William Jennings, Pioneer Work in Photography of Lightning, 1930

Contents of CSA #2914

Committee on Science and the Arts
Case File of William Jennings
1930 Wetherill Medal

• Report
• CSA Report: Cover and final report for Case File #2914, the work of William N. Jennings "in the Photography of Flashes of Lightning," 12/4/1929
• Correspondence
  • James Barnes Letter: To Dr. Hoadley, concerning which medal to recommend for Jennings, 11/17/1928
  • William Jennings Letter: To The Franklin Institute, outlining his original work in the photography of lightning, 7/8/1929
  • Franklin Institute Controller Letter: To Hoadley, confirming that movement was placed before Board of Managers to consider Jennings for award, 9/19/1929
  • William Jennings Letter: To Hoadley, claiming that the "Ribbon Effect" was his own original observation, 10/3/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Frederic Palmer, Jr, informing of appointment as Chairman of the Sub-Committee investigating Jennings, 10/5/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Lionel F. Levy, invitation to serve on the Sub-Committee investigating Jennings, 10/5/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Frede ric Palmer, Jr, detailing the expected investigation to be made under Palmer's leadership, 10/14/1929
  • Frederic Palmer, Jr Letter: To Hoadley, accepting appointment as Chairman of the Sub-Committee investigating Jennings, 10/15/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Dorsey, request for information about lightning photography, 10/26/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Humphreys, request for information about lightning photography, 10/26/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Frederic Palmer, Jr, requesting recommendations on inclusions in Jennings' case file, 10/30/1929
  • W.J. Humphreys Letter: To Hoadley, responding to questions about Jennings, 11/1/1929
  • N. Ernest Dorsey Letter: To Hoadley, responding to questions about Jennings, 11/6/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Humphreys, acknowledging courteous cooperation, 11/6/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Dorsey, acknowledging lack of investigation into lightning photography, 11/7/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Frederic Palmer, Jr, asking for suggestions as to how to decide on which medal to recommend for Jennings, 11/12/1929
  • Frederic Palmer Letter: To Hoadley, calling for a copy of the medal regulations to be sent out to all Committee Members
  • Secretary Letter: To Frederic Palmer, Jr, noting that he sent letters of instruction along with the regulations to each committee member, 11/15/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Lionel F. Levy, Instructions and Regulations, 11/15/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Winthrop R. Wright, Instructions and Regulations, 11/15/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Frederic Palmer, Jr, Committee reached a decision, 11/18/1929
  • Lionel F. Levy Letter: To Hoadley, responding to questions about Jennings, 12/2/1929
  • Secretary Letter: To Jackson, requesting placement of the usual advertisement in the Journal, 12/10/1929
  • S&A Department Memo: To Dr. McClenahan, can inform Jennings of Committee's recommendation for award, 12/11/1929
  • Outline: of Longstreth and Wetherill Medals, with a note from Frederic Palmer, no date
  • Outline: of Longstreth and Wetherill Medals, with a note to Hoadley, no date
  • Secretary Letter: To Jennings, notifying Jennings of the awarding of the Wetherill Medal, 1/31/1930
  • S&A Department Memo: To Dr. McClenahan, can inform Jennings that advertisement expired without objection and recommendation approved by Board of Managers, 2/20/1930
  • Secretary Letter: To Jennings, congratulating on awarding of Wetherill Medal, 3/7/1930
  • Jennings Letter: To McClenahan, expressing thanks for awarding of the Wetherill Medal, 3/8/1930
  • Secretary Letter: To Jennings, assuring that Goodspeed will be invited to Medal Day ceremonies, 3/18/1930
  • Jennings Letter: To Howard McClenahan, requesting that Goodspeed be his special guest at Medal Day ceremonies, 3/19/1930
  • Memo: For certificate preparation, 4/4/1930
  • Memo: For medal engraving, 4/4/1930
  • Secretary Letter: To Jennings, inquiring about family or friends he would like invited to Medal Day ceremonies, 5/1/1930
  • Jennings Letter: To Howard McClenahan, a guest list for Medal Day ceremonies, 5/5/1930
  • Secretary Letter: To Lionel F. Levy, inviting him to read out the remarks honoring the photographer of lightning on the eve of his receipt of the Wetherill Medal, 5/16/1930
  • TFI Secretary Letter: To Jennings, congratulations on achievement, 5/27/1930
• Evidential Information
  • Committee Minutes
    • Minutes: CSA Sub-Committee Meeting Minutes, 10/25/1929
  • Publications
    • Advertisement: From the Journal of The Franklin Institute, 1/1/1930
  • Photographs
    • Photograph: Though usually on the other side of the camera, William N. Jennings posed for this photograph, no date
    • Photograph: "incompleted City Hall Tower," 1892
    • Photograph: Aerial shot of Philadelphia
  • Lantern Slides
  • Lantern Slide: Slide 3
  • Lantern Slide: Slide 6
  • Lantern Slide: Slide 10
  • Lantern Slide: Slide 11 - "First aerial photograph of Phila and first time orthochromatic plate and color filter used for aero photography to clear up blue haze."
  • Lantern Slide: Slide 12
  • Lantern Slide: Slide 13
  • Lantern Slide: Slide 14
  • Lantern Slide: Slide 15
  • Lantern Slide: Slide 17 - "Stereoscopic photo (one side)"
  • Report Plate 2: Jennings' took his second successful photo of lightning in August, 1885. This photo was published in the Scientific American in September of the same year.
  • Report Plate 1: Jennings first photographed lightning on the evening of September 2, 1882
  • Report Plate 3: "Branched" discharge: named for the delicate "branches" created by its electric discharge
  • Report Plate 4: "Beaded" lightning: a photograph of this unique form of lightning was printed in the French publication "La Nature" (Nature) and entitled "the rosary"
  • Report Plate 5: "Ribbon" lightning: in an article printed in the Journal of The Franklin Institute, Jennings explained that wind moving across the path of lightning in space produced a ribbon-like form of lightning
  • Report Plate 7: "Multiple flash": Jennings showed that lightning sometimes prepares a path for successive flashes
  • Report Plate 9: "Meandering" flash: form of lightning discharge that takes place from cloud to cloud, usually occurring at the end of a storm
  • Report Plate 10: Subject to debate: this photo captures the phenomenon of a brilliant main flash with dark side branches, the cause of which has been given a great deal of discussion
  • Report Plate 6: The resulting image from blowing a blast of air across the direction of a single spark from an induction coil
  • Report Plate 8: The resulting image from placing two similar cameras one-hundred feet apart, and succeeded in obtaining two negatives of the same discharge
• Ephemera
• Essay: "The Work of William N. Jennings in the Photography of Lightning"
• Miscellaneous
• Note: Jennings' description of the hazy day on which he took this shot of "the incompleted City Hall Tower."
• Note: Jennings' notes written on back of the Aerial shot of Philadelphia photo
• Palmer's Edits: to the "Jennings' Photography of Lightning" Essay
• Worksheet: officially recommending Jennings for investigation by The Franklin Institute on October 2, 1929
• Awards Certificate: "For his Pioneer Work in the Photography of Flashes of Lightning," 5/21/1930