News
The American Scientific Affiliation
VOL I NUMBER 6                             1 November 1959




SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT 

1960 CONVENTION PLANS

The time has come, the Walrus said, to speak of many things - (with apologies to Lewis Carroll) of ships and mountain peaks and lakes and fellowship at the 1960 ASA Convention. Between Lake Washington and Puget Sound, in view of the famous Olympic Range and cool glaciers, vie have a gracious invitation to meet on the campus of Seattle Pacific College during the week of August 22, 1960. Seattle is an important Pacific Coast port and has much to interest every member of the family. Within the city or accessible for a one day outing are:

Lake, Washington
The University of Washington Campus
The Government shipping locks
Boeing Airplane Company (the B-52)
Bremerton Navy Yards (across the Sound by ferry)
Rain Forests on Olympic Peninsula a superb area for the naturalist)
Glaciers on Mt. Rainier (14,800 ft. mountain approximately 100 miles from Seattle)
Victoria B.C. (A bit of England in a beautiful setting)

But now we come to the heart of the matter, Plans for the technical program are under way including a symposium on the subject of vitalism and mechanism as well as several papers tentatively promised. We would like to solicit your assistance to develop a well rounded program. Perhaps the following tentative outline will suggest to you topics and/or authors that you believe should be included in the program. Better still, we would like to hear of your willingness to present a paper in the field of your interest.

Tentative Proposals:

Symposium "Vitalism vs Mechanism"

1. Vitalism vs mechanism From a Biochemical Point of View - J. R. Hearn
2. Mind and Spirit vs Brain - J. C. Sinclair
3. Vitalism vs Mechanism in Biology - L. H. Starkey
4. Physical Indeterminacy and Free Will
5. Natural vs Supernatural Explanation of Miracles
6. Regulatory Behavior in Ontogeny (Embryology)

Dr. Walter E, Lammerts has accepted our invitation to present a paper in the area of his research work. He has suggested the title "Neutron Radiation Induced Mutations in Commercial Rose Varieties."

Herbert Seal, psychologist now employed in counseling is preparing a paper in his area.

Dr. F. Alton Everest will present a film from the Moody Institute of Science on the human senses titled "Windows of the Soul." It has been suggested that a symposium might be organized in this area.

Instructions to program committees suggest a public meeting with a suitable speaker as has been the custom. Have you a suggestion for a keynote speaker? Aim high. Dr. Brian P. Sutherland of your program committee has already corresponded with Dr. F. F. Bruce of England but received word that Dr. Bruce would not be in North America next summer.

It is also recommended that at least one theological paper be included on a topic appropriate to the work of the ASA.

Any suggestions and recommendations will be most welcome. These can be addressed to any member of the program committee.




                          Hendrik J. Oorthuys, Chairman


VAN DER ZIEL IN SYMPOSIUM

Prof. A. van der Ziel of the Electrical Engineering Department of the University of Minnesota participated in the Third Annual Fluctuations in Solids Symposium held at the Armour Research Foundation under the auspices of the Office of Naval Research, April 22nd. He discussed noise in silicon transistors according to Physics Today," which, incidentally, included a nice photograph of Dr. van der Ziel blowing up a storm of chalk dust at a blackboard.

FISCHER TO CALTECH

Dr. Robert B, Fischer, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Indiana University, is taking a one-semester leave of absence from his regular work in analytical chemistry to participate in research at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

HOW TO SAVE MONEY

The ASA officers feel keenly the need to conserve the money of the ASA treasury. one method recently inaugurated was sending this ASA NEWS by third class bull: rate. It takes a couple of weeks between submission of the copy and the actual mailing of the NES. One check in California indicates that it may take another two weeks or more in transit. If your NEWS is received more than a month after the printed date, will you please let us know?

GEOSCIENTISTS ACHTUNG!

This is far too late to do any good, but Edwin Olson of Lamont Geological Observatory planned an ASA get-to-ether at the Annual Meetings at Pittsburgh
, November 2. This is too late to be an announcement and too early to be a report on the meeting. Perhaps nothing should have been said at all!

ACCOUNTING FOR LIVING THINGS

This is the title of a book for eighth-graders now being written by
William J, Tinkle, or at least is the title until a better one appears. This will be a 150-page paper-bound book of 14 chapters. Dr. Tinkle is carefully planning the book for eighth-graders with quotations from the literature placed at the end of the chapters in the interest of the parents and teachers. There is a great need for authoritative and constructive literature for younger children and Dr, Tinkle is to be commended for stepping into this needy area.

