow Shapley at work, portraits of J.S. Plaskett early director of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, and his successor Joseph Pearce and, of some significance, three group photos of meetings of Canadian and American astronomers ca. 1908-191-.
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Images of Helen as a baby and child growing up in Dunstable; snapshots of her and Frank in the 1930s and 1940s including images with their children in Richmond Hill; photos of her parents and Auntie Lenora with whom she grew up. Views of her grand children and great-grandchildren. Wedding portrait of Frank and Helen Hogg as well as more informal photograph of her and Dr. Priestly when they were married in 1985.
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Includes portraits of Dr. Hogg taken at various stages of her life. Many of the publicity photos taken for publications feature Dr. Hogg at work at the Observatory the earliest being 1938 and the latest taken in 1991. There are also a few images documenting her time as a director of Bell Canada and her activities relating to the Noranda Lectures for EXPO.
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Images of Dr. Hogg receiving Honorary degrees from Mt Holyoke College and University of Lethbridge as well as being invested into the Order of Canada in 1969. Also includes receipt of other awards and honours including the dedication of the Helen Sawyer Hogg Observatory in Ottawa, 1989.
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Includes views of the David Dunlap Observatory Staff (the earliest dates 1939); group photos and informal images documenting meetings and events of astronomical associations such as the Canadian contingent to the IAU meeting in Dublin in 1955, a reception of the RASC in 1958, the IAU 1961 meeting at Berkley, the IAU National Committee for Canada meeting in Toronto, 1964, Sir Charles Wright RCI lecture at the University of Alberta, 1965, meeting of the AAVSO in 1983 and several others; photos used in the RASC journal and other images of observatories and/or astronomical observations which were sent to her as a result of her popularity among the general public; some historical photographs including images of Harlow Shapley at work, portraits of J.S. Plaskett early director of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, and his successor Joseph Pearce and, of some significance, three group photos of meetings of Canadian and American astronomers ca. 1908-191-.
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Episode of the CBC television program The Nature of Things entitled "The Comet of a Lifetime" (30 min.), in which Hogg was interviewed.
Another copy can be found in B2015-0007/001M
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Professor of astronomy at the University of Toronto, Director of Dunlap Observatory.
Born in Preston Ontario and a graduate of the University of Toronto in 1926, Frank Scott Hogg was the first to be awarded a Ph.D. in astronomy from Harvard College. It was during his graduate studies that he met Helen Sawyer whom he married in 1930. After travelling to Europe and the Western United States on a Parker Travelling Fellowship visiting observatories, Dr. Hogg was offered a position at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Victoria B.C., then under the direction of J.S. Plaskett. He and his wife Helen both undertook research at the D.O.A. until 1934 when they moved to the newly opened David Dunlap Observatory, where Frank Hogg became a lecturer.
Through the years, he rose through the ranks to become a professor of astronomy and finally head of the department and Director of the David Dunlap Observatory in 1946. His main interest lay in the radial velocity program of which he spent much of the time observing, measuring and computing data. During the war, he taught Air Navigation and is credited for inventing a two-star sextant intended to simplify navigation. Under his direction the D.D.O. undertook and completed many observing programs and a Ph.D. program was initiated. Unfortunately, Dr. Hogg did not live to see the first Ph.D. student graduate. He died of a heart ailment on New Years Day 1951, at the age of forty-six.
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Records in this sous-fonds offer a good outline of the educational and professional achievements of Frank Scott Hogg. Correspondence, lecture notes and related teaching files, research notes and draft manuscripts of articles all document his professional career as an astronomer. There are also draft articles for his Toronto Star column which, after his death, was taken over by his wife.
Of special mention are the notes, reports, correspondence and blueprints relating to the invention of the two-star sexton, a device designed to simplify astronomical navigation (1940-1943). The project was supported by government grants and the working models, designed and built at the Dunlap Observatory by Dr. Hogg and Dr. R.K. Young, were extensively tested by the Armed forces during World War II. Two original sextants have survived: one is housed at the National Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa, the other at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.
