SCHOOL SCIENCEAND

MATHEMATICSVOL. LXIII DECEMBER, 1963 WHOLE No. 560

C^dllor^ f^aaeWhy Don’t We Do It?

From time to time the Editorial Office receives letters and verbalcomments from Association members and other readers concerningthe Journal. Some are complimentary, a few derogatory, but most ofthem questioning and suggestive. In practically all cases, they areextremely helpful. Sometimes the questions and suggestions arereferred to officers of the Association, and in others, to the Depart-mental Editors or members of the Journal Committee. To the best ofthe Editors knowledge, none has ever been ignored. If so, apologiesare extended at this time.Many of the suggestions have been adopted or are in the stage of

being adopted. Many cannot be followed because of limitations offinance. For example, four-color illustrations would about double thecost of publication. A different type of binding would increase bindingcosts by at least 50%, since the most reasonable one and incidentally,the one most commonly used by professional journals, is used forSCHOOL SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS. Many suggestions related toother areas of production would likewise increase costs prohibitively.Some comments deal with the need for more articles in certain

subject areas, or those that deal with topics that appear infrequently.The Editor makes every effort to solicit quality articles in areas inwhich there is a dearth of material. However, the problem here restswith the contributors more than with the persons producing theJournal.

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700 School Science and Mathematics

As one phase in the continuing effort to produce a better Journal, aquestionnaire is included in this issue as the four (4) center pages. Thesuggestion for the questionnaire emerged from the Journal Committeewhich met in Chicago on September 7. We hope you will do the follow-ing:

1. After you read the December 1963 issue/(?r the first time, removethe questionnaire carefully from the center of the Journal. (Inciden-tally, the 1963 Index is directly "underneath.")

2. Respond to the items as accurately as you can.3. Seal the folded questionnaire with cellophane tape (The Post

Officefrowns on staples.)4. Affix a 5j4 stamp and mail it. (We hoped to use a return mailing

privilege but meeting the postal regulations would have been quitedifficult).Any efforts on your part will be sincerely appreciated.

GEORGE G. MALLINSON, Editor

ROBOT WEATHER STATIONA robot weather station powered by electricity obtained by converting the

heat released by radioactive strontium-90 has been developed for the U. S.Weather Bureau.To be installed in a NOMAD-class U. S. weather buoy, the unmanned floating

weather station will operate for two years at a stretch, unattended. It willbroadcast weather conditions at regular intervals, using a 60-watt electricalsystem run off nickel-cadmium batteries charged by atomic power, Operating lifeof the atomic weather station is estimated to be ten years, with servicing at two-year intervals.

CELL CONTROL DEFECT FOUND IN LEUKEMIAA chemical defect found in the blood of leukemia patients looks as if it will

explain the mysterious over-production of white blood cells that characterizesthis form of cancer.

Dr. Morion D. Prager, senior staff member of the Wadley Research Instituteand Blood Bank, Dallas, Texas, said the defect is in a reaction-causing systemoperating inside white blood cells.The system containing the defect, he said, regulates the making of pyrimidines,

essential parts of the material that guides cell growth and reproduction.Dr. Prager said this is the first defect in cell growth regulation to be found in

leukemia and that the studies, carried out under his direction, are the first oftheir kind to be made on human white blood cells.