COLLEGE OF LETTERS AND SCIENCE 63

VII. COURSE IN CHEMISTRY

J. H. MATHEWS, DIRECTOR, PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY

The purpose of the Course in Chemistry is to train competent chem-
ists for industrial, governmental, and teaching positions. The United
States is a leading nation in chemical industries and our continued indus-
trial success is largely dependent on the ability of our universities to sup-
ply the ever-increasing demand for men with adequate chemical training.
In recent years this demand has not been met. Many industries are essen-
tially chemical in character and have long employed chemists; others, be-
cause of the necessity of meeting changing conditions and keener competi-
tion, are finding it increasingly necessary to employ chemists to originate,
simplify, and control plant processes. Chemical control and research are
necessary in practically every industry.

The principal departmental bureaus of the Government employ a con-
siderable number of chemists, both for research and control work. All of
the larger cities require skilled chemists, as do many of the various state
commissions and the federal and state experiment stations. The develop-
ment of agriculture is largely dependent on the services of the chemist.
and trained workers are in great demand in this field. Many industries are
establishing central experimental and research laboratories for the inten-
sive study of the specific problems relating to those industries. Positions in
those laboratories are most desirable, as they afford specialized training
which leads to the attainment of exceptionally lucrative positions. Research
laboratories are being established for a great variety of purposes, and these
laboratories must ever look to the universities for trained chemists. For
these positions, especially, it is highly desirable that the four-year course
in chemistry be followed by from one to three years of graduate work. The
demand for the exceptionally well-trained man is steadily increasing and,
whenever it is possible, the student who shows an aptitude for chemistry
should plan for graduate training.

The thoroughly trained teacher of chemistry has an exceptional oppor-
tunity to play an important role in the social, economic, and industrial
development of the nation. His opportunities to aid in the dissemination of
useful knowledge, in the development of a wider appreciation of scientific
knowledge, and to contribute to scientific progress both by his teaching and
his opportunity for personal research, are such as to make this profession
unusually attractive to those who have a sincere desire to serve their fellow
men.

The curriculum of the Course in Chemistry is designed to offer a broad
foundation in the chemical and related sciences. It does not profess to
train chemists for special industries, for each industry has its special prob-
lems and special methods. Interwoven with the courses in chemistry are
courses designed to broaden the understanding and to round out educational
training. Several electives are provided, and it is required that a certain
number of these be studies other than chemistry. Students are expected to
take a sufficient number of cultural studies to acquire the proper educa-
tional balance.

Four courses of study are offered: A general course, a course for in-
dustrial chemists, a course for food or sanitary chemists, and a course for
agricultural chemists. Attention is called to the fact that specialized irain-