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John De Vries Collection, 1932-1967

Collection Overview

Title: John De Vries Collection, 1932-1967

ID: COLL/068

Creator: De Vries, John (1907-1967)

Extent: 8.0 Boxes. More info below.

Arrangement: Folder level description

Abstract

Professor of chemistry at Calvin College. The collection includes speeches; chapter drafts of "Beyond the Atom" and "Essentials of Physical Science"; correspondence; articles; book reviews; and course notes detailing the relationship between religion and science, the emergence of nuclear sciences during the mid-century, early studies of radio-carbon dating, organic chemistry, pharmacology, and physical chemistry. [See also the Campus Titles Database.]

Biographical Note

John De Vries (1907-1967) a native of Smilde, the Netherlands, graduated from Calvin College in 1929 and with a PhD from the University of Illinois in 1933 and began a notable career in teaching chemistry first at Huron College, then Knox College, and from 1939 until his death at Calvin College. During his tenure, he focused on academic excellence as demonstrated by the large number of Calvin College chemistry majors who earned PhDs. As a chemist, he was part of the vanguard examining nuclear sciences and wrote a number of articles and books such as Beyond the Atom.

In 1960 he was one of six college chemistry instructors awarded a citation by the Manufacturing Chemists Association, Inc. In addition, beginning in 1960, he served for fourteen months as the acting program director of the Institutes Section of the National Science Foundation. During 1965-1966, he again served the National Science Foundation as its assistant program director.

In 1930 De Vries married Sophy Bolt; they had four sons—George R., John F., James H., and Robert C.

Administrative Information

Alternate Extent Statement: 3.0 cubic ft.

Acquisition Source: Gift of J. De Vries


Box and Folder Listing

Series 1: Speeches and Chapel Talks --- 1939-1951
Box 1
Folder 1: Speech at Highland, Indiana, school rally --- 1944
Folder 2: Commencement speech, Fulton, Illinois --- 1939
Folder 3: "Planning your Child’s Future," Seymour PTA, Grand Rapids, Michigan --- 1946
Folder 4: Speech - 25th Anniversary of school, Baldwin, Wisconsin
Folder 5: Speech in Willard, Ohio, at Young Calvinist Rally --- 1951
Folder 6: Political speech for Ed Borgman
Folder 7: Syllabus for Board of Trustees
Folder 8-9: Various chapel talks and unidentified speeches
Folder 10: "Soup Bowl"speech --- 1939
Folder 11: List of articles and book reviews in The Banner and other publications
Folder 12: The Word of God and Science, Science and the Bible
Series 2: Manuscript for "Beyond the Atom"
Box 2
Folder 1: Chapters 1 and 2
Folder 2: Chapters 3, 4, and 5
Folder 3: Chapters 6 and 7
Folder 4: Chapters 8, 9, and 10
Folder 5: Article on H-bomb
Series 3: Correspondence --- 1932-1967
Box 3
Folder 1-8: Correspondence --- 1932-1940
Folder 9-12: Correspondence --- 1942-1945
Folder 13-19: Correspondence --- 1947-1953
Folder 20-32: Correspondence --- 1955-1967
Folder 33: National Science Foundation Appointment
Folder 34: Manufacturing Chemists Association Award
Series 4: Manuscript for "Essentials of Physical Science"by John De Vries
Box 4
Folder 1-11: Chapters 1-11, Revised
Folder 12-13: Chapter 13, Revised
Folder 14-20: Chapters 14-20, Revised
Series 5: Papers and Speeches
Box 5
Folder 1: Physical Science - The Age of the Earth/Radioactivity Articles
Folder 2: Papers and speeches by John De Vries
Folder 3: PhD thesis, University of Illinois --- 1933
Folder 4: Lab manual
Folder 5: Book reviews of John De Vries books
Folder 6: Salary information
Series 6: Course Material --- 1940-1960s
Box 6
Folder 1: Physical Science articles
Folder 2: Physical Science exams --- 1950-1960
Folder 3-4: Physical Science course material
Folder 5: Physics 202 course material --- 1950s
Folder 6: General Physics course material
Folder 7: Elementary Physics 202 course material --- 1940s
Folder 8: Physics 201 course material --- 1940s
Folder 9: Physical Chemistry course material
Folder 10: Theoretical Chemistry course material
Folder 11: Organic Chemistry course material
Folder 12: Chemistry 206 (Geology) --- 1950s
Box 7
Folder 1: Chemistry exams --- 1960s
Folder 2: Pharmacology course material --- 1940s
Folder 3: Chemistry 103 course material
Folder 4: Chemistry 104 course material
Folder 5: Graduate programs for science teachers
Folder 6-7: Periodical articles re: science
Folder 8: Organic Chemistry data
Folder 9: Organic Chemistry course material
Folder 10: Physical Chemistry course material
Folder 11: Technical papers, Endeavor
Folder 12: Notes on various chemical compounds
Folder 13: Articles re: Genesis 1 and 2
Folder 14: Physics course material
Series 7: Miscellany
Box 8
Item 1: PhD diploma --- 1933
Item 2: Funeral memory books --- 1967, 1977
Item 3: Nameplate --- n.d.
Item 4: Small silver dish --- 1965
Item 5: DVD: Biology @ Calvin --- 2005
Item 6: DVD: Calvin Ortho Research files --- 2002
Item 7: Citation --- 1960