Title: Samuel Biggs Schofield (1898-1984) Papers, 1914-1982

ID: MS/2009.1

Extent: 4.0

Predominant Dates: 1967-1981

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Administrative/Biographical History

Samuel Biggs Schofield was born in Georgetown, Cecil County, Maryland on February 13, 1898. He earned a state scholarship to attend Western Maryland College, Westminster, MD (now McDaniel College), graduating in 1919. After graduation he was asked to be an instructor in biology at the college and by 1921 he was professor in chemistry. He furthered his studies in chemistry at Cornell University during summers. Schofield took a leave of absence from 1924 to 1927 to complete his graduate studies, earning his M.A. in chemistry from Princeton University in 1925 and continued at Princetonas a Ph.D. candidate and an assistant in chemistry. His dissertation “The Degree of Dissociation of Ammonium Chloride in the Vapor State” was completed in February 1928. However it was not accepted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for his Ph. D. in chemistry because an almost identical study was published in Germany in the spring of 1928.

Schofield returned to Western Maryland College to resume his teaching career. In 1929 he married Julia Corrine Troy, an instructor of home economics at the college. They had a daughter Corrine Schofield, (Les Callette), WMC class of 1952. Schofield was Professor of chemistry (1928-1965), Dean of the College (1928-1938), and Dean of Administration (1938-1963). He was an American Institute of Chemists Fellow (resigned in 1950) and a member of the American Chemical Society. Dickinson College in Pennsylvania awarded him an honorary Doctorate in Science in 1949. Schofield retired as professor emeritus in 1965 and became the college archivist. During the next decade he set up the college’s first archives as he researched the college’s history. His research culminated in a book THE FORMATIVE YEARS with Marjorie Cowles Crain, first printed in 1979 and published in 1982. The college in 1979 awarded Schofield a Doctor of Laws for all his work and research. Dr. Samuel Biggs Schofield died in 1984 in Salisbury, MD.

Author: Barbara O'Brien

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Administrative Information

Scope and Contents:

This collection contains four document cases and two series. The bulk of material consists of the notes and typescripts on the history of Western Maryland College from 1866 to 1972. There is some correspondence, all relating to the history of the college or the typing of the notes on the history. Originally accessioned under "General Records of Western Maryland College; Faculty Articles and Papers 2/02/033," it was removed to special collections. Dates are unlisted in the shelf list record and there are no corresponding accession records. These papers had not been processed. In reviewing the contents of the collection it was discovered the collection contained mostly photocopied duplicates and record from other offices of the college. All photocopies of originals were removed. Photocopies of originals where the original was not in the collection were retained. Also removed from the collection was one file folder containing original material from the Office of Provost's academic files. This folder was removed. One folder with a certificate from his days as a student is listed as a second series. Another folder in the collection containing information on his retirement was kept with the collection and listed as a third series.

In organizing these papers Dr. Schofield's handwritten index was taken into consideration as were notes made by Bernice Beard, secretary to the college president, who oversaw the typing of Schofield's notes and writings.

On-line Images/Records

Detailed Description
Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Accession 2015.07

Other URL: http://hoover.mcdaniel.edu/archives/Schofield/Schofield, Samuel Biggs.pdf