Candidates for ACS president-elect
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Anna Harrison and Gardner Stacy: TWOExcellent Cla~~r00tn ~eachiro
Chemical education will win whatever the outcome of the ACS elections in October. Both candidates for president-elect are chemical educators with long and distinguished records of service to the profession and to their home institutions and students. Anna Harrison, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Chemistry at Mt. Holyoke, member of the National Science Board, former Chairman of the Division of Chemical Education, is recognized as an incisive, persuasive innovator,uncannily adept at separating wheat from chaff. Gardner Stacy, Professor of Chemistry at Washington State University, twice elected member of the ACS Board of Directors, Chairman of the Board Committee on Education and Students, former Chairman of the Council Committeeon ChemicalEducation, isaskilledorganizer witha talent for hringingout the best fromagroup or situation. Both are w m , personable individuals and teachers of unusual ability. Following are their thoughts and concerns on some matters of vital interest to all, but most especially to those of us in academic chemistry.
Anna J. Harrison Professor of Chemistry Mi. Holyoke College
Gardner W. Stacy Professor of Chemistry Washington State University
The Communication Crisis We Have Been Overtaken by Events During the past year, I have read many portions of the Congressional Record dealing with science and technology over the years since World War I1 and have participated in an NSF public hearing in Boston and an NSF puhlic forum in Atlanta. In this massive expression of puhlic opinion there are many themes with many variations. Undoubtedly you could detect vestiges of almost any theme you could imagine. There are, however, some themes that are so persistent and so strong they demand attention. Following World War I1 there was a very strong theme: Scientists can do great things for society. We must have more scientists and they must have the best of facilities. Over the vears a variation became increasinalv dominant: Scientists Eould do so much for hociety if the\:jkt would. Same of the t hemes that have bpnrme increasindv clear arc diametrically opposed to earlier themes. One of t h k e is: More science and technology is not necessarilv pood. There is an increasTlhg awareness thaivilue judgments are to be made and there is an increasing demand by the public to participate in the decision making process. I have nodoubt
The chemist may find that the ability to speak and write clearly and persuasively about one's work is as important as one's scientific talent. Although currently competence in both areas is of concern to chemical educators. this commentary will concentrate on writing skills. Clearly, much that can h i said about the writina- ~.r o h l e mno doubt applies equally .. . to verbal communication. These concerns were among those discussed a t the Ninth Biennial Education Conference sponsored by the ACS Board of Directors' Committee on Education and Students. Aside from the more overt manifestations of the writing difficulties of both undergraduate and graduate chemistry majors, other evidence is being cited. Recently, The New York Times reported that the verbal component of the scholastic achievement test (SAT) scores had shown a steady decline since 1964 with an alarming slump of 10 points in 1975, the largest single drop in the past 12 years. Also of interest from anecdotal reports is the fact that apparently some college students are aware of their deficiencies and eagerly respond to course offerings and tutorial help where they are newly introduced.
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(Continued on page 538, column 2) Volume 53, Number 9, September 1976 / 537
(Dr. Harrison, continued from page 537) that this theme will persist. The public is trying to tell us something and we would do well to hear what they are trying to tell us. There is an increasing awareness that individuals constitute the public and that directly or indirectly it is the individual wh~rupporrsscience and technology. As agroup, the people speaking out are not anti-intellectuals and they are not antisiience.Quite the contrary, they recognize the great dependency of societyupon science and technology. They see science and technoloev as a oowerful force in s h a.~ i "n the z course of society, too powerful to he left to the scientific community. Many of their concerns have to do with the present hut they are also very aware of a responsibility to the future. Closely interwoven with the other themes is a demand for more and better sources of information concerning science and technology. There is clearly a desire to know, a search to understand that transcends their scientific diffidence. The hills that come before Congress are a clear manifestation of the nature and the intensity of puhlic concern. A few of these that relate closelv to chemistry and chemists are: the creation of the ~n\.in,nm&talI'rotective Agency, the creation of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the creation of a Sationnl Instituteof Occupational Safety and Health, and the Toxic Substances Control Act. In many ways this could be viewed as an ideal situation. An influential portion of the puhlic is expressing an interest in chemistry and demanding feasible channels through which they can extend their knowledge and understanding of the complex relations involved. The employee, the consumer, and the environment are increasingly protected. The competitive positions of industries are protected as they make large investments in plant modifications. Additional positions are created for chemists. And occasionally the names of compounds and chemists make the front page and the evening T.V. news. The current state of affairs is in fact highly confused. Herein lie the greatest challenges and the greatest opportunities that have ever faced the chemical profession. The manner