Biology's Bright Future

Abstract

So much has been said recently on education-by qualified persons as well as by those who simply want to get into the actthat little more needs to be said. I am tempted to follow the example of those famous comedians, Laurel and Hardy, when in their most frustrating moments, Mr. Hardy would yell at his hopelessly entangled friend, Do something! The idea of this as an annual affair of this organization came from a mandate of the Board of Directors in its last meeting in Washington, D. C. However, the scheduling of this first Presidential Address is frightening indeed. On one side, it has been preceded bv distinguished curriculum experts, and on the side, it will be followed by the address of a distinguished Nobel prize winner. I feel like the other speaker at the Gettvsburg Address ceremonies. The story is told about a nervous young executive who was about ready to give his first major speech. While riding on a train before the talk, he encountered an old familv friend, the Rev. John Howland Lathrop. In answer to a plea for help, Dr. Lathrop said: Let me give you some advice that has stood me in good stead over many years in the ministry. As you mount into the pulpit, vou pause, you raise your head high, you very slowly survey of the hundreds out in front of you, and to yourself you sav quietlv; 'You go to hell, go to hell.' then, Dr. Lathrop said, You can then buckle down and proceed to save their souls. M'Iany phrases and statements have been uttered so often in the past four years that they have become common-place cliches. For instance, the terms scientific literacy, and biological literacy, are now verv popular terms. I suspect that our distinguished founder, Dr. Oscar Riddle, was responsible for these fine phrases. I noticed that recently a very well known annual symposium used these terms as the theme for of its talks. Another often used term is quality courses. President Sproul of the Universitv of California had the idea when he wrarned: If we fail in our hold upon quality, the cherished American dream of universal education will degenerate into a nightmare. Too, the idea of science for all is another widely used phrase. The distinguished science-educator, Dr. Lee DuBridge, has written: is the study of some of mankind's greatest intellectual achievements. The method of is one important method by which the human mind may grapple with the problems that we face. Finally, the spirit of science, like the spirit of true liberalisnl, is the spirit of freedom.' And thus he too adds his voice to the many who are telling us that is a subject that must be in the curriculum of those who go through our American schools. Science has become an important subject in the school curriculum, and certainly in the minds and lives of citizens -a subject of great significance and importance. There is no doubt that in this cold war in which we are so hotly engaged, we find ourselves without the very weapons we need so badly. These are the exportable commodities which we must have in great quantity to send to foreign countries which are in the undecided classification. The exportable commodities are American citizens who are scientifically literate, and consequently, are in the best position to assist these countries in