THURSDAY. JULY 27, 1961 Psychologist Studies Intelligence of Cats It was a bright sunny day in July. Two feline mothers slinked down a shady avenue in State College, and argued heatedly about the comparative intelligence of their "children." "Just because your kittens mean that we alley cats are dumb er, you know," said the first. The Siamese cat looked at the alley cat, her cold blue eyes snap-; ping and said: "We can trace our' ancestry all the way back to Siam!, Where can you trace yours to?" "That make no difference, what- . soever. My kittens are still smart er than yours are!" IF SUCH AN ARGUMENT does not really take place among cats themselves, it certainly is a fierce: one in the world of humans. There has long been animosity between Siamese cat fanciers and the rest of the world of cat lovers. Last December it looked like the Siamese proponents had won,' but now their position has been• shaken. Tentative findings of Dr. J. M. Warren, associate professor of psy chology at the University, last year showed that the Siamese seemed to learn to solve certain problems much faster than other cats, and that their behavior was more predictable. Data on three more learning ex periences since then have shown that the Siamese were definitely inferior to "mongrels" on one and that there was no difference in ability on the other two. DR. 'WARREN SAID yesterday that he hopes to correlate the ma turation of rats learning abilities with changes in that electrical ac tivity of the brain which is asso ciated with body sense experi ments. The 45-day-ojd kitten who be gins his training with Dr. War ren does not show the same pat tern of brain activity as does the adult cat. From this, Warren says he is assuming that there is a re lationship between learning and maturation. The Siamese cat, Warren says, does better than the alley cat where he is required to move dif ferent shaped boxes to find tasty morsels of beef kidney and liver. The alley cats do better when they have to find their• way around barriers to get food. These results conceivably could be explained, Warren said, by the fact that the -first task requires closer vision which the Siamese have, and the second requires far sightedness which the alley cats have. Cutler Given $17,990 Grant For Research Dr. Paul H. Cutler, assistant professor of physics, has re ceived a $17,990 grant from the Office of Scientific Re search of the U.S. Air Force. The grant is for a 27-month period of research. THE MONEY will support a re search project in solid state phy sics dealing with metal surface phenomena, "The project will in volve theoretical analysis," Cut ler said. The project is entitled "The Use of a New Model for the Surface, Potential Barrier in Treating Elec-' tron Reflection, Inelastic Scatter ing and Electron Emission from: Metal Surfaces." USING A NEW MODEL for the surface potential barrier, the prof-1 ect will attempt to explain cer-! tain discrepancies that have arisen between the theories of electron' emission and some experimental; results. It has been suggested that these discrepancies may be caused by an over-simpWied and inadequate model of metal surfaces used in previous theories, Cutler said. He expjlained that electrons are confined inside a metal surface by an electrical barrier known as a, surface potential barrier. The re search being conducted is an at tempt to establish a more correct physical description of the metal l surface b. rrier. By NANCY BRADNEY are pedigreed Siamese doesn't Chemistry Prof Studies Harmful Smog Compounds Some dangerous, perhaps cancer- causing compounds which are found in smog are being studied in a research . project by Dr. I. Clarence Hisatsune, assistant professor of chemistry. Hisatsune said that certain ox ides of nitrogen are known to be damaging to the human body and he is atempting to determine the physical and chemical properties. of these compounds. "The results' of this study will provide a basisr for research on their physiological , effects," he said. THE COMPOUNDS are thought to be carcino-genic (cancer-pro ducing), though little is known about their basic structure, de spite their apparent simplicity, Hisatsune said. "Since these compounds are formed in air," he said, "the re sults of this research will have a direct effect on us." HISATSUNE BECAME inter ested in these compounds when he studied the chemical kinetics of one of them in 1954. Since then he has determined the physical prop erties of three nitrogen oxide com pounds which have two or more atoms. He recently received a grant of $15,500 from the Public Health Service of the Department of Health, Education. and Welfare. This grant is an extension of gov ernment support for his research over the past four years at Kan sas State University. Hisatsune joined the faculty last September. - In 1895, faculty and students met in the chapel at 8 o'clock each weekday morning, except Saturday, for religious exercises, • SAVE 50 to 70% On a boatload of books now during Keeler's Dollar Days book sale. Encyclopedias, history books, novels, text bo o k s the categories are limitless. A partial list of the books now on sale is on pages 6 and 7. Just a hint of what's available right now at . KEELER'S The University Book Store Across from the East Campus Gate 41) The Penn Stale Diner ftp Says: And coot, Eat At The Sign Of The Lion ! SUMMER COLLEGIAN, STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA Farm Youth Participate In Program Farm youth throughout the nation are learning more !about business and manage ! ment practices from the Town and Country Business Pro gram which was developed by the University Agricultural Extension Service in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. THE PURPOSE of the program, according to Robert B. Donaldson, project leader and chairman of the! Agricultural Economics Extension , Service, is to prepare farm youth' for the future in their understand-: ing of economics and marketing in relation to all aspects of agri-i culture. Many of these youth will be earning their living as adults in' some area of farm production which will require a knowledge of the marketing system. Donald-! son said. This program is de signed to improve their under standing in this area. Specifically .the program is to provide an understanding of busk ness as it operates in the market-1 ing field, explore employment op portunities in business which are . related to agriculture. IT SHOULD ALSO provide an understanding and appreciation of . the problems and structure of agH ricultural marketing for the youth entering the field of farming, and: to teach some basic economy facts, Donaldson said. The program consists of meet-: ings where the youths, usually , junior and seniors in high school,: discuss a particiular industry. This is followed by a "behind tlie scenes" tour in the factory or plant, where the students are told; how the company is managed.; how it handles its finances and! how it markets its goods. Donaldson started the program 'two and a half years ago "to ex-d plore the possibilities of develop-' ing a program for older youth! which would be associated with! agricultural marketing concerns." After one and a half years of research w,orlc, a demonstrational program was initiated in five counties in Pennsylvania. At pres ent 22 counties are associated with the program and more will be started this year. Also, it has spread to 38 states. It's Still There DOLLAR DAY SPECIALS • • • one group of SPORT SHIRTS values to 05 . . , , now only .. . each one group of SPORT HATS values to 5.95 one group of SLACKS ~ . . now only .. . 4),C, each values to 12.95 one group of SPORT COATS . . . now only .• . $5 each values to 35.00 ALSO REDUCED: Suits, swimwear, trousers, sport coats; hats, dress shirts and bermuda shorts. ) All Sales / I ai r Alterations Cash MEN'S STORE At Cost STATE COLLEGE Peace Corps-- (Continued from page one) lish is not the official national language, The Peace Corps volunteers will live at the level of the people in the area where they serve. When the volunteers return to the United States they will • re ceive $75 for each month spent abroad in the service of the Peace Corps. SOUTHWEST TEACHER'S AGENCY 1303 Central N.E. Albuquerque. New Mexico Serving the Entire Southwest, West & Alaska FREE REGISTRATION Member: N.A.T.A. _ Salaries: $4500 up PAGE NINE
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers