Awards a n d Educational Activities of ACS Local Sections Seventh in a Series on Local Section Activities of the ACS ROBERT F . GOULD, Associate Editor
M
LEDALS o r awards recognizing merit torious contributions to chemistry, chemical industry, or chemical education are sponsored by eight local sections of t h e AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
M o s t of
these were established in the name of some outstanding chemist whom they thereby honor, such as t h e J . Willard Gibbs, T . W. Richards, Jacob F . Schoellkopf, and L e o H . Baekeland Medals. T h e Nichols Medal w a s n a m e d after its first recipient, William H. Nichols. Some of t h e medals, such as t h e Gibbs, Richards, and Nichols, are awarded without geographic limitations. T h e Gibbs Medal h a s four times been awarded internationally. I t s first recipient was Svante Arrhenius; other foreign chemists so honored were M m e . Curie, J. C . Irvine, a n d Richard Willstàtter. Recipients of certain other awards, however, such as t h e Schoellkopf Medal and t h e P i t t s b u r g h a n d Midwest Awards, are chosen from within specified areas. One of t h e most recent medals to be established, t h e Baekeland Medal, given by t h e N o r t h Jersey Section, includes a prize of S 1,000. Although t h e Perkin Medal is awarded by t h e Society of Chemical I n d u s t r y a n d t h e Herty M e d a l is awarded b y t h e Georgia S t a t e College for Women, the N e w York a n d Georgia Sections, respectively, participate in t h e meetings at which they are presented. T h e Washington Section annually awards the Hillebrand Prize, consisting of books a n d a certificate, t o one of its own m e m b e r s for a n o u t s t a n d i n g contribution t o t h e science of chemistry during t h e preceding three years. W. F . Hillebrand, for whom it i s named, was for m a n y years chief chemist of t h e N a t i o n a l B u r e a u of S t a n d a r d s . T w o o t h e r sections, on t h e other hand, h a v e chosen still another way to honor former m e m b e r s who were eminent chemists. Rochester h a s r e cently held i t s inaugural Harrison H o w e Lecture, founded as a memorial t o t h e late Harrison E. H o w e , a c h a r t e r m e m b e r of t h e Rochester Section a n d a former editor of t h i s magazine. Philadelphia has recently announced t h e sponsorship, jointly with the University of Pennsylvania, of t h e annual E d g a r F a h s S m i t h Memorial L e c t u r e s in honor of t h e eminent historian of chemistry who served three times a s president of t h e
is an ACS emblem, while t h a t given by Memphis is in t h e form of a gavel. Both are suitably inscribed. Education "The educational activities of the local sections can be divided into three groups according t o the level toward which they are directed: (1) high schools, (2) college, and (3) p o s t g r a d u a t e or teaching. Activities of the first group are generally directed toxvard influencing s t u d e n t s to t a k e up or continue t h e s t u d y of chemistry and are usually vocational guidance programs or prize contests. At t h e college level, local section interest is frequently centered on rewarding meritorious students although a few sections conduct student meetings or m a i n t a i n s t u d e n t loan funds. The most a d v a n c e d phase of local section activity in t h e field of education may include t h e encouragement of its members to piLrsue p o s t g r a d u a t e s t u d y a n d / o r t h e sponsorship of programs on chemical education a t its meetings. f Oca t iona I G uidttn ce Vocational guidance is frequently offered in . t h e form of local members fuxnished b y the section t o speak at high school assemblies or chemistry clubs. This i s usually a loosely organized function with t h e section s t a n d i n g ready to provide speakers on request as in Toledo artd I n d i a n a . A circular letter offering this service is sometimes employed. In Colorado, m e m b e r s of t h e local section help high school seniors t o plan their college courses, while in Southern California the section takes p a r t in t h e annual vocational d a y in the high schools a n d junior colleges b y providing speakers or advisers on a variety of subjects. This Baekeland Atvard, to ο chemist under 40, by tk^e North Jersey Seclion, first given in 1944
past spring the Cleveland Section took p a r t in a series of evening vocational guidance conferences sponsored by t h e Cleveland Technical Societies Council in cooperation with t h e Board of Education. Six panels o n various branches of science and engineering were provided; the chemistry panel consisted of 14 ACS members under t h e direction of F . B. D u t t o n , secretary of t h e Cleveland Section. Interested s t u d e n t s were invited to t h e adviser's p l a n t or office for further interviews if it appeared that would be helpful. T h e D a y t o n Section, in cooperation with t h e D a y t o n Society of Professional Engineers, h a s recently p u t into operation a plan of vocational guidance whereby members t a k e over high school chemistry classes for a day to tell s t u d e n t s about t h e chemist a n d his work, w h a t training is required, a n d the jobs he can be expecte,d to fill. A follow-up is m a d e a t a later date, and if s t u d e n t s have specific questions (usually a b o u t training) interviews are arranged. T h e program has t h e dual purpose of advising those students who know they w a n t to be chemists a n d informing others of what a chemist is. Fourteen m e m b e r s took p a r t in t h e first program last December, a n d good cooperation from t h e teachers was reported. T h e Lehigh Valley Section uses films to promote interest in chemistry a n d to assist in t h e teaching of chemistry in the high scftools. This activity is carried on by the education extension committee which has a n annual budget of $100 for the purchase a n d circulation of educational films, of which t h e section now owns a considerable number. T h e N o r t h Jersey Section is considering t h e establishment of a film lending library for both high
Chicago^ s Willard Gibbs Medal, founded in 1911, awarded by a jury of 12 chosen from ACS-at-large
Midtcest Atvard, es tablishedin 1944 by St. Louis Section, awarded in 8 states bordering Missouri
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
I n concluding t h e discussion of awards, t h e keys p r e s e n t e d by t w o sections to their retiring chairmen should be m e n tioned. Southeastern Pennsylvania's key V O L U M E
2 4,
NO.