CHRISTIANITY TODAY

ASA Member Dr. Wesley Clayton had an article in the May 11 issue of Christianity Today, "The Gray -Ghosts of the PTA". Dr. Clayton is active in the Delaware Section and is a toxicologist with DuPont. This article decries the cloudiness of educational goals and the failure of the PTA to provide spiritual leadership in the public schools.

In this same issue is an article by R.E.D. Clark of Cambridge Technical College, England, "Evolution or Creation? The Heart of the Problem." The main point here is that the Second Law of Thermodynamics makes macro-evolution scientifically impossible. (Comment by Walt Hearn: "I think he's wrong, but he states the case in a much more reasonable way than most of the antievolutionists).

In the May 25th issue, Ralph T. Overman of the Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies has an article, "Will Science Destroy the World?" A sensible analysis of nuclear weapons testing with some suggestions for intelligent preaching of the gospel in the atomic age.

LAMONT PAPER

Another in the series of very important papers on the effect of radiation on man, spearheaded by former ASA member Dr. J. Laurence Kulp, Director of Lamont Geochemical Laboratory, is "Strontium-90 in Man - III" by Kulp, Arthur Schulert and Elizabeth J. Hodges, SCIENCE, 129, 1249-55, 8 May, 1959. You may recall the big fuss raised in the press because these data were not released to the press before publication.

L.A. SECTION FEATURES RAMM

Kermit Ratzlaff, chairman of the Los Angeles Section of the ASA announces that Dr. Bernard Ramm will speak at their local meeting scheduled for November 16th at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena. Dr. Ramm, well known for his book "The Christian View of Science and Scriptures", recently spent two years studying in Switzerland. He will speak on, "The Contemporary Debate Among Theologians Over History."

ASA LIBRARY

Did you know that the ASA has a library of books on the relationship
of science and the Bible? We have, and these books are available for the asking on a loan basis. The library is located at Wheaton and Dr. Russell L. Mixter is the librarian ready to burst into a flurry of activity the slightest request for service.

Now the cold fact is that this library has never been utilized to any great extent by the ASA members and the haunting question is, "should it be continued, or should we just give it a decent burial and call it a day?" Many years ago a list of the books in this library was circulated among the membership and the utilization ratio suddenly jumped from insignificant to practically nothing overnight and has stayed there ever since. Any ideas on the subject? Tell them to Russ Mixter or Harold Hartzler our president. Perhaps a new list should be circulated or included in a future issue of ASA NEWS.

ASA CHEMISTS PRESENT PAPERS

Either the chemists are the most active group in the ASA or they have the best press agent. (A bow from Walt Hearn)

The American Chemical Society Meeting in Atlantic City, September 13-18,
had a very liberal sprinkling of conservative ASA chemists throughout its sessions. George He Schenk co-authored a paper with James S. Fritz on, "Acid Catalyzed Acetylation of organic Hydroxyl Groups-" Neal 0. Brace presented two papers in the general area of recent advances in Fluorine chemistry, but the words in the titles are so long it would require an ASA NEWS supplement to quote them. Roy M. Adams spoke on "Nomenclature Problems in Boron Chemistry" and R. L. Bohon on "A Study of Bimolecular Reactions in the Solid State Using Differentia Thermal Analysis."

IOWA STATE NEWS

Dale Swartzendruber of Purdue was at Iowa State during the summer in the Department of Agronomy filling in for a professor on leave. ASA members
seem to precipitate toward each other in Christian fellowship and several times recently the following have been together: Walter R. Hearn (Chemistry)~ Donald S Robertson, (Genetics), Robert E. Worthing, C. Dean Roth, Grace Ho. Attending a National Family Life Conference on the campus in August was Norvell Peterson, psychiatrist from Beverly Farms, Massachusetts. You will recall Peterson was local arrangements chairman for the Gordon College ASA Convention in 1957.

ASA MEMBER KILLED IN JORDAN

Through LaVand Syverson of the American University Hospital, it has been learned that Melvin E. Loptson of Beirut, Lebanon, was killed in an air crash outside of Amman, Jordan.

ATTENTION--LIGHTFINGERED ASA MEMBERS

We run across all kinds of collectors these days, Collecting door keys is all right, but not at Trinity Seminary. Arthur Berg, business manager at the seminary, would appreciate your contributing to his official key collection by returning any keys that may have been spirited after the convention. The address: 1726 West Berteau Street, Chicago 13.

