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Help for High School Teachers ACS, ASME, and Texaco Research Club pool re- sources to provide lecture demonstrations CHEMISTS, PHYSICISTS AND MECHANI- CAL ENGINEERS are taking time from their jobs to tell youth in the Beacon, Ν. Υ., area about science. Members of the Mid-Hudson Section of the ACS the Mid-Hudson section of the Ameri- can Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Texaco Research Club are giving lecture demonstrations in chem- istry and physics to high school juniors and seniors and in vocational guidance to 7th and 8th grade students. The program just getting underway has been closely correlated with the study syllabus of each cooperating school. Lectures have already been given in four neighboring public and private schools and contacts have been made with another 19. To get a first hand impression of how the program was going over, C&EN sat in on lecture demonstrations at Wappingers Falls (New York) High School. Before an 8th grade general science class, Texaco's F. C. McCoy was scheduled to give the program's vocational guidance lecture; colleague, W. F. Brown was giving the wave motion lecture before a group of senior physics students. ence's level of comprehension; he neatly side-steps technical or even adult jargon. With slides to back him up he shows the 8th graders what people working in science look like and what they do. You'll find them regular guys, not just "long hairs" in white coats, he says. He goes on to point out that there are places in science for not only the highly educated research leaders but also for technicians as assistants in laboratories or as operators of scientific or industrial equipment. He answers such important questions as: How much money does a scientist make and where can he find a job? Probably his most important point is that it is never too early to start thinking of a scientific career. "J°i n your school science club, get a science related hobby, such as photography, and try for a summer job that will give you some association with people who are science trained," ad- vises the Texaco chemist. • Specialized experience and equip- ment. Brown's type of lecture demon- strates another of the program's objec- tives. He brings to the teen-aged physics student specialized experience and equipment not otherwise at the disposal of the high school class. He starts off with a mathematical dis- cussion of wave theory, discussing the trigonometric basis, the sinusoidal curve and the relationship of properties such as amplitude, frequency, and phase. The average adult outsider is lost at this point, but Wappingers' science chairman, D. ML Deppe, is quick to explain that the students aren't. The lectures are closely correlated with the class syllabus and cover only material for which the students have had ade- quate background, says Deppe. From Texaco's Beacon Labs, Brown brings to the class an oscilloscope, amplifier, variable voltage source, and accessory equipment needed to give a striking demonstration. Addition of waves of different characteristics are shown on the scope and high and low frequency sounds are heard on the speaker. Other lectures in the physics series will take up topics such as Geiger counters; the automotive engine; and high voltage generators. And in the chemistry series: molecular structure; radioactivity in chemistry; colloidal systems; and qualitative analysis. Cooperative Effort; Key to the success of the science help program has been cooperative effort. The Texaco Research Club about a year ago set u p a science curricula study committee with Harry Allred as chairman. Allred's group submitted a list of seven lecture- demonstration topics in chemistry and a like number in physics; to this is added the vocational guidance lecture suitable for 7th and 8 t h graders. Initially, the list was presented to four high schools in the immediate vicinity of Beacon with the offer that each school could pick one lecture per subject per semester. However, the same lecture given to regular classes may be repeated several times within a day. The idea has grown like topsy. Today contacts have been made with no less than 23 schools—all are anxious to schedule the lectures. Manpower is being drawn from the local ACS and ASME sections as well as the club. Special liaison scientists are being appointed to coordinate the program with the science departments of each cooperating school. Our basic purpose, says Allred, is to make available on as wide a scale as possible the technical skills of our three cooperative groups, and as a part of this, encourage young people to con- tinue taking science courses. Get Theim While Receptive Organizations publicize science and engineering in honoring memory of Benjamin Franklin We may make these times better if we hzBstif QiivseL'V€s l THat's what Benjamin Franklin said. In honoring the 250th anniversary of the birth of Franklin, a large number of leading organizations this year are bestirring themselves on a major prob- lem of the clay. The problem: what to do about the increasing shortage of trained scientists and engineers. As one important approach, efforts are being intensified to encourage high school students to elect courses in math- ematics and science and to chose these fields, along with engineering, as future careers. To further this program, 57 science museums have consented to distribute special literatuxe on the subject to interested high school students. Each year, more than a million high school students visit scientific museums in the U. S. and Canada, Lisually with their teachers. C. L.. Jordan, chairman of the Franklin 2o0th Anniversary Com- mittee, explains: "While in these museums, students see the marvels of science and technology and have them explained by competent guides and their teachers. Their minds are open and receptive, This is a n ideal time to reach these students with special literature on the need for taking scientific subjects in high school so as to be prepared for any such courses in college." As a contribution to this project, Sun Oil Co. has donated a quarter of a million reprints of the article, "Should Your Child Choose a Career in Science?", which appeared originally in a Sun Oil magazine. General Electric has provided an equal number of copies of a booklet, "Why Study Math, Why Study Science, Why Study Engineer- ing?" Also assisting in this program are the Advertising Counc.1 with its brochure, "The Challenging Opportu- nity for Technical Students," and the National Association of Manufacturers with its booklet, "Your Opportunities in Science and Engineering." • Graduate Fellowships. As another contribution to the Franklin celebra- tion, the Leeds & Northrup Foundation has provided a grant of $9000 to the American Society for Engineering Edu- cation to establish a three-year grad- JAN. 3 0, 1956 C&EN 469

Help for High School Teachers

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Help for High School Teachers ACS, ASME, and Texaco Research Club pool re­sources to provide lecture demonstrations

C H E M I S T S , PHYSICISTS AND MECHANI­CAL ENGINEERS are taking time from their jobs to tell youth in the Beacon, Ν. Υ., area about science. Members of the Mid-Hudson Section of the ACS the Mid-Hudson section of the Ameri­can Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Texaco Research Club are giving lecture demonstrations in chem­istry and physics to high school juniors and seniors and in vocational guidance to 7th and 8th grade students. The program just getting underway has been closely correlated with the study syllabus of each cooperating school. Lectures have already been given in four neighboring public and private schools and contacts have been made with another 19.

