that it should be made more readily available to all interested in the history of the Friedensville zinc deposits. The paragraph in question, which follows, is found on page 938 of Chapter XLIV, "Upper Saucon Township," compiled by Frank B. Heller. "The discovery of zinc a t Friedensville (like many another important discovery) is generally accredited to the one who first made it known rather than to the real discoverer. The following develops the true process of its discovery, and will serve to place the honor where the same is due. On the west side of the road leading from Friedensville to Bethlehem, a t a distance of about one hundred fifty perches1 from the base of the Lehigh mountain, in the middle of a field fertile and productive in every other part, there was a depression resembling in shape a large bowl, about three hundred feet in diameter, and about twelve feet in depth. On this spot, with the exception of a few sickly weeds, no vegetation would grow. This sterility was attributed by many to the presence of mineral substances in the soil deleterious to plant life, but beyond this no one ventured. The place was visited by one of the State geologists, but he made no report of his observations. On the edge of the hollow a number of bowlders, resembling limestone, projected from the surface. These Mr. Ueberroth, the owner of the land, attempted to convert into lime by the usual process, but failed, the whole mass melting together in the kiln. After this the place was made a repository for rubbish and the stones picked from the farm, and so i t remained until 1845, when Mr. Andrew K. Wittman was called as surveyor to trace a line between lands of Mr. Ueberroth and one of his neighbors. While thus engaged his attention was attracted to these bowlders, and he took pieces of them along home to add to a collection of minerals he was then forming. Taking much interest in minerals, and being of an investigating turn, he resolved upon a test of his recently acquired specimen, resorting first to the blowpipe, then to acids, and finally to the crucible. l$y the latter process he succeeded in obtaining about two ounces of metal, which, from his knowledge of metals, he knew to be zinc. On the following day he met Mr. Ueberroth, told him of his discovery, and gave him a portion of the metal. On the afternoon of the same day Ueberroth visited Bethlehem, and stopped a t Leipert's Hotel, where he exhibited his metal to some friends. Among the sojourners a t the hotel a t the time was Professor T. H. Roepper,= who overheard the conversation between Ueberroth and his friends, saw the metal, and lost no time in proceeding to Friedensville and getting a supply of ore, of which he soon succeeded in making brass by mixing it with copper. Roepper then went to Philadelphia, made the discovery known, and has since been accredited with i t by nearly every one who undertook to write about it, while Mr. Wittman, the l A perch is equivalent to one rod (sixteen and one-half feet). 'Should be W. T. Roepper. The same mistake is found in M. S. Henry. "Ristory of the Lehigh Valley," Bixler & Corarin. Easton, Pa., 1860.
real discoverer, has hardly been noticed or mentioned by any." LITERATURE CITED
BILLXNGER, R. D., "Early zinc works in the Lehigh Valley," J. CFIEM.EDuc.. 13, 60 (1936).
BLANK,E. W., "The old Friedensville zinc minw," Rocks and Minerals, 6, 26 (1931). MYERS. R. E,, "The story of the zinc industry in the Saucon Valley," ibid., 10, 17, 33, 56 (1935). Three parts. Contains a bihliaeraohv ..-.. " = . of twentv-sir. titles. ROBERTS, C. R.. e l ol., " ~ i s t o r y a fLehigh Co.. Pa.." Vol. 1, Lehigh Publishing Co.. Ltd., Allentown. Pa., 1914.
THE CHEMISTRY TEACHERS CLUB OF NEW YORK-A WORTH-WHILE - ORGANIZATION To the B i t o r This Club was organized by a group of young chemis-
try teachers on March 20, 1902. It has functioned continuously since that time. At present two hundred fifty men and women who teach chemistry in the high schools and colleges of the metropolitan area are enrolled in the Club. The objectives of the founders of this organization were of three types. It was planned to use the Club for professional p w t h of the members, for promoting fellowship among the chemistry teachers of the area, and for influencing the proper authorities toward a recognition of the importance of chemistry as a part of the school curriculum. The results obtained in these threefields of endeavor have surpassed the expectations of the founders to a considerable degree. In promoting professional growth the Club has visited ninety-two chemical manufacturing plants of over fifty different types, seven industrial laboratories, three research institutes, and three science museums. Over seventy-five classroom experiments and demonstrations have been-exhibited before the Club. .Many of these demonstrations may be found in the chemistry textbooks written by members of the Club. Some sixty-odd speakers, including specialists of national repute, have addressed the Club on chemical and pedagogical topics. The yearly schedule of programs usually consists of a social evening, a science luncheon, an evening devoted to technics of teaching, four lectures on chemistry,two or three plant visits and recently an outing or picnic has been added. Those who participate in these activities receive inspiration and information equal or superior to the average "alertness" course. Abstracts of the speeches and plant visits are sent
to the members who are unable to attend meetings. Most of the income from the two-dollar dues paid by the members is spent for paper and postage. In promoting fellowship the Club has been equally successful. Each meeting is preceded by an informal dinner to which all members are invited. An out-oftown excursion is conducted yearly. One or two meetings are planned with the social aspect as the dominant feature. As far as influencing the trend in chemical education, the Clnb through its committees has initiated the introduction of non-college chemistry courses into the curricula of the various local schools. It has succeeded in bringing to the College Entrance Board a better understanding of the high-school point of view. Modifications of the New York State Regents' syllabus in chemistry have been brought about by the Club's syllabi committees. The Club has aided in establishing qualifying standards for the position of chemistry teacher in the New York City System. Similar standards for the position of chairman of the chemistry department in the city schools have followed principles advocated by the Club. School administrators frequently consult members of the Clnb before deciding policies regarding chemistry teaching. Other work of this organization has included surveys of the schools represented among the membership as to the number of pupils, equipment, teaching load, and so forth. A committee has interested a large company in
producing motion picture film suitable for chemistry teaching. The splendid success of the Club has been due in a large measure to the methods used in selecting officers and transacting business. A treasurer is nominated each year by a standing committee. He is nominated and elected successively until he becomes president if his services are satisfactory and his personal interest permits. This insures a well-trained man to head the Club. No president has been nominated for a second term thus far. All past presidents become life members of the advisory committee. The function of this committee is to assist the executive committee in conducting the Club activities. The executive committee is composed of the four usual officers and the most recent past president. This group conducts all the routine business. Only special business is brought up a t the meetings. This permits practically the entire period to be used in social or informational activities. It seems to the writer that no teacher of chemistry can affordto fail to associate with organizations of this type whenever possible. Also, it seems that this particular Club has evolved some technic, outlined above, which others may find useful if they have not already discovered them. ERNESTB. WILSON(President, 1938-39)
