Our institutions of higher learning deserve especial consideration. as they have been the most powerful stimulus to the general activity in science of the entire United States and have been the means of awakening the public mind to the importance of a study of chemical science, giving the same a rank in the general estimate never before attained. We recognize the fact today that the acquisition of a knowledge of chemistry and the part it plays in the promotion of human welfare is necessary for the proper rounding out of a cultural education. I n fact, on every hand has the educated mind of me& been directed toward all departments oi scientific study. Chemistry is recognized today as a factor of major influence in our everyday life. an agent of power influencing and direding the growth and prosperity of our country.
The influence of the teacher on the progress of both science and educais by no means negligible. Again quoting Dr. Johnson:
tion
The majority of the chemists who ham attained prominence in their profession can generally point to one of their teachers as the original bearer of the torch which gave them light and inspiration leading to future success in life. There is no pleasure more gratifying to a teacher for the service that he renders than the experience of living to see some of his students attain success in their professional careers and to feel that he played an important part in their accomplishments. The remark is very often heard today that college professors, who used to make most of the discoveries in science, are now being hard run by the scientists in the laboratories of industrial organizations. While this statement is very probably true in same degree. I am not ready to admit that we have reached that stage where our professors must abdicate entirely in favor of their industrial comrades. The greatest accomplishment of all research is the discovery of the young genius who gives promise of developing into an original investigator. In this service we shall always need inspiring teachers and when such men are found in our colleges I have no fear that they will need to abdicate in favor of their industrial brethren.
Today, in this country, w e h a v e excellent facilities f o r advanced eduwork in all the branches of chemistry. Dr. Johnson tells us that: cational
Today just as good opportunities are given in American universities for advanced research in all branches of chemistry as can be found in foreign laboratories. A certification of proficiency in chemistry received from an American university of recognized standing is just as valuable today as one received from a foreign university. In our advance we are gaining strength and contributing to the world's knowledge. We find scientists in bath our academic and industrial institutions, and in the words of W. H. Perkin, "There is no chasm between pure and applied science, they do not even stand side bv side hut are linked t o-~ t h e r " . . Great investigators in chemistry, like great men in anything else, are horn not made, that they be trained and the place for their but when the" are born it is newtraining in chemistry is the university or technical school.
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W. R.w.
RESEARCH Recently there has come to our attention, f r o m widely varying sources, an abundance of material on different phases of the general subject of
VOL. 3.
No. 9
RESEARCH
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"Research." In an editorial in Sierra Educational NEWS,'we find the following: Research in education does not begin and end with the gathering of statistics. I t is necessary in this scientific age t o know why we follow a given course and the msults from such a procedure. Studies and investigations must be set on foot and carried to logical conclusions. The findings from these researches must be interpreted in terms of public education. I n projecting these researches the major objectives in education must always be kept in mind but personality and prejudice must never cloud the issue. Any investigation must stand on its merits and must seek t o disclose the facts without regard to persons in power or policies in force. And no study or investigation should be carried forward unless from the body of data assembled, conclusions are deduced and implications made therefrom.
We quote further a comment on the "Functions of Re~earch."~ Investigators are constantly making discoveries that the majority of the wellinformed have known for a long time. It is an interesting observation that the public generally will applaud a statement of a n established truism as though i t were a recent discovery. This is especially true in the field of education. During the past year, in our own state (California), we have listened t o specialists present the merits of home economics subjects, for example. These specialists have told of some of the methods employed and of the worthwhile achievements in this phase of education, while other outstanding educators have listened and accepted these pronouncements as "new and before untried." It should have been generally known that these same methods were used and like results achieved in fornard-lookingschools a quarter of a century ago.
The real significance of research lies in its many contributions to the development of a technic of cooperation says S. A. Curtis in a recent a r t i ~ l e . ~Quoting him, Research is ordinarily valued because it results in the discovery of truth. This is, of course, its primary fundion. However, as soon as we array the reasons why the discovery of truth is itself of value, considerations come to mind of such significance and far-reaching consequences that our estimate of the worth of research rises to new and much higher levels. M y thesis is that the supreme value of research lies in the power of truth t o harmonize conflict of human opinion and make cotiperation possible.
And again he writes: 'We have a proverb, "Two heads are better than one." But a measurement man is never satisfied with a mere statement of difference; he cannot be satisfied until he has measured the m a d t u d e of the difference. I n this case, however, the answer ranges from two to infinity. I t is the miraculous pou,er of cooperation to ncate something ont of nothing. Two cqually able individuals, mceting head-on, achieve nothing. Each stalls the other and their creative energy expends itself in hatred, the lust t o kill and other undesirable emotional reactions. As soon as harmonization takes place, and the two cc4perate in achievement, their energies are expended in profitable work,
'"Division of Research, C. T. A.," Sierra Educ. Nms, 22,371 (1926). 2 1 M . ,22,372 (1926). "The Contributions of Research to the Harmonization of Opinion," Sch. and Sac.. 23,707-10 (1926).
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JOURNAL OS
CHSWICAI. EDUCATION
Seplgmgn,1926
the fruits of which are love, joy and happiness. The real problem of human living is this-to play a contributing cooperative part in the great struggle for human betterment, the first step of which is the harmonization of the senseless conflicts in which we uselessly dissipate our divine powers of creative self-expression. And the master tool in such harmonization is cooperative, impersonal, objective, scientific research.
In the News Edition of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry4 we find the following, quoted from Oil-Power: The prodigal use of the supposed limitless resources of this country has been the foundation on which huge industriesPave been built.. In recentyears it has become aumrent that these natural resources have a limit and that our national wealth and .. security depend in a measure upon their conservation. The realization of this fact is responsible for the birth of the art of industrial research. Scientific research is aS old as humanity. Its inception is,the physical.satisfadion of human curiosity. Industrial research is the application of scientific research to the arts and industries to the endthat the living plane bf mankind may be'raisedandthat '' :',.I the World's natural ksources,mankind's heritage, d a y be conserve&. . . . . . Those charged with the control of industries today, are responsible that their' industry; by research, shall add its mitetb humdn prbgre&.&dto, eon3ervation. If the result is individual success then 'the rewhd sbbuld be the ewe& foi'havifie r a i d .. .. . . . others a step along the ladder.
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.. , :. : , ... r . Herbert ~ o o v &in addressing the American Society. oLMechanicd. Engineersbakes a plea for greater financial support o f pure 's6ience. research. Although we have developed our intlustrial rese'a'rcH to .b7 very great .=tent during,recent years we-have wt kept ;p+e in:the:.de. velopment of research in pure,.science. , And yet ;it is the industrial ini, vestigators who demand most ardently the support of pur