To get a first hand impression of how the program was going over, C&EN sat in on lecture demonstrations at Wappingers Falls (New York) High School. Before an 8th grade general science class, Texaco's F . C. McCoy was scheduled to give the program's vocational guidance lecture; colleague, W. F. Brown was giving the wave motion lecture before a group of senior physics students.

ence's level of comprehension; he neatly side-steps technical or even adult jargon. With slides to back him up he shows the 8th graders what people working in science look like and what they do. You'll find them regular guys, not just "long hairs" in white coats, h e says.

He goes on to point out that there are places in science for not only the highly educated research leaders but also for technicians as assistants in laboratories or as operators of scientific or industrial equipment. He answers such important questions as: How much money does a scientist make and where can he find a job? Probably his most important point is that it is never too early to start thinking of a scientific career. "J°in your school science club, get a science related hobby, such as photography, and try for a summer job that will give you some association with people who are science trained," ad­vises the Texaco chemist.

• Specialized exper ience and equip­ment. Brown's type of lecture demon­strates another of the program's objec­tives. He brings to the teen-aged physics student specialized experience and equipment not otherwise at the disposal of the high school class. He starts off with a mathematical dis­cussion of wave theory, discussing the

trigonometric basis, the sinusoidal curve and t he relationship of properties such as amplitude, frequency, and phase. The average adult outsider is lost at this point, but Wappingers' science chairman, D. ML Deppe, is quick to explain that the students aren't. The lectures are closely correlated with the class syllabus a n d cover only material for which the students have had ade­quate background, says Deppe.

From Texaco's Beacon Labs, Brown brings to the class an oscilloscope, amplifier, variable voltage source, and accessory equipment needed to give a striking demonstration. Addition of waves of different characteristics are shown on the scope a n d high and low frequency sounds are heard on the speaker. Other lectures in the physics series will take u p topics such as Geiger counters; the automotive engine; and high voltage generators. And in the chemistry series: molecular structure; radioactivity in chemistry; colloidal systems; and qualitative analysis.

• Cooperative Effort; Key to the success of the science help program has been cooperative effort. The Texaco Research Club about a year ago set up a science curricula study committee with Harry Allred as chairman. Allred's group submitted a list of seven lecture-demonstration topics in chemistry and a like number in physics; to this is added the vocational guidance lecture suitable for 7th and 8 th graders. Initially, the list was presented to four high schools in the immediate vicinity of Beacon with the offer that each school could pick one lecture per subject per semester. However, the same lecture given to regular classes may be repeated several times within a day.

The idea has grown like topsy. Today contacts have been made with no less than 23 schools—all are anxious to schedule the lectures. Manpower is being drawn from the local ACS and ASME sections as well as t he club. Special liaison scientists are being appointed to coordinate the program with the science departments of each cooperating school.

Our basic purpose, says Allred, is to make available on as wide a scale as possible the technical skills of our three cooperative groups, and as a part of this, encourage young people to con­tinue taking science courses.

Get Theim While Receptive •

Organizations publicize science and engineering in honoring memory of Benjamin Franklin

We may make these times better if we hzBstif QiivseL'V€sl

THat's what Benjamin Franklin said. In honoring t h e 250th anniversary of the birth of Franklin, a large number of leading organizations this year are bestirring themselves on a major prob­lem of the clay. The problem: what to d o about the increasing shortage of trained scientists and engineers.

As one important approach, efforts are being intensified t o encourage high school students t o elect courses in math­ematics and science a n d to chose these fields, along with engineering, as future careers.

T o further this program, 57 science museums have consented to distribute special literatuxe on the subject to interested high school students. Each year, more than a million high school students visit scientific museums in the U. S . and Canada, Lisually with their teachers. C. L.. Jordan, chairman of the Franklin 2o0th Anniversary Com­mittee, explains: "While in these museums, students see the marvels of science and technology and have them explained by competent guides and

their teachers. Thei r minds a r e open and receptive, This is a n ideal time to reach these students with special literature on the need for taking scientific subjects in high school so as to be prepared for any such courses in college."

As a contribution to this project, Sun Oil Co. has donated a quarter of a million reprints of t he article, "Should Your Child Choose a Career in Science?", which appeared originally in a Sun Oil magazine. General Electric has provided an equal number of copies of a booklet, "Why Study Math, Why Study Science, W h y Study Engineer­ing?" Also assisting in this program are the Advertising Counc.1 with its brochure, "The Challenging Opportu­nity for Technical Students," and the National Association of Manufacturers with its booklet, "Your Opportunities in Science and Engineering."

• Gradua te Fellowships. As another contribution to the Franklin celebra­tion, the Leeds & Northrup Foundation has provided a grant of $9000 to the American Society for Engineering Edu­cation to establish a three-year grad-

J A N . 3 0, 1 9 5 6 C & E N 4 6 9