Science- Without Fiction

By MARK LUTZ, '26

The story of Franklin Institute's New Director of Museum Education, the Indispensable Robert W. Neathery, Jr., '27.

1""""("°1H E END of the world presents no more l.s cientifically explained mysteries for Bob Neathery than the creation of the universe, and to him a rocket trip to the moon is as plausible as the reason for the seasons.

After all, science without fiction has been Bob's job for a long time now. Durin g the past twelve years he has delivered to moppets and the public in general, in Fels Planetarium at Philadelphia's famed Franklin Institute, more than 2,250 lectures, with between 300 to 400 listeners at each, on topics ranging from the origin of the calendar to superstitio ns about the moon.

Actually these lectures have been something of a sideline, for Bob's take home pay for fifteen years has been earned as a member of the science faculty at the Episcopal Academy in Philadelphia. Until two years ago, when the strain of the schedule became -e ven for Bob- too great, he also coached junior teams in baseball and football at the school. During his fifteen years at the Academy a new science building was erected, and the science faculty, which consisted of only two instructors when Bob joined the staff. has been doubled.

Since Bob has the knack of being indispensable it is not surprising that Franklin Institute has now latched on to him on a full time basis as Director of Museum Education. In his new position Bob will master mind a program which will reach yearly in excess of a quarter of a million children . The Museum Education Division supervises special school demonstrations in the Fels Planetarium, science films, lecture-demonstration s by eminent scientists, children 's workshops, science fairs, service training for student teachers, and in-service courses for practising teachers. An important funtion of the Division is the Museum lesson in which (by using museum exhibits as visual aids) the Museum is integrated with class room studies.

One of the steps which led directly to Bob's new and highly important assignment was taken three years ago when he agreed to devote his entire summer vacations to the preparation of huge chemical tables, forty by twenty feet each, where the ninety-eight chemical elements were represented, along with their samples and applications. While this project was in progress one of the Philadelphia science societies, concerned over the shortage of scientific personnel, asked Bob to see what could be done among youngsters to stimulate an interest in science. Bob organized demonstrations and lectures on a threeday a week basis, but these proved so popular they had to be repeated, and the number of days devoted to each subject had to be increased. Other scientific groups, impressed with the handling of the original project, asked help in presenting their story to youth. As a result, what had begun in a comparatively small way worked into the major program now undertaken at the Museum Education Division.

Those who know Bob are aware that, in addition to having enough energy to shame a dynamo, he has a creative enthusiasm for whatever subject he undertakes. His talks on even the most erudite of themes are never of the dry, pedantic kind. Instead they take on a glow, an originality and an inspiration which fires the imagination of his audience. All of us who remember Bob Neathery recall that in addition to receiving enviable grades he also earned, at various outside jobs, enough to keep himself in cakes and 'shakes

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BOB NEATHERY at his desk in Franklin Institute which houses educational historical exhibits portraying the advance of science. The Fels Planetarium duplicates our universe, showing the earth, sun, moon and other planets in relation to countless trillions of stars. Their order can be shown for any period in the world's history. [ s }