zation of chemical facts has too often been reolaced hv the uncomprehending memorization of over-simplified chemical theories. Both extremes are clearly unsatisfactory. The aim of the McMaster conference was to explore new directions in the development of the chemistry curriculum which could result in more appropriate emphasis on the reactions, properties, and applications of chemical substances: in short on descriptive c&mistry. Unfortunately, "descriptive chemistry" is a term shadowed by history. T o some it has become merely pejorative and to the rest is remains annoyingly vague. Certainly no two people a t the Conference agreed as to its precise meaning, but there was a general feeling that whatever it is we need more of it. However.. the Dresent curriculum is alreadv overcrowded: too . much is being taught, too quickly, too superficially, and with too little lone-term retention. Clearlv some topics must he de-emphasized and others eliminated in order t o make way for suhstantiall~more pure and a ~ ~ l i reaction ed chemistry and to improve the coiprehension bf those chemical principles remaining. There was much discussion, hut no general agreement, concerning the topics which might he de-emphasized or eliminated and many participants came to realize that a more drastic revision of present courses was required than they had previously imagined. Chanees in first-vear colleee courses will be necessarv fol" lowing such revision of the high school curriculum. To a considerable degree today's high school courses tend to anticipate and mirror the content of the introductory college course. Or, from the students' and the high school teachers' point of view, perhaps we should say that the college course is merely a slightlv more sophisticated treatment of what they have already had. ~ l t h b u ~some h repitition and reinforcement is necessary the two should differ in detail, not merely in degree. There were encouraging signs that major initiatives leading to curriculum reform have alreadv been taken-~articularlv in some Canadian provinces and in Australia-and it is to he hoped that the Conference will have served to encourage others. A full account, including the texts of the presented DaDers and summaries of the discussions, will he available
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Report on Conference on "New Directions in the Chemistry Curriculum
T o the Editor From June 19 to June 23, one hundred and fifteen high school, college and university teachers from Australia, Canada, the U.K., the U.S., and several other countries gathered a t McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, for an International Conference on Introductory Chemistry. They were brought together by their common concern that today's introductory courses are too heavily weighted in favour of complex abstract principles and that descriptive chemistry is generally little emphasized. It is claimed, not entirely justifiably, that the chemistry courses of 20 or 30 years ago were devoted to the rote memorization of a large number of unrelated facts. A reaction against this led to the development of today's courses which lay great stress on a study of principles on the reasonable argument that an understanding of chemical principles is necessary for the proper comprehension of the facts of chemistry. Unfortunately the much-criticized rote memori-
818 / Journal of Chemical Education
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H. Bent D. A. Humphreys University of North Carolina McMaster University R. W. Parry D. A. Davenport Purdue University University of Utah D. Watts R. J. Gillespie McMaster University University of Perth, Australia M. Hudson University of Reading, U.K.
