AN EXPERIMENT IN SEGREGATION OF CHEMISTRY STUDENTS ACCORDING TO THEIR PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS* J. H. REEDY, UNIVERSITY OB ILLINOIS, URBANA, ILLINOIS In the larger colleges and universities, students in general chemistry are sometimes sectionized on the basis of the curriculum from which they come. The most common groupings are home economics, engineering, premedical, agriculture, and chemistry. Usually little differentiation is made in the instruction given to these groups. Such specialization is frowned on by deans and by chemistry staffs for such reasons as the following: (1) Uniform preparation is not given for advanced courses. (2) The teaching schedule might be increased, which is undesirable from the standpoint of the department budget. (3) Division lines make for inflexibility. For example, irregular students in one curriculum cannot, without some iuconvenieuce, take their chemistry with students from another curriculum, nor can a student so easily transfer from one curriculum to another. (4) Differences in the content of the courses call for extra equipment for the laboratories, storerooms, and lecture table. ( 5 ) But the principal objection is that administrative officerssee no reason for such specialization. According to their thinking, all students need the same drill on the fundamentals of chemistry, leaving all the professional aspects of the science to subsequent advanced courses in the various professional schools. At the University of Illinois, students from the College of Engineering are segregated during the second semester of the course in general chemistry. This sectionalization had its origin in the fact that the various engineering curricula allow one less hour for chemistry than the other curricula of the university. Hence the situation was one of necessity, rather than principle. Up to 1923, these engineering students were given practically the same instruction that was given to the other groups, without any attempt a t differentiation in favor of their professional interests. The content of the course was the chemistry of the metallic elements, presented in the usual way, stressing the fundamental laws and generalizations of the science. It was no secret that these young engineers hated the course. Their conduct in the lecture room and laboratory showed that. The mortality in the course was high, failures running sometimes as high as 15 per cent. The situation was aggravated by certain members of the engiueeringfaculty openly expressing the opinion that theoretical chemistry was of no value to engineers. As an attempt to meet this situation, it was decided to try out, as an experiment, the presentation of the subject primarily from the industrial standpoint. Theories were to be introduced secondarily, a t points where they served best to explain experimental facts. After trying out the plan for six years with classes of 300 to 400 students per year, we are now in a 'Read before the Division of Chemical Education at the Minneapolis Meeting of the American Chemical Society, September 9-12. 1929. 842
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position to cast up averages and say whether the experiment has been a success or not. Average grades are tabulated in the following table: Year
Enrolment
Av. grade
1918-19 1919-20
244 510
76.3 75.7
1922-23 1923-24 1924-25 1925-26 192627 1927-28 1928-29
303 Change to new plan ' 314 338 342 378 388 328
76.3 74.6 79.5 78.6 79.5 80:2 82.0
It will he noticed that there has been a steady increase in the average grade since the time of the change in 1923. These figures become more significant on comparing them with the records of other classes in general chemistry for the same period, in which we find a certain fluctuation, but no definite, steady improvement as shown here. The subject matter of the course can be only briefly outlined. As stated before, the general content of the course is the metallic elements. The course is introduced by a lecture on the principles and practice of metallurgy. The general chemical and mechanical aspects are discussed in a non-technical way, representing the fundament81 reactions by equations. As far as possible, a lecture is given to each of the important elements. Under each element, preparation processes are described for the derivatives that are industrially important, every care being taken that the process described is modern and in actual use a t the present time. The properties of each product, particularly the ones involved in its industrial application, are developed so as to explain its uses. As opportunity permits, commercial and economic relations are traced, so as to show the important part that chemistry plays in modern industry. Steel and iron alloys, portland cement, boiler water, and fuels are given rather extended treatment. In addition to the topics generally treated in first-year textbooks a number of special topics are included, w k . : alloys and their properties, corrosion of iron products, industrial plastics, paints and varnishes, explosives and so forth. The theoretical side, while ostensibly made secondary to the practical side, is by no means neglected. Reversible reactions come up in such processes as the reduction of ores, the setting of mortar, and the zeolite process for softening water. In just the same way, the Le Chatelier principle of energy effects on equilibria is brought out in actual processes. Electro-
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chemical reactions are strongly emphasized in such topics as electrolysis, electroplating, and primary and storage cells. Probably the most notable feature of the new course is the approach to the subject. At the very beginning, the students are told that the course is essentially a course in engineering, and as far as possible contact with that field is maintained to the end. No special omniscience is claimed by the teacher as to engineering practice, and he invites correction for any slip that he may make in an unfamiliar field. The result has been that the students are very alert and find great sport in taking their mentor to task for any of his lapses. There is seldom a lecture or a recitation in which one or more of the boys do not remain to talk over some process in which they are interested. And it must be admitted that many of the points brought up by them are worth consideration. I might illnstrate some of their questions: Why does junk copper in brass founding cause rotten castings? Why does not the limestone slag out the silica lining in the blast furnace? What makes brick break during firing? Why is not all the sodium hydroxide of commerce made electrically? Very naturally, the course has also increased in popularity with the instructors. There are several of us who really enjoy and ask for the privilege of teaching this course. In conclusion, it must be admitted that this experiment is not a conclusive argument in favor of segregation. Its success may lie wholly in the fact that applied chemistry is more interesting than theoretical chemistry. I t is just another case of definite results, Qut doubtful interpretation. All that can be done is to offer this report merely as a contribution to the great question, what should be the object and content of a one-year course in college chemistry? The experiment indicates that by taking advantage of the natural interests of the student, more chemistry can be taught. On the other hand, many teachers hold that it is better to give the student a more theoretical, if less interesting course, with the hope that he will in his own good time find a way to apply these principles to his professional work. Research-First Floor. Research has come down from the attic, where a lonesome genius labored by himself; it is now a coCiperative science, housed in well-equipped laboratories. Earl P. Stevenson put it well, in speaking before the American Association for the Advancement of Science, when he said: "Organized research does not depend upon individual genius; it is a group activity, as distinct an activity as selling merchandise; it is as capable of organization and direction; so-called business methods are equally productive in its administrations." In a word, research is now a first-floor science, a management function related to profit-making as definitely as are sales and advertising activities and budgeting.-Bzisi. . ness Chem,
