The Changing Role of Mathematics in Education

Abstract

The election of this year’s President has in some respects made history. There have been three previous women Presidents in the 95 years of the Association’s life and I recall with admiration the names of such eminent predecessors as Dr. Busbridge and Dr Cartwright, and with affectionate sadness at this time of loss, Miss L. D. Adams. But this is the first occasion on which one woman has succeeded another in the Presidency That there should be two women Presidents in sequence must be a significant event in the somewhat slow development of the recognition of women’s interest in mathematics. Moreover it is the first time that a woman who has had the ordinary responsibility of bringing up a family of children has also had the wonderful opportunity of continuing her mathematical work to the point of serving this Association as its President. This indeed makes me realise that mathematics is taking on a new role with a universal appeal.