OFFICIAL BUSINESS 274th MEETING
The 274th meeting of the NEACT was held on February 13, 1954, in the science wing of the elegant new modern plant of the East Providence High School, East Providence, Rhode Island. The meeting was opened by greetings from the Superintendent of Schools, Edward R. Martin, who was formerly a chemistry teacher and is one of those who laid out the very fine science wing of the new building. The first speaker was Dr. Laurence S. Foster of Watertown Arsenal Laboratory, Watertown, Massachusetts, who reviewed current concepts on the "Origin of the chemical elements." The viewpoint presented was mostly that of George Gamow, Professor of Theoretical Physics a t the George Washington University, who holds that "the present state of the Universe resulted from a continuous evolutionary process, which started in a highly compressed homogeneous material a few billion years ago."' The known abundance of the elements on the earth, in meteorites, in the sun, and in the stars is in agreement with the theory. At the initial stages of the expansion, the temperature was many billion degrees Celsius, and the density was a hundred million tons per cubic centimeter. Under these conditions, everything was reduced to neutrons, protons, electrons, and photons of energy. Soon after the expansion had begun, the temperature dropped sufficiently to permit atomic nuclei to form. Except as a result of residual radioactivity and of thermonuclear reactions that continue in the sun and stars, no new atoms of the various elements have been formed since. The validity of these strange hypotheses is borne out by the existence of some long-lived radioisotopes, like U2" (4 X lo9 years), K40 (1 X lo9 years), Th232(1 X 1010 years), etc., all of which would long since have decayed away if the starting date had been much earlier than five billion years ago. The fact that Uza5still exists is especially relevant because its half-life is only 800,000,000 years, whereas UPS', with a half-life of 23,000,000 years, has entirely disappeared. The following bibliography is furnished t o stimulate interest GAMOW,GEORGE."The Creation of the Universe," The Viking Press, New York, 1952.
in chemistry teachers in this fascinating branch of cosrnogr~phy.~ BIBLIOGRAPHY Books ALPHER.RALPHA,. AND R. C. H E R ~ N"The . oriein and abundNuclear Sei., ance distributio; of the e1ements;"~nn. Annual Reviews, Inc., Stanford, California, 1953, Vol. 2, pp. 1-40. BONDI,H., "Cosmology," Cambridge University Press, 1952. Gmow, GEORGE,"The Birth and Death of the Sun," Pelican Books, 1945. G A M O GEORGE, ~, "The Creation of the Universe," The Viking Press, New York, 1952. UREY, HAROLDC., "The Planets-Their Origin and Development." Yale Universitv Press. New Haven. 1952. RANKAMA, K., AND TH. G. SAHA-, "Geochemistry," University of Chicago Press, 1950, Chaps. 1 3 .
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Articles ALPHER,R. A,, H. BETBE, A N D G. GAMOW, "The origin of the chemical elements," Phys. Rev., 73, 803 (1948). ALPHER,R. A., AND R. HERMAN,"Theory of the origin and relative distribution of the elements," Reus. Mod. Phys., 22, 153 (1950). Contains complete bibliography. AsrMov, I., "The elementary composition of the earth's crust," J. CHEM. EDUC.,31, 70 (1954). ASIMOV.I.. "Nttturally occurring radioisotopes." ibid., 30, 398 (1953).
Asmov, I., "The natural occurrence of shorLlived radioisotopes," ibid., 616. ASIMOV,I., "Relative contributions of various elements to the earth's radioactivity," ibid., 31, 24 (1954). By way of definition of the term cosmography, the following course description is quoted from the Harvard College Catalogue (1953-54): Natural Science 115, Cosmography. "A survey of the cosmos in the light of current scientific knowledge is the goal of this course. The location of man and his artifactsin the world of atoms, cells, stars, and galaxies, will be examined along with the oomplementluj. inquiry into the place of the mind of man in the m a t e d universe. The age of the world, the twilight of heat, the dimensions of space, the cosmic role of the matterenergy and time-space entities will be discussed as well as biological life as a cosmic phenomenon. The explorations lead up and down the geological timetable. in and out of the groups and periods of the chemical elements, and along the radiation spectrum from cosmic rays to radar. The large evolutionary processes, as of the stars and rotating galaxies in an expanding universe, and the evolutionary operations of the planets, mountains, plants, animals, and societies, are a part of the dynamics of Cosmography. The only prerequisite is persistent curiosity."
JUNE, 1954 BARNEW,L., "The world we live in," Life (Dec. 8, 1952). BROWN,H., "Meteorites, relative abundance and planet structure," Sci. Monthly, 67, 338-89 (1948). BROWN,H., "The composition of our universe," Phys. Today, 3, No. 4, 6 (April, 1950). BROWN, H., "The origin of the planets," Chem. Eng. News, 30, 1622 (1952). DRu~scn,A. J., "The abundance of the elements," Sci. American, 183, 14 (Oet., 1950). GAMOW, G., "The evolution of the universe," Nature, 162, 680 (1948). GAMOW,G., "The origin and evolution of the universe," Am. Scientist, 39, 393 (1951). GAMOW, G., "Modern cosmology," Sci. Amwkn, 190.54 (Mar., 1954). HOLM% A., " T h age of the earth," Endeavour (July, 1947). HURLEY,P. M., "Radioactivity and time," Sn'. American, 181, 48 (Aug., 1949). &PLAN, J., "The earth's atmosphere," Am. Scientist, 41, 49 (Jan., 1953). LATIMER,W. M., "Prediction and speculation in chemistry," Chem. Eng. News, 31,3366 (1953). MEEN, V. B., "The Canadian meteor crater,'' Sci. American, 184,64 (May, 1951). UREY,H. C., "Abundanre of the elements,'' Phys. Rev., 88, 248 (Oct. 15, 1952). UREY,H. C., "The origin of the earth," Sci. American, 187, 53 (Oct., 1952).
