HISTORICAL MATERIALS in HIGH-SCHOOL CHEMISTRY TEXTS J. 0. FRANK AND LESTER LUNDSTED State Teachers College, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 4. Bruce, "High School Chemistry," 1933, World Book Compaoy
INTRODUCTION
5. Diosmore, "Chemistry for Secondary Schools," 1934, Laurel Book Com-
M
OST teachers of general chemistry make frequent references to the men who have made the most important contributions to chemical knowledge and many teachers believe that the "historical approach" is most valuable in gaining the interest of the students. During the past ten years more than 350 historical and bio~aphical articles have appeared in only two periodicals dealing with the teaching of chemistry.* I t seems to be almost universally agreed that some understanding of the development of chemical theory and some knowledge of the work of the men who have made important contributions to chemistry is essential to an appreciation of the present-day status of the science and fundamental to any real education in this field. It seems to be agreed, also, that some knowledge of the pre-history of chemistry and its development out of the psendo-science of alchemy is essential to a clear understanding of its present possibilities and to an appreciation of its promise of future contributions to the progress of civilization. Many students never have a chance to study chemistry except in the high school. It is believed that appropriate historical aspects of chemistry are particularly pertinent at this level and that high-school texts ought to deal with this field as adequately as may be possible. With this thought in mind twenty of the most widely used texts were examined and all references to chemical history and to the men'who made the most important contributions to chemistry* were noted. The purpose was to find the degree of agreement among textbook writers as to the amount of historical material which should be included in a high-school chemistry text, and as to the method of presentation of historical material. I t was hoped that a summary of these data would yield generalizations which would be useful to teachers who wished to present chemistry in a more interesting and effective way, and also to future writers of texts. The following texts were examined and all historical references noted, classified, and tabulated. TABLE 1 LIST
on Booas
EXAMINBD
1. Black and Conant, "Practical Chemistry," 1927, Maemillan Co. 2. Bradhurv. "A First Book in Chemistrv:' 1934. D. Aorrleton~centurv company. 1ne. 3. Brownlee, Fuller, Hancock. Sohon, and Whitsit, 'Tirst Priocipler io Chcmistry," 1934, Allyn and Bacon ~
*JOURNAL 01. CH&ICAL
Mathematics.
~
EDUCATION and School Science and
pany
6 Dull. "Modem Chemistry." 1931. Henry Holt and Co. 7. Emery, Dauin, Bowton, Dowoey, "Chemistry in Everyday Life? 1928, Lyons and Carnshan 8. Fletcher, Smith and Harrow, "Beginning Chemirtry," 1929, American Book Company 9. Gray, Sandif81r. and Hanna, "Fundamentals of Chemistry," 1929, Houghton MiWin Co. 10. Cordon, "Introductory Chemistry," 1930, World Book Co. 11. Hersler, "The First Year of Chemirtry." 1931, Bmj. H. Sanhorn and co. 12. Holmer and Mattern, "Elements of Chemistry," 1927, Macmillan Co. 13. Howard, "Units in Chemistry," 1934, Henry Holt and Co. 14. Kendall, "Smith's Elementary Chemistry," 1924, The Cmtvry Co. 15. Masters and Floyd, "HiphSehool Chemi%try,"1933. TheSouthPublishing Co. 16. MePherson, Henderson, and Fowler. "Chemistry for Today," 1930, Gion and c o . 17. Naylor aod Le Vesconte, "Introductory ChemisVy with Household Applications," 1933, The Century Co. 18. Newcll, "Practical Chemirtry," 1929, D. C. Heath & Co. 19. Smith and Mess, "Fundamentals of Modem Chemistry," 1928, Henry Halt and company 20. Stannard, "Modern Textbook in Chemistry? 1930, Academic Book Co.
