NEWS
The American Scientific Affiliation
VOLUME 8 NUMBER 4      6 October 1966


CONVENTION FEEDBACK

North Park College is located somewhere in Chicago. It is bounded on the South by the North Branch of the Chicago River and scads of Jewish Delicacies, on the West by several Bohemian cemeteries and is surrounded by barbershops which close on Wednesdays. It is quite close to O'Hare Airport. In fact, pilots prefer the flagpole on Old Main to the outer marker and on their approach they come screaming in on their haunches as bits of plaster drift down from the ceiling.

This convention at North Park was different. Everyone dressed up for everything; no John Sinclair with galluses, even Walt Hearn gave up his purple shorts for a suit. Slicked-down hair and button-down collars everywhere. A study was made as to the diabolical influence which gave rise to such a state of affairs: suspicion has been placed upon the ETS.

The program last year was too tight, everyone said. This year things were looser. In fact, things were so loose on Thursday afternoon and evening (details later) some people thought the ASA was coming apart at the seams.

This was our 21st convention and the 25th anniversary of the ASA (no conventions were possible during war years). Of the five founder members, only Cowperthwaite and Everest we re present, and the ravages of time are evident on both.

THE PROGRAM DIGESTED (AND INDIGESTIBLE)

Monday afternoon the Executive Council tried valiantly to carry on their business in the "fishbowl", a glass-enclosed room fully visible from the lounge where people waited for the several meetings of commissions and committees scheduled to take place. It was a full afternoon as publication program, local sections and the work of the ASA on many fronts was considered. Old timers could not escape a twinge of pleasure as they saw the ASA program going ahead on so many fronts under such capable, spiritually motivated leadership.

GENETICS

Monday evening Dr. V. Elving Anderson, retired President of the ASA, gave a most interesting and penetrating address on "The Control of Man's Genetic Future." There was a good element of authority as he spoke from his perspective as a Christian and from his own specialty of human genetics.

DEVOTIONS

The morning devotions were well attended by people with eyes wide open as they were scheduled after breakfast this year. The quality of the devotional messages was excellent. Dr. Irving A. Cowperthwaite brought a penetrating message from Habbakuk. Wayne Frair used as his springboard an article in Science (April, 1965, p. 53) about fireflies as he talked on Phil. 1:9 & 10. Dr. J. Oliver Buswell spoke on enjoying God's creation as scientists. On Friday morning Dr. J. Barton Payne of ETS said, "If we are committed to Christ, we must be committed all the way ... All ASA and ETS members are theologidns in our basic concern over the great facts of God."

Moral Issues

The Tuesday morning panel on "Future Moral Issues in Science" was chaired by Dr. Wilbur L. Bullock. Dr. Henry Weaver asked whether scientists in general and Christian men of science in particular had a responsibility in such areas as population increase, food production to feed the world, the degree of responsibility an employer should have for his employees. Dr. Wayne U. Ault was worried by the tendency for a dedication to scientific pursuits to overshadow responsibility to family and others; science becoming a virtual god. fie also wondered about the implications of cloud seeding, polution of the environment, etc. and stated that Christians should be the greatest conservationists. Dr. Robert Fischer rolled off some very disturbing statistics showing the dominance of research and development by the Federal government and how this subverts some proper primary loyalties. Christians, said Fischer, are doubly obligated to analyze the strings attached to Federal grants.

In commenting on the other speakers, Dr. V. Elving Anderson emphasized the importance of the proper motivation in the heart of a Christian but also pointed out that we may not have an option in some of the topics brought up. For example, there will soon be no places for the disposal of wastes. During the general discussion was heard, "Is one baby living to an age of 90 morally better than two living-to be 45V (Kamm). "The problem of life and longevity is strictly a Western compulsion." (Horner).

 ADVANCES DURING 25 YEARS

 The Tuesday afternoon session was chaired by Dr. Charles Hummel as the subject, "Advances in the Last 25 Years". was considered. Dr. Frank Cassel traced the progress (or the lack of it) in the various fields associated with evolution during the lifetime of the ASA. Dr. George Horner did the same for anthropology as he stressed the uniqueness of man. Dr. Gary Collins read Dr. Paul Barkman's paper treating advances in Psychology in which he supported his contention that the last 25 years have been the most important ones for this field.

