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THE CORRELATION OF HIGH-SCHOOL CHEMISTRY WITH FIRST-YEAR COLLEGE CHEMISTRY' Lours W. MATTERN, MCKINLEY HIGHSCHOOL, WASHINGTON. D. C. The correlation of the courses in chemistry as usually taught in high schools with the first-year college courses in that subject has become a problem of considerable complexity. The professor of chemistry in the college receives from different high schools various students who have had chemistry with a different content and under different teaching methods as well as those who have had no chemistry. This variety in preparation from no chemistry to that which may be considered excellent preparation in that subject from the standpoint of college chemistry has led to dissatisfaction on the part of the college teachers of chemistry who have attempted various means of overcoming the inequalities found in the usual make-up of the introductory college chemistry classes. It has been shown by KoosZ that there is much similarity between the content of highschool and first-year college courses in chemistry both in classroom texts and in laboratory exercises. It is thought by many that this overlapping should not exist. Likewise, the American Chemical Society has through its committee on chemical education recognized this problem in its comprehensive investigation of the correlation of high-school chemistry with college chemistry. This society approved the action of its committee in setting forth an outline of minimum essentials for high-school chemistry and for firstyear courses in college chemistry3 with a view to reduce to a minimum any overlapping of the high-school and college syllabi. Furthermore, an objective of this committee was for the colleges to have a different course for those students who have had high-school chemistry. With this statement of some of the aspects of the problem the following information is given showing the attitude of groups of colleges, both public and private, regarding the recognition of high-school courses in chemistry. This information consists of the answers received from the chemical departments of these institutions in reply to the question: Is the course in general chemistry for freshmen different for those who have had highschool chemistry? Public Institutions
Of the replies from 68 out of 80 publicly controlled institutions, the 1 Taken from a cooperative study on "Chemistry and Science in College Entrance and College Graduation Requirements," made under the auspices of the United States Bureau of Education and the American University by the author of this article. Leonard V. Koos, "The Junior College Movement," pp. 275286, Ginn & Co., 1925. * THISJOURNAL, 1, 87 (1924).
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38 that modify freshman chemistry for those who have had high-school chemistry follow; the 30 public institutions that do not modify are not given. Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas.-Slightly faster a t first. A more rapid start. Agricultural College of Utah.-Special lbhour course given for students who have had high-school chemistry. It is more advanced, more theoretical, and includes a beginning in qualitative analysis. General freshman course gives only 10 hours credit. Alabama College.-Freshman will have general chemistry. Those having had chemistry will have advanced inorganic chemistry treating more thoroughly the theoretical side of the subject. College of the City of N m York.-Based on high-school chemistry and approached from a physico-chemical point of view. Colorado Agricultural College.--No knowledge of chemistry is presupposed. Classes are sectioned on a basis of ability for the first semester, using Iowa Placement Tests. Connecticut Agricultural College.-There is a semester course for all students not having had high-school chemistry. There is another course for all students in college. Ilunter College of the City of N m York.-Advanced inorganic chemistry for prepared students. Indiana Uniwersity.-One group includes freshmen having had highschool chemistry and upper classmen; another group, freshmen who have not had high-school chemistry. Massachusetts Agricultural College.-Laboratory is synthetic in nature and lectures are grouped around laboratory work. A background of atomic structure and perio&c system is used. The beginners follow the usual path. Miami University.-Laboratory in general chemistry entirely different with many quantitative and synthetic experiments. Classroom work deals with subject matter in more detail. Montana State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts.-Different sections. North Carolina College for Women.-Yes. No details are given. Ohio State University.-More advanced course. Ohio Uniwersity.-There is an advanced course in inorganic chemistry which may be taken by students who have made A or B grade in high school and may be elective for any who have had general chemistry. Purdue University.-More advanced text and laboratory course. Rhode Island State College.-Different text and instructor. State College of Washington.-Variation in laboratory experiments. State University of low.-An attempt is made to bring the high-school
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work a t the end of the first semester to the point where other students are a t the end of the second semester. State University of Montana.-Less descriptive. More emphasis on physical chemistry-includes first quarter of qualitative analysis. State University of Nevada.-Twice as much time is allowed for laboratory work t o those not presenting high-school chemistry. Lectures are the same but quiz sections separate. University of Akron.-Separate courses are provided for students intending t o major in chemistry but not for those taking chemistry as a minor. One year of high-school chemistry is considered equivalent t o only one-half year of college chemistry. University of Alabama.-Taught from the energy standpoint. University of Arizona.-Prepared students have more thorough course. The freshman class is divided into two classes on the basis indicated. Those who have had high-school chemistry go faster and more deeply into the subject. University of Arkamas.