JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
RESEARCH FOR A DAY RAYMOND T. VAUGHN Southwestern at Memphis, Memphis. Tennesnee
THE alert, keen-thinking, high-school chemistry student progresses in his study of chemistry, quite often he finds certain topics of special interest-an interest which could easily find expression in the form of more involved experimentation than is possible in the average high-school chemistry laboratory. Not only are these students interested in performing experiments for which no equipment is available but quite often they have ideas of their own-certain experiments that they would like t o perform if the apparatus and chemicals were available. Realizing that the situation outlined above did exist, that here was the embryo stage of the scientist of tomorrow, and believing that something could be done about it, we initiated our "Research for a Day" program. Students in the Memphis Public Schools who had completed or were enrolled in a chemistry course were invited t o spend a "da.y" in our laboratory performing any experiment they desired for which we had the chemicals and apparatus. For those who had no specific experiment in mind but were interested in doing something above the high-school level a list was prepared from which an experiment could be chosen. The writer has had the opportunity of observing student performance in high-school and college chemistry laboratories for over a decade hut has never observed a group which showed more interest and
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enthusiasm than the junior and senior chemistry students from the Memphis Public High Schools as they performed experiments a t the college level. I n order to provide ample laboratory space and proper supervision, a day was arranged for each high-school class to visit our laboratories. One school which was unable t o come during the school day came in the evening. Although the time available was somewhat shortened for this group they were able t o complete their experiments satisfactorily. Instructors and student assistants were available t o assist and supervise where needed. The experiments performed were quite varied, ranging over the entire field of chemistry-from using an analytical balance to the isolation of chlorophyll from green leaves. While some were fractionating crude petroleum others were preparing synthetic rubber. Several groups were interested in such experiments as preparing synthetic fibers, extraction of f a t from nutmeg, acidbase titrations, and electroanalysis. Even the more common experiments such as the preparation of aspirin and makimg of soap from a vegetable fat came in for their share of interest. The enthusiastic response of students and teachers to this type of program has given "Research for a Day" a permanent place on the calendar a t Southwestern at Memphis.