5
·
».*
MARCH
10,
1946
629
school and college use, an-J it is; intended that each film shall have an appropriate "plug" for t h e ACS. Several sections use· literature in their vocational guidance work. T h u s the Binghamton and the Northeastern Sec tions, and prohahly m a n y others, distrihute the excellent pamphlet oh voca tional guidance in chemistry und chemical engineering prepared by the AMKKICAN CHKMICAI. SOCIETY ( in packages of
10,
Education to the high ranking student of chemistry in each of that city's two high schools. A somewhat broader program of voca tional guidance, bordering more upon public relations, was conducted two years ago by Northern West Virginia. A faculty research forum, organized by t h e section and held a t West Virginia Uni versity, was broadcast over the local radio station, b u t it had to be discontinued due to difficulties in obtaining radio time. A twofold educational program, di rected both toward the public and toward vocational guidance in the high schools, has recently been announced by Dela ware's educational committee. I t s o b jectives will b e : (1) to inform t h e lay m a n about the services and activities of
25, ΛΟ, or 100 postpaid from the Mack Printing Co., Kaston, P a . , 10 cents each or 9 cents if cash iiceompiinies order), while in addition, tiie C ."hicngo Section distrihutes its own pamphlet, " T h e Chemist a n d t h e Chemical Engineer in Industry", prepared in 1*941 for t h e oc casion of its third National Chemical t h e AMEKICAN C H E M I C A L SOCIETY t h r o u g h Exposition to give the public a better speakers, movies, and newspapers and (2) understanding of t h e functions per formed hy members of the profession t o describe the purpose )f the ACS secondary (copies available on request, 410 South to prospective chemists Michigan Ave., Chicago 5 , 111.). schools. In order to encourage promising high school students to continue in chemistry, -**«> the Memphis Section t w o years a g o inEssay contests are sponsored by several augurated a broad educational program sections, some in the high schools and some in which t h e students themselves were in colleges. South Jersey discontinued its encourage* 1 to take part,. Eiich school high school essay contest during t h e war, in its territory is asked Lo designate five- a n d Dayton recently established a dual students of chemistry as s t u d e n t associate essay contest. Some sections give cash members in the local section. They then prizes and others give cups while two secreccive the local section publication a n d tions in California give scholarships, are invited to attend local section meetT h e South Jersey Section conducted its ings. To provide a. medium of interest contest in t h e county high schools in its for these student associate members, a territory. Subjects and rules were s u b high school page was established in mitted to the county superintendents, which articles on vocational guidance, hut judging was b y local section members, written hy t h e section's education comFirst and second prizes consisted of either mittee, and information o f interest t o high medals or chemical books, $10 value for school students were carriud. Finally, t o first, $5 for second, with certificates for each school participating in t h e program other winners. A prize was also given to and which will undertake to circulate t h e the school winning the most points. Presmagazine among chemistry students, a entation was m a d e by the chairman of subscription to CHEMICAL ®AND E N G I the section a t t h e high school commenceNEEiiiNG N E W S is furnished. Last year, ment exercises.
student writing the best essay on the s u b ject discussed by a speaker a t a local sec tion meeting, and the Carroll A. Hochwalt Award is given to the student writing t h e best essay on an announced chemical subject. Second and third prizes, usually books, are donated by the section. E s says a r e 1,000 to 1,500 words in length. For t h e 1945 contest, a 5-page mimeo graphed manual was issued t o e n t r a n t s . I t included rules governing the a w a r d s and bibliographies on the subjects selected for the essays, Fiberglas for t h e Hochwalt Award, liquid ammonia for t h e T h o m a s Award. T h e Pittsburgh Section has recently a n nounced the establishment of four a n n u a l awards to secondary students of chem istry. Three are cash awards of $100, S25, a n d $10 each for the best essays and examination submitted to t h e sec tion, a n d t h e fourth is a prize of §50 for the best chemistry exhibit i n t h e Senior Division of t h e Junior Science Fair con ducted annually by the Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science. F o u r hundred a n d fifty schools were notified of t h e first contest which will be hejd in J u n e 1946, a n d by early December favor able responses had been received from 84 schools which will enter nearly 900 con testants. Plans for t h e medallion design and certificates of award to be presented to schools from which winners were en tered are in preparation. Several other sections base their high school chemistry contests on examina tions. Sacramento conducted a contest for about t e n years until t h e war forced its postponement. Examinations pre pared by the members and objective tests recently made available by various p u b lishing services have both been used. Pittsburgh Award* first given in 1933, for ilisting uished service
five schools in Memphis, Tenu., a n d OxT h e Dayton contest, suggested and deford, Miss., took part in this program. veloped by t h e section high school cornAlso seeking to r e w a r d scholarship in mittee chairman, P . E. Marling, is twochemistry with a prize that will tend t o fold with awards named after the sponsors maintain interest in it, t t i e l ' t i c a group of a n d donors of first prizes which a r e sums the Syracuse Section annually gives a of S25 each and certificates. The Charles subscription to the Journal oj Ctiemical Allen T h o m a s Award is given t o the Nichais Medal, awarded Richards Medal,founded SchoellkopJ Medal, since 1902 for