FUTURE OF THE ASA

Tuesday evening Dr. H. Harold Hartzler led a paneldiscussion on "The Future of the ASA" which ASA members Wills, Fielding, Buswell II, Hatfield, Frair, Eckert, Tinkle and Gish participated in person and Barnes, Harris, Hearn, Marquart, Marsh, Monsma, McIntyre, Oorthuys, Peachey and Peterson through the medium of letters they had submitted on the subject. The general impression left by these was considerably more negative, in total effect, than the results of a portion of the recent survey. Dr. Anderson sized up the 84 general comments written in on the questionnaires returned and found that 72 were either openly enthusiastic about the ASA (30) or were vitally interested and offered constructive suggestions (42), while only 12 were critical. Of the 12, half thought the ASA too liberal and half too conservative! ' Everest had a little fun on the subject as he brought the banquet address the next evening. With tongue in cheek so far he looked like a Dodger outfielder, he solemnly described the funeral of the ASA the previous evening; the cause of death being either rigor mortis or the hermeneutic (or excessive plasticity?) with complications of polemic poisoning. As the midwife of the deceased he then described the healthy, if weak, infant and traced its life through the turbulent teens to maturity, little realizing that the hermeneutic trouble was gnawing away at its bones all the time. Slides and l6mm film illustrated the seeming robust nature of the deceased all through these 25 years-until last night. In a more serious vein, Everest then emphasized that variability was a strength of the ASA: embracing those of different scientific disciplines, different church backgrounds and holding somewhat different views of Biblical interpretations, while at the same time being brothers in Christ and unified in Christian principles.

PSYCHOTHERAPY

Thursday morning was the time for psychiatrists to howl. Dr. John Hyde chaired the session which was opened by a consideration of "Morality and Moral Values in Contemporary Psychotherapies" by Dr. E. Mansell Pattison who emphasized the inevitable interaction of the values of the patient and the therapist. Dr. Lee Edward Travis, a new member of the ASA who heads the new thrust of Fuller Seminary into psychology presented his paper on, "Open Wide for all to See", in which he stressed the importance of "the other one", the basic mutuality of all human relationships and problems.

SECULARISM IN THEOLOGY

The ETS finally got the stage Thursday afternoon in a session chaired by Dr. Robert Vander Vennen of Trinity Christian College who introduced Dr. Richard Wolff and his paper, "Secularism in Theology, Appraisal and Prospect." The monotonous grinding out of paper after paper was surely punctuated by the remarks of the discussant, Dr. Jules Moreau, Professor of Church History at Seabury-Western Seminary. Dr. Moreau woke everybody up as he delighted taking pot sbots at conservative ideas from his very liberal theological position.

The featured speaker Thursday evening was Dr. Brian H. Kaye, senior physicist with Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute. Although a self-admitted Methodist minister-turned-physicist from England, Dr. Kaye was not about to admit of anything very absolute in Christianity as he demanded of the church complete freedom to determine for himself what he was to accept.

Mixed emotions greeted these two sessions. Many agreed that it was good to have first-hand contact with the detractors of Christianity; others decried that the ASA had stooped so low. Still others were just sorry that the expression of such unacceptable ideas occurred under ASA auspices at an evening session open to the public, although there were few, if any, outsiders present. Those associated with secular institutions who hear this stuff all the time seemed particularly unfazed.

ORNETIC CONTROL

Dr. Wallace Erickson chaired the Friday morning panel on, "Prospects For the Genetic Control of Man", with V. Elving Anderson, Dr. Richard H. Cox, Dr. Frank Hauser, Dr. Ivan C. Howard and Dr. Robert D. Culver. There was considerable agreement that establishing goals for human genetic control requires much more understanding than we now possess: for example, leaders do not always produce children who are leaders.

NEW RELIGION

In 1960 a book came out authored by Harlow Shapley, "Science Ponders Religion", which actually offers a new religion based on science. Dr. Gilbert B. Weaver pointed out that its proposals were entirely anthropocentric and all 18 scientists contributing to this symposium seemed to serve notice on conservative Christianity that it will be impeded at every opportunity.

ANTHROPOLOGY

The last session was devoted to an examination of present theories in human phylogeny and to evaluating them from the Christian position. Dr. Donald Wilson and James Buswell III presented their papers under Dr. Russell L. Mixter as chairman.

OUT OF CONTEXT

Dr. Brian H. Kaye, University of London, Senior Physicist, Fine Particle Section, Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute, was the speaker Thursday evening. Although much of his address was viewed with raised eyebrows by ASA members, all enjoyed one of his stories. It seems the famous physicist, Dirac, was intrigued as he watched a woman knitting. After studying the process for some time with total absorption, he said, "Lady, there is only one other stitch possible in knitting'% and he proceeded to show her what it was. Said she, "That's not knitting, that's perling!"

