THE FRANCIS P. GARVAN CHAIR OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION*
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Throughout the past academic year the department of chemistry of The Johns Hopkins University has been formulating and, as conditions permitted, putting into operation plans for the development of the work of this department. These plans look not so much to an increase in the work of the department as to an improvement in the student body and facilities for the research work of the staff and students. The realization of these aims evidently necessitates increased material assistance. Briefly, the plans referred to involve first a method that will provide advanced students of real ability; secondly, a staff and equipment that will make it possible to give these men thorough training in the fundamental aspects of the science, not forgetting the necessity for their preparation in mathematics and physics; thirdly, the furnishing of an adequate equipment of apparatus to enable the staff and students to investigate problems in a great many lines of research and thus not restrict their research work to any definite field; and finally, the making it possible for the graduate students in chemistry to meet and hear those in this country and as far as possible those from abroad who are making worthwhile contributions to the science through their own researches. The first impetus toward the carrying out of this program is due to the generosity and interest in chemical education of Mr. Francis P. Garvan, who founded in the department of chemistry a chair of chemical education. At the end of a year Mr. Garvan decided to endow this chair in his name and the exercises on the occasion of this endowment will be mentioned below. Dr. Neil E. Gordon, editor of THISJOURNAL and formerly head of the department of chemistry in the University of Maryland, was selected as the first occupant of this chair. Dr. Gordon is a graduate of the department of chemistry of The Johns Hopkins University, and familiar with its problems and traditions. He was therefore in a position to render immediate and valuable service in perfecting the plans outlined above and especially in securing the financial assistance necessary to putting these plans into operation. He has secured from individuals and corporations some twenty fellowships to support students while completing their graduate work in chemistry. The majority of these are state fellowships, each donor of a fellowship designating the state from which appointment to such fellowship is to be made. The list of fellowships now available is given below. It is essential that the student appointed should maintain an excellent standing in his work, for the depwtrnent reserves the right at all times after his arrival to pass on his fitness to hold such fellowship. It is hoped that it will be possible to secure one such fellowship from each of the forty-eight states. Recommendation for appointment to these
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This account of the dedication exercises is essentially the one written by Dr. J. C. W. Frazer for The Johns Hopkins Alumni Magazine, 18,215 (Nov., 1929). 277
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fellowships is made by a committee of three for each state. The donor in each case has the right to appoint one member of the committee. The Department of Chemistry appoints the other two. When a state fellowship is to be awarded a strenuous effort is made to put before the chemistry department of each college and university of that state all information possible relative to the fellowship with the hope that the state in this way will he thoroughly canvassed. When in normal operation twelve new students will be appointed each year and twelve will be leaving. This will mean that, with forty-eight states represented, the students in residence for a period of four years will be equally distributed from year to year. The first group of nine has already entered this fall. They are as follows: WILLARD E. BLEICK, Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey; ROBERTW . CAIRNS, Oberlin College, Ohio; MICHAEL S. EBERT, Lehigh University, Pennsylvania; TFIEODORE E. FIELD, Bates College, Maine; KENNETH E. GLIDDEN, University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire; MAURICE E. KRAHL, De Pauw University, Indiana; JOHN E. RUHOPR,University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin; ROBERT D. S T ~ H L E R Rensselaer , Polytechnic Institute, New York; PAUL P. SUTTON, The Johns Hopkins University, Maryland. All the information relating to each applicant comes to the department of chemistry in order to relieve the state committees of as much routine work as possible. When all applications have been received they, together with all letters and records relating to each applicant, are sent to the chairman of the proper committee, whose recommendation is Gnally sent to the department. Usually after the elimination of all but the last few applicants the committee asks for a personal interview with each. So far it has been a wonderful experience to see the interest individual donors have taken in this matter of selecting students, and also the interest and valuable services the members of the state committees have given. It is a real pleasure for the department of chemistry to acknowledge to these gentlemen the valuable help they have given us in this work. Much of the success of the plan is involved in the choice of the students brought to the University on these fellowships, a fact which the committees have fully realized. Briefly, this is the plan by means of which it is hoped the number of high-grade students in the department will be increased. The General Education Board has taken keen interest in the movement we have begun, and has generously consented to give the department of chemistry the sum of ten thousand dollars a year for four years to provide during this time the funds required for the purchase of special apparatus and supplies necessary for new lines of investigation to he begun. This, for the period mentioned, seems to be an adequate amount when taken together with that appropriated regnlarly by the University to provide for the research work contemplated.
