PACIFIC SOUTHWEST ASSOCIATION OF CHEMISTRY TEACHERS MEETINGS OF TEIE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SECTION The Northern California. Section of the Pacific Southwest Association of Chemistry Teachers held a meeting a t San Francisco State College on April 22, 1950. About thirty were present. In the morning a round-table discussion on the subject, "Secondary School Science in the Modern Curriculum," was held jointly with the Northern California Science Teachers Association. After lunch the subject, "General chemistry: what I emphasize, what I leave out," was discussed briefly by Dr. H. Murray Clark of San Jose State College, Dr. Miiton J. Polissar of the City College of San Francisco, and Dr. Me1 Gorman of the University of San Francisco. Dr. Clark believes in a thorough study of the stmcture of the atom and the periodic table. As each subject is brought up he tries to tie it into the whole body of science and human relations, since chemistry is not and should not be taught as an isolated science. Each subject is introduced with a brief historical account omitting dates and most names, and a t the end the present day uses and their relation to history, industry, and other fields are given. As an example of his methods, in the discussion of equilibrium he emphasizes Le Chatelier's Principle and relegates to a minor position the more specific laws and deviations of a more specific nature. Dr. Polissar believes there is far too much in the body of general chemistry to expect the student to have a comprehensive knowledge of it a t the end of a yearcourse. Therefore, he de-emphasizes more than half of the general subject matter, expecting only recognition knowledge of i t as exhibited in tme-false and multiple-choice questions. He then selects a small number of cations and anions and expects the student to have a working knowledge of what happens on the mixing of any of these in any proportions under any normal circumstances. He expects his students to learn to handle the various quantitative problems usually met in general chemistry. Scientific thinking, the ability to reason logically, is emphasized-for example, in the use of the periodic table and nuclear structure to explain and predict the properties of each element and in the treatment of weak electrolytes and their various interactions. Dr. Gorman believes in introducing atomic structure very early and then keeps referring to it as the various concepts and groups are discussed. He also emphasizes isotopes, discussing briefly, for the most part, the isotopes of at least one element in each group discussed.
In this way he discusses hydrogen thoroughly as an introduction to both atomic stmctur&and isotopes. At the end a short business meeting was held, a t which time Dr. Benjamin F. Naylor and Dr. H. Murray Clark were nominated for chairman, Dr. Bert M. Morris for secretary (all three from San Jose State College), and Mother Agnes Schmit, of the San Francisco College for Women, treasurer. On the morning of June 3, 1950 the Northern California Section of the PSACT held a meeting a t Stanford University. It opened with refreshments, a getacquainted session, and a tour of the new organic laboratory. In the meeting, Mr. William M. Pearson, a chemist from Westvaco Chemical Division of the Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation, discussed the subject, "Chemistry and the chemist a t Westvaco." Most of the technical personnel a t Westvaco is used in production, with some in sales or in supervision of control work. Some, of course, are used in research, which is carried out at Newark, California, and in New Jersey and West Virginia. Mr. Pearson cited the magnesium plant in which dolomite is converted to magnesia for use in refractories, cements, and as an absorbant. He outlined a flow sheet of the process, pointing out the various steps a t which chemical control was necessary and indicating where process development and research were applicable. Prof. Carl R. Noller talked on the subject, "The physical picture of bonding and resonance in organic molecules." His treatment, developed from that of C. A. Coulsen and W. G. Palmer, described the relatively new concept of molecular orbitals which may be used to explain many if not all the characteristics attributed to resonance. The molecular orbitals may he treated in a manner similar to that for atomic orbitals to give a more vigorous treatment for the explanation and description of resonance and similar properties In a short business meeting the following officers were elected for the coming year: Chairman: H. Murray Clark, San Jose State College. Secretary: Bert N. Morris, San Jose State College. Treasurer: Mother Agnes Schmit, San Francisco College for Women. About thirty-five people attended the meeting.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION 0.L. Houk, Californin Polytechnic College, San Luis Ohispo.
The following is a list of the members of the Northern California Section of the Pacific Southwest kssociatioo of Chemistry Teachers. Gerald A. Ballou, San Francisco State College, San Francisco 2. California. H. C. Benedict, Chico State College, Chico, Caliiornia. Howard Benninghoff, City College of San Francisco, Sun Francisco, California. 0. L. Brauer, San Jose State College, San Jose, California. Gertrude W. Cavins. San Jose State College, San Jose, California. Jose State College, Sen Jose, California. H. Murray Clark, Joseph F. Deck, University of Ssnta Clara. Santa Clara, California. Hal D. Draper, Sacramento State College, Sacramento 11, California. Edward C. Freiling, St. Mary's College, Moraga, California. Arthur Furst, University of San Francisco, San Francisro, California. Hmrv" Gabriel. Universitv of Santa Clara. Ssnta Clara, California. Robert R. Gates, Srtn Jose State College, San Jose, California. Mel Gorman, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California. Florence Haimes, San Francisco State College, San Francisco, California. M. C. Holmberg, Modesto Junior College, Modesto, California.. Robert Horvat, St. Mary's College, hloraga, California.
an
~~
California. J. H. Jonte, College of the Pacific, Stockton, California. Michael Joseph, City College of San Francisco, S m Francisco, California. Paul R. Kurts, Modesto Junior College, Modesto, California. Raymond M. Martin, SacramentoJuniar College, Sacramento, California. Bert M. Morris, San Jose State College, San Jose, California. Pearl P. Morris. San Francisco College for Women, Lone Mountain, San Frami~co,California. S. W. Morse. San Francisco State College, S m Francisco. California. Manfred Mueller, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California. Benjamin F. Naylor, San Jose State College, San Jose. California. Mark Neuhof (retired), 1335 Guerrero St., San Frxnrisco, California. C. R. Noller, Stanford University, Stanford, California. Carrol O'Sullivan. Universitv of San Francisco, San Francisco, California. Valerie C. Phillips, San Francisco College for Women, Lone Xountain, Srtn Francisco, California. Hamy E. Redeker, San Mateo Junior Coll~ge,Burlingame, California. Albert Sohmoldt, San Jose State College, S m Jose, California. Robert Sehuck, San .Jose State College, San Jose, California. Arthur L. Williams. San Jose State College, San Jose, California. Richard Wistar, Mills College, Oakland 13, California. E. R. Womack, Frevno St,ate College, Fresno, California
