LOCAL SRfiTÏIH PMI.IMTIOM of ttie
es F o u r t h of a S e r i e s oit
Local S e c t i o n Activities ROBERT F . GOUUD,
Associate Editor
I T WAS nearly 4 0 years ago that Hermon C. Cooper and H . Monmouth Smith, professors of chemistry a t Syracuse University, decided that a postal card was inadequate a s a meeting notice for the Syracuse Section of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY because there was no room
for news or other announcements. Dr. Cooper was secretary of the section, and it occurred t o him that a small bulletin, i m i t e r t o t h e one which he was at that time having printed for his church, would be more suitable and could be obtained at a cost that the young section could afford. A quantity of folders (5 X 6.5 inches) were printed with a directory of officers on the back and a design, b y Dr. Cooper's artistically inclined wife, carrying t h e dignified title "The Syracuse Chemist" o n the front. The inside pages were printed as needed for each meeting. This w a s in 1008. l Later, the cover design w a s replaced b y a black-letter title, date line, and pictures of prominent chemists, b u t eventually the meeting notice assumed the cover position. Slogans on early covers proclaimed it a s "The 156
organ of the Syracuse Section ; it plays a few days before each meeting", and warned that "it appears semioccasionally without special warning and is devoted to the interests of the Syracuse Section, a devotion worthy of emulation". Thus did the local section publications have their beginning. Today there are 19 with new ones appearing in rapid succession. Some serve single sections while others are regional i n scope; altogether they embrace 66 local sections and reach over 27,000 members of the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
Individual
circula-
tions range from less than 200 t o over 6,600 (members, exclusive of exchange, subscriptions, and libraries). The local section publications, popularly known as t h e "LSP's", are unique in the annals of chemistry. N o other country has them. They are a characteristic ex* A declaration on its masthead notwithstanding, the first issue of The Syracuse Chemist appeared in the fall of 1008. A n error in the volume number, from 2 t o 3 , between t h e March and April issues of 1910 was not corrected and has been carried t o this day, leaving the impression that t h e bulletin was founded in 1007. coincident with the chartering of the Syracuse Section.
pression of America, due partly t o its size and partly to the broad membership of the AMEIUCAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
I n smaller
countries, news of local interest can be covered by the national journals, but this country is too large for that type of treatment. Furthermore, t h e chemical society in other countries i s usually jnore academic and does not embrace so m a n y different phases of the field of chemistry as the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY.
In
this
country, local sections are more broadly organized and often feel t h e need foi publications in t h e field b e t w e e n newspapers and scientific journals, devoted t o the interests of local chemists and chemical engineers and reporting their activities. The LSP's were developed t o fill this gap. They appeared spontaneously with no general supervision b u t were often influenced by those t h a t preceded them. They are alike, however, only in s o far a» they are t h e same size a n d carry advertising. I n other respects they differ widely, both in appearance a n d in editorial approach. Most of t h e papers h a d their start as expanded meeting notices, c a n y ·
CH E M I C A L A N D
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ing news *md announcements. Some have continued in this vein and simply afford a continuing record of local section activities by printing reports of meetings and lectures. Others have promoted the discussion of current topics and carried articles and correspondence on controversial subjects. They are sounding boards for local opinion and a medium of expression for members at the local level, stimulating interest in professional affairs. From its first issue in 1914 when it appeared full-blown as an 8-page paper in the 6 by 9 inch size since adopted by all other L S P ' s , The Chicago Chemical Bulletin has always maintained a vigorous editorial policy. Proclaimed as a newspaper for chemists, early issues carried meeting notices, personal news, exchange, lectures, university notes, and advertising. Articles on industrial and technical subjects were sometimes featured. Often prompted by pseudonym decoys, lively discussions on section programs, SOCIETY affairs, and economic and professional questions wer^e carried on in early issues between the editorial and correspondence columns. From the first there was a strong emphasis on improving economic status and public recognition of chemists. T h e editorial board of the earliest Chicago Chemical Bulletin consisted of D . K. French, W. D . Richardson 2 , and Otto Eisenschiml, then chairman of the Chicago Section. Later editors included William D . Harkins who served for several years and Carl S. Miner under whom in 1919 tha paper became regional with the assignment of space t o the Milwaukee, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin Sections. T h e name was changed t o The Chemical Bulletin. Ames and the University of Illinois came in later that year; and since then 10 more sections have entered as cooperating sections: Kalamazoo, Kansas City, Lake Superior, Montana, Nebraska, Northeast Wisconsin, Peoria, Purdue, St. Joseph Valley, St. Louis, and, most recently. Joliet. This started a trend since followed by many other LSP's. Of the 19 publications, 8 are now regional papers which have a combined coverage of 55 sections although the participation of 6 sections in 2 papers reduces the net coverage to 49. Several of the regionals include only 2 or 3 sections, but the 3 largest take in 9 , 1 4 , and 18 sections, respectively.
