Mathematician. Professor of mathematics at the State Normal School, Cortland, N.Y., 1884-1891; at Michigan State Normal College, 1891-1898; at New York State Normal School, Brockport, N.Y., 1898-1901; and at Teachers College, Columbia University, 1901-1944. He was the editor of the Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society , the American Mathematical Monthly , and Scripta Mathematica , a member of the International Commission on the Teaching of Mathematics, 1908-1944; and librarian of Teachers College, 1902-1920. He was the author of Rara Mathematica (1907), The History of Mathematics (1924), and many other works on the history of mathematics as well as over forty mathematical textbooks and numerous journal articles. He also collected manuscript materials relating to the history of mathematics.

Professional and personal papers of Smith, including correspondence and manuscripts from his students, family, contemporary mathematicians and teaching colleagues about the history and teaching of mathematics, his many committees, administrative matters at Teachers College, and his travels and collecting. Also, the manuscripts of his writings and his notes.