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KENTUCKY CHEMISTRY TEACHERS TAKE A LOOK AT THE HUMANITIES SISTER M. CONCETTA WALLER, 0.S.U.2 Ursuline College, Louisville, Kentucky
AT THE beginning of the nineteenth century the old controversy between the proponents of the liberal arts and the champions of science began to gain in significance. Scientists have frequently been accused not only of lacking adequate training in the humanities but also of being unappreciative of what the humanities have to offer. Kentucky chemistry teachers took exception t o this popular attitude and in a very stimulating symposium took "a look at the humanities." Mr. Ford began the discussion by showing how ''The Sciences and the Humanities Strengthen One Another." All the arts and sciences exist for one reason-to perfect man. The relationship between the humanities and the sciences gains significance only when related to the individual. There are different ways of knowing. Our students should be made aware of this fact and should be trained to seek truth by different intellectual channels. The big question asked of an education should not be, "What can a man do?" but, "What will it do to a man7" Education must consist of more than an accumulation of facts. Especially in the present age of specialization students need an introduction a t least to the methods of all branches of knowledge. Miss Borgman in her address, "Good Science Teachers Need an Excellent Background in the Liberal Arts," stressed the need on the high-school level of a well-rounded program in mathematics, English, modern languages, and history for the student of chemistry. The chemistry teacher himself needs such a background to prepare adequately these students who will be our future chemistry teachers. Miss Borgman cited the recent steps taken by the California Institute of Technology, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and other engineering schools for "humanizing" their programs with classical and cultural courses. Also cited was the Bell Telephone Company experiment in the institute of humanistic studies for its executives carried out at the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Boyer discussed "The Educated Layman's
' Summnrv of a Panel Disoussion. "Chemistry Teachers Take Look a t the Humanities," a t thespring Meeting of the Kentucky Chemistry Teachers Association, Ursuline College, Louirrville, Kentucky. Panel leader, Rev. W. A. Wallace, O.P., Albertus Magnus Lyceum for Natural Sciences, rtiverForest, Illinois. Other panelists: J. H. Ford, Departments of English and Philosophy, Ursuline College, R. Boyer, Department of chemistry, university of Kentucky, Agnes Bowman, Departr ment of Chemistry, Shawnee High School, Louisville, Kentucky. a President of the Kentucky Chemistry Teachcrs Association, 195Fr56. B
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Communication with the Scientist." The problem as Mr. Boyer sees it is twofold: the inability of the layman to understand the scientist and the inadequacy of the scientist to convey his message to the layman. I t is important that the scientist be able to communicate with the layman, and his responsibility is to make efforts to accomplish this rapport. Particularly in these days of governmental support of research with its concomitant changes in administration and policies, the scientist is looking toward the layman for mutual understanding and assistance in the promotion of his work. The role of the science journalist is becoming increasingly important in the American scene. Industry has taken positive steps in this matter by the publication of attractive, well-written, and authoritative magazines. The science articles appearing currently in the Saturday Review of Literature are a timely and much-needed contribution toward the establishment of communication between the layman and the scientist. I n his address, "Contributions of the High School and College Chemistry Teachers to Combat the Growing Spirit of Anti-intellectualism," Father Wallace defined an intellectual as, "a wise man . . . something that should be produced by our educational system." Such an "intellectual" is formed only through a long process that starts with the age of reason. He is one who has a general knowledge of all things that men can know and yet who can direct this human knowledge to a good which transcends the work of this earthly sphere in which we live. The spirit of the times is a reaction against discipline and any type of restrictive influence. A pragmatic philosophy which has permeated much of our modern education has contributed to the growing spirit of anti-intellectualism. Chemistry, in the vast overview of our intellectual heritage, actually represents a very small segment of the things known about our universe, and, as compared to the other disciplines such as philosophy, chemistry had its start fairly late in the intellectual development of man. Yet the chemistry teacher can and should make a definite contribution t o the formation of an intellectuall. 1t is his privilege and responsibility to stress ways of acquiring new knowledge in preference to the mere presentation of descriptive matter. The providing of a rigorous and exact approach to the world in which we live, particularly the non-living world, should be the essential contribution of the teacher to combating anti-intellectualism. College chemistry students should not only acquire JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
certain knowledge but must also be certain that they know that they do know. These students pursuing both the sciences and the humanities, understanding t.he contributions of the ages in the various fields, will be able to evaluate them and above all will be
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able to put them together into a plan of action which will be an intelligent guide for living. The presentation of the papers mas followed by an animated discussion. The audience in general agreed with the opinions expressed by the panelists.