--One semester-:, hours against other 2 semesters of 4 hours. University of the City of Toledo.-Less advanced work for beginners; one more recitation per week. University of Delaware.-Separate laboratory courses. Lectures the same. Separate quiz sections. University of Illinois.-One lecture, two quizzes and two laboratory h o u ~ sper week. University of Kentucky.-A one-semester course is offered for those who have had high-school chemistry but nearly all students prefer to take the regular freshman course. University of Maryland-Entirely different through non-metals. University of Michigan.-More laboratory for unprepared students. University of Nebraska.-More advanced-is a 3-credit course instead of 5. University of North Carolina.Specia1 laboratory course for those who have had chemistry in high school. University of Oklahoma.-Use a text dealing only with principles from an elementary physical standpoint. University of Oregon.-Those having had high-school chemistry will have 3 hours per week instead of 5 hours (in each case one 3-hour period counts 1 hour). The course runs the same hours as the regular 5-hour course and students proving themselves not trained to do extensive work of good quality will be transferred. University of South Dakota.-Use a more comprehensive text and different laboratory work for those with high-school chemistry credit. University of Utah.-A general cultural course, largely descriptive and
popular, is given to students not offering high-school chemistry. Chemistry majors, etc., are given a course largely theoretical and mathematical for which either high-school chemistry (or physics) or a t least one quarter of the above general course is prerequisite. The two groups are about equal in size. The courses are given by totally diierent staffs. University of Washington.-Lectures the same but laboratory assignments are different. University of Wisconsin.-Yes, if high-school grades are good. Special quiz and laboratory section. Of the preceding 38 public institutions making special provisions for those entering freshman chemistry, 13 modify laboratory work, 2 of which specify qualitative chemistry and 1 quantitative experiments, 4 give more advanced work, 4 use different texts, 3 emphasize physical chemistry, and 2 require more inorganic chemistry. Some of the other variations are: atomic structure and periodic system, more theoretical, separate sections a t first but brought together during the year, less time for prepared students, sectioned according to ability and entirely different throughout nou-metals. Of the 5 out of 38 making special provision for those not having had high-school chemistry, 2 give special laboratory work, 1 gives 5 hours instead of 3, 1 attempts to bring unprepared students up to the standard and 1 offers a special course.
Private Institutions Of the replies from 83 out of 102 representative privately controlled institutions, the 49 that modify freshman chemistry for those who have had high-school chemistry follow; the 34 private institutions that do not modify are not given. Amherst College.-Slightly more difficult. Baker University.-Laboratory work more extensive and intensive. Barnard College.-Same lectures (2 per week). Different quiz sections and problems. Different laboratory work which is much more difficultconsiderable quantitative work and exercises in planning and carrying out experiments. Bates College.-Different texts. More drill work on problems and equations, etc. Beloit College.-Laboratory work adjusted to meet needs of students who have had high-school chemistry. More speed in classroom work. A different text is used. Boston University.-Two courses: A for no chemistry is standard course; B for high-school chemistry entrants, omits much descriptive matter, has different experiments and includes topics based on high-school chemistry.
Carnegie Institute of Technology.-Less time to elementary work of first semester. Laboratory work more advanced. Colorado College.--Dierent sections, instructors, and texts. Students continuing the subject from either section go into the same class in qualitative analysis the next year. Connecticut College for Women.-Fist semester-principles of general chemistry. Second semester--elementary qualitative analysis. Cornell College.-More emphasis on theory. De Pauw University.-Those who have had no high-school chemistry get extra coaching the first 6 or 8 weeks. Erlhum College.-All students are sectioned on basis of ability. Those having had a high-school course start out in the higher section unless they are lacking in some manner, as shown by placement examination. George Washington University.-Different courses having one less lecture per week for students having had high-school chemistry; laboratory time the same. Goucher College.-A one-semester course of 3 semester hours given to those who have had high-school chemistry, covering essentially the same ground as the beginners in 6 semester hours. Hamard University.-Yes. No details given. Haverford College.--One half-year course with emphasis on theory, problems, and industrial processes; followed by second half-year of quantitative analysis. Johns Hopkins University.Separate laboratory courses and quiz sections for those who had no previous chemistry. Sections move the same for both classes of students. Knox College.-Class in general chemistry is divided for administrative purposes into two sections. The separation suggested in the question is desirable. Leland Stanford Junior University.-AU high-school students must take a placement examination if they go on in chemistry. Those who fail go along with students who have had no chemistry. Those who pass form an advanced group. The former group takes an extra lecture course of three units. Lehigh University.-More advanced textbooks and laboratory work. Marpille College. More theory and problems; more detailed and difficult; and more inclusive all around. Mount Holyoke College.--Greater emphasis on theory and more extensive. Northwestern University.-Slightly more advanced treatment with more physical chemistry and problems. Ohio Western University.-More time is devoted to qualitative and less to general chemistry. After the first year the two sections enter the same class.