MIXTER'S SUMMER

Dr. Russell Lo Mixter, Head of the Department of Biology,  Wheaton College, experienced a summer on the go. He stopped in Los Angeles where he visited relatives and the Moody Institute of Science Laboratory, went on to Oregon where he did much field tripping, worked at the University of Oregon Marine Station, stayed in Yellowstone the night of the earthquake (no casual connection as far as anyone knows) and vacationed in the Black Hills for ten days. He finds it restful to get back to a whirlwind of activities at Wheaton, including Centennial celebrations, Billy Graham's eight-day campaign, etc.

Last Spring there were stories in most of the major newspapers in the nation about a Nashville doctor with an "uncanny accuracy" in predicting coming events, Among the events he supposedly predicted were the outcome of the Kentucky Derby, the resignation of Clare Booth Luce, tornadoes in specific states, plane crashes, news headlines, etc.

The doctor concerned wishes it were possible to give equal publicity to the fact that he is nothing more than a good entertainer with mentalism (Mental Magic). The story started with a reporter's view of an effect presented in connection with a series of television appearances, The wire services picked it up and made a composite story of it and presented it as real ESP picturing the doctor as an expert in the area of mental phenomena.

The doctor, ASA member Spencer P. Thornton of Nashville says, "Let me assure you that though I am interested in ESP research and am in touch with leading researchers in the field, my work in this area has only been that of consultant, to detect fraud in the so-called clairvoyants and mediums under investigation by psychological research centers...The only knowledge I have of the future is that God controls it."


Dr. A. Kurt Weiss, Assistant Professor of Physiology of the University of Miami made a trip around South America to participate in the INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON COLD ACCLIMATION at the Instituto Antartico Argentino and the XXI Physiological Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dr. Weiss also had the opportunity to visit mission stations in Panama and Argentina and was invited to preach twice in Buenos Aires. In January of
1960
he will spend two weeks at the University College of the West Indies in Jamaica. There he will teach physiology to medical students. Dr.Weiss is president of the University of Miami chapter of Phi Kappa Phi national scholastic honor society.

MISCELLANY

Edwin S. Oxner of
5426 E. 7,7averly, Tucson is a new member and anxious to learn about local section activity in the Tucson or Phoenix area. We wish we could point to a thriving group, but there is nothing closer than Los Angeles and that is a long drive. But there are Paul E. Parlmer, Sr, Star Route, Cottonwood; Charles B. Beals, 818 No Beaver, Flagstaff; Paul L. Merrill, 2025 West Minnesota, Phoenix and Edward N. Wise of 872 E. Glenn, Tucson. Maybe between you something can be done about building up a group. A committee of two of the right people can do wonders!

Lawrence H Starkey and those others of the North Central Section are hot after a local constitution. Glad to oblige you and all other local section officers....see the model constitution in this issue.

LOCAL SECTIONS IN TIE NEW ASA CONSTITUTION

There has been considerable controversy over the new ASA constitution,, but not over the part which applies to Local Section activity. Section
4
of the By-Laws reads as follows:

Section
4. Local Sections
        a) A petition for the formation of a local section shall be signed by not fewer than ten (10) Fellows or Members. The Executive Council upon receipt of a petition to form a local section may authorize its formation.
        b) Section Secretaries shall forward to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Affiliation a report of each meeting and at the end of each fiscal year a financial report for that fiscal year.
        C) The ASA may contribute to each section up to one dollar (,,~1.00) a year for each member toward local expenses.


This recently adopted constitution affects the Local Sections in several important ways:
    (1) All present Local Sections are "unofficial', until petition for the formation of a section is forwarded to and approved by the Executive Council. All qualifying local groups should submit petitions at once, signed by at least ten Fellows or Members to Dr. H. Harold Hartzler, President of ASA 121 Clark St, Mankato, Minnesota.

    (2) Local section secretaries should immediately start submitting to the national Secretary-Treasurer reports of meetings and finances. Send these to Dr. Walter R. Hearn2 244 Campus Avenue, Ames, Iowa. Remembering that your NEWS editor also needs to be informed, how about sending him a copy at the same time, indicating to Dr. Hearn that you have done so.

    (3) Funds are available to OFFICIAL Local Sections to the extent of N"P"1,00 per member per year. Here is the incentive for submitting your petition.

Inasmuch as the ASA fiscal year corresponds to the calendar year, try to get these petitions in to Dr. Hartzler by the end of 1959.

LOCAL SECTION BY LAW
A number of local section officers have requested information on the form that By-Laws of the local group should take. It would seem that we could follow with profit the leadership of the Northern Delaware Chapter of the ASAe We are indebted to Dr. Neal 0. Brace of DuPont for sending in a copy of their BY-Laws which are reproduced in their entirety.

