EDITORIAL
A man truly dedicated Alden Emery's career has touched the work of most U.S. chemists
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an an organization of more than 100,000 individual members be but the lengthened shadow of a single man? Not likely. But a man of ability with strong determination can cast much more than a shadow. So has Alden H. Emery in the American Chemical Society. To most of the present ACS members (probably at least 70%) he has been the only secretary of the ACS they have known. To members who have attended meetings of the ACS Council or other official bodies he is the man who was dependably on hand to provide dependable information in crucial situations. To members of the headquarters staff he has been the source of background knowledge, the acute judge of current situations, and the driving force in keeping the machinery in tight working order. As a personification of spirit he has constantly insisted to the members "It's Your Society." The spirit of a scientific and educational society is a rather fragile thing that lives only as it is nourished by the active interest of members but can be distorted by self-interested activity out of control and out of balance. The subtle maintenance of balance is a responsi-
bility resting heavily on the executive secretary. If he fails, little else will succeed. That responsibility has been taken most seriously by Alden Emery, and his success is attested by the soundness of ACS growth. Alden Emery's official retirement date passed last Thursday. It was said of him at the dinner honoring him a few weeks earlier (C&EN, June 13, page 100) that he is "... a man who has made an unparalleled contribution to his Society and his profession. He has earned the heartfelt gratitude of chemists and chemical engineers everywhere." The word dedicated is one much overused and abused, but its application to this man in his career is correct and direct. Men who devote their lives to work in the interest of the work of others are permanent. Such is Alden Emery.
JULY 4, 1966 C&EN 5
