Samuel Ottmar Mast papers
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of three series: correspondence, Johns Hopkins University material, and printed material with material ranging in date from 1912 to 1947. The correspondence forms the largest series, and is divided into incoming (arranged alphabetically) and outgoing (arranged chronologically). The letters fully describe Mast's research and his administrative duties.
Mast's colleagues and former students sought his comments on their work. He responded in detail, criticizing both experimental methods and results. Genetics, physiology, and behavior of unicellular organisms were the outstanding fields for research in the zoological division of the Biology department, and his correspondence touches on developments in each of these areas.
Letters from 1931-1932 and 1936 on describe the frustrations of running an academic department during the Depression. In addition to searching for money for graduate students, Mast had to help place recent Ph.D.'s in a flat market. His outgoing letters detail his attempts to keep the department and his students on stable financial ground.
The Johns Hopkins University material consists of charts of faculty and students. These were probably prepared by Mast in support of the New Plan for undergraduates favored first by President Frank Goodnow and later Isaiah Bowman. This scheme would eliminate the first two years of college instruction, and make Hopkins an institution solely for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students. The New Plan was never implemented.
Two reprints sent to Mast form the printed material series. They are: Sentis, M. H., Tension Superficielle de l'Eau et des Solutions Salines; and, Wetham, W. C. D. The Ionization of Dilute Solutions at the Freezing Point.
Dates
- Creation: 1912-1947
Creator
- Mast, Samuel Ottmar, 1871-1947 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is housed off-site and requires 48-hours' notice for retrieval. Contact Special Collections for more information.
This collection is open for use.
Conditions Governing Use
Single copies may be made for research purposes. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions. It is not necessary to seek our permission as the owner of the physical work to publish or otherwise use public domain materials that we have made available for use, unless Johns Hopkins University holds the copyright.
Biographical Note
Samuel Ottmar Mast was born on October 5, 1871 near Ann Arbor, Michigan. He received his B. S. from the University of Michigan in 1899 and completed his Ph.D. at Harvard in 1906. Mast taught at Hope College in Howland, Michigan from 1899-1908. His longest academic association, however, was with Johns Hopkins University.
In 1907-1908, Mast held a fellowship from Hopkins as a Johnston researcher. After its termination, Mast joined the botany department at Goucher College, then rejoined the Hopkins Zoology Department as associate professor in 1911. He was promoted to full professor in 1917, a rank he held until his retirement in 1941.
Mast's tenure at Hopkins included administrative duties. In 1938 Jennings, longtime head of the Department of Zoology, left Hopkins for UCLA. Mast succeeded Jennings as head and Director of the Zoological Labs. He had previously served as acting head when Jennings was a visiting professor in Japan (1931-1932) and at Oxford (1936-1937).
On August 26, 1908, Mast married Grace Rebecca Tennent. They had three daughters: Louise Rebecca Specht, Elisabeth Tennet Buck, and Margaret Tennent Rhodes. Samuel Ottmar Mast died on February 3, 1947. He was survived by his wife, Grace Tennent Mast, and their three daughters.
Extent
4.7 Cubic Feet (10 legal size document boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Samuel Ottmar Mast (1871-1947) was a biologist and zoologist at Johns Hopkins University. The collection consists of correspondence, administrative information related to running an academic department, and reprints of articles. The collection materials range in date from 1912 to 1947.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The papers were probably transferred to the Library sometime after Mast's death in 1947.
Bibliography
Processing Information
Finding aid prepared by Margaret N. Burri in 1988.
