edlted by SHELDONCOHEN Wash~ngtonUntvers!ty of Topeka Topeka. KS 66621
It is not easy to he a chemistry instructor. The cost of everything we need in our laboratories keeps racing upward, hut the availability of money to pay the inflated costs for our equipment, chemicals, and supplies continues to decrease. This new feature of the Journal will try to provide you with ideas to stretch your shrinking dollars. I n future columns specific topics will be discussed, hut it seems only appropriate that in this first effort a few general helpful points might he given. One of the initial problems we all face is that of knowing just how much each experiment is costing .. Der . student. At a recent meettng of chairpersons ofcollege chemistry departments, it was discovered that few of them had ever calculated this extremely important value. I am sure the same results would he found for most high school instructors. The job is a relatively easy one. All it requires is a pocket calculator and a current chemical supply company catalog. If you are using chemical or glassware which were purchased in the "good old cheap days", a common mistake is to make the calculations based on-the depressed price you paid originally. Remember, any replacements will he a t the new prices, so i t is these values which ao into the comoutations. After the cost of each experiment has been determined, give serious consideration to revisina or modifving the more expensive procedures. Most principles and &c
