Report of the ACS Council Committee on Chemical Education

Probably no responsibility of a. profession is greater than that for the quality of the education of those being trained. The ACS expresses this profe...
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~ i c c i d i a o cc$ CHEMICAL EDUCATION

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. . .from the ACS Council Committee on Chemical Education GARDNER W. STACY, Chairman

Probably no responsibility of a. profession is greater than that for the quality of the education of those being trained. The ACS expresses this professional concern for education through a number of avenues--the Division of Chemical Education, the Board Committee on Education and Students, the Educational Secretary a t ACS Headquarters, the Council Committee on Professional Training, and the Council Committee on Chemical Education. This latter committee, under the leadership of Gsrdner W. Stacy, Washington State, includes Moses Passer, University of Minnesota (Duluth); Ernest I. Becker, Brooklyn Polytechnic; Julius D. Capps, Auburn; Leone D. Cockerell, Baylor; William B. Cook, Montana State; Stuart W. Fenton, Minnesota; Werner Hem, Florida State; Rev. Arthur L. ~McNeil,Gonaaga; Harold A. Scheraga, Cornell; J. Reid Shelton, Case; and Donald L. Swanson, American Cyanamid Co. The Student Affiliate program, one of this committee's chief concerns, has grown rapidly in recent years; there are now 379 chapters. The review and certification of applications for new charters is handled by the committee. Usually, to avoid delay, the chairman acts for the committee between meetings. The Executive Secretary of the ACS grants the charters under his power to act ad interim for the Council. The Atliliate program has been so successful in colleges and universities that the committee now is studying extending it to junior colleges. Heretofore, although students in these institutions could become members, few did except by associating with a chapter a t a nearby four-year college. The Council Committee frequently works closely with the Division of Chemical Education and its various committees. For example, recently the Committee and the Executive

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Journal o f Chemical Edumfion

Committee of the Division have been discussiqg the opportunity for professional orientation of the high school science teacher who is interested in chemistry. A serious plan is under development whereby high school science teachers could become associate members of the Division. At a reasonable annual membership OF CREMICAL cast, such items as a subscription to the JOURNAL a membership certificate, a directory of the Division, EV~CATION, abstracts of papers given a t national meetings, and other mailings of interest in chemical education could he provided. Matters of interest concerning chemical education, which are suggested to the Society by memhers, are reviewed and studied by the Committee. For example, a proposal has been made that the Society create a mechanism for the collection and dissemination of information on colleee and universitv emvlovment OD-

vacant teaching positions. A further responsibility of the Committee has been developing and reviewing s. program of vocational guidance. At the present

writer with the aid of a hoard of exp&tconsul~an&,especially appointed for this project. I t is the obligation of the Committee to review and approve the finished product. The Committee is continually indebted to Robert L. Silher, Educational Secretary, and Robert F. Henae, Director of Membership Activities, as well as other members of the staff in the Washington Office, without whose assistance it would be impossihlefor the Committee to function properly.