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:
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