PACIFIC SOUTHWEST ASSOCIATION O F CHEMISTRY TEACHERS CHEMISTRY INSTRUCTION AT FRESNO STATE COLLEGE E. B. WOMACK Fresno State College, Fresno, California
CHEMISTRY has been a part of the curriculum at this institution since it was founded as a Normal School in 1911. I n 1935, when the State Department of Education recognized the regional function of the College by adding the full four-year liberal arts program, more chcmistry courses were added, and students could elect a major in chemistry. Until World War I1 many students took their lower-division training a t Fresno State College and transferred to the University of California and other universities for their upper-division work, many of them continuing in the graduate schools for advanced degrees. Until 1947 chemistry instruction was given under the Department of Physical Science with Dr. Harry C. Burbridge as head. The administration decided a t that timethat therewas need forseparate departments of chemistry and physics, no doubt as a result of the impetus enjoyed by these sciences during the war period. Hence, the new departments were established in July, 1948, the author having been appointed as the first head of the newly created chemistry deparG ment. A careful study of the previous five-year period indicated a need for considerable revision and expansion of the curriculum and staff in order to serve the needs of the student body. Consequently several important changes were made, and the staff increased from four to six full-time instructors. In view of the unusually high mortality in the 10unit beginning course in general chemistry, an intensive screening program was inaugurated, making use of the regular Freshman Testing Program in addition to comprehensive tests in mathematics and chemistry devised by the department, with the assistance of the Dean of Students. A second freshman course, Chemistry Zab (6 units) was introduced in 1949 for those stndents who did not have satisfactory mathematics background to undertake Chemistry 1-ab. During the last three years Chemistry 2-ab has proved a very satisfactory solution to the old problem of separating the professional and nonprofessional groups of stndents. It is not a watered-down course and was not designed as a terminal course. But it is a slower
moving course, and students who do well may, with the approval of the department, take Chemistry 1-b and then continue with advanced courses along with the chemistry majors. This modification of the curriculum has made i t possible to give a more satisfactory course to the chemistry majors in Chemistry 1-ab, and quite a number of students have been successful in Chemistry 2-ab, then in 1-b, and have continued as chemistry majors. Another innovation in our program mas the introduction of a course in general studies in 1949-Introduction to the Physical Sciences-offered jointly by the heads of the chcmistry and physics departments.
A n Unda-aduate
203
Research Project in
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JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
Designed for the nonscience students, it consists of publication, and several students have demonstrated two ll/,periods per meek of lectures, augmented by the ability to do publishable research work. carefully planned demonstrations, films, and other Since 1949 this department, along with nine others available visual aids. This course is elective but in the College, has been authorized to grant the M.A. has proved very popular, as evidenced by the great degree in chemistry. However, in the administration increase in enrollment each year. This interest on the of the graduate program the Department of Education part of nonscience majors lends weight to the increasing requires that the candidate must obtain a General appreciation of the value of the physical sciences in a Secondary Teaching Credential before the degree is general liberal-arts education. granted. I n other words, the function of the ~ r a d u ate program at the present time is primarily toafford more specialized preparation for teaching. All members of the staff participate in the supervision of student research projects and are encouraged and assisted in pursuing their own research problems, because these contribute directly to more effective teaching. At the present time two members of the staff have been awarded grants from the Research Corporation for researches on synthetic substitutes for corticosterone and the use of flame spectrophotometry in the determination of trace elements. In 1949 a course in Instrumental Methods of Analysis was inaugurated, and last year instmction in nuclear chemistry and some experiments with radioactive isotopes have been incorporated into the course in physical chemistry. The enrollment in chemistry courses during the present semester has increased approximately 12 per cent over the enrollment of last year, even though the total enrollment of the college was somewhat A Graduate Student Doing Research in Organk Chemistry lower. Our facilities are being used to capacity a t In the undergraduate curriculum both the B.A. the present. However, construction on a new building and B.S. degrees are offered in chemistry. Many on the new Fresno State College campus will he started students take the B.A. degree program along with early in 1952 and it is expected that it will be ready the General Secondary Credential with the objective for occupancy by the fall of 1953. of teaching physical sciences in high school and junior I n conclusion, it should be stated that members of college. Most of the students who are preparing for the staff are selected on their demonstrated teaching a professional career in chemistry and allied fields ability, and much emphasis is placed upon effective take the more specialized B.S. degree program. A teaching. Instructors work closely with their students minimum of 48 semester hours of chemistry are re- in the laboratories, and classes are not so large as t o quired for the B.S. major, consisting of basic year- preclude the opportunity for a close and intimate courses in general inorganic, organic, quantitative relationship between instructors and their students. analysis, and physical chemistry, plus two or more This, we believe, is a distinct advantage that an instituadvanced courses elected by the student in these tion of this type has over the larger universities, and four major fields, or biochemistry. I n the senior it should result in a more thorough undergraduate year each B.S. candidate is required t o take 2 to 5 preparation. There has been a significant increase in the demand hours of a Research Projects course t o give him firsthaud experience with research methods and tech- for trained chemists in this area since the war period, niques. Those B.A. candidates who have maintained and we feel that this department is adequately prea B average through their junior year also are encour- pared, both in the curricula offered and the training aged to take the Research Projects course during their and experience of its staff, to serve the needs of the senior year. The reports are written up in form for community and surrounding area.
