LONG LABS, NO DIVISIONALS IN CHEMISTRY

One big element in Chemistry concentration is time. Labs take as much as 20 hours a week in the case of Chem. 4, and no concentrator in the field can hope to have his afternoons free. On the other hand, no thesis or divisional examinations or generals are required.

The Freshman who is interested in this field can get a fairly good idea of what it is like by taking Chem A if he has had no school chemistry, or Chem B if he has. Although he needs theoretically to take only four chemistry courses plus two related, he will end up taking considerably more. The more advanced courses can be taken in various orders, but 2, 4, and 6 are taken by almost all concentrators at one time or another.

It is possible to do quite well in the more elementary stages of chemistry with almost no knowledge of mathematics, but the man who hopes to do any advanced work in the field will find Math A invaluable, and Math 2 helpful. The higher reaches of research chemistry become almost pure mathematics at times.

The war so far has caused no sweeping changes in the department. A sound basic training in the field is the main aim at present. This year Chem 46, physical and quantitative analysis, was given to premed students hoping to enter medical school after three years. And chem 2, an organic chemistry course usually requiring a full year, was covered this year as a half course.

Concentrators in chemistry seem unusually satisfied with the setup as it is, and few see where any changes for the better can be made. Although there seems to be a lack of chemical engineering courses in view of the war efforts's demands, the difficulty of obtaining new apparatus and starting courses in the field at this time forbids any change in the setup.

In general chemistry concentrators do not know enough about the history of the subject or the effects of the work they are doing on human welfare. This seems to be an unavoidable evil to be remedied by the individual. Some men in the field think that the introduction of tutorial work would solve the problem, but most concentrators oppose such a plan on the grounds that they have enough work as it is.

The much-dreaded labs are not so grim as advertised. Concentrators say that they make some of their best friends in Mallinckrodt. The secret of doing well in the labs is to allot time so that while one experiment is heating, another is underway. If the experiments aren't thought out carefully so that long gaps of time are utilized, labs can be fatal.

Opinions on evening labs is divided. All agree that they would come in handy after a long illness, but many maintain that they would encourage men to waste time unconsciously in the daytime labs knowing that there was always the night to work in.