right through the magazine with title pages and layout showing a professional touch. Most LSP's carry notices of section meetings in a prominent place. T w o still put it on the front cover; 9 put it on the first right hand page inside. N i n e give first prominence to a title page and masthead while one combines this with the meeting notice. Seven carry tables of contents, and 6 run an index to advertisers some place in the magazine. All bulletins carry directories of section officers and committee personnel, some as a full page, others as a fractional page combined with the meeting notice o r masthead. All but 5 number pages in -the volume consecutively. Almost all use running heads (title on every page), but one uses them only on full-page advertisements, and The
another does just the opposite. At the bottom of each full-page ad in one is the request, "Please mention . . . when contacting our advertisers''. Seven place ads facing each other, and 6 place them only o n a right-hand page. Editorial
Features
The bulletins vary as widely in the degree of editorial expression as in other ways. Some have none, some are folksy a n d conservative, a few avoid discussing controversial issues, and there are others whichstrike out boldly with no holds barred. Less than half of the LSP's carry a formal editorial page, a few run editorials occasionally, and others print articles or excerpts with editorial comment. T w o such columns are entitled "Motes and Quotes' and "Décantations". Instead of an ediEditors
Typography Typographically, the LSP's present varied appearances. A few are conservative i n design as well as in content while others reflect the influence of magazines styled for newsstand sale. All but 5 carry cover pictures which vary from landscapes t o pin-up girls. Specially commissioned photographs and art work are occasionally used. A few use bleed covers, with color and individually styled lettering and carry this modern styling * First editor of Indtutrial ChemUtry.
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toriai page, The Vortex has a monthly "Chairman's Message" which accomplishes the same purpose. The Detroit Cfiemist has done this in the past. Many open their pages to articles by members of the section—if they can get any—and most print exchange articles from each other. Features While the main function of the LSP's is printing news for and about local members, committee reports, and section affairs, they carry many other features. All papers that carry meeting notices print pictures and biographical sketches of speakers and abstracts of their talks. Minutes of section meetings are printed b y some papers, as, for example, The Bulletin of the Virginia Sections which also carries occasional lists of dinner attendants. The majority of LSP's carry reports or condensations of lectures after they are given. The Philadelphia Section has an Abstracts Committee which prepares reports of lectures for publication in The Catalyst. The Nucleus, of the Northeastern Section, often carries extensive résumés of lectures, and The Vortex, of the California Section, devotes the major part of its editorial space to reports of talks that have been given before its many divisions. These reports are carefully prepared, well edited, and detailed treatments of technical subjects; they average 4 pages in length, 3 to 5 t o an issue. Another feature of The Vortex, one of the relatively young publications—established i n 1940—is its rhyming titles announcing speakers and subjects. Typical are "Van Arsdei's group of inquisitive mood, hears unsolved problems of dehydrated food", and "Hoskins' talk may have some thrillers for those who seek new insect killers". A few papers carry technical articles which may be discussions, historical or review articles, or even original research (occasional articles from the LSP's are reported in Chemical Abstracts). Others confine contributions to professional subjects with the feeling that the chemist gets enough chemistry in his daily work and from other publications. This will vary with the location of the section and the character of work of its members. Among other features found in the LSP's are book reviews, personals, and humor. A few have developed individual features such as columnists, a high school department, and "people y o u should know", while many papers are running a column of excerpts from "Local Section Chats", the circular letter from Washingt o n t o section chairmen, secretaries, and editors. Some of the titles t o departments i n the LSP's are: "Lighter Elements", "Spice of Life", and "Few Phews" for t h e humor column >and "Around the Section'V "Over the 7 Back Fence", and "Gossypoi" for the personal page. Some 15·
