Some Outstanding Teachers of Chemistry
in Negro Colleges and Universities' WILLIAM J. L. WALLACE West Virginia State College, Institute, West Virginia
VER 100 years have passed since the oldest Negro college now in existence opened its doors for the education of a race that was destined in one section of the country to receive its schooling in separate schools. In the earliest days there began earnest and energetic struggles to improve upon methods of teaching, to obtain prepared teachers, to procure equipment, buildings, and all of the necessities for an adequate educational program. Today there are over 100 such colleges in existence. In recent years tremendous eiTorts have been made to raise standards and to place the quality of education obtainable in these institutions on a par with the best in the nation. In 1944,37 of these colleges were accredited in their areas by their respective accrediting agencies; an additional one of these educational institutions was accredited as a junior college and 20 more rated "B."2 One of the manifestations of this effort to improve the quality of education in Negro colleges and universities is the increase in stature of the teachers of chemistry in these institutions. This growth in stature is evident first of all in the graduate training received by these teachers. Listed in the seventh edition of "American Men of Science" are a t least 28 teachers of chemistry in Negro institutions of higher learning.% Of these, 21 have received the doctorate in chemistry and 7 the master's degree. For the most part the graduate training has been obtained in recent years. For in 1926 one of these persons procured the doctorate, m e in 1930, two each in the years 1932,1933,1934, and 1937, one each in 1938, 1939, 1940,1942, and 1943; and three in 1935 and 1941. This indicates an awakening to the necessity for further training and reflects the increasing competition among teachers for positions and among colleges for well-trained teachers. These 28 teachers are distributed in 19 institutions. In 1939 Woodson reported 13 holders of the doctorate in chemistry among 66 teachers in 36 institution^.^ The 13 holders of the doctorate were teaching in 8 institutions. Seventeen of the 19 schools on whose staffs are the 28 teachers listed in "American Men of Science" are on Woodson's list. A similar study made in 1940 by this author shows that "9 of 35 Negro colleges have at
0
Prepared for the 1945 meeting-in-print of the Division of Chemical Education, American Chemical Society. '"Accredited Higher Institutions," Bulletin No. 3. Federal Security Agency. U.S. m c e of Education, 1944, pp. G91. Cattell, J. McKeen, and Jaques Cattell, Editors, "American Men of Science," 7th Edition, The Science Press, New Yark, 1944. ' Woooso~,HAXOLDW., Journal of Negro Education, 8, 647 (1939).
least one man in the department of chemistry with the degree of doctor of philosophy in chemi~try."~A comparison of the figures mentioned here indicates that between the time of these studies and 1944 there was a considerable increase in the number of teachers in Negro colleges holding the doctor's degree. Table 1 shows the distribution of teachers of chemistry in Negro colleges listed in "American Men of Science." TABLE 1
DISTBIBV~~ON OP 28 Temaeas olr Ca~wrsmuLrsrso m "Aaaasrcm OX SC~BNCB" I N Nn0F.O COLLBCBS A N D UNKVBR*rTrBB ColJcgc or Uniucrsily
Number
Howard University Dillard University Tuskegre Institute Virginia state College West Virginia State College A. and T. College of N. C. Bishop College Fisk University Langoton University Lincoln Univerdty [Mo.] Lincoln University [Pa.] Louisville Municipal College ~ e h a r r yMedical College Morehouse College Philander Smith State Colored N... I... A,.. and M.
6 2
College [S. C.1
Talladega Collese Wiley College Xavicr University
2 2
2 1
1 1
1 1
1 1 1 1 1
Sfole Alabama
Arklnrss District of Columbia Georgia Kentuckg Lovisiana Missouri North Carolina Oklahoma Pennsylvania South Carolina Tennessee
eras
Virginia West Virginia
MBN
Nxmbn 3 I 6 1
1 8
1 1 1 1
1 2
e 2 2
1 1 1 1
That which is generally true of faculties of Negro colleges holds here. The 28 teachers of chemistry mentioned have received their graduate training from the best colleges and universities. Table 2 shows the institutions from which degrees were obtained. Note that all of the universities listed which are located in this country are on the American Chemical Society's approved list of institutions whose graduates are eligible for membership in the Society in the minimum period after graduation.' This indicates that these teachers of chemistry in Negro colleges have received excellent training in chemistry. A glance a t Table 1 shows that these 28 men are located in institutions in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Thus, their services as teachers are available over a wide geographical range, so that a comparably large number of Negro college students receive instruction from them. However, a t present only one of these institutions is on the American Chemical Society's approved list for professional training of chemists. Indications are, however, that with the 6 WALLACE, WILLIAMJ. L.. "Chemistry in Negro colleges," West Virginia Stntc College Bulletin, 19 (April. 1940). Chcm. Eng. N m , 23, 372 (1945).
03
TABLE 2 U ~ E R J I T PROM ~ ~ S W H ~ C HHICHEST DEORBB OBTA~NBD
Nomc of School
Nunbn
Columbia University Cornell university Harvard University Howard University Johns Hopkins University Marraehuretts Institute of Technology M ~ G i l iuniversity Ohio State University Pennsylvania state College university of Chicago university of Colorado university of Illinois University of Indiana university of Iowa university of Louisiana university of Michigan university or Minnerota university of Southern California university of Vienna
2 5 2 1
1 1 1 1 1
2 1 2 1 1 1 1
a
1 1
emphasis on the improvement of training of teachers, the increase in appropriations for equipment, library facilities, and research, a number of these institu-
tions may be close to the attainment of that goal. In 1940 Woodson gave a partial list of publications of teachers of chemistry in Negro colleges.' This bibliography covered the years 1930 through 1939 and listed 48 publications in leading chemical journals. The output in the latter years of the period indicates that there was an increasing interest in research and publication in these institutions. An examination of the publications in the outstanding chemical journals since 1939 shows that an increasing amount of research is being done. The small group of men considered here had accounted for a t least 40 additional publications in the chemical periodicals through the year 1943. This does not take into consideration pamphlets and articles published in educational periodicals on teaching problems. Thus, students in the colleges and universities for Negroes are receiving the benefit of instruction inspired by achievement and creative effort. 7 WOODSON, HAROLD W.. J. CAEM.EDUC.,17,115 (1940).
