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EDITOR'S OUTLOOK
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HE quaint old cut reproduced on the opposite page is taken from the Beginners' Hand-Book of Chemistry by John Howard Appleton, published in 1888 by the Chautauqua Press of New York. I t is supposed to depict Gay-Lussac and Biot making their The famous balloon ascension for the purpose of examining Frontispiece the properties of the atmosphere a t higher altitudes. A rather amusing anecdote in connection with this ascension is related by Arago in his Eloge de Gay-Lussac. Having reached a height of about seven thousand meters and desiring to rise yet higher, the investigators set about lightening their craft by throwing out all articles with which they could dispense. .4mong these was a chair which chanced t o alight upon an arbor near a young girl who was guarding sheep. Since the balloon was invisible to her and aerial navigation was in those days scarcely a commonplace undertaking, what could she think of the chair, save that i t had been provided by a benevolent Providence? This view she maintained in the face of neighborly skepticism until the papers, in publishing all the particulars of the experiment, explained the supposed miracle. We are so frequently confronted with the contrasts between presentday and older instruments and technique that the element of wonder has largely departed from such comparisons. In viewing this old cut, however, we cannot but recall Dr. Millikan's description of the sounding balloons employed in the investigation of cosmic high-frequency rays in 1922. We quote from his address before the recent meeting of the National Academy of Sciences: "These instruments were interesting in that, though they were built to hold 300 cc. of air a t 150 pounds' pressure, and were provided each with a recording barometer, thermometer, and electroscope, also with three different sets of moving photographic films and the necessary driving mechanism, the total weight of the whole instrument was yet but 180 grams, or about 7 ounces."
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HE close of the war period brought with i t the problem of salvaging or destroying considerable war-time material which was but illadapted t o the uses of peace. Not the least of the incompleted reconstruction jobs is the correction of a great deal of wartime misinformation generally designated as propaganda. Warfare Lient.-Colonel Gilchrist demolishes a number of popular misconceptions in his article on "The Humanity of Chemical Warfare" in The Military Surgeon for November, 1925. 125
From army records and various other authoritative sources he gathers data to show conclusively that, judged by the amount of suffering produced by the weapon, the after effects of wounds caused by it, and the percentage of deaths and permanently injured compared with the total number of wounded, gas is the most humane of all the recognized weapons of war. It will be a surprise to most readers to learn that, according to the Surgeon General's report for 1920, the annual occurrence of tuberculosis among gas casualties was somewhat lower than the general annual rate of occurrence among the enlisted men serving in Europe. We mention Colonel Gilchrist's report here, not only because we believe that chemists and teachers of chemistry should be correctly informed concerning chemical warfare, but because it constitutes an excellent example of the application of scientific methods of analysis and investigation to the examination of a controversial question. For this reason we strongly recommend that it be read in full.
A .
NEWS note in our Local Activities pages* describes a project which we believe to be worthy of further comment. We refer to the advanced course of lectures in chemistry arranged by a number of Boston high-school teachers and now being presented A Worth-whi1e through the cmperation of the Massachusetts Institute Project of Technology. Here we see a group of teachers not only desirous of growth but possessed of the initiative to conceive and the energy to set about creating opportunities which did not exist. Nor should we pass on without a word of commendation for the spirit of cooperation on the part of the Institute and its staff which has made the execution of the plan possible. Chemistry teachers in many other cities could undoubtedly bring about the arrangement of similar courses. Most universities would be glad to extend any possible aid. However, we recommend as worthy of emulation, not so much the method employed, as the spirit displayed.