In one of the sessions Mansell Pattison made a comment that there was much "trash" in the Journal, maybe as much as 50%. Now comes the problem of agreeing on which half should be eliminated which reminds one of the department store Macy who was criticized for spending so much on advertising. "Half of that money is wasted." Macy replied that he agreed, but until someone could tell him what half was wasted, he would continue.

"Dobzansky and Taylor were young Turks-in 1930, but they are the Old Guard today. ti



"Love can cover a multitude of strange ideas."
"May I postulate that in all of humanp existence other-oneness is the single most significant issue. No one person, not one, has any problems with himself alone. Always and only his problems are to establish relationships with another .... There are few emotions and attitudes, sick or well, that are anything but the expressions of interactions between persons."
"The results of scientific research continue to alter the circumstances of life, bringing the promise of many good things but also the specter of calamity. Will we be able to cope with the situation we may face in a few or many years? I doubt that our prospect is really different from that faced by Abraham."
.... the more specific the value consensus of the patient-therapist-society, the more specific are the values transmitted in therapy, the more limited are the goals that can be achieved in therapy, and the more limited the degree of change that is possible for the patient."

"Seventy percent of all research and development funds are from the Federal government, 75% of all people engaged in R & D are supported by the Federal government, 95% of Federal R & D funds are to only five broad areas, 30% of Federal funds are to four companies and 86% of Federal R & D funds are to 40 companies."
 


"I was brought up on catmeal and the shorter catechism, a very good diet."



"Generalizations can 'get' the speaker rather than the audience."


Perhaps we should "lock up all the strongminded people rather than the feeble minded."


"Scripture must be the final cr iterion. God alone is the legitimate Governor of the universe."

CONVENTION IMPRESSIONS

There was a fine covey of young members, alert, coherent, leaning eagerly over shoulders to catch discussion between older members and, best of all, breaking in and setting them straight on a point here and there. As long as the ASA has a fair percentage of members like Deane Roth, Ed Olson and Dan Herrick (and many others ye ed was too slow to identify) the future looks bright.

Walt Hearn, without purple shorts, resolved not to enter into any discussion at this convention. His resolve lasted until Thursday when he popped up with a comment on the situation in Christian high schools and colleges: children of parents who went to Christian schools also do so, and so on. A sort of selective breeding, he observed.

Frederick St. Clair of St. Louis University took his shoes off when the going got rough in some of the sessions (gout?). Robert Knudsen's hair seems curlier before breakfast than later in the day (the coffee tended to curl mine!) John Howit ' t looks trim and fit after his very serious illness and it was a delight to see J. Oliver Buswell II so well after his stroke. His oratory is only slightly impaired by a left hand that doesn't gesture too well yet.

The facilities for convention registrees were excellent. North Park College certainly ran out the red carpet for the ASA. From the welcome by the Dean to the scramble to catch the plane Friday evening, every nice thing conceived by the mind of man was done for us. Jim Kennedy, in charge of local arrangements, was everywhere, anticipating every need.

The program committee, headed by Wilbur Bullock, included Paul Barkman, Henry Weaver, GeoE&e Horner and Harry Leith. The ASA-ETS Joint Committee, also involved, is composed of Ralph Lowell, Ray Brand, Ivan Brunk, Kenneth Kantzer, C. Douglas Young and Laird Harris. A glance at the program gives the impression that most of the topics were oriented ASA-wise, although the theologian's point of view was prominent in most of them.

All right, the program was looser than last year. However, no one seemed to know what happened to all of the "spare" time. As we trooped wearily back to Burgh (the W is silent as in 'enough') Hall, we were so dead tired that the brass donor plates by the door seemed to be the conveyor belt that carried the dirty dishes away, which looked mighty like a treadmill!

Everything was being sold at the registration desk: books, ASA Journals but they were giving away copies of ASA News like they were salted peanuts!

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT

At last the ASA will have some professional advice in the public relations department. Howard W. Mattson, former Associate editor of International Science and Technology and now with Monsanto, of St. Louis, Missouri, has agreed to serve as consultant to the ARA. The first major suggestion is that abstracts of Journal articles be sent in the form of press releases to magazines and papers. These are useful not only as a means of publicizing the results of the ASA activities but as leads to personal interviews. Howard's presence at North Park was a homecoming he's an alumnus!

