Of course, the Division is largely responsible for its own predicament. One cause of it is to be found in the will no doubt be plenty of problems in this as in other conditions of the birth of the Division, which grew out fields. We will, of course, share many of the general of a desire for opportunity to discuss everyday teacbeducational problems and have, in addition, plenty of ing problems, and particularly the relation between secondary-school and college chemistry. Granted that our own. Large numbers of half-trained chemists will return these are important elements in chemical education. from the Senrice, anxious to complete their training as they are not the only ones, nor indeed in many cases the quickly as possible. Many of these will find themselves most important ones. So, after gathering together unable, physically, intellectually, or emotionally, to fit people who were interested in a particular phase, the in just where they left off. Teachers, returning from Division made the mistake of spending all its time on war work, may find it difficult to settle down to their the cultivation of too little ground, instead of consoliold jobs again. Equipment, long neglected, will be in- dating the whole area to which i t was entitled. Conseadequate to handle the new crowds. There will be a quently, many people whose voices are powerful in the lot of "catching-up" to do; industry will probably be a decision of educational policies thought they had somelong way ahead of teaching, as a result of war stimulus. thing more to do than sit around talking about the adAfter having geared our teaching to the ASTP and vantages of teaching valence this way or that way, NCTP patterns there will be problems connected with whether qualitative analysis should be independent or its return to normal again. Recently we "accelerated"; a part of general chemistry, or whether organic should be sharply divided into aliphatics and aromatics. the question of "deceleration" will arise. It is time we bad a real Division of Chemical EducaThese and many other problems will be before nsthe sooner the better, of course. We haven't heard tion, one to which people will look for leadership in any much talk about them; it should be the business of the branch of the field, not merely in teaching techniques. The American Chemical Society should be able to trust Division of Chemical Education to start some. The postwar period will be a severe test of the com- this division in matters of professional educational petency of the Division in its own field. We strongly policy as confidently as it trusts any of the other divisuspect that when the time comes for some concen- sions to establish standards and procedures. An organization like this is no bigger than its mentrated thinking--and a c t i o n ~ nthe principal problems of chemical education the Division of Chemical bers. If the Division is to increase, qualitatively and quantitatively, i t must get more and bigger members. Education will not be thought worth while consulting. What more important problem can there be in chemi- Somehow the engineers seem to have found a solution cal education than the training of professional chemists? for this dficnlty, in the Society for the Promotion of Yet a t no time has the division of Chemical Education Engineering Education. They apparently find no inhad a serious part in the deliberations when the training compatibility in the association of a dean of an engiof professional chemists was endangered or threatened. neering college with an instructor of mechanical drawWhy? Because the matter is much too important for ing. We must work out the same sort of relation. There has been some agitation for a meeting of colany less than the most powdul and capable agency to handle. The Division has had its sights too low. lege departmental heads a t the annual meetings of the Its rank and file, and its leaders for a large part, have Society to discuss administrative and other problems of not been among those who successfully assume the pre- high import. Why should such discussions have to take place in the lobby or a hotel bedroom? This is a rogative of training professional chemists. matter of chemical education; the framework of the A large part of the trouble is a mere question of ten& nology. "Education," like aspirin, has a bad taste in Division should be able to contain it. It may be obmany mouths. For some reason the word is not in very jected that the Division's machinery and the atmosgood repute in certain circles, and many scientists seem phere of its sessions are not conducive to such deliberato think that they jeopardize their reputations by any tions--and perhaps that is true. But if so, the diffiassociation with "edncation." Another idea is that the culties should be removed and the Division made "teacher" is a low sort of person who, poor fellow, worthy of its name. But all this means a very considerable change in, or can't do any better. But, after all, he doesn't invade the precincts above the first college year, where, indeed, addition to, the personnel and leadership of the Divi"education" ends--and presumably something better sion. How is this to come about? Well, there is your problem of postwar planning. begins. OSTWAR planning seems to be all the rage nowPexcept, apparently, in chemical education. There