BY-LAWS OF THE NORTHERN DELAWARE CHAPTER OF

THE AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC AFFILIATION

(4 October, 1956 )


The Northern Delaware Chapter of the American Scientific Affiliation shall be governed by the Constitution of the National organization. The local activities of the Chapter shall be conducted under the following by-laws:

Bys-Laws

ARTICLE I - Name and Objects

Section 1 - The name of this organization shall be The Northern Delaware Chapter of the American Scientific Affiliation.

Section
2 - The objects of the Local Chapter shall be:

(a) To sustain and promote the objects of the National Organization as outlined in its Constitution.

(b) To provide informal seminars for the discussion of subjects of mutual interest to the membership.

(c) To provide services in keeping with the aims of the society to local Christian organizations.


(d) To promote Christian fellowship and understanding among the membership.

ARTICLE II - Membership

Section 1 - The active membership shall consist of members in good standing of the National Organization who have enrolled with the secretary of the Local Chapter and fulfill the requirements of Section 3,

Section 2 - Voting privileges shall be restricted to active members.

Section 3 - A member shall be considered inactive when he has failed four consecutive meetings without notifying the secretary.

Section 4 - An inactive member shall be reinstated to the active membership roll after he has attended two consecutive meetings.

Section 5 - Interested persons shall be welcomed to attend any of the

regularly scheduled meetings upon invitation by a member.

ARTICLE, III - Officers

Section 1 - officers of the Local Chapter shall be President Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer. These officers shall also form the Executive Committee.

Section 2 - The terms of office shall be one year beginning January 1 and an officer shall not succeed himself in the same office.

Section 3 - The President shall be the regular presiding officer at meetings of the Executive Committee and the Local Chapter. The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in case of absence or incapability of the President.

Section 4 - The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for the correspondence and all records of the Local Chapter and for the keeping of full minutes and proceedings of meetings of the Executive Committee and the Local Chapter. Under control of the Executive Committee he shall have general supervision of the fiscal affairs of the Local Chapter and he shall keep the books of account. An annual audit of the books shall be made by two members of the Local Chapter appointed by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IV - Meetings

Section 1 - The Local Chapter shall meet once each month throughout the year. Business may be conducted whenever a quorum is present.

Section 2 - A quorum shall consist of fifty per cent of the active membership.
 

ARTICLE V - Amendments

Section 1 - Amendments to the By-Laws may be proposed by a resolution adopted-by a majority vote at any meeting where a quorum is present.

Section 2 - An amendment proposed at any given meeting shall be announced- at the next meeting and voted on at the next subsequent meeting.


Section 3 - An amendment shall be passed if -two-thirds of the votes cast are favorable.

ARTICLE VI - Nomination and Election of officers

Section 1 - The Executive Committee shall appoint a three-man nominating committee which shall present a slate of nominees for office at the November meeting. The nominating committee shall nominate two or more names for each office.

Section 2 - Annual election of officers shall be conducted by ballot at the- November meeting. The nominee receiving a plurality of votes shall be the duly elected officer.

Section 3 - Whenever a vacancy occurs due to the inability of an officer to serve out his full term, the President (or Vice-President,) if the office of president is vacant) may appoint a special nominating committee and order a special election to fill such vacancy for the unexpired portion of the term. However, such a special election may be combined with the regular election if the time element is such that the interests of the Local Chapter will not suffer thereby.

ARTICIE VII - Dues

Section 1 - The new Executive Committee shall prepare a budget for presentation at the December meeting for acceptance by ballot vote.

Section 2 - At the January meeting the Executive Committee shall assess each member a proportionate part of the budget. Members who are students are exempt from this assessment.



ARTICLE VIII - Committees

Section 1 - The standing committees of the Chapter shall be:

          Program Committee
          Library Committee

Section 2 - The duties and functions of the standing committees shall be as follows:

(a) The Program Committee shall arrange the programs for the regularly scheduled monthly meetings.


(b) The Library Committee shall function as a central source or clearing-house of literature on science and the Scriptures for the use of the Local Chapter, Literature will be purchased as approved by the Local Chapter.

(c) The functions of these committees shall be directed by chairmen to be appointed by the new Executive Committee prior to the December Meeting.



ASA officers

Dr. H. Harold Hartzler, President
121 Clark Street
Mankato, Minnesota

Dr. Wilbur L. Bullock, Vice-President
92 Madbury Road
Durham3 New Hampshire

Dr. Walter R. Hearn, Secretary-Treasurer
244 Campus Avenue
Ames, Iowa

ASA NEWS Editor:

F, Alton Everest

947 Stanford St.

Santa Monica, California