Recordings of Arthur Beverly Lewis, Professor of Physics and Astronomy
This page provides links to audio recordings made by Dr. Arthur B. Lewis, a Physics professor at Ole Miss whose career at the Oxford campus lasted 35 years from 1936 to 1971. When he first joined the faculty he held a joint appointment in the Mathematics and Physics Departments, and he moved over to Physics full time in 1941. He served as Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy from 1953-57 and as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts from 1957-69. He also attended Ole Miss, receiving a BA in Physics in 1923. The Physics Department is located in Lewis Hall which was named in his honor in 1977.
There are 7 hours of recordings, and three and one-half hours are currently accessible from this page. More will be posted with time.
As is evident from these recordings, Dr. Lewis was a master storyteller with a remarkable command of detail, vividly recalling events from his youth some 70 years in the past. His enthralling stories provide a unique view of the history of the university and the personalities behind such names as Kennon, Hume and Bishop, among others.
A brief biography is provided below.
Dr. Arthur Beverly Lewis was born on November 21, 1901 in Forest, Mississippi and matriculated at The University of Mississippi as a physics undergraduate student in 1919. After graduating with a BA degree from University of Mississippi, he went to Washington, D.C. to work for the National Bureau of Standards. While working in Washington, Lewis earned his Ph.D. degree from Johns Hopkins University and got married to Miss Alma Gochenour, a native Virginian then working in Washington. In 1936, Lewis decided to return to Mississippi to teach at Ole Miss. His initial appointment was as associate professor, and subsequently Lewis progressed to the academic rank of full professor. Dr. Lewis died in May 2000, at the age of 98.
These recordings were graciously provided by his daughter, Mary Poole of Oxford.
For more information about Dr. Lewis, see the oral history archived at the
library of the University of Southern Mississippi
Arthur B. Lewis, Lagniappe
Arthur B. Lewis, Ole Miss As I Remember It, Volume 1
Family information/Choosing Ole Miss/Train to Oxford/Gordon Hall/University Clap/Upper classman/Freshmen hair/Dining hall
Dining hall (con’t)/Registration/First Fall;Professors/Second semester
Arthur B. Lewis, Ole Miss As I Remember It, Volume 2
First date/AΦE/Longstreet’s debate/Social activities/Other activities/Degree requirements/Fall 1920-Latin/Dr. Bondurant/Dr. Bishop
(20 second silent lead-in) Dr. Longest/Sunday calls/Dr. Brown/Dr. Hume/Dr. Powers/Dean Guess (and wedding)/Dr. Kennon/Scribbler’s club (Part 1)
Arthur B. Lewis, Ole Miss As I Remember It, Volume 3
Scribbler’s club (Part 2)/Longitudinal diversion of knowledge/Dr. Hume’s call to teach/Graduate school/MA Degree 1925/Bureau of Standards/True history/Bilbo shake up;Depression/Dr. Hume’s visit to DC/1934 malaise/Return to teaching/Return to Ole Miss/New campus;Faculty;Friends/New friends (con’t)
(15 second silent lead-in) Dr. Hull’s PhD/Bits of university history/Various vignettes/Transfer to Physics/Dr. Kennon’s new Physics building/Moving the telescope/Civilian Pilot Training School (Part 1)
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Links: University of Mississippi | Department of Physics | National Center for Physical Acoustics
