at the last session of the Division during the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, and shall take office at the close of the meeting at which they were elected. They shall hold office for one year or until their successors are elected, except the Secretary and Treasurer-Business Manager, who hold office for three years if reëlected. Section 5.-The contributing editors shall be nominated by their respective local sections of the A. C. S. or by their respective State or Regional Associations of Chemistry Teachers provided such an association has been approved by the committee of Chemical Education of the A. C. S. When the nominations of the contributing editors are approved by the committee of Chemical Education they shall be considered duly elected. Where a State or Regional Association does not exist or has not been approved, the committee of Chemical Education shall have power to appoint a contributing editor for the said section. They shall be elected for three years, and such adjustments made at the beginning that the terms of one-third of the number expires each year. Anyone who is a subscriber to the Journal of Chemical Education may vote for the contributing editor. The editor-in-chief shall be nominated by the contributing editors. The secretary of the division shall take this vote by letter ballot. The term shall be for one year unless reëlected, when the said term of office shall be for three years. The number of departmental editors shall be left to the discretion of the executive committee. They shall be nominated by the editor-in-chief, and their term of office shall expire with the term of the editor-in-chief. When the nominations of the editor-in-chief and departmental editors have been approved by the Council of the American Chemical Society, they shall be considered duly elected. The compensation of officers and editors shall be left to the discretion of the Executive Committee. Section 6.-Vacancies of office, including the editors which may occur between meetings shall be filled by the Executive Committee. Section 7.-It shall be the duty of the Chairman to represent the Division in the Council of the American Chemical Society (except in such functions as are delegated to the committee of Chemical Education), to preside at the meetings of the Division and of its Executive Committee and to execute the decisions and recommendations of this Committee. Section 8.-In the absence of the Chairman, his duties shall be performed by the Vice-Chairman. Section 9.-It shall be the duty of the Secretary to arrange the program for the meetings to record and preserve the minutes and proceedings of the Division and of the Executive Committee, to keep a list of the Active and Associate members, to send members such notices as may be required, to transmit to the Secretary of the American Chemical Society the names of all officers and committees of the Division within three weeks of their appointment and to notify the Secretary of the American Chemical Society of any changes in officers and committees during the year. Section 10.-It shall be the duty of the Treasurer-Business Manager to handle all subscriptions and advertising connected with the JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION and have charge of the funds of the Division and shall make such disbursements therefrom as may be authorized by the Executive Committee. Section 11.-The Executive Committee shall manage the business affairs of the Division and any other work delegated by the Division. The Executive Committee shall authorize the disbursements of funds to be made by the Treasurer-Business Manager. ARTICLE 5.-MEETINGS Section 1.-There shall be a meeting of the Division at each general meeting of the A. C. S. The reading of papers and discussions shall constitute the major part of the program. The business meeting shall come preferably at the final session of the Division and the order of business shall be as follows: Reading of Minutes. Report of Executive Committee. Report of Secretary. Appointment of Nominating Committee (first session of annual meeting). Report of special committees and discussion. Report of the Committee of Chemical Education. Miscellaneous business. Report of Nominating Committee (last session of annual Meeting). Election of officers (last session of annual meeting). Section 2.-Members of the Division who may desire to meet at other times than those of the two general meetings of the American Chemical Society have the privilege of participating in the monthly meetings of any of the local sections of the American Chemical Society by paying the required local dues. ARTICLE 6.-SPECIAL COMMITTEES Section 1.-The Chairman, with the advice and approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint such standing or special committees as may be necessary to consider, transact and report upon special matters of business, provided, however, that such appointment shall not hold over after the term of the chairman has expired. Section 2.-The Committee of Chemical Education of the A. C. S. shall act in an advisory capacity to all committees of the Division and shall transact any business which requires the action of the Council. ARTICLE 7.-AMENDMENTS Section 1.-Amendments to this Constitution shall be made only at the annual meeting of the Division by a two-thirds majority of the Active Members present, provided that a two months notice has been sent to the Active Members of the Division. Section 2.-The amendments of the Constitution to be effective must be approved by the Council of the American Chemical Society. It was voted that the Secretary draft a letter to Mr. Francis P. Garvan expressing the appreciation of the Division for the work already done by the Prize Essay Committee and confidence in the progress of the work under way for next year. This vote followed an announcement of the increased generosity of Mr. Garvan in establishing additional prizes. Dr. J. C. Irvine, the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, and Dr. P. G. Donnan of the University of London, England, were elected honorary members of the Division. The Treasurer's report showed the financial condition of the Division to be good. Receipts from Subscriptions, Advertising and other sources... $3788.47 1748.22 Balance on hand... 2040.25 Balance as per check stubs.. 