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THE WASHINGTON AREA SCIENTISTS-FORTEACHERS PROGRAM JOHN K. TAYLOR National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D. C.
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assignments. A preliminary survey indicated that the plan was feasible and school authorities agreed to cooperate. A committee was established, an office was set up, and detailed plans were laid. The sponsoring organiaationethe Washington Academy of Sciences and the District of Columbia Council of Engineering and Architectural Societies-asked governmental and private laboratories in the area ADMINISTRATION to coooerate in furnishine .>a total of 1000 individuals When it was first learned that the annual convention who could be assigned to teaching positions for of ,the NSTA would convene in Washington in the either a half day or a full day during the two days of sprmg of 1956, the scientists of the area felt that a the teachers' convention. The technical societies mass attendance of the meetings by local science also gave the project publicity a t their meetings and teachers would he especially beneficial to them and through their news letters and local publications. would greatly stimulate the teaching of science. More than 1500 qualified scientists and engineers Unfortunately, the' school budgets did not permit offered their services. Meanwhile, the science superhiring substitutes to allow teachers to attend meetings, visors of the secondary schools were busy informing even if such a large number of competent substitutes the teachers of the opportunity, urging their full particiwere available. The idea, was presented that perhaps pation, and distributing the necessary application scientists and engineers would be willing to serve forms. without compensation to discuss their own fields The committee was assisted in making the final of interest, rather than follow regular classroom assignments by volunteers from the ranks of the
UNIQUE cooperative project between the scientists and engineers and the secondary schools took place in the Washington area in March, 1956. Over 700 technical persons replaced 350 science teachers to permit them to attend sessions of the National Science Teachers Association meeting in Washington a t that time.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
to assist with several administrative details. Another student escorted the writer to lunch and introduced him to faculty members a t the faculty table. I t was evident that every effort mas made to make the day a pleasant and profitable one. The class ~ e r i o dwas devoted to an illustrated lecCJ ture on the development of electrochemistry from its earliest beginnings to modern-day applications in electroanalysis. The contributions of many scientists to our present knowledge of electrochemistry were stressed. As a demonstration, an indicating pH met,er was used and the relationNational Bureau of Standards Comes to Leland Junior H i g h School ship between electrode poGardon x Kline, c h i d of t h e Division of Organic and Fibrous Mhterials at N.R . S. tellr G . 1'. (ilry's (reneral tellt,ial and concent,ratioll s a i ~ n r ealass in Brtheada, Marsland, about plastics. When this picture was takpn, M r . Gray was tulirinc t h e experimentally de~ ~ t ~ ~i ~ ~t i of t d, ~, t~~ d ast a hfratllre 01 the NSTA pro%rarn. rived. From this., a notentiometric titration curve scientists and t.eachers. The latter were especially was predivt,ed and experimentally verified to emphasize helpful in advising of any special sitnations in various our nlodcrn t,heoretical understanding of electrochemisloralities which needed consideration. The details try. A f e ~ vminutes were reserved a t the end of the of impIement,at,ion required t,he services of a full- period for quest,ions and class discussion. time secretary. The snbject areas represented by The last class of the day was in biology rather than the 350 participating teachers were as follows: chemist,ry. I t seems that it is not unusual for science chemistry, 50; physics, 50; biology, 100; general teachers to have mixed assignments and this was a science, 1.50. Many of the engineers substituted in problem encountered by the committee in setting up general science classes. The assignments most diffi- the substitute program. Since it was not feasible to cult to fill were in biology became of the small number have a biologist for this single period, the writer comof hiologixts in the area and the large number of pleted the daily schedule for the teacher he replaced. positions to be filled. Accordingly, biochemists were Accordingly, the lecture was modified in level and used in some of these locations. Assignment records content and consisted of a discussion of the relation were made in quadruplicate vith copies to the scien- of chemistry t,o other fields of science. tist, the teacher, the school principal, and to an area EXALUATION OF THE PROJECT chairman whose dut,y it was to make a final check on t,he accuracy of the operations. The substitutes were Discussions with scientists participating in the asked to talk with the teacher to he replaced and to program revealed that student interest was greater visit the location prior to their tour of duty. than would have been ant,irioated. Behavior orohlems were almost nonexist,ent. A number of the students A TYPICAL ASSIGNMENT returned a t the end of the day to discuss science fair The writer had a fnll-day assignment to a chemistry projects or other items of interest to them. There class at Northwestern Senior I-Iigh School in Prince mere even reports of instances in which nonscience Georges County, Maryland. His experience was st.udents cut other classes to listen t o the science typical of many others and mill be given in some detail. lectures. Some expressed the opinion that they were A short conference was held with the teacher several being "left out" by not being included. days before the assignment to learn the background Because of the over-subscription of volunteers, a of the pupils and to arrange for some special facilities large number of scientists were unassigned. On in connection with the electrochemical demonstrations learning of this, one science supervisor requested that to be given. some of these he assigned to talk to elementary-school On the day of duty, the regular teacher arranged for assemblies. A group of engineers from the Army a monitor in each rlass to take attendance records and Engineering and Development Laboratories at Fort
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Belvoir, Virginia, undertook this task. They presented technical movies and demonstrations and made a big impression on the children. I t is regretted that this type of activity was not attempted on a larger scale. A post-project survey by supervisors, teachers, and scientists has convincingly demonstrated the value of the effort. Teachers have expressed the view that they would have been better able to follow up the project had they been present. Accordingly, it is proposed to make this an annual event. Scientist day could be made to coincide with the birthday of some famous scientist or to commemorate some scientific discovery of widespread application. School-wide publicity could be given to such a celebration to increase its effectiveness. JOINT BOARD FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION
The project was administered by the Joint Board for Science Education. Since this is a rather unique organization its function will be described briefly. There are some 25 societies affiliated with the Washington Academy of Sciences and a like number of engineering societies comprising the D. C. Council of Engineering and Architectural Societies. The total technical membership of these societies is of the order of 20,000. Since many of these groups are interested in science education, it became imperative to coordinate their activities and to consolidate their approach to the schools in a systematic manner. The situation is further complicated since within a 25-mile radius of the capital are located three counties in Virginia, two
in Maryland, and the District of Columbia comprising six separate school systems. The Academy and the Council established the Joint Board for Science Education composed of five members appointed by each organization. The Board has the function of coordinating the educational activities of the various societies and may initiate and sponsor programs that are not feasible for a less representative group. There has been established a school contact committee with a representative appointed for each of the 125 secondary schools in the area. This person becomes personally known to the science teachers and the principal in the school he represents and aids them in securing technical information and speakers for science clubs or special occasions, disseminates information on special technical programs of interest to students and teachers, and performs related services. The Board also coordinates the speakers bureans of several societies and acts as a central agency for obtaining financial aid for the science fairs of the area. A science fair workshop has been planned for the teachers. The Joint Board has been successful in establishing liaison with the school boards of the area and has sponsored meetings to bring together the superintendents, science supervisors, and scientists to discuss general problems of science education. Although only in its first yeas of operation, the Board has demonstrated that it can promote better understanding and cooperation betveen the scientific community and the school systems in the solution of problems in science education of concern to both groups.
ERRATUM to Robert Sauer of North Central College, Naperville, THEEditors of THIS JOURNAL are Illinois, for calling sttention to the incorrect formulas printed to represent the reaction forming N. D., AND H. STEIN,THIS JOURNAL, 33, 120 (195G)). Equntetraeolium salts. (See, CHERONIS, tion (4) should read:
CI 2,3,5-Triphenyl tetraeolium chloride
N=N-CaHs Triphenyl formazan
