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The magnitude of materials contained within the hallowed walls of the Library of Congress is difficult to fathom. Housing more than 170 million items, it is the largest library in the world.
With published books, handwritten manuscripts, film and audio recordings, what might Baldwin Wallace University have to offer a researcher from the de facto national library of the United States? The answer lay scattered among the shelves within the BW University Archives.
As last semester was ending, BW's Ritter Library hosted Dr. Carol Lynn Ward-Bamford, musical instrument curator from the Library of Congress, as she gathered information and insights for a biography on alumnus and renowned scientist Dayton C. Miller.
Top
BW
scholars
know
Dayton
C.
Miller
from
the
BW
honor
society
that
bears
his
name.
There
is,
however,
a
captivating
backstory
that
dates
back
to
the
early
days
of
BW.
Miller's father co-owned a small business in Berea in the 1800s, affording his son the opportunity to enter preparatory school in 1880. Young Dayton excelled at his academic studies, setting a precedent that would continue throughout his collegiate career.
Miller earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1886 from what was then Baldwin University. He went on to complete a doctorate in astronomy from Princeton University just four years later.
Miller was an avid flutist, having performed numerous solos at various events across the BW campus. His love of music and his passion for science culminated in groundbreaking work with sound waves as well as the world's largest collection of flutes, now in the Library of Congress.
Dr.
Ward-Bamford's
life
and
pursuits
paralleled
Dr.
Miller's
in
some
regards.
She
too
played
and
studied
flute,
though
she
took
her
academic
studies
of
the
instrument
further,
having
earned
her
master's
in
flute
performance.
She
also
happened
to
have
access
to
Miller's
massive
flute
collection,
and
all
associated
documentation
reside
under
her
supervision
at
the
Library
of
Congress.
It was this kindred closeness that lit a fire in her to share Miller's story with the world. That's what brought her to Berea, her need to know more about this uniquely fascinating man.
Dr. Ward-Bamford's research on Miller will culminate with a book documenting his life, the forces that shaped it and his contributions to science.
When the painstaking task of detailing Dayton C. Miller's story has finally been realized, you'll need look no further than BW's Ritter Library for a copy.