The second speaker of the morning, Dr. Lloyd D. Matterson of the University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, has been checking his observations that aureomycin and other antibiotics, when mixed with food for animals, cause more than normal rates of growth. Most of the work has been done with chicks. Apparently these antibiotics are most effective when there is an actual bacterial invasion. The afternoon speaker was the Rev. J. W. Hackett, O.P., of Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island, who discussed "Inorganic analysis by Paper chromatography." His talk provided specifications for making successful chromatograms. These include siee of the spot; size, shape a& of the paper; the solvents and the and procedures and apparatus. Equipment for vertical, rectangular, and horizontal, circular chromatography was demonstrated. business meeting Between sessions there was a NEACT President Dorothy W. Gifford, conducted Lincoln School, Providence, Rhode Island. The Secretary welcomed the following new members into the NEACT and reported the paid membership to be 557. Edwin Betz, Professor of Chemistry, Keene Teachers' College, Keene, New Hampshire. Brother Vdentiue, C.F.X., Science Teacher, St. Joseph Juniorate, Peahody, Massachusetts. Mahlon F. Hayden, Science Teacher, Bulkeley High School, Hartford, Connecticut. Richard G. Inskeep, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont. ~ r ~ .o u i s e~ e l l e ~rofessor ~, af Chemistry, G0uche.r College, Towson, Baltimore, Maryland. earl G, L ~chemistry ~ ~~ ~ ~ central , ~ ~ i school, ~ ~ h pro,+ h dence, Rhode Island. Louis A. Legory, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania. Janice C. Lewis, Head of Science Department, Hamden Hall Country Day Sohool, Hamden, Connecticut.
329 Pasquale V. Romano, Teacher of Science, Sprin&eld, Mass* chusetta. Sister Mary Walter, Holy Trinity High School, Roxhury, Mass* chusetts.
Mrs. George Parks of the University of Rhode Island reported progress of her committee, which is working on a syllabus for prenursingstudents. Nurses inRhode Island have shown interest in the project. 16th SUMMER CONFERENCE
The 16th Summer Conference will be held a t the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, from August 16 to 21. The chairman is Robert D. ~ d d ~~ , ~college, f t~ ~ ~ d f ~~ ~~ d ~ , ~and ~ the program is being planned under the chairmanship of Edward L. Haenisch, Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana. This year the workshop plan is being adopted more extensively than in former years, ~h~ usual sessions of speakers on scientific topics, moving pictures, demonstrations, and recreation will be held. The evening programs will be planned as family affairs, designed to further the interest of wives and children matters, Inquiries may be Of members in addressed to the chairman of the conference. A vote of thanks to the East Providence High School for its hospitality was taken with enthusiasm.
LEALLYN B. CLAPP,Secretary NECROLOGY ALBERTSANBORN PERKINS. On March 3, 1954, the Association last the last of its Charter Members. Albert S. Perkins, 92, retired head of the classical department a t the Darchester High School, died a t his home a t 70 Lyndhurst Street, Dorchester,
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founded this Association in 1898 and after ten years of activity, during which he served on the Executive Committee, the College Entrance Committee, and the High School Course of Study Committee, he was elected vice-president in 1903 and 1904 and President in 1905 and 1906. Then he ceased to be a chemistry teacher upon being chosen as the head of the classical department of the Dorchester High School, in which position he served until his retirement from teaching in 1931, after 45 years of service at that school. He was made an honorary member of the NEACT at the 33rd meeting, November 14, 1908. Mr. Perkins was a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy and of Harvard College in the Class of 1884. He previously taught a t Pennington, New Hampshire. SEW G. TWICHELL.Word has been received from Concord, New Hampshire, of the death on March 13, 1954, of Seth G. Twichell, a member of the NEACT since 1921. Mr. Twichell had taught chemistry and physics a t the Concord High School since 1924 Members who attended the recent meeting a t St. that he was present and greeted School will old friends at that time. Mr. Twiohell was a native of Fitchhurg, Massachusetts, and was graduated from the Fitchburg Normal School in 1914 and from Colby College in 1920. He was a veteran of World Wax ~ ~ ] ivew , 1, H~ taught at plymouth ~~~~~l ~ ~ h plymouth, Hampshire, for four years before beginning his work a t Concord nigh ~ ~ h ~ 1952 ~ lhe ,was granted an honorary Master of ~Science~degree ,from Colby College in recognition of his long and faithful servioe of thirty years ss a college preparatory teacher. He was also a track coach a t the high school. S. WALTERHOYT Chairman, Necrology Committee
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