Science in the Modern World

THE presidential address delivered to the Science Masters' Association, by Sir William Bragg on January 1 on “School Science after School” (see p. 78), was an impressive plea for the teaching of science in ways that will facilitate co-operation in dealing with national and international problems. The extraordinary growth of natural knowledge and the increase in community feeling, largely stimulated by the applications of that knowledge, are two of the great characteristics of our time. The school in its science teaching should therefore consider the community and not merely the individual and his own vocational and examination needs. The early members of the Royal Society, Sir William pointed out, unlike the fellows of the Society to-day, who are almost entirely professionals, specialists in some definite field of scientific study, pursued science as on© of several interests. They were as much amateurs as they were professionals, and their scientific work was largely related to the welfare of the nation. In the pursuit of natural knowledge they found themselves always in touch with the world's affairs.