Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-07-18
WOMEN TO HONOR
 MARIA MITCHELL. NOTED ASTRONOMER
Won Fame by First Tele scopic Discovery of
 a Comet.

ganlZatiOns and scientific and educa- tlonal societies turnout the land are preparing soon to honor the memory of Maria Mitchell, who attained world- wide fame as an astronomer. The occasion will be the centennial anni- versary of her birth, which occurred in the island of Nantucket, August 1. 1918.
 Away back in the twenties of the last century, a bright-eyed little las sic used to climb on the roof of the family home just before sand man time" every summer evening to watch "the pretty stars.' Long before she was ten years old the little maid knew the heavens and the relative locations of the stars as we'll as she knew the streets of her native town. Her fath- er William Mitchell, for years mas ter in the island schools, was delight ed with the bent of his small daugh- ter's mind. and he encouraged her. He himself was interested in scien- tific research, and he taught her to count the seconds by the chronometer while he studied the stars. She was employed to 'rate" the chronom- t.. Maria was his valuable assistant.
 In 1881, during the totol eclipse of the sun, Mir. Mitchell moved the sash of parlor window of the home to make observations, and while he per formed this task his 12 year ord daughter counted the seconds for him.
 As she grew up Maria Mitchell de- voted her attention assidiously to as trOnOmy, mastering it With the ease of born scientist For 20 years a little closet three feet by four located in the family house. served as her study. Here she did all her work until she was made professor of as- trnoomy and director of the observa- tory upon the founding of Vassar col lege, in 1863. She held that position until 1888, when failing health neces- sitated her retirement, and she was made professor emeritus.
 It was before she became identified with Vassar that Maria Mitchell made the discovery that caused her name to be famous the world over, and which won her the king of Den marks gold medal for the first tele- scopic discovery of a comet.
 Another honor came to Maria Mitch ell, in 1859 when she was given a bronze medal by the republic of San Marine.
 During her years of work and study Maria Mitchell gave the world of science much that is prized today. She was the first woman to be elect ed to membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and
 1.@ c1n nndn member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 1869 she was invited to join the Amer ican Philosophical society founded by Benjamin Harrison in Philadelphia. Eolumbia, Dartmouth, Rutgers and other universities honored her with degrees. Her name is one of the two women's names on the memorial window in the Boston public library.
 A remarkable monument at Nan tucket does honor to the famous wo- man astronomer. It is in the form of an astronomical observatory in which there is a five-inch telescope. The telescope was presented to Miss Mitchell on behalf of the women of America through Elizabeth Peabody. the noted American educator. The funds for building the observatory were entifely contributed by women. <, No, change has been made in the house where Miss Mitchell was born Preserved there are valuable scien.. tific and literary collections, together with manuscripts of her lectures and the notes she took, together with au' tographs, letters. diplomas, and many of her personal treasures and belong ings.
 During her scientific career Mss Mitchell crossed the Atlantic twie 3 for the purpose of visiting Eui opeail observatories. She was received and entertained at the observatories in Liverpool, Greenwich, Combridze. Glasgow, Paris, Rome and Pulkova. In her diary she said of these visits: "I tried to see in what way they arc superior to us; not in what way they are inferior"
 penalty. Auvt-7 S-tf