The High School Chemistry Course If the first and only function of the high school were to prepare its pupils for college, there could be little argument as t o the content of its chemistry course. I t would only be necessary t o follow the outline for chemistry instruction as given in the syllabus of the College Entrance Examination Board. No other course would need t o be considered. The principal argument which might he advanced against the present syllabus would he that i t is much too comprehensive and cannot he covered satisfactorily in the usual one-year high school, or preparatory school course, unless it he in some special school which devotes its attention exclusivelv to trainine a selected ErOUD .. . of students for.admission t o colle~e. T h r d ~ f f ~ c u lint ythe high whool of mrrring the rcdlep r q u i r r m m t in < hemistry might he somewhat rrducrd i t i t were possihle mmakesepsrateclassrc for the collrgr prcpnmt~,r).studrnti.But this15 ftaiit,lcmly in thr larpr-city h~gnwhool where seveml hundred b o y and girh may bc Inking ~ ~ P C O I I T in S Pchemistry. It isatndutclg out ofthequc*tion in fhr nvcrnw As a rule, the high school teacher is confronted with the proposition that ninety per cent of his pupils in chemistry are not preparing for college. Nevertheless, he must give college preparation far the benefit of the few who may he going to college, irmorine the legitimate demands of the maim nortion of the class who do not contemplate instruction in a higher institution. Knowing thathe stands or falls, to a largedegree, according t o the rating of his pupils who take the colle& examinations, he is practically farced togive the routine course, however much it may he against his better judgment. The syllabusof the College Boards does not satisfactorily provide for the needs of the ninety per cent; it does not call for the presentation of sueh topics as the chemistry of agriculture, of the local industries, of household chemistry, of photography, of the automobile, and similar aspects of chemistry which make so strong an appeal to the interest of all pupils and which ought to be available for the nan-college preparatory student especially, since he will have little other chance to acquire this information. If such instruction is suggested in the syllabus, there is little likelihood that it can be given in the school since it requires all of the time and more t o meet the specified requirements. The teacher who can successfully meet all of the conditions laid down in the syllabus and still find time for instruction in the chemistry of the local industries, or sueh other special study as the environment of the schwl seems to warrant, is amarvel. His name should he inscribed an imperishable brass and proclaimed with sound of the tnmmrt. .~the ~~~. \Vncn 11 is remrmb~rcrlthnt the present requirement includrs: a very comprehensi~ecrudg of thew.urrence, preparation. proprrties, and uses of thp principal non-meta11:c t h n r n t s and their compounds. togethrr with wnridcralrle study of the metalsand their cumpounds;astudy 181 the principal lau~sofchrmisrryand a s t u d ~ o the f pnminent thcurie\,scmeof u,hich are .pretty. stiff stuff for the young student; a study of chemical prohlems of various types; some organic chemistry (with pressure now and then to include more); that it may include some portions of physiealchemistry, such as osmotic pressure, depression of freezing points, etc.; that recent advances in chemical discovery and knowledge, and new applications of chemistrv to industrv and the ~roblemsof life are claimine .. a .lace in our recent text books, it will be realized that the teacher, with thc hnnd~rapsofnm-segregatior and ninrty per rent uf nm-aollege preparatory student,, iscxprctrd ru orrumplish annlmcmt imporsilrle task in trying to imprrssnll rh~smaterialupon the rnindsof)mnp proplr whoarr di$tracrrd nsnwrr before rrith all the crmplexitirs oiour modern life. One is tempted to ask I\ such a requircmrnt juqr~f~nhlr? Is 11 nprcssary? ~
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Charles H. Stone English High School Boston, Massachusetts
Reprinted from J. Chem. Educ. Volume 1,No. 3, p. 55 (1924).
Volume 55, Number 5, May 1978 1 331