Nearly half of the records in this sous-fond are Frank Hogg's student papers, documenting his undergraduate course work at the University of Toronto (1922-1926) and subsequent graduate research at Harvard University culminating in his earning the first astronomy Ph.D. from this institution (1926-1929). Course notes, laboratory exercise books, statements of academic standing and scholarships provide a record of the structure and content of his education over a seven-year period. Books III, IV and V of research observations used for his Ph.D. thesis have survived along with a copy of his thesis. Books I, II and VI of his Ph.D. research were acquired earlier by the University of Toronto Archives and can be found in accession B82-0026. There are also some photos that relate to his education including his graduation portrait from the University of Toronto (1925).
In terms of personal papers, there is a small sampling of correspondence that has been filed at the beginning with his professional correspondence. For the period after 1930, correspondence found in Series I and X of the Helen Hogg fond is far more extensive. There are a few files that show his involvement in the Presbyterian Church, the Lions Club, and the Richmond Hill District High School Board that he chaired from 1949-50. Some memorabilia and some biographical files complete this scant collection of his personal life.
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Professor of Astronomy at the University of Toronto.
Ruth J. Northcott, long-time professional associate and close personal friend of Dr. Hogg, obtained her B.A. from the University of Toronto in 1934 and her M.A. from the same institution the following year (1935). She became a lecturer in astronomy at the University of Toronto in 1944, an assistant professor in 1954 and an associate professor in 1962, a position she held until her death in 1969. She was a member of the David Dunlap Observatory since its founding in 1935. She was also a member of the International Astronomical Union and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. In 1957 she became editor of that society's journal and of the observatory handbook. She was elected the third woman president of the society in 1963, and served in that post until 1965.
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The bulk of this sous-fonds consists of records documenting Northcott's teaching activities covering nearly twenty-five years. It is principally comprised of lecture notes, laboratory exercises, tests and examinations, class observations and student lists encompassing the years 1945-69. The remainder of the sous-fonds contains correspondence with professional associations, primarily the R.A.S.C. and R.C.I., manuscripts, draft articles and scripts for radio programmes, as well as miscellaneous research materials. It includes a copy of Northcott's 1964 publication list.
Dr. Helen Hogg was executor of Prof. Northcott's estate and took custody of her records at that time.
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Clarence Augustus Chant was born May 31, 1865 in Hagerman's Corner, Ontario to Christopher Chant and Elizabeth Croft. In 1882 he attended Markham High School, where he demonstrated a mathematical ability. After graduation he attended St. Catherines Collegiate Institute and York County Model School in Toronto. He left to work as an instructor in 1884, and taught at Maxwell, Osprey Township for the following three years. By 1887 he began studying mathematics and physics at the University College of the University of Toronto. Following graduation he worked for a few years as a temporary clerk, but returned to the University when he was offered a fellowship in 1891 and a year later was appointed lecturer in physics. While working at the University he became interested in astronomy, and in 1892 he joined what would become the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. He served as president of the organization from 1904 until 1907, and also performed editing duties for the society's journal until 1956. He also contributed articles to the journal and the annual Observer's Handbook.
He earned his Master's degree in 1900, and was granted a leave of absence to study for a Doctorate at Harvard University. He returned to Toronto with his Ph.D. in 1901 as a professor. In 1905 he introduced optical astronomy courses at the University of Toronto, and was the sole astronomer at the University until 1924. He lobbied the City of Toronto for an observatory, but the project was shelved with the advent of World War I.
In 1935, after many years of labor and the financial backing of the family of mining executive David Alexander Dunlap, his dreams of a world-class observatory for Canada were achieved with the opening of the David Dunlap Observatory. He retired from the University when the observatory opened, and moved into the Observatory House, Richmond Hill.
He is frequently referred to as the "Father of Canadian astronomy. Among the honours bestowed on him were the naming of an Asteroid after him and the Chant crater on the moon. In 1894 he married Jean Laiwlaw, and the couple had two daughters. He died while still residing at the Observatory House on November 18, 1956.
Published
This sous-fonds includes mainly photographs collected for his book "Our Wonderful Universe" first published in 1928 and revised in 1940. There is also some related correspondence and notes that indicate that both Frank and Helen Hogg had assisted Dr. Chant in this project. Some of the images may have been used elsewhere.
Also found in this sous-fond are two astronomy exercises or lectures identified as having belonged to Dr. Chant and a file on the "Gifford Sundial" (1941).
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