NORMS W. RAKESTRAW 1895-1982
Norris W. Rakestraw, former Editor of the JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION died December 3, at his home in Morongo Valley, California. He was 87; since 1965 he had been Professor Emeritus a t Scripps Institution of Oceanography a t the University of California, San Diego. 'I. Long-time friends of THIS JOURNAL will recall the struggle for survival that faced the 17-year-old publication when Norris assumed the Editorship in 1940. Foundation support was long gone, loyal subscribers and advertisers were few, and far too many of the submitted manuscripts dealt with such themes as bending coathangers to form holders for laboratory manuals. The years of World War ll were an especially difficult time; both the "chemical" and the "education" communities were necessarily preoccupied with the war effort. But THIS JOURNAL did more than survive. Under Norris' editorial leadership, (including his adeptly wielded blue pencil), its stature in the scientific world grew. The results and promise of that leadership also indpired support of the mast tangible and practical kind. Mr. Harvey Mack, president of the printing company that produced most of the ACS publications, offered postponement of some printing costs and set up the Chemical Education Publishing Company to perform the functions of business, advertising, and circulation management for THIS JOURNAL. Norris tirelessly scouted out manuscripts of real substance and established highquality continuing features such as the Tested Demonstrations and Editor's Basket series. Before Norris relinquished the Editorship in 1955, he had brought THIS JOURNAL freedom from debt and a doubled subscription list. All who knew Norris marveled a t both the quantity and quality of his energy. After earning his doctorate and teaching a t Stanford, and with additional teaching at Oherlin, he came to Brown University in 1926. His exciting lecture demonstrations in general chemistry were as renowned as his diving prowess with the Brown swimmers on their Florida training trips and his enthusiasm far piloting his o m airplane. He began his love affair with the ocean during Brown vacationsvia the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, ingeniously proving that a chemist could do titrations a n a pitching deck. He left Brown in 1946 to establish a program in marine chemistry at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at La Jolla, California. His research established him as a meeminent marine chemist: his devotion to teachine led him to hecome Dean of Students and. in 1961. Coast Association of Chemistry Teachers. In 1956 the Northeastern Section ACS bestowed on him its prestigious Norris Award, and in 1957, the year he headed the Division of Chemical Education, the ACS honored him with its Award in Chemical Education. All readers of these Dares can be eratefulthat THIS JOURNALhad the benefit of Norris W. Rakestraw's devotion, en thusiasm, and scientific acumen duriig those troubled years, 1940-1955 William F. Kieffer
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Journal of Chemical Education