2040.25 These accounts were audited Sept. 11, 1924 and found correct by W. Segerblom and A. P. Sy. Estimated Receipts and Expenses for Sept.-Dec., 1924, are as follows: This being the annual meeting of the Society, officers were elected for the coming year. The Committee on Nominations appointed at the Thursday morning session and consisting of Dr. L. C. Newell, L. W. Mattern and H. A. Carpenter made its report. The following officers were elected: Chairman, Dr. W. A. Noyes, University of Illinois; Vice Chairman, Dr. T. G. Thompson of the University of Washington; Secretary, Dr. B. S. Hopkins, University of Illinois; Treasurer-Business Manager, E. M. Billings, Rochester, New York; Executive Committee: Dr. J. D. Hildebrand of California, H. A. Carpenter of New York, and H. R. Smith of Chicago. On Thursday evening a very enjoyable dinner of the Editors of the Journal of Chemical Education was held at the Ithaca Hotel. The present condition of THIS JOURNAL was discussed at length and was found to be highly satisfactory. The Editorin-Chief reported over 1300 subscribers, many of them in foreign countries and many new subscriptions are expected as the result of the wide distribution of the September issue. Comprehensive plans were made for improving the Journal and for widening its sphere of activity among the chemistry teachers. WILHELM SEGERBLOM, Secretary Local Activities and Opportunities Program of Southwest Section. 1. The High School Chemistry Course as suggested by the American Chemical SocietyJohn M. Michener, Chemistry Department, Wichita High School. 2. Use of the Electron Theory in the Teaching of Physics and Chemistry. Written by Prof. Lawrence Oncley and to be read by Prof. Merle Suter, both of the Chemistry and Physics Dept., Southwestern College. 3. Observation on Science Teaching. J. E. Edgerton, High School Supervisor. 4. Getting Results in General Science. Miss Ruth Rhoades, Science Dept., El Dorado High School. Tulane University. The chemical instruction in the Schools of Pharmacy and Dentistry, Tulane University, has recently been reorganized under the direction of Prof. H. W. Moseley, Chairman of the Department of Chemistry. Mr. Ralph W. Bost, M.A., University of North Carolina, has been appointed instructor in chemistry in these schools. Mr. Parry Borgstrom, Ph.D., California, has been added to the staff of the department of chemistry, as Assistant Professor of Industrial Chemistry. Dr. Borgstrom was formerly associated with the department of bio-chemistry, Tulane, and with the research laboratory of applied chemistry, Mass. Inst. of Technology. Louisiana State University. In connection with the building of the plant of the new State University at Baton Rouge, a handsome new chemical laboratory is being built under the direction of Dr. Chas. E. Coates, professor of chemistry. It will be finished and ready for occupancy with the opening of the University, in the Fall of 1925. The equipment and facilities of the laboratory are being modeled after the more recently constructed laboratories of Yale and Cornell, and when finished will be one of the finest laboratories of chemistry in the South. University of Buffalo. D. Kumro, B.S., and M. Woodburn, B.S., instructors in chemistry at the University of Buffalo last year are doing graduate work this year. The former is at the University of Illinois and the latter at Northwestern University. L. M. Lawton, B.S. (Syracuse) and E. S. Pelowski, B.S., are the new instructors substituting for these men. Prof. E. R. Riegel, Chairman of the program committee of the Western New York Section of the A. C. S. has completed arrangements for meetings at Buffalo and Niagara Falls during the coming season. There is promise of interesting meetings since the speakers' list includes Dr. G. H. A. Clowes, of Indianapolis, Prof. H. N. Holmes of Oberlin, Gen. Amos Fries of the CWS, Prof. H. H. Willard of Univ. of Michigan, Dr. E. Emmet Reid of Johns Hopkins, and Dr. Baekland, President of the Society. Organization of Chemistry Teachers. Prof. A. P. Sy, of Buffalo, N. Y., reports that plans are being made to organize the chemistry teachers of Western New York, probably in connection with the Local Section of the A. C. S. Oberlin College. The Palmolive Soap Fellowship ($2000) has been awarded for the second year to Mr. Paul H. Fall, an Oberlin graduate. The research work is being done with Dr. W. D. Bancroft at Cornell University. West Virginia University. The West Virginia University has opened with 782 chemistry students. There are 48 chemistry majors in the College of Arts and Sciences. The new chemistry building at West Virginia University is progressing satisfactorily. The second floor is ready for the cement. The contractors expect to have the building under roof on or before mid-winter. R. B. Dustman, Ph.D., Chicago, A. R. Collett, Ph.D., Yale, and C. E. Garland, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins, have joined the chemistry staff of West Virginia University. Fellowship at the University of Missouri. This fellowship will pay one thousand dollars a year. It is expected that the appointee will complete the work for the doctorate in connection with this investigation. The man must have a good training in chemistry, a fair training in physics, one or more courses in physical chemistry, preferably some colloid chemistry, a bent for investigation, some agricultural training or agricultural experience, a Master's Degree or who has practically completed the work necessary to secure one, and some knowledge of foreign languages. For further information write to Dr. Richard Bradfield, University of Missouri, College of Agriculture, Department of Soils, Columbia, Mo. Recent Books A Diagnostic Study of the Subject Matter of High School Chemistry. By S. R. POWERS, Ph.D. Teachers College Contribution to Education, No. 149. Published by Teachers College, Columbia University. 