Interview with John Van Vleck

Partial Transcript: Mr. Van Vleck, I understand that, though you weren't born in Madison, you were born in Connecticut...

Segment Synopsis: Born in Middletown, Connecticut. His father took a job at UW-Madison after working at Wesleyan University. His grandfather had been President of Wesleyan on two occasions, and all three men have honorary degrees from there. JV started elementary school in France and Germany when his father was on sabbatical.

Keywords: Sorbonne; UW-Madison; Wesleyan University

Partial Transcript: So then you went to Madison and, from knowing about your father, I gather you grew up there.

Segment Synopsis: Stayed with family friend B.F. Skinner when they first moved to Madison around 1905. The city was growing, and there was only one house for rent. The following year, they bought a house on North Pinckney Street.

Keywords: B.F. Skinner; Madison, WI; Pinckney Street

Partial Transcript: I had a request from the librarian of the children's library at the University of Minnesota...

Segment Synopsis: Has donated his collection of children's books to the University of Minnesota. His favorite "book" was an Italian railroad time table, which started his railroad hobby while traveling in Europe.

Keywords: University of Minnesota; children's library

Partial Transcript: What school did you go to in Madison?

Segment Synopsis: Went to Washington School for grammar school, on Broom Street, then to Madison High School, later called Central. Had a rivalry with Wisconsin High.

Keywords: Madison High School; Wisconsin High School; calculus; grammar school; mathematics

Partial Transcript: Father always felt that he was late in shifting to mathematics...

Segment Synopsis: JV's father discovered an interest in math late, after studying and teaching physics. At the time, many people did their PhD work in Europe. "Post-doc" was not a concept until the 1920s.

Keywords: Guggenheim fellowship; Josiah Willard Gibbs; PhD; Wesleyan University; Yale; mathematics; physics

Partial Transcript: Why did you-- Well, I suppose this is pretty obvious, but why did you choose Harvard...

Segment Synopsis: His father was a visiting professor at Harvard in 1920. After doing summer school in Minnesota and Chicago, he graduated UW early to go with his family to Harvard.

Keywords: Harvard University; University of Minnesota; graduate school

Partial Transcript: I liked the work in physics I attended, the courses I attended.

Segment Synopsis: Enjoyed physics classes at Harvard. Tried a class in railway operation in the business school, but did not have the physique. Got most interested in quantum theory and quantum mechanics. Expected to go into teaching, because not many industry research jobs were available in the field at the time.

Keywords: Harvard University; career path; physics; quantum mechanics

Partial Transcript: Now what took you to Minnesota?

Segment Synopsis: Offered a great position at University of Minnesota with no undergraduate teaching, which was rare. Had been an instructor at Harvard and knew it could be a burden to doing research. Became friends with Richard Heartshorne at Minnesota.

Keywords: Richard Heartshorne; University of Minnesota; physics; undergraduate teaching

Partial Transcript: Well, then what took you from Minnesota to Wisconsin?

Segment Synopsis: It was very difficult to choose to leave Minnesota, but his parents were in Madison, and it was his alma mater. Before the Depression, Madison brought distinguished scientists as visiting professors every year. Bargained for Madison to meet his salary from Minnesota.

Keywords: Depression; UW-Madison; University of Minnesota; physics; salary negotiation

Partial Transcript: Who were the members of the department when you came?

Segment Synopsis: Names department faculty when he arrived. UW-Madison course load was similar to that at Minnesota. Taught 1-2 graduate seminars. Students were equally strong. JV's father was also at UW briefly at that time.

Keywords: Bob Serber; C.E. Mendenhall; Department of Physics; Leonard Ingersoll; Max Mason; William Steve

Partial Transcript: Who are the people you remember most in Wisconsin?

Segment Synopsis: As a student, he was not in a fraternity, did not form lifetime friendships in college. Was friends with Warren Weaver, who was a PhD student.

Keywords: UW-Madison; Warren Weaver; fraternities

Partial Transcript: Oh, well, I do understand that you were a member of the band when you were there. Is that correct?

Segment Synopsis: Remembers the opening of Camp Randall stadium, and a Wisconsin victory against Minnesota. Played flute in the band in high school and college. Remembers a UW band tour in 1917, doubling up in a sleeper train. [End of Tape 1/Side 1]

Keywords: Camp Randall; Minnesota-Wisconsin game; UW band; band tour; flute; sleeper train

Partial Transcript: DH: Okay. JV: I remember the manager of the band calling the superintendent...

Segment Synopsis: [Start of Tape 1/Side 2] Story on band tour continues, where the train was too cold.

Keywords: UW Band; band tour; sleeper train

Partial Transcript: Well, I also gather that, somewhere along there, you developed your interest in football.

Segment Synopsis: Did not have athletic ability, but was interested in football and baseball.

Keywords: Badger football; UW football; baseball; football

Partial Transcript: When-- I understand that your family and the Ingraham family were longtime friends.

Segment Synopsis: JV's grandfather and Mark Ingraham's grandfather were friends. In the student boom after WWI, JV's father hired Mark Ingraham to teach math at UW.

Keywords: Mark Ingraham; mathematics

Partial Transcript: Well, I'd be interested-- You've said, in this-- written-- how you go into physics...

Segment Synopsis: In the early '20s, the "old" quantum theory was used in atomic science. Van Vleck wrote a report for National Research Council that was out of date by the time it was printed. Discusses working on the same model of the Helium atom that Niels Bohr worked on.