of the papers do not have a definite humor page, preferring to scatter items throughout the magazine. Thus Isotopics scatters its humor but maFks each item with a laughing mask. Regional
Publications
In the regional papers, reports and notices and often news are segregated by sections. Thus The Bulletin of the Virginia Sections, started in 1923 and published by the Virginia Section and including Virginia Blue Ridge and Hampton Roads, is divided into 3 parts, each headed by an attractive picture title characterizing the particular section. The Memph-Ion also uses picture titles, and Isotonics didf before paper rationing, but The Accelerator and The Chemical Bull&in use a portrait of the local correspondent at the head of each section page. Several papers use decorative headings for columns or features; thus The Memph-Ion recently introduced departmental headings which combine illustrations related to the context with figures of" local significance. They are printed in color. Most of the regional publications, each of which is owned and published by an individual section with space let out to others in return for group subscriptions, began as local section papers. The Accelerator was started in 1916 as an expanded meeting not : je for the Indiana Section with Harley W. Rhodehamel, Secretary of the Section, as editor and was enlarged to its present format under the editorship of Edgar B. Carter in Ï918. For a while it included the since disbanded Fort Wayne Section, but with the organization of the Midwest Cooperating Sections it was converted to a regional publication as the official organ of this group. I t is published by the Indiana Section with the cooperation of the Cincinnati, Dayton, Kanawha Valley, Lexington, Louisville, Peoria, Purdue, and Wabash Valley Sections. A feature of this bulletin is the combined meeting schedule for the month on a page near the front. When most of
Α. Α.Ashdawn TheNucleus>·ν
the sections have the same speaker in a given month, which is frequent, a full page announcement with picture, biographical sketch, and abstract is placed opposite the schedule. Isotopics is the only paper that began as a regional publication. It was sponsored by the Cleveland Section as a bulletin for the regional organization of sections in and around the Ohio-Michigan area which was formed in 1925 as a result of neighborly interest stimulated by joint meetings of the Cleveland and the newly formed Akron Sections. Harry N. Holmes was first regional chairman. Library copies of other LSP's suggested the idea of a bulletin for che new regional organization to Herman P. Lankelma and Edwin G. Pierce, and the first issue a p peared in April 1925 with " ? " for a title. The name "Isotopics", adopted with the second number, was suggested by Julian F. Smith whose contributions under the pen name of "Ben Zeen" have appeared in several of the LSP's. Mr. Pierce served as editor for the first 5 years. The original sections cooperating in Isotopics were Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Erie, Midland, Michigan State College, Toledo, and University of Michigan. Lexington joined in 1926, Dayton in 1931. Kanawha Valley participated for a while but later withdrew to enter The Accelerator with the Midwest Cooperating Sections. Detroit started its own paper and eventually withdrew. Although the activity of the regional organization has diminished in recent years, Isotopics is still published by the Cleveland Section and has continued to grow, adding other sections as they have been formed in the region, Wooster (1941), Northeastern Ohio (1944), and this fall, Pennsylvania-New York Western Border to make a total of 14. Sectional
F· E: Birkett Double Bond
CHEMICAL
Papers
With a circulation of 1,300, The Crucible is one of the 3 largest publications devoted to a single section, and it is unique in
AND
F. W. Zona The Indicator
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having been started b y a nonchemist— through his interest i n the Pittsburgh Section. It is further distinguished as the only LSP ever %o have appeared as a daily—during navtional meetings of the SOCIETY in 1922 a n d
'36.
