Smyrna times., 1955-08-04
AIDS SCIENCE
GROUPS STUDY
DIR. |. B. Cohen Aids U. of ID.
Group on Ways to Improve
Mathematics Training
PROFESSOR AT HARVARD

DR.. /. Bernard Cohen, a visiting
professor at the University of
Delaware during the recent sum-
mer session, has become the lat
est contributor to the efforts of
the university's committee on the
teaching of science and mathe-
matics in the schools of the state.
A special meeting of the COM
mittee was called to discuss with
DIR. Cohen ways of improving sci
ence and mathematics training of
incoming college students. DR..
Cohen is particularly well quail
fed to contribute to the solution
of this problem by his experience
as professor of general education
at Harvard, through his major re-
search and teaching field of the
history of science, and through
his membership on national COM
mittees dealing with problems of
federal financing of scientific re-
search in universities.
While recognizing the magni-
tude of the still unsolved prob
lems, DR.. Cohen stressed the posi-
tive achievements already being
made in Delaware. He expressed
special approval of the master of
educatiLn program in the natural
sciences initiated by the univer-
sity in 1854 and directed by DR..
e. Vernon Lewis. The philosophy
of this program for teachers, en-
phasizing training in several sci
ences, is similar to that of Har-
wards science teacher training
program, DR.. Cohen declared, and
it offers an excellent calibre of
courses.
In the financial line, DR.. Cohen
noted the DUPONT Fellowship Pro-
gram for science teachers attend
ing summer school. He ascribed
the four-fold increase in teacher
enrolment in this years summer
courses as compared to that in
science teacher-training courses of
two years ago as due largely to
the influence of this fellowship
program. However, many of the
present fellowship holders are nom
residents of Delaware, indicating
that only a small percentage of
Delaware teachers have taken ad-
vantage of this opportunity. 1t
was also noted that current high
school requirements for education
courses may accentuate the sci
ence teacher shortage. The COM
mittee agreed that it might be
beneficial for science courses to be
considered equivalent professional
training.
The committee further agreed
that improved mathematics train
ing is essential to better student
preparation in science and engin-
eering. A desirable goal is suf-
fciently thorough algebra and
trigonometry preparation to per-
NIT a student to start calculus in
the first semester of his freshman
year. To encourage those schools
which do emphasize such training
the university's mathematics de-
partment has begun a first SEM
ester calculus course for well-pre-
pared freshmen.
The committee further noted the
importance being given nationally
to the problem of science train
ing, to the scarcity of science and
engineering students, and of sci
ence teachers. Two national sci
ence organizations, The Sigma XII
Society, an honorary society in
science and engineering research,
and the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, have
made the study of means for al
leviating this shortage their prim-
ary program for 1856. Sigma
XII is offering prizes for the best
local solution to the problem.
The most significant local evil
dence of the shortage was ad-
.vanced by Mrs. Geraldine Wyatt,
director of the university's busi-
ness guidance and placement bur-
eau, who disclosed that 1856
promises to be the best year yet
for technical graduates. Inter
views for January, 1856, already
have been scheduled and one in
dustrial concern has registered for
January of 1857. Last year many
companies were able to fill only
one-third of their technical vacan-
cies.
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