History: Amusing Science: French Children at Play 1830-1914 - Cafe Philosophique 2011 Premier Event
Tuesday evening, Jan. 18, the COA Cafe Philosophique series presents Dr. Sofie Lachapelle: "Amusing Science: French Children at Play 1830 - 1914." The talk takes place in downtown Guelph at 7:30 pm at the NV Lounge (16 Wyndham Street North). Dr. Sofie Lachapelle is an associate professor in the Department of History and the Bachelor of Art and Sciences at the University of Guelph. Her work deals with the history of popular and marginal sciences in 19th century France. Her book "Investigating the Supernatural" will be released by Johns Hopkins University Press in June 2011.
Around 1830, books of amusing science addressed to young readers began to appear. Over the next decades, a growing number of novels and series introduced children to the wonders of electricity, chemistry, photography, and geology while the new department stores sold toys inspired by scientific and technological innovations. This talk will explore some ways in which French children gained an understanding of science and technology through play and amusement from the 1830s to the Great War. - Sofie