CHEMICAL HISTORY I N
HIGH-SCHOOL TEXTS
When all items relating to chemical history were identified and tabulated, it was found that they could be classified under the following heads: A. Brief Accounts of the Development of Modern Chemistry f r m Alchemy and. the Older Mixture of Fact and Superstition WhichPreceddIt. None of these accounts presented a clear-cut or connected outline of the history of chemistry, though three books used as much as one chapter to present some of the more interesting phases of chemical history in introduction to their treatments of cheiqistry. One book also gave a chronological list of important events in the history of American chemistry prior to 1912. The number of words used to present the historical aspects of chemistry ranged from 132 in one text to 4030 in another. The changing attitude toward historical material is shown by the more thorough treatment in the more recent texts. The average number of words used in the ten books published before Jan. 1, 1931, was 1147, while the average - for the ten books published since then was 2070. B. Short Historicel Items Usually Scattered through the Texts. These were usually very short items given without any attempt to make them cover the subject consistently or adequately. One author devotes more space to an account of the discovery of radium and the work of the Curies, than to all other phases of chemical history combined. Some authors show little consistency in their selection of historical material. In a given text mention may be made of the discovery of bromine by Balard, and no mention made of Moissan and fluorineor
Courtois and iodine. Historical mention was made most frequently and fully as follows: a. The discovery of radium was treated in 13 books. b. The discovery of oxygen and the nature of combustion in 14 books. c. The history of Mende16eff's periodic table in 11 books. d. The discovery of argon and other rare gases in 10 books. e. The discovery of helium in 7 books. Only one author consistently uses the "historical approach" in his presentation of each new unit or chapter. C . Short Mention of the Names of Important Persons i n Chemical History. a. In connection with an account of the dis-
None
No. of Bookr
Nomr
N o . of Bookr 9 9
9 9
Nomc
No. of Bookr
Marfin
l7 16
; ; ; 15
15 15
Babbitt Lewis
14 14
Acheson Dews Nelson
13 13 13
Beequer.1 Ber~clivr Cnvendish Dakio Fahrenheit Glover Le BlPn" Morley Welshreh Wood
12
;
12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 10 10
Berkelaod Bobr Cattrc11 courtoia Eyde Goldsehmidt
9 9 .9 9 9 9
McCoy Mend Pmuf
.
Bald Crookis Deneon Dsberdner Dumas Graham He.,. Herault Millikan Tyndnll
; 7
Edison Hare Paatevr Brsodt Du Long Hofmann Kirchoff Marsh
onoes
petit Turnhull Wigmondy Bcrthollef Black carter Claude Drake Fovrdrinier Harkion Liebig Loekyer Nobel Soddy van't Hoff Allison Bceher aergius Berry Carrel cassa1e Chardonoet Clark D~gnerrc
7
6
Abel Atistotle
6
croft
6 ,
Schonbein Serpek siemens Silliman Stahl Thenard vorcc
5 5
6 b
5 5 5 5 5
Noma
No. of Books
Namc
No. of S o o b
Now
No. of Bookr
Arfvedpon Aspdin
Fi~eher Geber Gilehriot Gutzeit Hillebraod Keesom Kelvin
g
covery of a principle, an element, or important fact. b. As a part of a biographical account of the life and work of the man. c. In connection with a process, some piece of apparatus or material which the person invented or improved. A total of 336 different names was mentioned in the 20 texts. 258 names occur five times or less and 169 names occur but once. 45 names are mentioned in more than half of the books. Only four names are mentioned in all the books. One book mentions a total of 146 different names, while another mentions only 37 names. A list of all names together with the number of books in which each name is mentioned is shown below.
