OFFICIAL BUSINESS 294th NIEETING
The 294th meeting of the New England Association of Chemistry Teachers, a t Lincoln School, Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday, January 25, 1958, proved to be a happy and stimulatmg occasion, despite the cold, snow, and rain outside. Approximately a hundred members and guests were on hand to be greeted by the headmistress, Miss Marion S. Cole, a t the start of the program, and many others arrived before the end of the day. Rocket Fuels
The first technical speaker was Hoyt C. Hottel, Professor of Fuel Engineering a t Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who discussed "rocket fuels" from the viewpoint of a secondary school teacher. He started by outlining briefly the history of rockets and jet propulsion. Then, using the principle of the force balance, he shdwed that in rocket motion the specific impulse (impulse per unit mass), which measures the tendency to move, is directly proportional to the exit velocity of the exhaust gases. This velocity can be calculated fairly simply, given the necessary data, because the kinetic energy of the exhaust gases equals the loss in potential energy the gases sustain during combustionan enthalpy differenceand this in turn is measured by the product of the heat capacity of the exhaust gases and the temperature drop from the point of combustion to the point of exhaust. The temperature drop is partly subject to engineering control, but also depends on the heat of combustion of the propellant, and is therefore a function of the chemical nature of the compounds used to power the rocket. The other variable factor, the heat capacity of the exhaust gases, is inversely proportional to their molecular weights, so that if other things are equal the best propellant is the one that gives combustion products having the lowest molecular weights. Other things are not equal, however; cost, corrosion problems, the specific volume of fuel and oxidant, and various miscellaneous factors have to be considered. The best practicable combination of oxidant and fuel is probably liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, a t least a t nresent; also important, because of the much lower cost, is liquid oxygen and kerosene; if neither cost nor corrosion had to be considered, fluorine and hydrogen would be far superior to any other combination. Professor Hottel concluded with a slide showing the estimated cost of reaching the moon with liquid oxygen-liquid hydrogen and with fluorine-hydrogen. In conversation afterwards, he expressed the opinion that the Russian Sputniks were probably powered with liquid oxygen and kerosene. Patents
The next speaker was Robert Finch of the DorrOliver Company; Stamford, Connecticut, whose topic was, "How to get a U. S. patent." He pointed out that the basic principle in the issuance of a patent is that the inventor, in exchange for public disclosure of his invention, is granted a monopoly in its use, or the licensing of VOLUME 35, NO. 6, JUNE, 1958
others to use it, for a definite period of t i m e i n the United States, seventeen years. An invention may result from work t,o an end, that is, some sort of research, or a flash of inspiration. The idea must possess novelty and utility, and it must embody both an idea and its reduction to practice; but the patent application may be a sufficient reduction to practice. The inventor should exercise due diligence in the period between first recording his idea and reducing it to practice. If another person attempts to patent essentially the same idea, the question of due diligence becomes crucial. For example, if the applicant's inception of an idea precedes inception by another claimant (his "interference"), but is followed by a period of failure to exploit the idea, while the other claimant has exercised due diligence, the other claimant gets the patent. A patent application must define the invention in clear, precise language. An inventor's best course in preparmg an application is to get the help of a patent attorney and to provide him with the necessary background information, rather than to deal himself with a board of experts in the subject matter of the patent. After the patent office receives and records the application, the claimant may wait six to fourteen months to hear from a patent examiner, and two to seven years to get the patent (if he does). After the business meeting, and a most delicious luncheon, NEACT members joined other guests of Lincoln School in inspecting and dedicating the new Winsor and Jerauld Science Wing. The handsome new laboratories, which avoid the usual institutional effect by liberal use of color, are admirable for completeness and compact design; student lockers, an instructor's office, and a stock room with formica and plate glass on the shelves are neatly integrated with facilities for chemistry, physics, and biology. The laboratories are so. designed that classes are limited to twelve students in a section. The dedication honored Mrs. Robert Pierce Winsor, president of the Winsor and Jerauld Manufacturing Company of Providence which contributed most of the cost of the wing. Mrs. Winsor spoke briefly a t the conclusion of the ceremony, stating that the gift by her company indicated both a desire to benefit the youth of Providence and recognition of the importance of Lincoln School to the life of their city. Alfred Buckley, Jr., presided a t the dedication. Dr. Arthur F. Jennings gave the invocation and the benediction, and Willard H. Ware, Clerk of the School Committee, New England Yearly Meeting of Friends, brought greetings. Principal speakers were Dr. H. B. Woodruff of the Merck, Sharp and Dohme Research Laboratories; Dr. Dorothy Gifford of the Lincoln School ScienceDepartment (and former President of NEACT) ; and the president of the Lincoln School Senior Class of 1958, Miss Nancy Boghossian, who expressed appreciation for the new facilities with great charm and humor. Dr. Woodruff made the point that there is a large and increasing need for trained scientists and technicians, including women, in modern scientific endeavors. For