John C. O'Connor, then assistant director of Mellon Institute, fathered the paper in 1918 and servele to r e a d a fair portion of his sci entific literature. I f his native speech should "be Russian o r Japanese, then he would have t h r e e more t o learn for partial accessibility t o the literature. If nry proposal w e r e followed, each would have b u t one language t o learn, be sides h i s own, in order t o be able t o read all chesnical literature of fundamental importajice. That language would be easy, being designed for t h a t purpose. The pTaanmar -would b e comprehended b y a set o f rules "to which there were no ex ceptions. O n e translation of all earlier fundamental literature would make it available to a l l on e q u a l terms. Inter national scientific conventions would be more practicalIn medieval times, Latin was the uni versal l a n g u a g e of learning. A student could move f r o m school to school across national boundary lines without encoun tering a language barrier to study. Latin, of course, s h a r e s t h e disadvantage of difficulty w i t h modern languages; re placing i t with a synthetic language would retain, and improve u p o n the advantages of the medieval plan. I t seems t o m e that, academically, w e h a v e rejected this most worthwhile feature of the Middle Ages schools, and h a v e kept the nowuseless Cthough then useful) one of muf fling t h e teachers, on stated occasions, in long r o b e s I conclude b y saying t h a t I, personally, know n o t a w o r d of Esperanto or a n y other s y n t h e t i c language, and would be one of those w h o would have t o learn.
SOCIETY supports these principles gives me hope for Christian fellowship in the chemical industry, and so I look forward to the tbme w h e n I shall again be in pro ductive i n d u s t r y and the laboratory. ELWOOD R E B E B
Civilian JPublic Service Camp 46 Big Flats, N. Y„
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mimeographed paper before becoming a full-fledged LSP. With this transi tion, it became an important activity of the section, and many of its members were drawn into participation, both on the staff and as contributors to its m a n y de>partments. Continuing to grow, it has become a regional publication with the entrance of Wilson D a m in 1944 and N a s h ville and Chattanooga in 1945 as cooper ating sections.
Trends Interest in professional affairs is on the ascendency among chemists these days, stimulated b y wartime conditions. U n usual opportunities, economic unbalances, high wages among unskilled groups, t h e pressure of collective bargaining, and t h e injustices of t h e selective service system bave all contributed to arousing th© chemist's interest in professionalism. This interest is being cultivated and developed in t h e local section publications. There is nothing new in the appearance of this interest, it has waxed and waned in t h e history of t h e SOCIETY, and in previous times it has stimulated discussion in various local papers, b u t for the first time it is reaching out beyond the confines of the section or region. During recent years the LSP's have enjoyed wider circu lation and there has been a tendency toward exchange and editorial coopera tion. Editors have been reprinting mate rial from each others' papers with the intent to inform their o w n readers what is going on and w h a t is being said i n other sections. Interest in A C S affairs is being stimulated, and professional consciousness among chemists and chemical engineers is being developed. Several of the LSP's have recently p u t out special issues. Thus The Chemical Bulletin issued 2 extras re porting the introduction and disposition! of a licensing bill in t h e state legislature,, and I8otopic8 issued 2 "Summertime Sup plements" to report returns from locaE questionnaires.
Conclusion These, then, are the local section publi cations. T h e y vary as widely in characteras they d o in their names, and each one expresses an individuality of its own. But regardless of whether they engage in polemics or stay strictly neutral, the LSP's as a group cultivate friendship among ACS members and stimulate local section activities. As activities in them selves they serve the sections. As a medium of expression and as an outlet for creative energies, they furnish a proving ground for m a n y a latent ambition. A t together, the LSP's are an asset t o the SOCIETY and t o its members.
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