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opinion is commonly held that high-school en- teachers of science, since a t least seven states have not estabrequirements while others demand as much as forty semee rollments in science have been falling off during the lished ter hours to teach in certain areas of science; (5) there seems to last several decades, to the advantage of certain other be little evidence that certifying agencies have considered the subjects, particularly social studies. To ascertain the qualifications desirable for supervisors or consultants in the areas facts and the possible underlying reasons the Central of science; and (6) a comparison of state requirements with the Association of Science and Mathematics Teachers recommendations of various authoritative bodies indicates that in general there are great discrepancies between what is conappointed a Committee on the Significance of Mathe- sidered desirable and the actual training in science that teachers matics and Science in Education. Its final report, in receive. the February number of School Science and Mathemat The Committee supports the now common organizaics, should be read by all who are concerned with the tion of the curriculum in which generalized science implications of this important question. It. shows that from 1922 to 1952 enrollmentsin phys- instruction is given on a required basis to all pupils ics dropped from 8.93 per cent of all high-school stu- up through the tenth grade. Beyond this, specialized dents to 4.30; in chemistry they increased only from courses such as chemistry and physics are offered on 7.40 to 7.60, but in biology from 8.78 to 20.40. At the an elective basis. However, these specialized courses same time, enrollments in "other sciences," which are all too commonly considered as parts of an entirely really means general physical science, had increased different educational sequence, with different objectives in 1952 to 3.80 per cent. The situation in mathematics from those of generalized science. The drop in interest is not quite so clear; enrollments in "generalized" and enrollment a t this stage could be prevented, it is courses have increased, while, on the whole, they have believed, if a closer relation were established. dropped in the specialized courses. If the more successful educators in mathematics and science Relative enrollments have therefore remained suh- firmly back the idea of generalized mathematics and science and stantially the same, in biology they have increased help to build and teach such courses, probably many students who now find the higher courses difficult, will find them less difficult considerably, while the drop in physics is practically and will decide to elect them. offset by increases in generalized .physical science. It is pointed out, with good reason, that too few Nevertheless, this average, over-all picture is not considered altogether satisfactory by the Committee, in teachers are broadly enough trained in science to teach view of the recognized increases in the importance of the generalized courses. These classes are often asscience and since their statistical studies show that sci- signed indiscriminately, with little regard to the teachence courses taken in high school do not in general in- er's interest in the subject and possible effectiveness. Under such circumstances pupils are not likely to be crease the interest of students in these fields. In the belief that the failure may he due to inade- inspired to continue further. A final paragraph from the report mill point up the quately trained teachers, the Committee investigated the background and training of high-school teachers of issue: science and mathematics and the requirements for The committee a t this paint would like to emphasize that the their certification. To quote from the report: recommendations made so far will demand cooperative and The findings of these studies indicated that (1) teachers are invariably trained significantly better in one field of science than in the others; (2) although beginning teachers usually teach generalized courses in science, and in small schools may teach all the science, their training in science is not suited to such teaching; (3) that the subject-matter competencies of new science teachers tend to be factual rather than centered around bhe ability to apply and make use of scientific information; (4) there is little uniformity in state requirements for certifying
concerted action a n the part of all professional persons concerned with mathematios and science education. Such persons include scientists, educators, mathematicians, and others specializing in the methodologies of mathematics and science education. Unfortunately, such cooperation is not always evident.
The implication of the last sentence should sink into the mind of the chemical profession, which has so often expressed itself as greatly concerned with this problem.
