Her Quaker family
believed that equal importance should be given to the education for
both boys and girls. They lived in an area which was full of natural
phenomena which helped to inspire Maria's love for nature and
science. She went to a private elementary school and then later to a
school which her father ran. His school focused mostly on
observations of nature. She then attended the Cyrus Peirce's school
for young ladies where the headmaster saw her unique abilities in
math and science and encouraged her to pursue her education with a
passion. She was described as being “born of only ordinary
capacity, but of extraordinary persistency.” She also worked as a
librarian for twenty years and continued her own study while
employed. She was fluent in French and studied science textbooks in
that language. Because of her passion for education, she started her
own school in 1835. She was an unconventional instructor who began
school before sunrise for the purpose of watching birds with students
in the morning and also stayed late into the night to view the stars.
Throughout her life, she earned an honorary degree from Hanover
College in 1853, Columbia University in 1887, and an honorary
doctorate from Rutgers Female College a few years later.
Because she had been so
passionate about education and in particular astronomy, Maria was
frequently seen making observations at night. During her childhood,
she was a helper to her father and together they made thousands of
observations which were used for the U.S. Coast Survey. During her
life, she also was a computer for the American Ephemeris and Nautical
Almanac, working there for 19 years. All of the observations were
regarding accurate time and latitude. In 1847, she discovered a new
comet which was named after her and brought her worldwide fame. She
first viewed it while at her father's observatory, using only a two
inch telescope. The King of Denmark gave her a gold medal for her
discovery and after that, she became a well known astronomer in both
the United States and Europe. She is considered to be the first well
known woman astronomer. In 1848 she was the first woman to be
elected into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, her
membership being proposed by the very well known geologist Louis
Agassiz. She joined the American Association for the Advancement of
Science in 1850. In 1857, Maria became the chaperone for the
daughter of a prominent Chicago business man and traveled with her to
Europe. She visited many observatories during her trip and even met
one of her idols, the astronomer Mary Somerville. Soon after, Maria
was asked to be a professor of astronomy and the director of the
observatory for Vassar College. She encouraged small classes made up
of conversation rather than lecturing. Because she felt such a
passion for granting other women the opportunities she was given as a
child in terms of education, she decided at this point in her life to
devote her Maria Mitchell was born to
William Mitchell and Lydia Coleman on August 1st, 1818.
She was the third of ten children born to her parents and her family
was a part of the Society of Friends, or Quakers, who had moved from
England to America. Her parents both had strong passions for learning
as her mother had worked in a library for two years for the sole
purpose of reading all the books it contained. Her father provided
for the family by rating chronometers of ships' captains. A
chronometer is a very precise clock which was used by captains to
determine their exact longitude. They used this information to
navigate by means of the stars. On the side, her father was an
amateur astronomer who inspired Maria's love for the heavens. As a
child, she helped her father with his work and through this process,
learned about both mathematics and astronomy.
Her Quaker family
believed that equal importance should be given to the education for
both boys and girls. They lived in an area which was full of natural
phenomena which helped to inspire Maria's love for nature and
science. She went to a private elementary school and then later to a
school which her father ran. His school focused mostly on
observations of nature. She then attended the Cyrus Peirce's school
for young ladies where the headmaster saw her unique abilities in
math and science and encouraged her to pursue her education with a
passion. She was described as being “born of only ordinary
capacity, but of extraordinary persistency.” She also worked as a
librarian for twenty years and continued her own study while
employed. She was fluent in French and studied science textbooks in
that language. Because of her passion for education, she started her
own school in 1835. She was an unconventional instructor who began
school before sunrise for the purpose of watching birds with students
in the morning and also stayed late into the night to view the stars.
Throughout her life, she earned an honorary degree from Hanover
College in 1853, Columbia University in 1887, and an honorary
doctorate from Rutgers Female College a few years later.
Because she had been so
passionate about education and in particular astronomy, Maria was
frequently seen making observations at night. During her childhood,
she was a helper to her father and together they made thousands of
observations which were used for the U.S. Coast Survey. During her
life, she also was a computer for the American Ephemeris and Nautical
Almanac, working there for 19 years. All of the observations were
regarding accurate time and latitude. In 1847, she discovered a new
comet which was named after her and brought her worldwide fame. She
first viewed it while at her father's observatory, using only a two
inch telescope. The King of Denmark gave her a gold medal for her
discovery and after that, she became a well known astronomer in both
the United States and Europe. She is considered to be the first well
known woman astronomer. In 1848 she was the first woman to be
elected into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, her
membership being proposed by the very well known geologist Louis
Agassiz. She joined the American Association for the Advancement of
Science in 1850. In 1857, Maria became the chaperone for the
daughter of a prominent Chicago business man and traveled with her to
Europe. She visited many observatories during her trip and even met
one of her idols, the astronomer Mary Somerville. Soon after, Maria
was asked to be a professor of astronomy and the director of the
observatory for Vassar College. She encouraged small classes made up
of conversation rather than lecturing. Because she felt such a
passion for granting other women the opportunities she was given as a
child in terms of education, she decided at this point in her life to
devote her work to education rather than practical astronomy. In
1873, she founded the Association for the Advancement of Women and
served as president. After her work with this agency advocating for
the recognition of women's contributions to science, she was the
first woman elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1873.
Regarding her job as either a teacher or observer, Maria said, “the
scientist should be free to pursue his investigations. He cannot be a
scientist and a schoolmaster... It is not all mathematics, nor all
logic but is somewhat beauty and poetry.” After her death, Maria
had a crater named after her on the moon. Also, the Maria Mitchell
Association of Nantucket was formed in her honor, maintaining the
Maria Mitchell Observatory. There are now several institutions named
after her such as the Boston Public Library and a public school
located in Denver, Colorado.work to education rather than practical astronomy. In
1873, she founded the Association for the Advancement of Women and
served as president. After her work with this agency advocating for
the recognition of women's contributions to science, she was the
first woman elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1873.
Regarding her job as either a teacher or observer, Maria said, “the
scientist should be free to pursue his investigations. He cannot be a
scientist and a schoolmaster... It is not all mathematics, nor all
logic but is somewhat beauty and poetry.” After her death, Maria
had a crater named after her on the moon. Also, the Maria Mitchell
Association of Nantucket was formed in her honor, maintaining the
Maria Mitchell Observatory. There are now several institutions named
after her such as the Boston Public Library and a public school
located in Denver, Colorado.
Ragan, Gay A. "Mitchell, Maria." Mathematics. Ed. Barry Max Brandenberger, Jr. Vol. 3. New York:
Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. 51. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 7 Mar. 2013.
DEROCHE, CELESTE. "Mitchell, Maria." American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial Times to the Present: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial Times to the Present. Ed. Taryn Benbow-Pfalzgraf. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: St. James Press, 2000. 151-152. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 7 Mar. 2013.
"Maria Mitchell." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2nd ed. Vol. 11. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 61. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 7 Mar. 2013.
"Mitchell, Maria." Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Vol. 9. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008. 421-422. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 7 Mar. 2013.
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