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And finally the gift of Dr. A. R. I,. Dohme of the ~m of Sharp & Dohme, Baltimore, an alumnus of the department, is sn5icient to bring to the department one outside lecturer each month of the academic year. In this way the students w ill get an opportunity in the course of their four years' stay a t the University to meet and hear most of the leading investigators. From what has been said it is seen that within the space of one year considerable progress has been made in carrying out the plans outlined above. I t is hoped that during the probation period of four years the donors who have contributed to the needs of this program, and The Johns Hopkins University will be mutually satisfied with what will have been done and means will be provided by the various donors to endow or continue indefinitely the assistance they have given. The exercises commemorating the endowment of the Francis P. Garvan Chair of Chemical Education were held Friday, October Ilth, in Remsen Hall. It had been Mr. Garvan's desire to be present on this occasion and to participate in the formal exercises. Unfortunately, he was prevented from doing so by a severe cold, but he sent an enthusiastic letter in which he expressed his great interest in the plans of the department. Among those present on this occasion were some members of the Board of Trustees, many of the donors or officials of companies donating state fellowships, members of the state committees on fellowships, many friends of the department, and a large delegation from the student body. President Ames presided at the exercises and addressed the audience as follows: We have invited a number of the friends of The Tahns Hookins University to meet today and be present a t the inauguration of two new undertakings in the Department of Chemistry. These are of primary to the University, it is true: but they . importance . also affectthe country as a whole, and especially many of our largest industries. I do not need to say much to those in this room in regard to the importance of chemistry in industries, in medicine, in daily life. Progress in the application of chemistry depends absolutely upon a continually new supply of young men and women trained in modern methods of research. The training of students involves two aspects, first, the selection of the students, and second, their training. Both aspects require careful consideration, and many questions are raised. I am convinced that the fundamental qualities required of a great teacher are: first, personality; second, the gift of originality and imagination; third, power to inspire students by the force of example; fourth, a consciousness of duty. It is the duty of a university t o have such teachers. But, how about the students? I am very unrrrtain as to how we must proceed, not alone to select them hut to train them. I am sure that the primary aim should be to recognize originality and then t o give it scope to develop. Chemistry has so many sides that we must be sure that we do not block development in any direction. The undertaking in which we are now engaged is not merely a carefully planned project of this University, made possible by the generous caBperation of far-sighted, public-spirited individuals and organizations. It has a far deeper significance. ~
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Many of us can remember the time when science was considered to have so little actual relation to practical life that the industrial control laboratory was scarcely eonsidered a necessity, and the industrial research laboratory was looked upon as pure luxury. Times have indeed changed, far today i t passes for a truism that industry can well afford to engage in, or to support, research in pure science, with good hope of gen- - emus ultimate return upon its investment. But enlightenment has not ceased there. There is a growing consciousness that the support of research entails more than the building of laboratories and the purchase of apparatus and materials. We must give some thought to the selection and training of the scientific personnel which is to man those laboratories. We must look beyond that, even, to the recruiting of teachers of science who shall train others for the future. Allied t o the realization that I have outlined, there is a conviction that the hope of future advancement lies, not in the average student of today, hut in the student of exceptional ability and character. No responsible person feels that the average student should be slighted--on the contrary he should be given every opportunity to develop his abilities to the full. But his abilities are not equal to all of the tasks which we hope to see performed. Our educational system must include some provision for