the majority of high school students, however, he recognized that the purpose of science training is not so much vocational as cultural, to provide the basis for more understanding appreciation of the arts and the joys of everyday lie. Dr. G i o r d paid tribute to the numerous individuals who had helped set up the new laboratories, and also to her own former teacher, Dr. Emma P. Carr, professor emeritus of Mt. Holyoke College, who was present a t the dedication. With Dr. Carr she shares the conviction that hard work is a virtue and a joy as well as a necessity, and the desire to pass on to her students a genuine love for truth. We need scientific trainmg a t the high school level, she feels, not only to appreciate better the universe around us, but to help us face up to what is true. It is important that youngsters become aware of their own responsibilitiesfor the revelation of truth as it is revealed to them, and this responsibility places tremendous emphasis on the value of the individual; but of course it is also necessary that "no girl should feel that she is the only one to whom truth is revealed." After the conclusion of the dedication ceremony, tea was served in the living room of the Main Building. Business Meeting
The president of NEACT, Professor Robert D. Eddy of Tufts University, conducted the business session. The report of the Registrar-Treasurer of the Nineteenth Summer Conference was presented and accepted. It is presented below in abridged form: Financial Repmt of Registrar-Treasurer 19th Summer Conference Receipts Advertising.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 140.00 Registration Fees (including dues of new members). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 710.50 Boardandroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4981.50 5832.00 .Expenses Dues, paid to NEACT Treasurer.. . . . . . . . 182.75 Board and room. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5W1.00 Printing and stationery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288.75 Mailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52.88 Motion pictures and exhibits. . . . . . . . . . . . 56.68 Social affairs.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.70 Miscellaneous expenses 52.95 Surplus, paid to NEACT treasurer..
...............
.$ 168.29
Respectfully submitted, RALPAP. SEWARD,Regisl~ar-T~easurer
The chairman of the membership committee read the names of those members who had been admitted into the Association siuce the December meeting. Andrew M. Dawson, Head of Science, Middlesex School, Concord, Massachusetts Samuel Fortin, Instructor in Chemistry, Chicopee High School, Chicopee, Massachusetts John E. Frey, Instructor in Chemistry, Bowdoin College, Bwick, Maine Mrs. Katherine G. Frioker, Harvard .4cademic Year Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts David I. Hayle, Instructor in Chemistry, Melrose High School, Melrose, Massachusetts Michael A. Imspino, Instructor in Chemistry and Physics, Sacred Heart High School, Waterbury, Connecticut Uno Kask, Assistant Professor in Chemistry, American International College, Springfield, Massachusetts Warren M. Kline, Instructor in Science and Chairman, Science Department, King Philip Regional High School, Wrentham, Massachusetts John F. Lderty, Head of Science Department, Classical High School, Providence, Rhode Island John P. Leahy, Instructor in Chemistry, and Read of Science Department, Pittsfield High School, Pittsfield, Massachusetts Arthur 0.Long, Associate Professor of Chemistry, New York State College for Teachers, Albany, New York Arthur F. Mercurio, Instructor in Chemistry, Wentworth Institute, Boston, Massachusetts James H. McCue, Instructor in Physical Science, Boston State Teachers College, Boston, Massachusetts Mae Reeder Nelson (Mrs. George F.), Teacher of Biology, Robert E. Lee High School, Baytown, Texas Joseph P. Nunes, Teacher of Chemistry and Science, Dedham High School, Dedham, Massachusetts D. Vincent O'Connor, Teacher of Science, Adams Memorial High Sohool, Adams, Massachusetts Richard A. Preston, Instructor in Chemistry, Beverly High School, Beverly, Massaohusetts Granville S. Pruyne, Teacher of Chemistry and Biology, Miss Halls's School, Pittsfield, Massachusetts John W. Quigley, Teacher of Chemistry, Littleton High School, Littleton, Massachusetts Ertrl J. Raueh, Teacher of Mathematics, Victoria High School, Victoria, Texas Frederick A. Scott, Teaoher of Chemistry and Biology, Brewster Academy, Walfehoro, New Hampshire Joseph J. Soussell, Teaoher of Science, Mt. Pleasant High Schoal, ~iovidence,Rhode Island Richard H. Sine, Instructor in Physics and Chemistry, Ipswich High Sohool, Ipswich, Massachusetts Sr. Ruth Maria, S.S.J., Teacher of Chemistry and Physics, St. Maytry'sHigh School, Milford, Massachusetts Sr. Mary Roberta, Teacher of Chemistry, Mission Church High School, Roxhury, Massachusetts Rev. Fernand R. Tardif, MS., Teacher of Physics and Chemistry, La Salette Seminary, Enfield, New Hampshire Leon Tavlor. Instructor in Physics and Bioloav. -.. Waltham Senior High iehdol, Waltham, ~a&achusetts J. E. White, Teacher of Biology and General Science, Rockdale, Touaa
Audited, Feh. 18, 1958,8. WAI~TER HOYT,Auditor
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
