ACS NEWS
Local section shares speaker with community Southwest Louisiana uses radio, TV, and talks to student groups to present Dr. John Baxter to area residents
DISCUSSES. Dr. Baxter discusses chemical combination with a group of students at Washington High School
The Southwest Louisiana Section brought extraordinary attention to the science of chemistry last month with the willing help of an ACS tour speaker. When Dr. John F. Baxter, professor of chemistry at the University of Florida and teacher of the "Modern Chemistry" series formerly televised on the National Broadcasting Co.'s "Continental Classroom," was scheduled to speak at the section's February meeting, section members seized the opportunity to extend the benefits of his visit to the community. Although Dr. Baxter's tour schedule permitted him to remain in Lake Charles, headquarters for the section, only slightly more than 24 hours, many extra activities were arranged. These included two talks before high school groups totaling 700 students, appearances on television and radio, and a number of receptions. Local newspapers gave excellent coverage to the events. The Lakes Charles American Press printed two articles before Dr. Baxter's visit and one after. The Beaumont (Tex.) Enterprise carried four items on Dr. Baxter. Much of the success of Dr. Baxter's visit can be attributed to the enthusiasm the Southwest Louisiana Section aroused among the educators and businessmen of the Lake Charles area.
CHATS. Dr. Baxter (center) chats on "Nitebeat" program while Dr. Hankins (left) and Mr. Carroll (right) look on ADDRESSES. Dr. Baxter addresses the Southwest Louisiana Section
64 C&EN MARCH 13, 1967
The effectiveness of the promotion of Dr. Baxter's visit was apparent from the moment he stepped off the plane. He was greeted by members of the section as well as by the Lake Charles Association of Commerce's Red Carpet Committee, composed of business and civic leaders of the city. In addition, he was met by ladies in Centennial costumes in observance of the 100th anniversary of Lake Charles. Dr. Baxter's first official appearance was at LaGrange High School before an audience of 400 students from six area high schools, where he discussed chemical bonding and the use of energy in chemical combination. Shortly after his talk at the high school, Dr. Baxter appeared on the Lee Janot television show on station KPLC-TV. The program is broadcast live each weekday afternoon in the Lake Charles metropolitan area and nearby communities. Miss Janot interviews local people and occasionally talks to prominent out-of-town visitors. On the show Dr. Baxter discussed his experiences during filming of the Encyclopedia Britannica's high school chemistry course and NBC's "Continental Classroom." A private reception, attended by area educators and other dignitaries, was given for Dr. Baxter late in the
Important message found in a bottle. The message reaching the plastics industry is that Gulf Hexene-1 (C6) has great development potential. A good example is new and better high-density polyethylene by copolymerizing Gulf Hexene-1 with ethylene. (Like the highly stress-crack resistant bottle above.) In fact, the whole C6-C10 range of Gulf η-Alpha Olefins is opening new possibilities. In plasticizers, silicones, synthetic lubes, coatings, fibers, and more. For information, write: Gulf Oil Corporation, Chemicals Department, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York 10019. SALES OFFICES : New York / Pittsburgh / Chicago Houston / Los Angeles / Tokyo / London. GULF n-ALPHA OLEFINS :
Butene-1 (C4) Tetradecene-1 (C14) Hexene-1 (C6) Hexadecene-1 (C16) Octene-1 (C8) Octadecene-1 (C18) Decene-1 (C10) Eicosene-1 (C20) Dodecene-1 (C12) C22-C28 fraction Also, fractions available to fit your requirements.
Gulf.
WORLD'S FINEST PETROCHEMICAL PRODUCTS.
EASTMAN Organic Chemicals
EASTMAN Organ
Need compounds between bench-top and tank-car quantities?
Don't invest in extra facilities. Ask Eastman first. When you need a new organic compound (or a new grade of one) in considerable quantity, try us. There's a good chance we can make it for you— whether or not it's listed in our catalog of laboratory organics. Distillation Products Industries, Roches ter, Ν. Υ. 14603, phone 716-458-4080 (Division of Eastman Kodak Company).
EASTMAN Organic Chemicals
AMERICA'S FINEST SOURCE FOR MERCURY AND MERCURIALS
I
I
-
#
ι
America's finest
ν
W o o d Ridge ιζζ^ΐΓ W O O D RIDGE CHEMICAL CORPORATION C E N - 2 1 3 7 , 3 2 PARK PLACE EAST · W O O D - R I D G E ,
66 C&EN MARCH 13, 1967
NEW
JERSEY
afternoon. Here the press, as well as other persons present, had an oppor tunity to get Dr. Baxter's ideas on such subjects as the progress of sci ence in India and Brazil and the use of the Peace Corps as a method of aid ing underdeveloped countries. Preceding the local section meeting that evening, Dr. Baxter met more of the public at another reception. This was attended by ACS members and their wives, teachers, students, and industrial and research representa tives. At the local section meeting which followed, also open to the pub lic, Dr. Baxter spoke on "The Science Explosion and Television Teaching." The last event of the day was ACS member Ray Carroll's interview with Dr. Baxter on the "Nitebeat" radio program on station KAOK. Mr. Carroll's program, broadcast in the Lake Charles metropolitan area, con sists of music and interviews with lo cal people or prominent out-of-town guests. During the 45-minute inter view, Dr. Baxter touched on the edu cation explosion, Brazil, the Peace Corps, the motivation of children, and what ACS could do to assist teachers and the general public to evaluate the world around us. The following morning, Dr. Baxter spoke to 300 area high school science students at Washington High School. After this meeting a reception was held for Dr. Baxter and the visiting science teachers. He discussed with the teachers the use of magnet boards and styrofoam models to illustrate theories of chemistry. Dr. Baxter's visit to Lake Charles was considered very successful by the section and community alike. At tendance at the local section meeting was about four times as great as usual. Dr. Baxter noted that activities such as those planned for him while in the city could do a great service to the chemical profession as well as to high school science teachers in any area. He expressed the hope that this type of activity would be conducted more often. Sponsored by Cities Service Oil Co., Dr. Baxter's visit provided for the most recent of a long list of outstand ing PR accomplishments of the South west Louisiana Section. It offers an example of what any local section can do to make the visit of a noted scien tist beneficial to the section and the surrounding community. Arrange ments for the many appearances of Dr. Baxter were made by Dr. Β. Ε. Hankins, section chairman, George Rushton, education chairman, and Ray Carroll, publicity chairman. Mr. Carroll, who was section chairman in 1966, has been active in the public relations work of the Southwest Lou isiana Section for the past 10 years.
