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Crystallizing Classroom Chemists: From Isolated Disorder to Organized Interaction in the Teaching of Chemistry: A History of the Effort To Create a National Chemical Education Organization

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James J. Bohning

Department of Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015

J. Chem. Educ., 2003, 80 (6), p 642

DOI: 10.1021/ed080p642

Publication Date (Web): June 1, 2003

Section:

History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

Chemistry was an integral part of the culture of the earliest settlements in America, but for almost two centuries it languished as a nascent profession, plagued in part by a lack of suitable textbooks and a "dearth of competent teachers". A few individuals, such as Benjamin Silliman and Amos Eaton, acted as seed crystals in attracting and preparing some chemistry teachers, yet as late as the beginning of World War I, "the average isolated teacher had to work out his own salvation as best he could with the aid of an occasional book agent". Small regional organizations of teachers did exist at this time, but achieved little in connecting teachers on a national level. It was out of this amorphous mixture that the American Chemical Society‘s Division of Chemical Education (DIVCHED) solidified, uniting at last a dedicated group of teachers with common problems and a passionate dedication to their discipline and their students.

Keywords (Audience):

General Public

Keywords (Domain):

History / Philosophy

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Textbooks / Reference Books

Keywords (Subject):

Conferences

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This article has been cited by 1 ACS Journal articles (1 most recent appear below).

Visions, Achievements, and Challenges of the Division of Chemical Education during the Early Years
Theodor Benfey
Journal of Chemical Education2003 80 (6), 651
- Visions, Achievements, and Challenges of the Division of Chemical Education during the Early Years
  Theodor Benfey
  Journal of Chemical Education2003 80 (6), 651
  The first decade of the American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Education (DIVCHED) was most extraordinary. It began in 1924 with grand visions, plans, and accomplishments, and ended in the Depression. The period was dominated by two figures, Neil ...
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