THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING INTEREST IN CHEMISTRY IN THE TEACHING OF STUDENTS OF HOME ECONOMICS
EDITHH. NASON,UNNBRSIN
ILLINOIS, URBANA,ILLINOIS No one will contradict the statement that girls dread and usually dislike chemistry as i t is presented a t most institutions, and the reasons are not generally understood. Since there is probably no vocation for women other than chemistry itself which requires more chemistry than home economics, an unusual opportunity to investigate the misfit between chemistry and women students presented itself a t the annual meeting of the Illinois Section of the American Home Economics Association, which met a t the University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, October 24 and 25, 1925. A questionnaire on the relation of chemistry to home economics was distributed a t this meeting t o the members present, the majority of whom were teachers of home economics in the State of Illinois. The questions asked may be divided into two classes: those pertaining t o the actual use made of chemistry by the teachers of home economics in their vocation, and those pertaining to the adequacy of the chemistry courses taken to fulfil these needs. The answers t o the questions of the first type indicate that a considerable amount of chemistry bas been taken which is being used constantly by the home economics teachers in the high schools and, as would be expected, in the colleges. (Of the 103 replies, 88 were from high-school teachers and 15 came from college instructors.) It was interesting to learn that every teacher had had a t least one course in elementary chemistry, 75% had taken organic, 50% qualitative analysis, 40% food chemistry, and 20% quantitative analysis. 85% of the teachers said they used their chemistry in their work, and the same number now wished they had taken more chemistry. It was obvious from their anOF
swers that the teachers of home economics realize fully the importance of chemistry in home economics, and are doing their best to give a similar impression to their students. The application of chemistry to certain industrial processes for the manufacture of chemicals and a few every-day commodities has long been taught in a few institutions, but little effort has been made to show the application of chemistry to home economics. Seventy-seven per cent of the teachers reported that the value of chemistry in home economics had in no way been shown by their chemistry teachers, and many have told me that they would have taken more, and would have been more interested in chemistry itself, had they known i t had so much contact with home economics. One teacher writes, "I feel that enough application should be made in the chemistry class for the student to realize that there is some relation." Another writes, "I saw neither the present nor the future value of the chemistry course even after I had finished it." It appears then that teachers of home economics feel the need of chemistry in their vocation but that the chemistry courses taken are not fully appreciated and therefore not comprehended. It is primarily due to a deficiency in the practical applications of chemistry, and particularly those related to home activities, that the chemistry courses have failed to fulfil the needs of the teachers of home economics and to arouse their interest. Attempts by the chemistry department of the University of Illinois to increase motivation of this kind, have resulted in a division of students in general, according to their interest. For example: all students majoring in home economics, taking elementary and qualitative chemistry, are in sections by themselves. A large per cent of the girls taking chemistry were found to be majoring in home economics. The instructor in charge of these sections is able to stimulate an interest in the students by selecting as illustrative material, examples from the home. At the same time, the instructor can point out again and again the value of chemistry in home economics. If the grade of the student can be used as a proof, this method may be deemed successful, for the per cent of A's has notably increased while the per cent of E's is very much lower since the plan was adopted. The course has not developed into the well-known and much scorned household chemistry, for the students in the home economics sections take the same examinations as the other students. The fundamental principles discussed are the same but they are made real by careful selection of illustrative material. For example: the value of a knowledge of saturated and supersaturated solutions in home economics is illustrated by its role in candy making. Many practical questions are asked which require an imderstanding of principles, as, for example: "Why are sugar crystals in fudge finer if the solution is cooled before beating!" When heat of combustion and the calorimeter are discussed in class, the instructor describes
