actual illustrations from life; is impartial; shows a sense of humor; carries on experiments well.
The report closes with (1) numerous suggestions offered by the teachers for improving the teaching of science, and (2) impressions gained from reading the teachers' answers. Mr. Tildsley lists 26 recommendations which he believes will make more distinctive that which our teachers of science have to offer. Those which are of interest to chemistry teachers are: 1. Since time is needed by science teachers for the preparation of demonstration and laboratory exercises, no non-teaching assignments should be given such teachers other than supervised study assignments in science 2. Time allowance for physics and chemistry is suggested, as five periods per week for the first semester and six periods, including a double laboratory period, for the second semester. 3. Special effort by the way of meetings of chairmen of the science departments and of teachers themselves is advised, t o emphasize the oneness of theirwork and itsaims. 4. The importance of the development of sientific attitudes in pupils warrants a study of ways and means of developing it not only by science teachers but by teachen in the other departments as well. 5 . The importance of demonstrations in science teaching warrants the inclusion of a demonstration test as a part of a science teacher's examination for license. 6 . The question, "Do the units of science offered for graduation by the New York City high-school pupils in the dass of 1928 equip them for living efficiently and happily in this present age?" is asked of all high-school principals. 7. Every teacher of science should join, regularly attend and play his part in the proceedings of the scientific societies, and should read the science periodicals and bwks which deal with his subject.
Doubtless there are other groups of educators throughout the United States carrying out and profiting by similar investigations. May the cause of science teaching advance thereby! M. W. G.
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH Much has been written concerning scientific research, its place in everyday life and education, its possibilities as a career, its contributions to the advances of our modern civilization. This is not surprising, however, when we realize the vastness and the variety of the field which the phrase "scientific research covers. And then, too, we find? It is customary t o distinguish between research in what is called pure science and research in applied science-the first being that research which is undertaken for the purpose of extending our scientific knowledge without any thought of its industrial 1
J. W. Williamson, "Careers and Qualifications.
J. Educ. & Sch. World. 60,789-90 (Nov. 1,1928).
XI.
Scientific Research."
application or other utilitarian aim; the second being research prosecuted toward some definite industrial end such as the discovery of new materials, the improvement of existing materials, or the invention of new and improved technic in manufacture. The differenceis essentially one of intention and the one type of research often merges into the other. A research in pure science may easily he developed along industrial lines and, similarly, applied research initiated for definite industrial purposes endsinnothing hut an addition to pure scientificknowledge of no obvious application to industry B u t w h a t are t h e aspects of science which attract the would-be scientific worker? According to Dr. W e n d t 2 there a r e four. 1. The first aspect, of course, is that of utility, that opportunity which science affords for the earning of a good living. This is probably the first attraction to many, but of least importance. 2. The second is the CUltnrd aspect of scientific study and research, that feature of science which involves avoidance of selfishness, and an interest in science which must be shared with others. 3. The third attractive aspect of science is one which is realized by a successful few. It is the development of a sincere devotion to the subjects in hand. This is a great privilege and the mark of a good scientist. This fervid devotion which causes a man to remain a t work in his laboratory in preference to going pleasure-seeking is as unanswerable as the proverbial inquiry, "What does she see in him?" 4. The fourth and greatest attraction of science is that of creative work, the expression of the scientist's devotion t o his studies. As art lifts the veil from the reality of material existence, so science lifts the veil from the obscurities of human ignorance and superstition. Science is not just facts, not just laboratory work, not just an interpretation of a mechanistic world. The more the scientist explores the unknown, the more the unknown faces him. The unknown is the inspiration of the scientist.