Subject
- Haupt, Paul, 1858-1926 (Person)
- Kouwenhoven, W. B. (William Bennett), 1886-1975 (Person)
- Goodnow, Frank J., 1859-1939 (Person)
- Hollander , Jacob H. (Jacob Harry), 1871-1940 (Person)
- Howell, William H. (William Henry), 1860-1945 (Person)
- Mast, Samuel Ottmar, 1871-1947 (Person)
- Prosser, Joseph L., 1923 (?)-2016 (Person)
- Bronk, Detlev W. (Detlev Wulf), 1897-1975 (Person)
- Herzfeld, Karl F. (Karl Ferdinand), 1892- (Person)
- Lynch, Ruth J. Stocking, 1887-1983 (Person)
- Cullen, Thomas Stephen, 1868-1953 (Person)
- Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956 (Person)
- Morgan, Thomas Hunt, 1866-1945 (Person)
- Boas, George, 1891-1980 (Person)
- Mayor, Elizabeth R. (Person)
- Bowman, Isaiah, 1878-1950 (Person)
- Ames, Joseph Sweetman, 1864-1943 (Person)
- Jennings, H. S. (Herbert Spencer), 1868-1947 (Person)
- French, John Calvin, 1875- (Person)
- Adams, C. F. (Person)
- Adolph, Edward F. (Edward Frederick), 1895-1986 (Person)
- Albritton, Errett C. (Errett Cyril), 1890- (Person)
- Altsheler, Brent (Person)
- Arey, Leslie Brainerd, 1891- (Person)
- Arntgen, Val (Person)
- Atwood, Wallace Walter, 1872-1949 (Person)
- Barker, H. A. (Horace Albert), 1907-2000 (Person)
- Barnes, Howard, active 20th century (Person)
- Benedict, Ralph C. (Person)
- Berry, Edward Wilber, 1875-1945 (Person)
- Bertholf, Lloyd M. (Person)
- Bevelander, Gerrit, 1905- (Person)
- Blum, Harold F. (Harold Francis), 1899- (Person)
- Bookhout, Cazlyn Greer, 1907- (Person)
- Bowen, Robert (Person)
- Bowen, William (Person)
- Bragg, Arthur N., 1897-1968 (Person)
- Brameld, Theodore, 1904-1987 (Person)
- Brecher, Gerhard (Person)
- Breneman, W. R. (William Raymond), 1907- (Person)
- Brown, Harley P. (Person)
- Buck, John B. (John Bonner), 1912-2005 (Person)
- Burrows, William, 1908-1978 (Person)
- Calkins, Gary N. (Gary Nathan), 1869- (Person)
- Cameron, J. MacBain (Person)
- Cannon, Walter B. (Walter Bradford), 1871-1945 (Person)
- Cattell, James McKeen, 1860-1944 (Person)
- Cattell, Ware (Person)
- Chalkely, H. W. (Person)
- Chambers, Robert, 1881-1957 (Person)
- Chesney, Alan M. (Alan Mason), 1888-1964 (Person)
- Child, C. M., 1869-1954 (Person)
- Clowes, George H. A. (George Henry Alexander), 1915- (Person)
- Coe, William Robertson, 1869-1955 (Person)
- Coker, R. E. (Robert Ervin), 1876-1967 (Person)
- Cole, William Harder, 1892-1967 (Person)
- Collins, Henry Hill, 1905-1961 (Person)
- Cowdry, E. V. (Edmund Vincent), 1888-1975 (Person)
- Crew, F. A. E. (Francis Albert Eley), 1888-1973 (Person)
- Crider, J. O. (Person)
- Curtis, Winterton C. (Winterton Conway), 1875-1965 (Person)
- Daniel, J. Frank (John Franklin), 1873-1942 (Person)
- Davenport, Charles Benedict, 1866-1944 (Person)
- Davis, John Henry, 1901-1978? (Person)
- Diehl, Charles, 1859-1944 (Person)
- Dohrn, Reinhard, 1880-1962 (Person)
- Dolley, William Lee, 1887- (Person)
- Donnay, J. D. H. (Joseph Désiré Hubert), 1902- (Person)
- Doyle, William L. (William Lewis), 1910- (Person)
- Driesch, Hans, 1867-1941 (Person)
- Duggar, Benjamin M. (Benjamin Minge), 1872-1956 (Person)
- Dunlap, Knight, 1875-1949 (Person)
