CONSIDER FITNESS FOR COLLEGE IN HIGH SCHOOL

ANNUAL CHEMISTRY WEEK 74;^

CONSIDER FITNESS FOR COLLEGE IN HIGH SCHOOL.Lack of adequate preparation before entering college and the incom-

plete and unsatisfactory character of records from secondary’schoolsthat students present for entrance are given by Dr. Ben D. Wood, assistantprofessor of educational research in Columbia University, as principalcauses for the failure of 35 per cent of those admitted to college to achievetheir goal.

Doctor Wood states in School Life, a publication of the Interior Depart-ment, Bureau of Education, tliat these conditions make necessary thegiving of entrance examinations or intelligence tests. A new type standardtest is now a regular part of the examination machinery in more than adozen departments of Columbia College and in several of the professionalschools of Columbia University.

REPORT OF THE SECOND ANNUAL CHEMISTRY WEEK ATRHODE ISLAND STATE COLLEGE, KINGSTON-

- BY JOSEPH W. TNCEKingston, R.I.

The Second Annual Chemistry Week was held at Rhode Island StateCollege from May 4th to 9th, 1925. The general purpose of the weekas a whole was to interest as many people as possible in the science ofchemistry and its applications to our daily life. The number of personsto be interested was, of course, confined to those directly concerned withthe welfare of the college, namely the present student body and alumniand the general public of Rhode Island. It is difficult to measure howsuccessfully the accomplishment of this purpose was realized but thefollowing brief description of the various activities of the week will in-dicate to what a varied extent those responsible for the plans went intheir efforts.A popular industrial and educational exhibit was held throughout the

whole period. In addition to the displays sent in by manufacturers,the instructors and students in the department arranged quite a seriesof exhibits, the students participating in a contest for prizes offered bya number of manufacturers and dealers in materials of chemical interest.On the last day of the exhibit, because of the greater attendance at thattime, a few industrial firms staged demonstrations. There was, forexample, the water gas generator demonstrated by the Providence GasCo., an exhibition of glass blowing by Mr. Bicknell of Macalaster Bicknell,Cambridge, and explanations of scientific apparatus by a representativeof George L. Claflin Co., Providence.As a means of interesting the general student body, the chemistry

department of the college had secured the services of Harrison E. Howc,editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, whoaddressed the weekly assembly on the subject of "Chemistry in theNations Business." Those who have heard Mr. Howe will know thatit is unnecessary to state in this connection what a splendid talk he gaveand how much inspiration he brought to the chemistry staff and to thosestudents more especially interested in chemistry.On the following day Frank W. Keaney, instructor in the department,

gave a popular lecture on "LiquidAir" before the student body and localresidents and this ever fascinating subject, illustrated by simple experi-ments, proved one of the most successful features in connection with theweek as a whole. On another evening, the students’ Chemical Societyheld a banquet, with some faculty members as their guests, and had in-vited the chemistry alumni of the college to return to renew old acquaint-