Physics Teachers of the Nineteenth Century

As physics teachers we should be well aware of women who are known for their contributions to the teaching of physics, beginning with Melba Newell Phillips, the first woman president of the American Association of Physics Teachers. But many in our community are unaware of the contributions, particularly in pre-college and informal settings, of the women of the Nineteenth Century. Before physics was designated as part of the accepted high school curriculum in the 1893 report of the Committee of Ten, these women worked to demonstrate, describe and explain what was then known as natural philosophy in homes, schools, and lecture halls.