``A proper spirit is abroad'': Peirce, Sylvester, Ward and American mathematics, 1829-1843 (Q1175938)

The paper gives a good descriptive account of the activities of Peirce, Sylvester and Ward and their services rendered to the cause of American Mathematics and its gradual evolution. It narrates the setting up of the Round Hill School by Bancroft and Gogswell, then on faculty of the Harvard College, out of their sheer frustration in bringing educational reforms there (Harvard College). Ward was sent to Round Hill School by his father and was inspired there by Timothy Walker to find his career in Mathematics. Benjamin Peirce took up a teaching assignment in the Round Hill School and thereafter found himself not impressed with it mainly because of lack of compassion on the part of Bancroft and Cogswell towards their employees. Later on Peirce and Ward were together at Boston under Nathaniel Bowditch who played the role of mentor to them. The paper gives a vivid narration of Ward's mathematical studies in Europe and other related affairs followed by Peirce's experiences at Harvard. Sylvester, after coming to America and joining University of Virginia, had to face problems on students' front and had indeed a tough time. Despite this, he was keen to stay in America and tried frantically to get a job there. He left, in the end, for England, quite disenchanted and disappointed with America. This paper falls in average category in absence of correlation and cohesion amongst the various events and episodes described therein.