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LANS for the divisional program to be held as a part of the spring meeting . of the A. C. S. a t Tulsa, April 5-9, are rounding into shape. History will again combine with Educatian-a plan which proved very satisfactory at the Los Angeles meeting. Tulsa A number of interesting excursions to the oil and gas Meeting fields, refineries, glass and cement plants, and the lead and zinc districts are being arranged. There are also deposits of salt,
* See page 236.
gypsum, and coal which may be visited. Splendid roads pass through all these sections and many cars are offeredto furnish free transportation. Prospective authors of papers are urged to submit subjects and abstracts to Secretary B. S. Hopkius, University of Illinois, as promptly as possible. Delay in this matter occasions delay in the printing of programs and in the publication of the Society's News Edition and causes endless unnecessary trouble for those in charge of arrangements.
w
E BELIEVE that the time is ripe, for a more serious and concerted attack upon the problems of chemical education from an administrative angle. Naturally such an effort involves the formulation of educational standards. In asserting the necessity for standards Educational we do not imply the desirability of molds designed t o turn Standards out uniform products. We do contend, however, that little can be accomplished without some definite end in view and some means of measuring progress toward that end. If any shall ask for more specific indications of the need for standards, let them consider the question of qualifications for teachers of chemistry. In many small high schools, and in some large ones as well, chemistry is presented by teachers who must confess to very insufficient grounding in that subject. I n many colleges, chemistry, particularly freshman chemistry, is taught by instructors who have never exposed themselves t o so much as a single lecture course in pedagogy. Obviously no degree of perfection in method can be reasonably expected to compensate a def% ciency of knowledge in actual subject-matter, nor can a thorough command of subject-matter be very effective without some attention to means of presentation. For the small high school where the attendance does not permit the establishment of a separate department of chemistry, there is a possible solution in the grouping of three- or four-year science courses under one instructor. Such instructors could be trained in our colleges through the establishment of curricula which would combine a thorough grounding in the sciences with training in educational methods. . I n most institutions this could be accomplished by grouping already existing courses. The college instructor is generally more reluctant t o admit his deficiencies than is the high-school man. There seems to be a general sentiment to the effect that, whereas high-school stndents need t o be taught, college students should be capable of learning, largely on their own initiative. Just what sovereign alchemy may be presumed to transform the student from a passive t o an active organism in the few weeks which intervene between the June of his high-school commencement
and the September of his college matriculation, no one attempts to specify. While this view is excellent propaganda for the freshman, himself, in that it may incite him to greater effort on his own behalf, it is very dangerous reasoning for the instructor if he takes it to mean that poorer teaching methods will suffice. Here, then, is a definite suggestion. Standard-makers could well begin by formulating standards of qualification for high-school science teachers and for college instructors in freshman chemistry. The statement of minimum standards of achievement in chemistry courses, notably high-school and freshman courses, is another task which awaits the standard-maker. This task involves a critical consideration of objectives, a rational selection of material which can be employed t o attain the objectives agreed upon, and reliable means of measuring attainment. There has been much discussion concerning objectives-a great deal of it based on faulty reasoning and deficient knowledge of the newer findings in educational psychology. We should realize that if one grants chemistry to be a necessary factor in general education, it does not necessarily follow that chemistry must or can be made to contribute to all the objectives of general education. Particularly should disciplinary aims be examined with a critical eye. Furthermore, objectives should be stated in specific terms. Oratorical generalities, while sometimes "inspiring," are seldom practically helpful. For instance, when it is stated that chemistry instrnction should aim at the training of better citizens, what, actually, is meant? Does this mean that people will be better educated for having studied chemistry, and will be better citizens for being better educated? If that is all, why mention an incident as an objective in itself? If it is not all, what then? The selection of material to be presented is, of course, inseparably inter-related with the question of objectives. Neither can be considered aside from the other. The need for the measuring of achievement is obvious. Of what use is a goal and schedule for its attainment without some means of evaluating progress? Imposing as all these projects may appear and as, in reality, they are, there now exists the necessary machinery to make an attack upon them. In the Senate of Chemical Education we have a body of sufficient numbers and of sufficient diversity of interests and experience to insure that no item of consequence shall be overlooked in the gathering of preliminary suggestions. The Committee of Chemical Education, smaller and less unwieldy, could well undertake the examination of this mass of material and its correlation into a definite working program, which could again be submitted to the Senate for criticism and amendment.
