many other materials, including a number which are commonly used in carpets and contain no nitrogen. Certainly a worthwhile goal of on going research is the reduction of both the flammability and combustion toxicity of polymeric materials. I t may be that the best solution to this problem will involve higher rather than lower nitrogen contents. Paul G. Rasrnussen University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Allowing Student Input on Examination Content To The Editor:. One of the eternal student comolaints is "You never test me on anythinfi I studied!" several years ago I hit upon an answer LO that comdaint. Now I remlarlv have a s the last question on every &st the following There may be a topic you studied that is not a part of this test. Now is your time to shine. First propose a test question on this topic. Then give the answer. Use complete sentences where appropriate. Grading will he subjective. This part is usually worth about 10% of the total points on the t e s t . Student resoonse has been verv enthusiastic. They work hard to comeLp with a great " s h e Question". This has two virtues besides answering the aforementioned eternal complaint; the studentsiegin to realize there are not thousands of different ways to ask a question on a topic, and they often provide good insightful questions that I often recycle into the mid term or final exam either that or the following semester. As the semester progresses and the material becomes more sophisticated, the students must provide more sophisticated questions and answers in order to obtain full credit. William D. Covev
Modern Technology and the Metric System To the Editor: I wish to relate a n amusing incident that might be of some interest to teachers of general chemistry, pakculary when explaining to students that unlike the English system of units. the metric svstem reauires close attention to upper and lower case letters. At some time in the past I purchased a can of soft drink and noticed that the contents were designated as 355 ML. Since the symbol ML denotes a meealiter Le.. lo9 mL). I decided to write to the manufactukr to repoh that there were 354,999,999,645 mL of soft drink missing from my container. Shortly thereafter I received a reply in which it was stated that the machinery used to make the lettering on aluminum cans could not do lower case! Interestingly, there seem to be a number of other soft drink manufacturers with machinery that can do lower case. Ah, the wonders of modern technology! Frank L. Piiar University Of New Hampshire Durham, New Hampshire Updating the Boy Scout Merit Badge To the Editor: Regarding the article entitled Chemistry for Kids: Chemistry Merit Badge:A Project for a Service Organization appearing in the February 1992 issue of this Journal, please be advised that the requirements for earning such a badge
810
Journal of Chemical Education
have changed effective 1991. The new requirements are similar to those published in the article but there are a few significant changes. We have offered the new Chemistry Merit Badge program here a t our campus and find it to be a n excellent comI t does reauire a counselor who munitv outreach Droeram. . is well-versed in chemistry because the new requirements are not vet covered in the merit badee book offered for ourchase b i the Boy Scouts of America. I would suggest the use of local B.S.A. council service centers a s a source of updated chemistry merit badge materials a s they become available. Suzanne Bell Senior Lecturer in Chemistrv Register Cnem stry Merit Badge Comse dr Lnwers:ty of Wdscons n Center-Fox Valley PO. Box 8002 Menasha, WI 54952-2600
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Rightful Recognition To The Editor I hate to criticize the excellent article, The Early Chemistry Doctorate in America: The Nineteenth Century Programs IJ. Chem. Educ. 1992, 69, 261-2631, especially a contribution from a former UNC colleague, but our archivist has ~ v e you n some incorrect information. I searched through records and archives in preparing my Corolrna Ch~miststUNC Chemistry Ilepartment, 19821,and identified the followine PhD recioients in chcmistrv in the nineteenth century:
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William Battle Phillips Emile Alexander De Sehweinitz Herbert Bemertan Bettle Charles B a s k e ~ l l e
1883 1885 1881 1894
Philli~s'dissertation is ~nblishedin the Journal of the Elisha itch ell scientific Society, apparently i n its entiretv. De Schweinitz's dissertation is lost. but his PhD diploma is in the University Archives since it was returned to the University after his untimely death. Battle's dissertation is also missing, but its title is recorded in his father's history of the university. His father was Kemp Plummer Battle, historian and president of the University The awarding of all of these degrees is specified in records of commencement proceedings in the University Record. I suppose that your inquiry was answered by reference to the University's collection of dissertations, but the incompleteness of those holdings for the nineteenth century has been acknowledged for several generations. I am the only person on the face of the planet that cares about this issue. What a great paper! Maurice M. Bursev Chapel Hill, N.C. To the Editor: We wish to thank Professor Rursey for correcting the data inourarticle. Althoueh UNC archivists reoorted to us only one 19th Century chemistry doctorate earned a t Chapel Hill (18941, Professor Bursey's more extensive research has revealed three others: one each in the years 1883.1885. and 1887. Among the three universities in the south then granting the doctorate in chemistry (UNC, Vanderbilt, and University of Vireinia). this makes UNC the heaviest producer. Kenneth G. Everett Will S. DeLoach Stetson University DeLand. Florida 32720
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