- Durrell, L. W. (Lawrence Wood), 1888-1970 (Person)
- Enders, Robert K. (Robert Kendall), 1899-1988 (Person)
- Engle, Earl T. (Earl Theron), 1896-1957 (Person)
- Fauré-Frémiet, E. (Emmanuel), 1883- (Person)
- Faust, Ernest Carroll, 1890-1978 (Person)
- Fell, Barry, 1917-1994 (Person)
- Fenn, Wallace O. (Person)
- Folger, Harry Thomas, 1889- (Person)
- Fowler, Colleen (Person)
- Fox, Harold Munro, 1889-1967 (Person)
- Fraenkel, Gottfried S. (Gottfried Samuel), 1901-1984 (Person)
- Gates, G. E. (Gordon Enoch), 1897-1987 (Person)
- Geiser, Samuel Wood, 1890-1983 (Person)
- Gleason, Henry A. (Henry Allan), 1882-1975 (Person)
- Gobbel, Luther L. (Luther Lafayette), 1895-1991 (Person)
- Goldsmith, William M. (Person)
- Grave, Caswell, 1870-1944 (Person)
- Gray, Peter, 1908- (Person)
- Greenlaw, Edwin, 1874-1931 (Person)
- Guyer, Michael F. (Michael Frederic), 1874-1959 (Person)
- Hall, Richard P. (Richard Pinkham), 1900-1969 (Person)
- Hammett, Frederick S. (Frederick Simonds), 1885- (Person)
- Hardy, James D., 1918- (Person)
- Hartman, Carl G. (Carl Gottfried), 1879-1968 (Person)
- Hartmann, Max, 1876-1962 (Person)
- Harvey, E. Newton (Edmund Newton), 1887-1959 (Person)
- Hassett, Charles Clifford, 1905- (Person)
- Hefner, Ralph Aubrie, 1902- (Person)
- Hegner, Robert William, 1880-1942 (Person)
- Heilbrunn, Lewis Victor, 1892- (Person)
- Heinline, Gertrude White (Person)
- Herrick, C. Judson (Charles Judson), 1868-1960 (Person)
- Hertwig, Richard, 1850-1937 (Person)
- Hesler, L. R. (Lexemuel Ray) (Person)
- Holmes, Samuel J. (Samuel Jackson), 1868-1964 (Person)
- Hopkins, Dwight Lucian, 1899- (Person)
- Howard, Arthur David, 1906-1986 (Person)
- Howard, L. O. (Leland Ossian), 1857-1950 (Person)
- Howell, Charles D., active 20th century (Person)
- Hulpieu, Harold Raymond, 1901- (Person)
- Hunter, George W. (George William), 1902- (Person)
- Irving, Laurence, 1897-1988 (Person)
- Johnson, Percy Leroy, 1901- (Person)
- Jordan, Helene J. (Helene Jamieson) (Person)
- Kellogg, Vernon L. (Vernon Lyman), 1867-1937 (Person)
- Kelly, Howard A. (Howard Atwood), 1858-1943 (Person)
- Kenoyer, Leslie Alva, 1883- (Person)
- Kepner, William Allison, 1875- (Person)
- King, Lawrence J. (Person)
- Kirkwood, Elizabeth Scott, 1906- (Person)
- Kline, Albert Pierce Franz, 1910- (Person)
- Knutson, Herbert Claus, 1915- (Person)
- Krogh, August, 1874-1949 (Person)
- Kuhn, Alfred, 1895-1960 (Person)
- Kuntz, Albert, 1879- (Person)
- Langdon, H. Maxwell, 1876-1947 (Person)
- Laurens, Henri, 1885-1954 (Person)
- Lewis, Warren H. (Warren Harmon), 1870-1964 (Person)
- Light, Vernal Earl, 1892- (Person)
- Lillie, Frank Rattray, 1870-1947 (Person)
- Lineburg, Bruce, 1888- (Person)
- Little, Clarence C. (Clarence Cook), 1888-1971 (Person)
- Livingston, Burton E. (Burton Edward), 1875-1948 (Person)
- Luce, Robert Harding, 1900- (Person)
- Lutz, Frank Eugene, 1879-1943 (Person)
- Lyman, Rufus Ashley, 1875-1957 (Person)
- Lynn, W. Gardner (William Gardner), 1905- (Person)
- Macbride, Thomas H. (Thomas Huston), 1848-1934 (Person)
- MacDougal, Daniel Trembly, 1865-1958 (Person)
- Madison, Kenneth Menefee, 1915- (Person)