Having chosen his career, will scientific knowledge, manipulative skill, a n d ingenuity in devising experiments b e sufficient qualities to assure the scientific research worker success? According to Mr. W i l l i a r n ~ o nNo! ,~ The problems to he faced must he viewed from a wide angle and to a far horizon. There are some people who have a natural flair for research and more than a touch of genius in carrying out their work. But we cannot all he geniuses, and much valuable work, perhaps the greater part of the valuable work, is done by those who combine hard thinking with some imagination and patient perseverance. Personality and character are just as essential for success in this career of scientific research as they are in any other career. As Sir John Farmer says: "It may be taken as a certainty that unless a candidate for a post does exhibit that complex group of qualities combined in the word 'able' no selection hoard will have any use for him."
And Dr. Wendt2 comments as follows: To suweed in science one must have not only twls (information) and technic (ability to use information), hut also a creative imagination. The famous example of Kekule's conception of the benzene ring structure supports this statement. The successful xientist must rely t o a certain extent upon the subconscious mind, since it has Report of recent address by Dr. Wendt on "The Place of Research in Everyday Life and Education," Accelemtor, 13,2 (Nov., 1928).
the prime qualities of scientific character. I t is observant, hut not conscientious. Therefore, the scientist must be somewhat of a dreamer; however, one who can derive practical value from his dreams. He must work not alone with his howledge, hut with his spirit in order t o attain the fullest success in his chosen field.
We are all aware of the great development of industrial research during the past two decades. At the recent meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science a symposium on Research in Industry was held. As evidence that the industries are actively interested in methods of encouraging competent men to continue in research, we quote from the Science Serwice report of Dr. Willis R. Whitney's address: The obvious way t o encourage is by encouragement, but encouragement has never been standardized. Coin is a token and performs useful functions, and salaries of research men will continue t o rise. The accumulated research of an inventor's lifetime used t o he sold for what i t would bring under a forced sale. Novel processes and new ideas were produced by millions (there are nearly two million American patents), but not one per cent of the hard working inventors was ever rewarded a t all. They worked under heart-breaking disadvantages and carried the entire risk of their ventures. The public would have been well justified in sharing the risk with competent workers. Later, i t seemed more promising t o grubstake the inventor, and this was quite generally done. Many lines of industry were built about a single experimenter. The more recent scheme is t o stake groups of trained and selected investigators and combine their work so that new results may be continuous. This is now a tested development. It is easy t o see its advantages. On the whole, i t costs the public less and produces better results than the shiftless way of rewarding an occasional inventor who ripened his product on the day the market was exactly ready while declining even t o feed the poor fellow who was farseeing and got ahead of the procession. But the unlimited use of coin alone does not guarantee satisfadion anywhere, and we are thus led from the subject of salary, in which no one is expert, t o the mnclusiou that the adequate compensation for encouragement t o continue research must include those tokens of appreciation which other creative people generally desire. The public they serve should know of the service. This is a strong survival principle for a race. Publication in some form to bring recognition by one's peers is the nearest equivalent t o the artistic painting, the beautiful poem, the enduring sculptand the splendid architecture of other creators. M. W. G . Geman-Austrian Chemical Understanding. Negotiations were carried out between German and Austrian chemical interests in 1927 and the early part of this year with a view t o the equalization of prices and a division of markets. The leading negotiators were the I. G. for Germany and the Skoda-Wetzler comuauv The Austrian sphere of interest was arraneed . . for Austria. - as follows: Austria, Hungary, South Slav countries, Roumania, Bulgaria, and Turkey, while Germany retained the complete interest in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Western Europe. This agreement involves among other things, alum, ammonia, "antichlor," chrome alum, sulfur chloride. Glauber's salt, potassium nitrate, sodium, sulfuic acid.. hvnosulfites. .. and sodium sulfide. Synthetic fertilizers and certain mineral salts are expressly excluded. A recent article in the Cheniker Zeitung suggests that companies outside the agreement (not German and Austrian ones alone) should have a better chance of trading in the South Slav countries as a result of the agreement. in view of the fact that the competition of the I. G. has ceased.-Chm. Age, 19,272 (Sept. 22, 1928). ,
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