1924. viii. 84 pages. This monograph is a report of a study made at University of Minnesota. It comprises 9 chapters, 25 tables and an appendix. To ascertain the relative difficulty of topics taught in elementary chemistry, the ability in different schools, and the degree of retention of subject matter, 8 tests were run in 1920-22 in 15 Minnesota high schools and 28 high schools outside Minnesota. In all 350 items were used, from 20 to 102 per test. These were selected from the most widely used texts and covered valence, elements mixtures and compounds, chemical composition, definitions, activity series, biography, chemical changes (laboratory and commercial), uses of substances, solubility, numerical ratios and calculations, names for formulas, formulas for names, completing equations and writing entire equations. The percentages of correct answers to each item are given in full, are tabulated in different ways and then are discussed at length from the point of view of the difficulty of the items. They are given as follows: (1) the achievement in different schools, (2) do the items of the tests fairly represent the subject matter of the textbooks? (3) how long do students retain the facts which they have learned about chemistry? and (4) achievement of university students. Succeeding chapters deal with summaries, recommendations and construction and study of the scales. To try to abstract here the conclusions derived from the tables would not do justice to the wealth of information found in these pages. The showing made by the students in many cases is rather discouraging. "A large proportion of the textbook material means little or nothing to 50% or more of the students who have studied one of these texts in high school for one year." The investigation reveals, however, that radical changes in content of high school chemistry and methods of instruction are much needed and indicated where some of these changes might be made. Constructive teachers would do well to familiarize themselves with results of Dr. Powers' work. The monograph must be read closely to get all the points. Adverse criticisms are: Certain items tend to confuse the reader and make him lose the point, e. g., wide variation in the number of students taking tests, and in the number of questions in different sections of the tests, failure to bring out clearly the difference between the terms per cent correct, per cent scores, grade scores, scale scores, ranks, rank orders, medians, median scores, ability levels, quartiles, etc. In a few instances abbreviations are used without showing what they signify. Misprints were found on pages 4, 18, 19, 27, 46 and 55, but the context makes the meaning clear. The phrase "the precipitation of calcium bicarbonate with slaked lime" on pages 23, 24 and 43 is ambiguous. Some of the above criticisms disappear, however, if the monograph is intended for a limited and specialized reading public rather than for general reading by teachers. The reviewer regrets that so many of the items Dr. Powers has selected deal with nomenclature, facts, and to some extent with principles. Many of these are easily forgotten. One wonders how the students would have fared on items testing their ability to reason or to think chemically. Many high school teachers trust that they are getting across some of the reasoning ability rather than straight memory work. This does not condemn the monograph under review but simply suggests another angle of approach. This monograph should be in the hands of every chemistry teacher and it should prove of much help in the correlation work now being done by the Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society. WILHELM Segerblom Entered as Second-class Matter, January 31, 1924, at the Post Office at Easton, Pa., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized January 31, 1924. Vol. I November, 1924 No. 9 EDITORS' OUTLOOK Would higher priced chemistry teachers produce greater wealth, health, and safety in this country? Let us consider this question for a moment. Experience of the ages has clearly shown us that chemistry is our principal hope in our great fight against disease, but our chemists are entirely inadequate as shown by the diseases' continual ravishments. Bright little lives as well as those older are being constantly taken from us while the doctors stand by completely helpless, waiting for some chemist to solve the problem by a systematic research. It is only great chemists who can help the doctor cope with these vital situations. One has only to look on every hand to see what the chemist can do for the wealth of a nation. His work has been so great that the poor live today in as much luxury as did the king one hundred years ago. The chemists' contributions toward civilization have been most pronounced. To illustrate by a sample case take the chemists' contribution to the metals. Were this contribution withdrawn, the entire structure of civilization would collapse. There would be no railroads, steamships, automobiles, telephones, telegraphs, steel bridges, stoves, steam boilers, etc. These achievements have been made possible by the hands and minds of great chemists. The World War brought home to each of us the place of the chemist in the safety of our country. The Germans are quite ready to acknowledge that the chemists saved her from an early defeat, both in the military field and in the matter of economic supplies. Had it not been for Haber, Ostwald and other great chemists, the war would have ended in 1915 from the exhaustion of Germany's supplies of nitrate, both from a lack of nitrate explosives and nitrate and ammonia fertilizers. During the World War all |