February 13, 2009
The Barrett Memorial Library
In a previous blog, I wrote about “That Silver Dome” known as Yerkes Observatory, a facility of the University of Chicago, located in Williams Bay Wisconsin. I suggested a book, “Robber Baron: The Life of Charles Tyson Yerkes” which I had checked out from the local library. That library is the Barrett Memorial library, also located in Williams Bay. According to a 1938 article by William Morgan, published in Popular Astronomy, Storrs Barrows Barrett, for whom the library is named, came to the Observatory in 1900 at the age of 36. He worked as the librarian and then participated in the stellar spectrographic program which tracked and identified stars. He was responsible for over half of the five thousand plates (photos) taken between 1907 and 1920 and was joint author of two important research papers on this subject. He retired from his position as associate professor of astrophysics in 1930 and continued to reside in Williams Bay until his death in 1937. According Mr. Morgan, who himself was a renowned astrophysicist and worked with Mr. Barrett, his colleague’s role as an active community member, was perhaps as important as his scientific achievements. He was involved with the construction of the first Williams Bay High School (now the elementary school), served many terms on the Williams Bay school board, and the Walworth County board, and was the first president of the Village of Williams Bay.
For photo and information about Storrs Barrett and William Morgan, click on the following links.
http://photofiles.lib.uchicago.edu/db.xqy?one=apf6-00208.xml
http://www.phys-astro.sonoma.edu/BruceMedalists/Morgan/index.html
http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/full/seri/PA…/0046//0000128.000.html
Posted By: 
Janet Giovannetti
Tagged With:
barrett memorial library,
robber baron,
silver dome,
walworth county,
william morgan
and williams bay
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