comolete utilization of the ootentialities of the uuusuallv aifted student. .. These are someof the considerations which have actuated the founders of the present of them have said a duty enternrise. I am aware that they consider i t a ~rivileae--some . as wel-to give their ideas and ideals concrete form in this fashion. We of The Johns Hopkins University esteem i t no less a privilege and a duty to serve as the instruments by means of which their sense of patriotic and social responsibility may find expression. You will be interested to hear the names of the enlightened individuals and fims who are cobperating with us in our plans.' They are as follows: TEE ELI LUILYCOMPANY, Indianapolis, Indiana; THEE ~ E ~ T T~IRE N AEND RUBBEE COMPANY. Akron. Ohio: FRANCIS P. GARVAN, New York, N. Y.; DR. J. T. BAKER, r Company, Phillipsburg, Nevr Jwsey; DR. H. A. B. D m of the J. T. ~ a k e Chemical NING. of Hvnson, Westmtt and Dunning, Baltimore, Maryland; THE BILL RASKOB FOUNDATION, Wilmington, Delaware; THE BROWN COMPANY, Portland, Maine; THE BROW COMPANY, Berlin, N m Hampshire; THE KEWAUNEE MANUFACTURING COMPANY. Kewaunee, Wisconsin; GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, Detroit, Michigan; TEE CARBIDE AND CARBON CHEMICALS CORPOU~ON.WeSt Virginia; WILLIAM S. SPEED,Louisville, Kentucky; FRANCISP. GARVAN, of New York, in honor of his mother, Mary Carroll G m a n , and also one in honor of his father, Patrick Garvan. ( T h s e are ALCOAOL to b; giuen at large) ; JOHNWILY & SONS, Pennsyhania; U. S. INDUSTRIAL COMPANY, Louisiana; HOWEL FOUNDATION, Austin, Minnesota; THE FLEISCRMANN COKPANY,Washington; E. I. DU P ~ N DTE NEMOURS & COMPANY, Virginia; DR. W. A. PATRICK, of the department of chemistry of Johns Hopkms, in honor of his former teacher, Professor F. G. Donnan, of University College, London, or; English fellowship. Each of these is supporting a Fellow; three fellowships are endowed; some will be endowed in the course of the next four years; and others will he renewed. We are confident that during the next four years we will secure many more similar fellowships, so that ultimately each state will be represented. An essential part of our plan requires the presence on our faculty of a professor of chemical education t o see that those of the students who are fitted to become teacherand there are not many-should he given such technical knowledge as is essential, who should also have general charge of the selection of the Fellows. The need of this was Since then the following two donors have been added: Dakota; G. A. PPEIFFER, Missouri.
JOHN
M. H ANMCK , North
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recognized hy Mr. Francis P. Garvan, who has done more and is doing more for the whole field of chemistry than any living man, and he has given the University an endowment for such a chair, which will be known as the Francis P. Garvan Professorship of Chemical Education. Inaddition t o this, Mr. Garvan has endowed the three fellowships which are associated with his mother, his father and himself. We regret deeply that owing t o illness Mr Garvan cannot be present this morning. The plans of this University looking forward t o the introduction of the fellowship system have aroused much interest throughout the country. The matter was discussed with the officers of the Rockefeller Foundation, and their co6p:perationwas asked in securing the success of this endeavor. The University asked specifically far a grant which will enable the Department of Chemistry t o purchase the necessary new apparatus which certainly will be called for in any such plan as ours. The Foundation, recognizing the soundness of the plan, has made a grant of $40,000, $10,000 to be avadable each year for four years. I n order t o care for still another aspect of our progress, one of our alumni, Dr. A. R. I,. Dohme, has provided means for us t o invite each year a number of distinguished scientists t o give lectures before our students and others interested. The purpose of these lectures is to bring before the students some of the most striking results of scientific research so as t o inspire them t o greater individual effort. The first lecturer on this foundation will be Dr. C. E. K. Mees, Director of Research of the Eastman Kodak Company, whom you will all hear this evening. I have outlined briefly the various features of our plan, but I have not mentioned specifically its m e vital part. That is the responsibility of the University. I assure you that we recognize this, and I am confident that your expectations and ours will be realized. I have only t o mention the names of the men who will be the teachers and inspirational leaders of these Fellows for you t o see how justified I am in my belief: Abel and Mansfield Clark in those fields touching the medical sciences; Reid and Rice in the organic field; Frazer, Patrick, Cartledge, and Thornton in the inorganic and physical field; Herzfeld and Andrews in the borderland of physics and mathematics; and Gordon in chemical education. I t seemed t o those responsible for this meeting that it would be helpful t o all present if they could hear directly from two great chemists what their thoughts are on this question of chemical education. ~