Princeton University.-Yes. No details given.' Radcliff College.-Half as long; one-half year instead of one year. Rice Institute.-Laboratory work more quantitative in character. Smith College.-High-school chemistry students placed in course or courses by themselves and there is a combined course saving a year for the exceptional students. Syracuse University.-Different instructors, texts, and laboratory experiments. More principles of chemistry and less description. Trinity College, District of Columbia.-In laboratory work different methods for preparation of substances and more quantitative experiments assigned. Separate divisions for lecture and recitation. Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut.-Have a more advanced text and different laboratory manual. Tufts College.-Yes. No details given. Tulune University of Louisiana.Students who a t the end of two weeks' review in general chemistry can successfully pass a quiz on the review take general inorganic and qualitative analysis. Those who do not pass are put in a separate section with a simpler text and less advanced laboratory work. Those who enter the class without any chemistry take a course in college general chemistry. University of Buffalo.-Those who have had high-school chemistry are permitted to take an examination for exemption from first-year chemistry. University of Chicago.-Those who have had no high-school chemistry take a 10-hour course; the others a 7-hour course. The textbook for the former is different from that of the latter. The 10-hour course is more descriptive. University of Notre Dame.-Up to date, only the laboratory work has been different--stressing the quantitative side of the work. Plans are being made to make the classroom work different also. University of Pittsburgh.--Course for those without high-school chemistry is more elementary, more time devoted to lecture and first half of text is covered more slowly. University of Rochester.--General discussion of matter is about the same but the advanced class goes much more thoroughly into the general laws of chemistry and their mathematical applications. University of Southern California.-Beginners have three hours of lecture and a simpler text. Advanced have two hours of lecture. Laboratory of the former is more descriptive and of the latter more quantitative. Union University.-More advanced. Vanderbilt University.-We have a course for students reqnumg more chemistry in their courses, and for those who do not require further chemistry. 4 For details see THISJOURNAL, 5,851-3 (July, 1928).
Vassar College.-The first part of the first semester is spent in review and in bringing the class together. The class then begins qualitative analysis which is continued throughout the year. Washburn College.-Main course is the same but special assignments are made to fit individual cases. Washington and Lee University.-Those presenting entrance units in chemistry take one semester, others two semesters. The former usually take a course in qualitative analysis or a course including elementary inorganic-industrial chemistry the second semester. Wellesley College.-Those who have had high-school chemistry take one semester of intensive review and more theory and one semester of qualitative analysis (the usual second-year course). Wesleyan University.-Different sections, text and laboratory, as well as instructor. Western Reserve University.--More time on principles and less on description. Whitman College.-Differs in form and order of presentation. More emphasis on theory and a little more advanced. Yale University.-Different treatment of material provided entrance requirements in chemistry have been passed. Of the 49 private institutions making special provisions for those entering freshman chemistry, 20 give special laboratory work, 7 of which specify qualitative analysis and 4 quantitative experiments; 8 have different texts and 3 divide according to ability. Some of the variations in these courses are: differences in form and presentation, more advanced treatment of physical chemistry, special courses based on preparation, more time on principles and less description, more theory problems and equations, separate courses, prepared students go more swiftly, onehalf year for beginners, different courses, different treatment of materials, and first part of the year spent in bringing classes together. There are 3 institutions which give unprepared students more time. In conclusion, there appears, therefore, a strong tendency on the part of those in charge of freshman chemistry, in both the public and private institutions, to modify their chemical courses for those who enter them having had high-school chemistry. But there is no marked tendency showing a distinctive method as to how this modification is made with the exception of 13 cases of special laboratory work for the public institutions and 20 for the private ones. The classroom work connected with most of these cases and the remaining 25 of the public institutions and 29 of the private ones is presented through a great variety of methods.