- Maglitsch, Paul S. (Person)
- Maluf, N. S. Rustum, 1913- (Person)
- Marbarger, John Porter, 1916- (Person)
- Mark, E. L. (Edward Laurens), 1847-1946 (Person)
- Marzulli, Francis Nicholas, 1917- (Person)
- McLean, Franklin C. (Franklin Chambers), 1888- (Person)
- Metcalf, Ella (Person)
- Metz, Charles William, 1889-1975 (Person)
- Miller, Helen Mar, 1904- (Person)
- Millikan, Robert Andrews, 1868-1953 (Person)
- Minnich, D. E. (Person)
- Miyajima, Mikinosuke, 1872-1944 (Person)
- Nadler, Jacob Ernest, 1902- (Person)
- Neal, Herbert V. (Herbert Vincent), 1869-1940 (Person)
- Nelson, Thurlow C. (Thurlow Christian), 1890-1960 (Person)
- Newcombe, Curtis L. (Curtis Lakeman), 1905- (Person)
- Noland, Lowell Evan, 1896- (Person)
- Norris, Edgar H. (Edgar Hughes), 1893- (Person)
- Noyes, Bessie, 1888- (Person)
- Osburn, Raymond C. (Raymond Carroll), 1872-1955 (Person)
- Osterhout, W. J. V. (Winthrop John Van Leuven), 1871-1964 (Person)
- Otis, Charles Herbert, 1886- (Person)
- Pace, Donald M. (Donald Metcalf), 1906- (Person)
- Pantin, Carl Frederick Abel, 1899-1967 (Person)
- Payne, Fernandus, 1881-1977 (Person)
- Pearl, Raymond, 1879-1940 (Person)
- Pearse, A. S. (Arthur Sperry), 1877-1956 (Person)
- Penn, Amos Benkov Kuan-Chin, 1906- (Person)
- Pierson, Bernice Frances, 1906- (Person)
- Pike, F. H. (Frank Henry) (Person)
- Pitts, Robert F. (Robert Franklin), 1908-1977 (Person)
- Powers, E. L. (Edward Lawrence), 1915- (Person)
- Younge, O. R. (Otto Ruder), 1901- (Person)
- Yerkes, Robert Mearns, 1876-1956 (Person)
- Wilson, Edwin Bidwell, 1879-1964 (Person)
- Wesenberg-Lund, C. (Carl), 1867-1955 (Person)
- Welch, d'Alté A. (d'Alté Aldridge), 1907-1970 (Person)
- Warner, F. J. (Person)
- Waksman, Selman A. (Selman Abraham), 1888-1973 (Person)
- Visscher, J. Paul (Person)
- Trezise, Williard Joseph, 1908- (Person)
- Tennent, David Hilt, 1873-1941 (Person)
- Specht, Heinz, 1907- (Person)
- Sonneborn, T. M. (Tracy Morton), 1905-1981 (Person)
- Sigerist, Henry E. (Henry Ernest), 1891-1957 (Person)
- Shull, George Harrison, 1874-1954 (Person)
- Schwitalla, Alphonse Mary, 1882-1965 (Person)
- Schramm, Jacob R. (Jacob Richard), 1885- (Person)
- Schmitt, Francis Otto, 1903-1995 (Person)
- Schaeffer, Asa A. (Asa Arthur), 1883- (Person)
- Ruthven, Alexander Grant, 1882-1971 (Person)
- Roux, Wilhelm, 1850-1924 (Person)
- Rose, Maurice, 1882-1969 (Person)
- Robbins, William Jacob, 1890- (Person)
- Riley, C. F. Curtis (Person)
- Richtmyer, F. K. (Floyd Karker), 1881-1939 (Person)
- Rice, Nolan (Person)
- Reimold, Orlando S., 1910-1977 (Person)
- Reimann, Stanley P. (Stanley Philip), 1891-1968 (Person)
- Rees, David T. (Person)
- Redfield, Alfred C. (Alfred Clarence), 1890-1983 (Person)
- Rand, Frederick Vernon, 1883-1961 (Person)
- Priestley, J. H. (Joseph Hubert), 1883-1944 (Person)
- Pratt, Robertson, 1909-1976 (Person)
Function
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Samuel Ottmar Mast papers
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
The Sheridan Libraries
Special Collections
3400 N Charles St
Baltimore MD 21218 USA
specialcollections@lists.jhu.edu