Dr. Irving Langmuir, president of the American Chemical Society, and Dr. John J. Abel, professor of pharmacology of The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, were also on the program. Dr. Langmuir's address is not published herewith because i t is essentially the same as the one which will be published in the March issue of THIS JOURNAL in connection with a report on the symposium on "Selecting the Chemist-Elect" held a t the Minneapolis Meeting of the American Chemical Society last fall. Dr. Abel, due to illness, was unable t o attend the exercises. His address, however, appears in this issue of the JOURNAL, beginning on page 283. I n addition to the endowment exercises which President Ames had arranged, the President gave a luncheon in Levering Hall to quite a number of those in attendance, including the donors of fellowships or their representatives. At 3.00 P .M., as scheduled on the program of the day, a conference was called to consider the selection and training of graduate students and
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particularly those who come to the University as state fellows under the scheme outlined above and who are appointed to such fellowships because of the belief that they are above the average in ability. The meeting was turned over a t once to Dr. Gordon who conducted the discussion. There were present about fifty, among these a number of the donors of fellowships and members of the state fellowship committees, and a limited number interested in the purpose of the conference. At 6.00 P.M. dinner was served in Levering Hall and shortly after, a t eight o'clock, there followed the last feature on the program of the day. This was a public lecture in Remsen Hall by Dr. C . E. K. Mees of the Eastman Kodak Company. Dr. Mees' lecture was the first to be given under the A. R. I,. Dohme lectureship. President Ames again presided and introduced Dr. Dohme who spoke briefly of his desire in providing the lectureship to make i t possible for the student body to see and hear investigators in various fields. The lecture by Dr. Mees on "The Development of the Photographic Image" proved to be extremely interesting and was illustrated by a number of remarkable moviug-picture illustrations of the development of the photographic image. The lecture, although popular in style, brought before the audience the modem work and theories which have been advanced to account for the facts relating to photography. Thermionics Pioneer Given 1928 Nobel Physics Prize. The man who discovered the fundamental laws connecting the production of electricity from a hot wire with the temperature of the wire, a phenomenon utilized today by every tube radio set, received the 1928 Nobel prize, just awarded this year. He is Prof. Owen Williams Richardson, director of research in King's College, London, who from 1906 t o 1913 was professor of physics a t Princeton University in this country. He is considered the father of the branch of physics which he christened-thermionics -which deals with the effect that heat has on matter in . generating . electricallv charged particles, called ions or electrons. While Prof. Richardson's work for which he has e received the Nobel prize was done in the interests of the advancement of ~ u r knowledne. - . his laws find practical application in the design of electron tubes now so widely used in radio, the talkies, and other applications of physics to industry.-Sciace Seruice
The KekuM Memorial Book. In celebration of the centenary of the birth of August KekulC, the eminent German chemist (born on September 7, 1829, in Darmstadt), the Verlag Chemie G. m. b. H., of Berlin, has published a two-volume life, written hy Professor R. Anschutz, one of Kekule's students. The first volume (732 pp.) deals with Kekulb's life and work; the second (976 pp.) with his scientific papers, reports, articles, speeches, etc.: and the price is 120 marks. The production, printing, and binding of the volumes can only be described as sumptuous. The first is profusely illustrated, the pictures including not only Kekule and his circle, but various groups of great interest. I n the labor m d care lavished on the production of these volumes, Professor Anschutz and the publishers have fittingly commemorated the immense senices rendered by KekulC t o organic chemistry.-Chem. Age
