VOL.2, No. 10
A CHEMISTRY INFORMATION BUREAU
937
A CHEMISTRY INFORMATION BUREAU Soon after the Iowa Committee on Chemical Education was appointed in the fall of 1924, the writer secured the hearty cooperation of the leading chemistry teachers of Iowa in universities, colleges, and high schools in the organization of what might be called a chemistry information bureau To this bureau any teacher in the state might refer any problem connected with his teaching on which he might wish help or information. It was believed that this might be taken advantage of quite generally, especially by the less experienced teachers. The plan proposed that requests for information be sent to the writer, as chairman of the committee, enclosing therewith two stamped envelopes, one plain and the other self-addressed. The writer would then transmit the questions to the one best qualified to answer them and the reply would go direct to the one making the request. The raison d'etre of this article lies in the fact that the editor-in-chief of THIS JOURNAL considered the plan a valuable one and suggested that it be made nation-wide and that it he promoted under the auspices of the JOURNAL. TO this the writer cheerfully acceded and agreed to give it publicity in an initial article. I t is proposed, therefore, that there be a "Correspondence" department maintained in the JOURNAL in which questions and answers which might he of general interest will be included. All questions will be addressed to the Editor of the JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION, College Park, Md., from whose office they will he transmitted to those most competent to answer, as in the Iowa plan. It is hoped that teachers will very freely take advantage of this suggestion. It is possible that some may hesitate to do so, fearing that the question might seem to indicate incompetency. It should be remembered, however, that the failure t o present most efficiently a subject reacts to the detriment of the pupils who, after all, deserve the greatest consideration. It is, therefore, the duty of every teacher to take advantage of every opportunity to improve his teaching. No matter what the problem may be, whether one of equipment, of methods of presentation, of information supplemental to the text, etc., etc., the JOURNAL through those cooperating with it, will gladly try to solve i t and keep it confidential if so desired.
F. E. GOODELL, Des Moines, Iowa
