DePauw University - Mirage Yearbook (Greencastle, IN)

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Department of emistry Tl1e early history of chemistry is shrouded in the mys- terious and supernatural. Its students were alchemists. They spent their lives in a vain search for the philos- opher's stone, and in an attempt to convert the so-called base metals, in particular lead, into gold or silver. In such pursuits as these many i'eal truths of chemistry were discovered. ' Gradually, as the influence of the Renaissance swept over the world, the element of the supernatural disap- peared and chemistry developed into the science which it now is. The Held of knowledge is constantly being explored and the limits of the conquested territory extended, until now chemistry plays an extremely important part not only in the world of science but in the commercial world as well. Every la1'ge manufacturing establishment has its corps of expert chemists and its well-equipped laboratory. The utilization of all kinds of by-products, thus cheapening the cost of production of various materials, is to be attributed to chemistry. The manufac- turer of the numberless Vil1'lGt-lCS of steel and its alloys for as many distinct purposes is due to chemistry. Occupying, as it does, an impor- tant place commercially, chemistry is one of the most important sciences taught at the School of Liberal Arts. The time is past when o11e can deny the cul- tu1'al or libe1'al value of science, while chem- istry, offering such a broad field of employment and a field so suited for varied tastes, is at the same time au eminently practical subject. The two lower floors of the left wing of Minshall Lab- oratory are entirely devoted to the Department of Chem- istry. This is well equipped with recitation rooms, lab- oratories and all necessary apparatus. The Professor P. S. Baker Memorial Library comprises an excellent col- lection of reference books for the use of the chemistrv students. ' The first year's work at DePauw is adapted to give a comprehensive view of general inorganic chemist1'y. In the second year Organic Chemistry is offered during the first two terms, while Qualitative Analysis is studied dur- ing the third term. The more advanced work consists of Qualitative Analysis and the investigation of special sub- jects. The development of the science and its influence on the world is set forth in a course in the History of Chemistry. Dr. XV. M. Blanchard was born near Hartford, North Carolina. He attended the Academy at Hart- ford and received his master's degree from Ran- dolph-lvlacon College in 1894. He received an honorary Scholarship and Fellowship in Chem- istry, while at Johns Hopkins, and his doctorls degree was awarded in 1900. He taught at Rose Polytechnic for one year, and in 1904 was made Professor of Chemistry at DePauw Uni- versity. Ile is a member of the American Chem- istry Society and of Die Deutsche Chemische Gessellschaft. Page 9

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epartmen One of the most important departments in the College of Liberal Arts is the Department of Biology. Its moment lies in the fact that it offers elective courses which lead to degrees in medicine, as well as basic courses for Botany, Zoology, and Physiology. The department is well equipped for labor in research lines. The laboratories occupy Middle College and pos- sess fifty compound and thirty dissecting microscopes. For work in anatomy, the laboratory is supplied with dis- secting instruments, injecting apparatus, models and skele- tons. The Physiological workshop is as well supplied with instruments, and so is the Botanical laboratory, which has ve1'y complete collections of Indiana plants, including the cryto-gamic forms. The Alfred Dickey Biological Library, founded by an alumnus of DePauw, contains complete files of the leading current periodicals of Europe and America, and supplies the reference needs t of Biology profitable courses appear under these subjects, including Special Physiology of the Fungus and Embryology. All courses consist of lectures, recitalions and assigned read- ing. The department contains many major students, and these have organized a Biological Club to further their study. i The head of the Department of Biology is Howard J. Banker, Ph.D. He received his minor degree from Syr- acuse, and his doctorls degree from Columbia University. He has had many years' experience as a teacher, and also several years of service in the pulpit. He is a member ol' Torrey, Botanical Club, New York Academy of Science, charter member of the Botanical Society of America, and a Fellow in the American Association for the Advance- ment of Science. He has written numerous scientific papers on Fungi. F. E. YVatson, the inst1'uctor in Zoology, has his Bach- of the student. Fifteen courses are offered in this depart- ment, courses 1, 2, 3 being the basic course. It is termed General Biology and leads to ad- vanced courses in Botany and Zoology. Many Page 8 elor and Master degrees from Brown Univers- ity. He is a member of a number of leading scientific associations and has a strong reputa- tion as a teacher. '

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Department No single fact better illustrates the progress DePauw has been making in the past few years than the growth of the Department of Education. XVhen this department was organized three years ago it had only eight students on its roll. Now there are offered twenty courses, and during the winter term of this year 250 students regis- tered for tl1e seven courses given. The rapid growth has made it necessary to add to the teaching force of the department, and Dr. Harris, of Clarke tirniwi-my, has been employed as assistant to Prof. von Kleinsmid. By no means all of these students expect to be teachers. Doubtless only a small portion of them enter the depart- ment for professional training. They take the work solely for its cultural value, for while the courses are designed to meet the needs of those desiring technical instruction, just as much emphasis is laid upon the cultural as upon the practical value of pedagogical studies. Culture and practical training are the two ideals of the department, and they are harmonized perfectly. As DePauw is a denominational instit.ution, it. is only fair to make special mention of one course which has been introduced into the De- partment of Education this year. Prof. von Kleinsmid believes that our church schools, in planning their curricula, are not giving suffi- cient attention to specific training in religion and morals. He has, therefore, introduced a course in Religious and Moral Education in which he seeks to give his students, especially Page 10 of' Education those who expect to teach, or to enter the ministry, a more adequate idea of the importance of religion and morals in life and of the proper methods of teaching boys and girls the essentials of Christian character through the instrumentality of home, school and church. It is safe to say that the course has bee11 in the nature of a revelation to students who have taken it, and it cannot fail to exert a wholesome influence on our social life Wherever these young people go-an infiuence that will g1'ow through the years as their numbers increase. ln this particular work DePauw is a pioneer, and her patrons should, the writer believes, know something of the worthy attempt that Prof. von Kleinsmid is making. Prof. Rufus Bernhard von Kleinsmid, the head of this department, is a11 educator of note. He is a master from Northwestern University and has spent several years on the lecture platform. He has been vice-president of the Southern Indiana State Teachers' Association, the National Educational Association, and the National Geographical Society. He is very popular with the underg1'aduates, directing the Dramatic, Choral and Crlee Club efforts of the students. Dr. James dvillitllll Harris assists Professor Kleinsmid in the Education Department. He has his Doctorate of Philosophy from Clark University and has wide experience in and out of academic fields.