in which chemists respond will he a crucial factor in the future of society and in the future of the profession. The course has been set hv the changinpattitudes of the public and the pressures they - are generating. Much of the puhlic perceives chemistry to he the source of goods and services that have great social and economic value. Many also see these goods and services as the basis of political pow&. On the other hand, many chemists were and are initially attracted to the chemical profession by the intellectual challenge of the discipline. This is particularly true of those chemists who seek academic posts. This is not a new dichotomy but i t is a dichotomy that has been accentuated by the events that have overtaken us. The resolution of many of the conflicts that are arising lies in recognizing and minimizing this dichotomy. Chemists can provide leadership-but we are going to have to be willing t o learn. The development of regulatory practices that will accomplish the intent of the law rests upon a recognition of the nature of the many scientific, social, economic, and political imnacts of reeulations unon hoth the total communitv and " upon the scientific community. I doubt that any one person really understands all of these. It may be that even collectively we are not asking all of the right questions. The intent of the laws, as with all laws, is to enhance the public welfare, to protect the puhlic interests. Many of the specific provisions are in direct line with the ACS Professional Employment Guidelines dealing with the employment environment. Many of the industrial practices, that will now be required of all, have been economically beyond the reach of individual industries in a competitive market with industries that did not choose to make comparahle investments. The regulations formulated can be no better than the (Continued on page 539, column I )
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538 / Jourmi of Chemical Education
(Dr. Stacy, continued from page 537) What are the underlying causes of the recent and seemingly pronounced erosion of writing skills? Some of the theories have been widely discussed, but others are less well known. Among the former is the thought that poor reading material in the home and an overindulgence in television are responsible. Teachers and schools a t all levels also have been blamed. However, critics should fairly evaluate all ramifications. I t would appear that increasing demands on primary and secondary school teachers have made it difficult for them to devote the time needed to helo solve writine nroblems broueht about by the student's nonkrricular enzonment. ~ h u ; if verv much is eoine" to he accom~lishedat these levels.. pro. grams involving qualified volunteer and paraprofessional assistance as well as sumortine funds will he needed. A lesser known theory places share of the responsibility on the counter-culture development. The free speech movement's objective has been not only to free speech from middle class inhibitions but also to free the individual from the discipline of syntax and grammar. Analysis of the causes of the deterioration in writing skills is interesting and possibly useful hut not essential t o make headway toward improving upon the situation. Nor should doubts concerning the accuracy of verbal SAT'S or other such tests in measuring writing ability deter efforts toward improvement. At least everybody agrees that there is a serious problem. Some colleges and English departments are already intensifying efforts to respond to students' needs to improve communication skills. In some instances, a certain amount of tutoring in basic skills is being offered free of charge to students. Somewhat similar is an experimental scheme a t Yale University to provide editorial specialists in broad areas such as humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. Students are then encouraged to consult an "editor" a t any stage of writing a paper. The editor's work ranges from correcting errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling to the more challenging task of helping the student develop a good writing style. Although technical writing is of particular concern to chemists, essential to all writing- are -zood basic courses. Manv college ~ n ~ l i departments sh are now placing greater emphasrs on such courses, which review grammar, punctuation, rules of spelling, sentence structure, methods of organization, and techniques in composition and revision-basically, the rudiments and some of the refinements of good writing. It should be recognized, however, that the responsibility of assisting students with writing improvement should not merely be relegated to the English department. All departments should help their majors' with this endeavor. The Ninth Biennial Education Conference made a point of this, as well as several other recommendations. The two particularly relevant to this discussion are quoted below.
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terials submitted particularly by chemistry majors. The laboratorv notebook or tooieal oaoers are aoorooriate emmoles of
general composition course; and urging students to take such courses. I t should he noted that the Conference was mindful of the fact that certainlv numerous colleee chemistrv instructors have, over the yea&, assisted their students with-their writing. The purpose of the recommendation was to encourage all to intensify their efforts. My colleagues, Dr. Glenn A. Croshy and his wife and asso(Continued on page 539, column 1 )
(Dr. Harrison, continued from page 538) available scientific information on which they are based. In manv cases. information is woefullv inadeauate. in some cases bey"nd the current capabilities of the scientific community. The ex~ectationsthe r~ublicholds for the scientificcommunitv may hd unrealistic, p~rticularlyin terms of the time requireh for srientific studies. The scientific communitv. oartirularlv the academic community, may be both relucta
