Courses in chemistry have been taught at Mount Holyoke since the school opened in 1837. Mary Lyon, Mount Holyoke's founder, was the first chemistry teacher. She also invited faculty from other colleges and universities to give lectures on the subject and sought to provide students with laboratory experience. Botany teacher Lydia W. Shattuck (Class of 1851) also taught chemistry classes and solicited funds for a new chemistry and physics building constructed in 1892 and named in her honor. In 1932, the original Shattuck Hall was replaced by a new building of the same name. Other facilities used for the study and teaching of chemistry are Newcomb Cleveland Hall (1955), Carr Laboratory (1955), and Kendade Hall (2003).
In 1907, a four-year course of study in chemistry was established, allowing students to major in chemistry. At this time the chemistry program became a formal department. In 1918, the College's focus in the study of chemistry shifted from general chemistry to organic and physical chemistry. In 1929, the emphasis shifted again to four areas: general inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry. This change generated a significant expansion in the courses offered by the Department. The goals of the Department were “to instill a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles of chemistry, to encourage the habits of clear thinking and careful deductions from experimental observations, and to kindle interest in the challenge of scientific research.” Notable chemistry professors at Mount Holyoke include Emma Perry Carr, Lucy W. Pickett, Mary L. Sherrill, Anna J. Harrison, Edwin S. Weaver, Kenneth L. Williamson, and Mary K. Campbell.
From the guide to the Chemistry Department Records RG 18. 9., 1890-present, (Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections)