DRY BONES

Two boys were playing at a construction site when one of them fell into a hole and came eyeball to eye socket to a skull staring vacantly at him. When the police de-. clared ancient bones outside their jurisdiction, the boys called the Smithsonian Institution and got the ear of Dr. Lucille Hoyme who returned with the boys and began digging. With the cooperation of the construction company, who even offered a power shovel, work was rescheduled so that many of the human bones, belonging to negro slaves of about 130 years ago, might be recovered to shed light on the early settlers of Northern Virginia.

BERKHOUT KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT

Dr. Peter G. Berkhout, 71, was killed instantly on 19 July 1966 in the Colorado Rockies when his car plunged off the road and was dashed against a boulder 30 feet below. Mrs. Berkhout, who was driving, was unhurt, their 16-year old diughter was treated for shock. Dr. Berkhout, the only occupant of the car not wearing seatbelts was thrown out and crtshed between the car and boulder.

Dr. Berkhout had practiced medicine in Paterson, New Jersey, for 33 years and was an outstanding leader in community affairs and in the Christian Reformed church. He was a trustee of Calvin College and active in the affairs of the New York section of the ASA. Howard Mattson puts it this way:
STUDENT MEMBERSHIP

The best deal in the ASA showcase is that of student membership. For three frogskins a graduate or undergraduate student is entitled to all the privileges of the ASA but voting. A subscription to the Journal alone costs $5 per year! How about sponsoring the student of your choice? (This is so convincing that a check is being sent to headquarters for the editor's son!)

WELLES MINGLES WITH ROYALTY

Marshall P. Welles, M. D., has been a missionary in the Orient since 1938, in China and the Philippines before going to Thailand in 1949. In 1949 he opened Bankok Christian Hospital as a very small institution. Last November a new 160-bed hospital was dedicated by no less a personage than the King of Thailand in full oriental splendor. Uniformed horseman, 20 royal buglers and a 24-piece band made it a never-to-be-forgotten occasion.

HELP WANTED

Houghton College wants to take on three new staff members for the Science and Mathematics Division next fall, one person in each of the areas of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Those interested should communicate with Dr. Kenneth Lind .1 Chairman, Division of Science and Mathematics, Houghton College, Houghton, New York 14744.

Dr. Floyd-Rawlings, Chairman of the Natural Science Division and Professor of Chemistry, Westmont College, 955 La Paz Rd., Santa Barbara, California, reports that as the natural science division of Westmont College looks forward to a possible new science building, the Dean of Faculty, Dr. Frank Hieronymus, would like to receive applications from committed Christians who have received the Ph.D. degree in the mathematics-physics area. Westmont College may be hiring two and, perhaps, three men or women in this area during the next 12 months. The needs are permanent faculty positions for at least one Ph.D. in mathematics to head up the math major program, one Ph.D. in physics with a heavy interest in astronomy if possible (Westmont College already possesses two fine telescopes in a physics-astronomy building) and, finally, a Ph.D. who would be interested in dividing between physics and mathematics. Any added interest in geology on the part of the applicant would also be welcome. Dr. Hieronymus would also like to hear from anyone with a B. S., A. B. or M. S. degree who might be enthusiastic about heading up a new course and providing continuity for science for the non-scientist, a sophomore course required for graduation for all non-science majors to be offered in 1967-68 for the first time.

The Natural Science Division of Westmont College would also like to receive yearly collections or subscriptions in chemistry, biology and physics to foreign language journals, especially in German or Russian, to add to our library collection which is weak in this area. Any and all help will be appreciated. If anyone knows of used volumes of Beilstein available cheap, supplements only, please notify Dr. Floyd Rawlings, Dept. of Chemistry, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, Calif. 93103.

Metropolitan New York

At their meeting last May the Metropolitan New York section obviously did not show the Moody science film which has not yet been released, but Howard Mattson said that Harry Ellison, Johns Manville's Quality Control Supervisor, filled in with a slide-talk on India. He and another industrialist recently returned from that country as "industrial missionaries" for the WCC. This was a 3-month experimental project, paid for by the United Church of Christ, to teach industrial management techniques in India. Ellison brought up for consideration the question as to whether this was a proper form of missionary activity, somewhat akin to the teaching and healing ministries which most Christians now accept. There was some interesting discussion and more than a little soul searching as to the narrowness or breadth of the usual missionary program.

NORTH CENTRAL

On November 5, 1966 the North Central ASA section will consider the topic, "The Manipulation and Control of Human Behavior", as they meet in Science Hall, Augsburg College, Minneapolis. Rev. Harris Lee will treat the subject from the theologian's point of view, Dr. David 0. Moberg from the point of view of the sociologist. After a coffee break, Dr. John Sinclair will represent the view of the physiologist and Dr. Gary R. Collins that of the psychologist.

