THE CHEMICAL WORLD THIS WEEK
H e r m a n I. Schlesinger of t h e University of Chicago received the A I C Chicago chapter's H o n o r Scroll award from AIC President L a w r e n c e H . Flett
Schlesinger Receives 1951 Honor Scroll A w a r d C&EN REPORTS: American Institute of Chemists, Chicago Chapter CHICAGO.—At a testimonial dinner here on Oct. 5 , Herman I. Schlesinger of the University of Chicago became the 10th recipient of the Honor Scroll Award, presented annually by the Chicago cha.pter of the American Institute of Chemists for distinguished service to the science and profession of chemistry. In presenting the award to Dr. Schlesinger, AIC President Lawrence H. Flett of Allied Chemical and Dye Corp. iterated the objectives of the AIC in dealing with humans and their problems rather than with molecules and their relationships and gave special p r a i s e to Dr. Schlesinger for his outstanding success in t h e humanitarian as well a s the laboratory aspects of science. Because of the strong influence of professors a s personalities in day-to-day contact with their students and fellow scientists, said Mr. Flett, " t h e science of chemistry is m a d e immortal by its t e a c h e r s / ' In accepting t h e Honor Scroll, Dr. Schlesinger urged that younger members of the profession give ever-increasing a t tention to the more profound values inherent in science as a profession, in order that science may never b e reduced t o t h e "purely materialistic influence of w h i c h it is n o w unjustly, but often, accused." These deeper values are numerous, said Dr. Schlesinger, but probably one of t h e 4260
most important consequences of scientific thinking has been its contribution to the ideals of liberty and freedom, in pursuit of which our nation was founded. These ideals are based on the concept of the dignity of t h e individual—a concept which in Dr. Schlesinger's opinion "owes as much to science as it does to philosophy a n d religion. It is to a great extent based on t h e contention of science that man is primarily a part of nature, and not primarily a part of a political, a social, or an economic order." Unless these larger values are strongly and repeatedly emphasized, science will become merely the h a n d m a i d e n of industry and of government, and true science will wither a n d die. " W i t h its death," Dr. Schlesinger concluded, "one of the major supports of
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the concept of the dignity of man will be lost, as will be his right to those freedoms without which the h u m a n spirit cannot flower." Attesting to Dr. Schlesinger's own adherence t o the doctrines h e recommends, W a r r e n C. Johnson of the University of Chicago, an associate of the award recipient for nearly a quarter-century, declared t h a t Dr. Schlesinger's outstanding character trait is his "devotion to tolerance and freedom." Under Dr. Schlesinger's administration, said Dr. Johnson, every student a n d colleague is given an equal opportunity t o demonstrate his ability and worthiness. T h e young instructor in the d e p a r t m e n t h a s always h a d "complete freedom to t e a c h his courses as h e so desired, and t o carry out his own research —not only u n h a m p e r e d , b u t with sympathy a n d encouragement." Through his unselfish efforts as a teacher, an investigator, a n d a n administrator, said Dr. Johnson, he h a s demonstrated repeatedly this high regard for freedom in teaching a n d in research. Representing Dr. Schlesinger's many former students and assistants, Herbert C. Brown of P u r d u e University extolled the inspiring teaching, remarkable research accomplishments, and numerous contributions to t h e chemical profession which have revealed an unusual balance among t h e different facets of a long and still very active career. Citing Dr. Schlesinger's significant contributions in studies of the conductivities of electrolytes in formic acid as a solvent, in the chemistry of permanganates, manganates, and the complexes of iron, chromium, a n d platinum, and in his most outstanding investigations of the borohydrides, Dr. Brown emphasized the ease a n d frequency with which Dr. Schlesinger h a s been able to shift his attention from one research project to another. This diversity of activity reflects not o> .ly the diversity of interest and ability of Dr. Schlesinger himself, Dr. Brown said, but also t h e many advantages of the free conditions under which he has worked. T h e r e are many dangers in the present trend t o w a r d "programatic research," or research subject to control from outside the laboratory, said Dr. Brown, and the trend must not be allowed to proceed to such lengths that progress in fundamental research is seriously retarded. Dr. Schlesinger's rich and varied research experience suggests that freedom of choice of research problems is an important constituent of our research scheme, and is necessary for continued satisfactory advance. His great accomplishments point up the importance of fundamental exploratory research in the universities, said Dr. Brown, and emphasize the importance of maintaining conditions conducive to such research. AND
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