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briefly a respiratory calorimeter and its value in nutrition. A brief discussion of such refrigerators as Fridigaire is given along with the ammonia ice machine, more often described. During the study of chlorine, bleaching is discussed more in detail th& usual, and practical methods of using chloride of lime are given. In fact, there is hardly a day when some interesting application of chemistry to the home cannot be made. The laboratory work in qualitative analysis can be made more interesting by allowing the students to analyse near the end of the course any of the many samples of every day substances such as baking powders, baking soda, cream of tartar, talcum powders, De Miracle, Odorono, etc. Such motivation is in line with the modern method of education and the returns have justified its trial. Chemistry sections no longer contain a few girls strnggling with chemistry which is taken only because it is required. Instead we have live sections of all girls, the majority of whom are interested in chemistry for they see its application to the field which they have chosen as their vocation. The table below will assist those teachers of chemistry who are not very familiar with the applications of chemistry in the home. Frequent references have been made to "Chemistry for Nurses and Students of Home Economics," by Annie Louise Macleod. This book will be found extremely useful in helping the chemistry instructor select practical illustrative material which will be of particular interest to girls. It will also be noted that a great many of the applications can be found in any of the textbooks of general chemistry. Specific texts have therefore been omitted. In general, references have been confined to as few books as possible. CHEMISTRY Oxygen Ozone Combustion
Hydrogen Laws of gases
Heat of fusion and vaporization
Lowering of freezing point Efflorescent and deliquescent salts Hard waters
Colloidal solution
ITS APPLICATION Function of oxygen in plant and animal life's* Practical useL6 Calorimeter1.' Respiratory calorimeter8 Spontaneous combustion9 Its presence in artificial gas' Hydrogenation of oils'4 Pressure cookerlo Cooling effect of perspiration-alcohol bathsa Ice machines for cold storage and the manufacture of ice1 Ice machines for homes Manufacture of ice cream Washing soda, common salt, e t c L Formation of scale and removal of scale',' Water softeners'~' Reaction with soap',2 Colloids found in food^^'^'"
* Numbers refer t o books listed a t end of article.
TBACAING OP STUDENTS0s HOME Eco~oMrcs
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Cneaasm~ Saturated and suversaturated solutions Inorganic salts Effect of heat on solubility in water
Chlorine
Chloride of lime Sodium hypochlorite Bromine Iodine
Sulfur compounds
Phosphorus compounds
Nitrogen compounds
Arsenic
Carbon
Oxides of carbon Hydrocarbons Halogen derivatives Metals
Alloys
Galvanized iron Enamel ware
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ITSAPPLICATION Crystalline candy making" Importance in metabolism' Common salt Sugar Household ammonia Bleaching' Use in purification of water and prevention of colds'5 Its use in the home for bleaching and antiseptic purpose^'.^ Preparation and use for removing stains1,* Use of bromide as sedatives' Relation to goiter1' Tincture of iodinelJ Removal of iodine stains by Na&O2 Presence in protein2r3." Their presence in foods' Effed on silver and other common metals2 SO1as a preservator and bleacher4 Importance in bone formation'."' Presence in p r o t e i ~ s ~ ~ ~ ~ ' Composition of matches' Presence in foods4 Importance in protein metaholi~m',~,' Household ammonia1 Smelling salts2 Its toxicity and presence in fly papers, ratbane, etc.' Antidote for arsenic poisoning* Hard and soft ~ o a l ' ~ ~ Coke and charc~al',~ Use of animal charcoal in purification of sugar, etc.'rs Presence and practical use' Presence in natural and artificial gas1,' Present use of ethylene as an anaesthetic" Carbon tetrachloride (casbona) chloroform, etca The importance of a certain knowledge of strength, salubility, etc., for a wise selection and proper methods of h a n d l i of kitchen utensils composition and uses of the more common alloys: brass, sterling silver, german silver, dental alloy, solder, pewter, nichrome, stainless Preparation, corrosion and limitation of its ud.2 Preparation, corrosion and limitation of its usez.'
CHEMISTRY Tin plate Silicon compounds
Sodium compounds, NaCI
NaOH Washing soda Na2COs.10H~0 Baking wda NaHCOs Baking powders
Copper compounds
Zinc compounds
Mercury compounds Aluminum and its compounds
Lead
Iron
Nickel Boron Thorium and cerium
Preparation, corrosion and limitation of its use'.? Sand'.8.V Water g l a s ~ ' ~ ~ . ~ Window glass, cut glass, plate glass',a.' Pyrex gla~s'