SOUTEERN CALIFORNIA

Although details are not yet available the Southern California section of the ASA has scheduled a meeting for Saturday afternoon, 5 November 1966 on the campus of California State College at Fullerton. Dr. George Giacumakis is local contact man.

COMING CONVENTIONS

In 1967 the annual convention of the ASA will be held at Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 28-31 August and not 21-24 August as announced at the North Park Meeting.

1968 - Grand Rapids 1969 - Gordon College (Boston) 1970 - No commitment, but central region.

AAAS XMAS WNDC

Dr. Robert Fischer, President of the ASA, has suggested that members attending the AAAS meeting at Washington D. C. in December get together. For definite information read the December Newsletter, contact Glenn Kirkland or George Fielding in Washington (telephone 469 8075 or 765 8107), or check the AAAS bulletin board.



V. Elving Anderson will chair a session at the AAAS convention in Washington D. C. in December. Watch for the program in Science.

James Ashwin has taken a position as Scientific Advisor with the bureau of Scientific Advisory Services, Food and Drug Directorate, in Ottawa, Canada. He returns to Canada after three years with Sterling Winthrop Research Institute in Renselaer, New York. Dr. Ashwin is active in the advisory committee of the Ottawa Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.

Marilyn Backlund, Assistant Professor of Nursing at University of Minnesota, is now studying in Norway.

Ann Boardman became Mrs. Robert Hein June 11 and is teaching in De Witt, Iowa.

Joseph D. Brain received his Doctor of Science degree in physiology from Harvard University. His thesis was entitled, "Clearance of Particles from the Lungs - Alveolar Macrophanges and Mucus Transport." He will remain at Harvard as a research associate to teach and do research.

Sara E. Bryan has completed her year as postdoctoral associate in molecular biophysics at Florida State University. She is now Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Louisiana State University in New Orleans.

James 0. Buswell III is teaching at St. Louis University. He formerly taught at Wheaton College.

Neil H. Elsheimer is now a chemist for the U. S. Geological Survey in their laboratories in Menlo Park, California.

June Emerson was selected Southern Baptist missionary journeyman to serve as a science teacher at the Hong Kong Baptist College. She recently completed work on her M. A. in biology at William and Mary College in Virginia.

Robert Fischer, Dean of Arts and Sciences, is a bit dizzy as a result of three changes in the name of his school in recent months. It is California State College, Palos Verdes, no longer. At the present moment with no guarantee for the future, its name is California State College, Dominguez Hills.

Wayne Frair, Associate Professor of Biology, King's College, Briarcliff Manor, New York, has received a $5,000 grant from the Research Corporation for the college biology department.

L. F. Gardiner is in the doctoral program at the University of Rhode Island and is doing his research at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution under Dr. Howard Sanders on the ecology of deep-sea bottom invertebrates. He has received support from National Science Foundation and Woods Hole.

Daniel Herrick is now instructor of Mathematics and Physics at Barrington College in Rhode Island.

E. K. Huddlestun is area director in Fresno, California, for the Baptist Child Care, Family Service Agency. In June, 1966, he received his Master's degree from Kansas University. The dissertation was a follow-up study on Community Emergence of Sunflower Village, Kansas.

Robert B. Johnson is now Chairman of the Department of Geology and Geography at De Pauw University, Greencastle, Indiana.

Eric J. Miller has left the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Warm Springs, Ga., and is registered at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Philip N. Parks has taken a position as Assistant Professor of Physics at Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan. He teaches physics, lectures on Modern Concepts of Physics for Engineers, and is engaged in research involving the Mossbauer Effect.

James E. Rodgers is now Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Bethel College. He formerly held the same position at North Park College.

C. Duane Roth is engaged in research and Development for the A. E. Staley Mfg. Company in Decatur, Illinois, primarily in the modification of starches.

William J. Tinkle told us at the convention about the death of Mrs. Tinkle, for many years a cripple. ASA members and friends wish to express their deep sympathy to Dr. Tinkle.

Henry Weaver has promised to relate for the ASA NEWS a few observations on his teaching experience at San Marcos University in Lima, Peru. This public notice is for the sole purpose of making it hard for him to get out of this obligation!

David L. Willis, Associate Professor of Biology at Oregon State University, directed a Biology Summer Institute for College Teachers at OSU.

ASA Executive Secretary

ASA News Editor

H. Harold Hartzler
324k South Second Street
Mankato, Minnesota 56001

F. Alton Everest
6275 S. Roundhill Drive
Whittier, California 90601