The New England Association of Chemistry Achers: At the Malden Massachusetts High School on March 15th was held the 25th Anniversary of the founding of the Association. The first president, Dr. Lyan C. Newell of Boston University, and tenth president, Mr. Wilhelm Segerblom of Philips Exeter Academy, delivered the principal address. Mr. Segerblom was elected to honorary membership in recognition of his long, faithful and effective efforts in behalf of the Association.

In commemoration of this 25th anniversary meeting, a report of unusual completeness has been issued. This contains the unabridged report of "The Earlier and Later Days of Chemistry in New England," is illustrated by choice photographs of some of the more prominent older New England chemists selected by Dr. Newell, who is well qualified to deal with the subject, having made the history of chemistry a lifelong study. This special report will also contain the complete report on the Laboratory Questionnaire by Mr. Wilhelm Segerblom. Both of these papers will be valuable contributions to the literature of their respective subjects.

A great demand for this special number has been anticipated, and to meet this the Association has printed a large number of extra reports, and will supply copies to non-members and extra copies to members at fifty cents per copy. Order from Mr. Laurence R. Atwood, Secretary, Malden High School, Malden, Mass. Send cash with order.

The Spring Meeting of the Western Division of this Association was held at Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley, Mass., on Saturday, May 3rd, in connection with the regular meeting of the Connecticut Valley Section of the A. C. S. After and interesting trip through the Whiting Paper Company's Mill No. 1 at Holyoke, the company adjourned to Shattuck Hall, So. Hadley, where Prof. A. J. Hopkins of Amherst College gave an illustrated paper on "Egypt, The Land of the Alchemist."

Following the afternoon business meeting at which thirteen new members were elected, Mr. Robert Langdale of New Haven, Conn. High School gave a series of five lecture table experiments demonstrating spontaneous reaction.

The concluding feature of the afternoon program was a lecture by Prof. James Kendall of Columbia University entitled "The Abuse of Water by Teachers of Chemistry." After critically examining certain of the fundamental concepts of the conventional theory of electrolytic dissociation, Dr. Kendall summarized the main points of a so-called "rational theory" of ionization wherein the familiar phenomena may be shown

to be the result of varying degrees of compound formation between solvent and solute. This theory is being developed at Columbia University and aims to put the chemistry of solution on a perfectly general basis and not on a strictly water basis as maintains at present.

Most of the members remained for the evening meeting of the Connecticut Valley Section of the American Chemical Society at which Professor Bogart of Columbia gave a lecture on perfumes illustrated by about two hundred colored lantern slides.

Northern Division Meeting: On Saturday, May Tenth, despite inclement weather, about thirty members gathered at Concord, N. H. The morning was devoted to a trip through the Rumford Press, a thoroughly up-to-date plant, about seventy-five per cent of whose business is the printing of such periodicals as The Atlantic Monthly, Century, etc.

After luncheon and the short business meeting held at the Concord High School at which eight new members were elected, Mr. Elwin Damon of Keene, N. H. High School gave a talk on the teaching of "Chlorine."

Professor Charles James of the University of New Hampshire gave a most interesting lecture on his favorite theme, "Metals," showing many specimens of the rare ones and dwelling at length on the difficulties that are encountered in obtaining pure samples of many including the rare earth elements.

Mr. W. K. Robbins, chief chemist of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Co., read a paper entitled "The Chemist in a Textile Mill," touching on the various problems that such a chemist has to solve and stressing the necessity of teaching elementary chemistry students the fundamental general principles of chemistry. The meeting concluded with an informal talk by Mr. Churchill of Eimer and Amend Company on the possibilities of Laboratory apparatus of clear fused quartz of the sort that has recently been made by Mr. Berry of the General Electric Works at Lynn, Mass.

The Association is now operating in four of the six New England States, has a New Englandwide membership of 400, including representatives of nearly all New England colleges, and is about to begin on a campaign to raise its membership to the 500 mark. It will then endeavor to farther extend its operations geographically.

Prof. Martin V. McGill, of Lorain High School, Lorain, Ohio has been elected Chairman of the Chemistry and Physics Section of the Northeastern Ohio Teachers' Association.

A Unique Laboratory "Open House." The Alchemist Club and the chemistry faculty of Vanderbilt University were "at home" on the evening of February 20th to the citizens of Nashville and surrounding territory. For several hours the halls of Furman Chemical Laboratory were crowded with people of every age and occupation. The Exhibits were so unique and of such variety as to enthuse even the "hardened" scientist; to those without chemical training the spectacular displays presented the most fascinating mysteries. The interest aroused in the city has gone so far in stimulating an appreciation of chemistry as a practical science, that details of the exhibit are given with the hope that they may be of assistance to other teachers of chemistry in planning similar public occasions.

In the basement, electric furnaces were at red heat; plating baths were depositing; metals were being polished and etched for examination under the microphotographic camera. The repair shop had a sign, "Everything Mended but Broken Hearts."

On the first floor, an extensive display of Welsbach gas mantles was glowing brightly. A collection of isotopes interested advanced students, but the laymen passed them by. In the physical chemistry laboratory, complete equipment for electrometric titration, sugar analysis, radium determination, and high vacuum work attracted attention. Even the molecules performed for the visitors, for an ultramicroscope was a feature of one room.

On the second floor the analytical laboratories were making determinations of "everything under and in the sun." A miniature sulfur well was in operation. Both the Junker and Bomb calorimeters were competing with each other for speed

and accuracy on analyses of gas and coal samples. Many other industrial processes were represented in laboratory operation. The organic laboratory carried as its motive, "Products of the South-Corn, Coal, Cotton." Starch, sugar, and syrup manufacture; the diversity of corn-cob products; the uses of corn oil; the different types of distillation; these represented the first C. Miniatures and specimens from the manufacture of coal gas, tar, intermediates, dyes, drugs, flavors, etc., illustrated the second C, Bakelite and saccharine were prominent in this group. For the third C, a textile exhibit, cotton in all its stages of growth, cotton seed oil and its many products, made the public aware of how close chemistry was to many familiar objects of daily life. On the third floor the freshmen chemistry students did the honors. For once the laboratory was admittedly a playhouse. Each student chose that chemical "stunt" which to him seemed most thrilling and for the entire evening the smoke rings, the explosive mixtures, the gay solutions, and dozens of other spectacles were carried on continuously as the citizens filed by. And each freshman, finding for once some simple soul that knew less chemistry than he, explained his particular dramatic scene with a dash and swagger that was really inspiring.

In the auditorium continuous motion pictures were shown, three industrial films being used.

The Open House was under the direction of a general committee from the Alchemists Club, of which J. H. Folkerth is president. A faculty group cooperating consisted of Dr. J. M. Breckenridge, Director of the Laboratories, Dr. A. W. Ingersoll, Dr. L. J. Bircher, Dr. F. L. Conover, and Professors W. P. Fishel, E. G. Haas, R. B. Isley, R. C. Carlowitz.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.

GARDNER.