mnething new from the pwt Historv of Chemistrv in the Curriculum A most important event occurred recently in Philadelphia on March 11. 1983. I t was the 250th birthday of Joseph Priestly and was the inauguration of the ~ e n t e i f o the r H~Story of Chemistry, CHOC. At that celebration was my former professor and dear friend, Dr. Claude K. Deischer. Dr. Deischer, professor emerit,us of the University of Pennsylvania, served for many years as curator of the Edgar Fahs Smith Lihrarv Collection. This collection of historical volumes, artifacts, and memorabilia, all related to the history of chemistrv, serves as the foundation for the Center for the History .----.--~ - ~ -
As a studeit of history of chemistry in Dr. Deischer's classes I was introduced to the collection. Imaging holding one of Sir Isaac Newton's own books in your hands and reading what he reed and wrote! It was prmcipally through Dr. Deischer that I learned how to use chemical historv in mv teachina. Over the vears. manv students have cad ththeprivilegeof ~ r~eischer's . tuteof laze in the same fashion as I-an ex~erience of holdina- some orhistory in their hands. I n this month's effort to bring you "Something New from the Past," is literature related to the history of chemistry and the use of history in your teaching. TO Whom Shall We Teach History
"Let's Teach History of Chemistry T o Chemists," Aaron J. Ihde, J. CHEM. EDUC.,45,686-687 (October 1971). In his article,Dr. Ihde, University of Wisconsin's emeritus professor of history, describes the status of courses in history as they changed from the early 1900's to their recent status of almost extinction. He explains that as the body of knowledge of chemistry grew-and the time in which to teaeh it remained constant, ". . .professorsfound it more and more difficult to cover their suhiect adeouatelv." . . He eoes un t u id" thnt ". . . wt. inu rrnin a chrrniral trrhnt,lugi?t w~thout teaching him ;any hiitmy olzh~miitry. . l l u t hr] u d d argue with rqunl rchrmcntc t l m t we callnut d t . . . n t r H ihcmi