Benedict Boltwood Bradley Bram c..~~zz.~o Demoaitus Devera Deville Franklin Fraunbofcr Hifforf
Lane Larron L6moo6sov Lovejov Newton Oersted
Paraeel~us Sherman Thomas Thompson Twitchell valentine Voo Baeyer von weimarn
Baon Bayer Baxter Beaume Bell Bemberg Bergman Berk5eld Bertrand Betto Bishop Bliekett Boisbnudran Bosch Braune Bridgeman Brinnell Buchner Caillefet C~rlyle carre Celriur Chaptal Chevreul Cleave Cook Cort
Coulomb caurtioes Cronatedt Crviksbaok Da Gamn D a b Daniel D a vinci Despeisse. Diesel Drummond Dubbl Dubme Duncan D" Font. L. Prank ruller Fulmer Funk Galileo Galvsoi Gascbler Gnteboune Geirrler Gilbert Girard Coldstein Grew Grind
1 1
Lawson Le Chatelia Le Clanehe L4mrry Lipma. Lipowit. Lister Lot.
1 1 1 1 1
Magnus Mallet Matthieus Maxwell
; 1
1 1
-
Mill Millon Mifrherlich Morkon Murdocb Murphy Musket
1 1
1 1 1 1 1
;
1 1
Tellicr Thales Tilgbmao Toepler
Toogad Torrieelli Turnbull Ulloa van der Wnak Van Dyke v a n Helmont Vdt. v o n Marvin
Zeppelin
From a study of the frequency of occurrence of the various names a number of interesting facts come to light, and a number of questions arise. It is obvious that the more spectacular discoveries impress authors of texts more than some of the more important discoveries. It is also apparent that authors are slow to realize the importance of new discoveries of epoch-making nature and the magnitude of their effects on chemical theory. Bohr is mentioned in only 9 books. Planck and the quantum theory are not mentioned a t all. Among the questions raised are: "How many of the 336 names are of sufficient importance to justify their inclusion in a high-school text?", "What criteria may be used as a basis of selection of names?", and, "What is to be the reaction expected from the high-school student to such names as are included in his text?" D. Biographical Accounts A number of very brief biographical accounts were given in most texts. Most of these were given in supplement to or in explanation of cuts, though a few texts gave brief biographies of men whose likenesses were not shown. A total of 247 biographical accounts of 48 different persons was given in the 20 texts. The number in a single text ranged from 0 to 31. These accounts usually consisted of name, date of birth and death, nationality, and brief mention of some single discovery or field of work. E. Cuts of Men and of Historical Laboratories and Apparatus. a. Nearly all books show cuts of men who, the authors believe, have made important contributions to chemistry. In some books a number of full-page cuts are given, while in others a few small cuts are considered sufficient. A total of 253 cuts of 50 different persons was shown in the 20 texts. The number of cuts of this type in a text ranged from 0 to 30. b. Cuts of historical laboratories, of pieces of apparatus of historical interest, and of articles of historical interest were found in several of the texts. Cuts of alchemical laboratories of the middle ages yere most frequently shown. (See Table 3.)
CONCLUSION
In spite of the widespread belief, among chemistry teachers, in the value of historical material as an aid in developing interest in chemistry and an understanding of its present status, there is no agreement among the textbook authors as to what historical material should be given nor as to how it should be presented. General confidence is shown in cuts and mere mention of names, and hut few texts now available make anything more than a feeble and superficial attempt to present even the most meager outline of chemical history. No text presents a chronological account of the principal events in the development of chemical theory. It seems probable that in the quite obvious attempts of some authors of high-school texts to include an account of all new discoveries and developments and to make their texts deal with all known fields of chemistry, these authors are missing a fine opportunity to express the real spirit of chemistry, to dramatize the altruistic spirit of science for youthful minds, and thus to render most valuable contributions to the progress of truth.
CONVENIENT FILTER-PAPER DISPENSER CHARLES L. UNRATH Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
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TABLE 3
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THE accompanying diagrams illustrate a convenient filter-paper dispenser and the method of loading it. The dispenser can be hung a t any convenient place in the laboratory and transferred as need arises. It proteds the papers from dust, yet permits the placing of a folded paper in a funnel with one hand--aften a timesaving convenience.