Keywords: National Research Council; Niels Bohr; physics; quantum mechanics; quantum theory

Partial Transcript: Well, how did you get into the engineering and applied physics?

Segment Synopsis: Did not work in applied physics, except during the war, at Radio Research Lab.

Keywords: WWII; World War II; applied physics; engineering

Partial Transcript: But that was just a brief interval in the war. It had nothing to do with my becoming dean...

Segment Synopsis: Became Dean of Applied Physics and Engineering at Harvard in 1951. Had been Department Chairman in Physics for four years after the war. Discusses faculty members at Harvard and the process of appointing a dean in engineering. Describes his role as dean.

Keywords: Harvard University; applied physics; dean; engineering; physics

Partial Transcript: I respected and enjoyed meeting the good engineers. There were some that were less able...

Segment Synopsis: Harvard's civil engineering program could not compete with MIT. The applied mathematics department was strong. Discusses particular scientists and engineers. Was friends with Sumner Slichter and the Slichter family. Charles Slichter was his student.

Keywords: Charles Slichter; Harvard University; Sumner Slichter; applied mathematics; engineering

Partial Transcript: Who else-- going back to-- There are several people that-- or I guess emeritus now...

Segment Synopsis: Ragnar Rollefson was a graduate student when JV was on the faculty at UW. Donald Kerst took his courses. Max Mason was against quantum theory, but JV believes it was vital to understanding chemistry and physics.

Keywords: Department of Physics; Donald Kerst; Max Mason; Ragnar Rollefson; Warren Weaver; quantum physics; quantum theory

Partial Transcript: What-- I've been interested in what effect the development of the computer has had on the progress of mathematical theory...

Segment Synopsis: JV's era was before computerized mathematical physics. Used a hand-cranked Monroe Computing Machine.

Keywords: computers; mathematics; physics

Partial Transcript: Now, one of your-- I haven't said anything about your receiving a Nobel Prize so far.

Segment Synopsis: Won his Nobel Prize for work in magnetism, along with Phil Anderson, who had been his PhD student at Harvard.

Keywords: Harvard University; Nobel Prize; Phil Anderson; magnetism

Partial Transcript: Well, I heard you say that you did this work a long, long time ago?

Segment Synopsis: Had published on magnetism and quantum mechanics at Minnesota. Finished his book on magnetism while at UW-Madison with two post-docs, Robert Schlapp and William Penney. Penney was also on the soccer team.

Keywords: Baron William Penney; Robert Schlapp; UW soccer; UW-Madison; magnetism; quantum mechanics

Partial Transcript: Bill playing with Wisconsin team is a little like the people, some of the people that played with the Boilermakers...

Segment Synopsis: Anecdote on Purdue Boilermakers, borrowing workers from Monon railroad to play on their football team. [End of Tape 1/Side 2]

Keywords: Purdue Boilermakers; Purdue University; football

Partial Transcript: Do you suppose that you might talk about-- or make some comparisons between...

Segment Synopsis: [Start of Tape 2/Side 1] Physics department has grown, even more after WWII. Used to have only one secretary for the department.

Keywords: Department of Physics; UW-Madison; departmental secretary

Partial Transcript: The campus of the University, I think, was much more "Joe College" in 1916-20..

Segment Synopsis: Comparisons between the UW in 1916-20 and in 1928-34. Used to have class "bag rush" between freshmen and sophomores, when campus was dominated by fraternities. Huge prom held at the State Capitol after WWI, then held at the Union in the 1930s.

Keywords: UW-Madison; bag rush; class rush; fraternities; prom

Partial Transcript: I feel that Wisconsin and Minnesota had high standards for their advanced work...

Segment Synopsis: Some think advanced physics was confined to the coasts, but UW and Minnesota had high standards. A graduate student they chose not to rehire went on to a PhD at Berkeley.

Keywords: Department of Physics; UC Berkeley; UW-Madison; University of Minnesota

Partial Transcript: I can't pinpoint the exact year, I think it's probably the fall of '33...

Segment Synopsis: Daily Cardinal once published an editorial against football in colleges. In contrast, Stanford University cancelled all classes for football events. Stanford was more "Joe College" than UW, shot a gun to celebrate new fraternity members. Stanford has become more tech and engineering focused now, and the whole world is more cynical, less sentimental.

Keywords: Daily Cardinal; President Glenn Frank; Stanford University; football; fraternities

Partial Transcript: You are-- it just occurred to me that you were there during the period of time when Glenn Frank was President.

Segment Synopsis: JV's father thought the Experimental College was a reversion to the 19th century. JV describes it as taking a farm boy from Northern Wisconsin and expecting him to study Greek civilization and nothing else. Was more successful with radical students from the New York era. JV thought students should shop around, Experimental College was too rigid. Overheard that Dean Slichter thought the Experimental College students lacked manners.

Keywords: Dean Slichter; Experimental College

Partial Transcript: Have you -- You were talking about the University when you were on the faculty...

Segment Synopsis: Has returned to UW every few years. Does not support the merger of the UW system.

Keywords: UW system merger; UW-Madison

Partial Transcript: --pleasant relationship. I think I looked up to him for guidance.

Segment Synopsis: [Tape cuts to a new topic. Unclear who JV describes. Interview ends abruptly.]