Fletcher, Harvey, 1884-1981
Dates
- Existence: 1884 - 1981
Biographical History
Harvey Fletcher (1884-1981) was a prominent physicist, renowned as the Father of stereophonic sound, credited with inventing the hearing aid and the first audiometer, Director of Research at Bell Laboratories, and Founding Dean of the College of Engineering at Brigham Young University.
Harvey Fletcher was a prominent physicist, reknowned as the Father of stereophonic sound, credited with inventing the hearing aid and the first audiometer, Director of Research at Bell Laboratories, and Founding Dean of the College of Engineering at Brigham Young University. He was the graduate student whose dissertation research was the oil drop experiment to measure the charge on an electron, under the direction of Robert Millikan. His honorary positions included President of the Acoustical Society of America and President of the American Physical Society. In addition, he was a faithful father, a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a dedicated gardener, and a fishing enthusiast.
He was born in Provo, Utah, on September 11, 1884. His first wife (Lorena Chipman) was American Mother of the Year in 1965. She passed away in 1967. Harvey and Lorena had 7 children (Phyllis, Steve, Charles, James, Robert, Harvey Junior, and Paul).
In his later years, Harvey married Lorena's sister, Fern Chipman Eyring. Fern's husband (Carl Eyring) passed away as a young scientist, and Harvey and Fern were married for 12 years until Harvey's death in 1981.
Citation:
In Memory of Harvey Fletcher, website viewed Aug. 27, 2010 (b. 1884; prominent physicist; father of stereo sound; invented hearing aid; invented audiometer; worked at Bell Labs; President of the Acoustical Society of America; President of the American Physical Society; Founding Dean of the College of Engineering at Brigham Young University; participated in oil drop experiment; m. Lorena Chipman and had 7 children (Phyllis, Steve, Charles, James, Robert, Harvey Junior, and Paul); m. Fern Chipman Eyring; d. 1981)Found in 16 Collections and/or Records:
Oral history interview with Harvey Fletcher
Interview by Hollis Scott with Harvey Fletcher, scientist and teacher, concerning his experiences in Provo, Utah, as a graduate student at the University of Chicago, as a teacher at Brigham Young University, and as a bishop and stake president in the New York Stake. Includes sound recording.
Panel oral history interview about Brigham Young University and Brigham Young Academy
Photograph of physicists of Brigham Young University
Stephen Fletcher papers, 1920-1981
Materials include correspondence and copies of the autobiography Stephen Fletcher wrote about his father Harvey Fletcher, Sr. Dated 1920-1981.
Study of speech and hearing at Bell Telephone Laboratories : the Fletcher years
During the first half of the 20th century, Bell Telephone Laboratories carried out an extensive research program aimed at improving the quality of telephone speech. Harvey Fletcher led this effort and these CD's contain correspondence and reports related to his work.
The search for truth / a Brigham Young University production ; produced and directed by Wetzel O. Whitaker ; written by Scott Whitaker and Richard Neil Evans, 1961
Film was released in 1962, and was produced by Brigham Young University Motion Picture Department. It depicts the relationship between science and religion. It focuses on the story of Henry Eyring (father of President Henry B. Eyring) and his role as member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and as a scientist. The film's purpose was to show the compatibility of religion and science. The collection has one copy on a film reel. Dated 1961.