How to Become a Scientist — High School Years 91 



Studies should not, of course, be confined to ancient times. 

 They are emphasized here partly because so many of our 

 basic rules of behavior were developed in those days. It may 

 also be true that the ancients gave more of their time and 

 energy to considering problems of character since they were 

 somewhat less preoccupied with certain technical aspects 

 of living than we are. Whatever the reasons, it is difficult 

 to find any better expression of the problem of the good 

 man confronted by undeserved adversity than the Book of 

 Job, or the troubles of the thoughtful and responsible ad- 

 ministrator than the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. Nor 

 have two thousand years added much to what Cicero had 

 to say about the sense of duty. 



We do, of course, confront m.any problems that are unique 

 to our day, and the complexity of our social and economic 

 arrangements makes it harder than ever to plot a true 

 course. Knowledge of recent history and of the lives of 

 outstanding contemporary figures will help in preparing the 

 student to understand the special problems of his own times. 



Much of what has been said above appHes both to social 

 studies and to literature as presented in courses in EngUsh 

 or foreign languages. A special word should be said perhaps 

 to encourage the high school student as he takes up the 

 arduous task of learning how to write acceptable EngHsh. 

 As will be discussed more fully in the next chapter, the 

 capacity to write clear and forceful English is an indispen- 

 sable part of the scientist's equipment. The future scientist 

 should therefore welcome the opportunity to write themes 

 and term papers. If he has a teacher who takes time to make 

 critical comments in the margins, so much the better. It 

 takes long practice to learn to write well and there is no 

 substitute for having someone else point out one's errors, 

 painful though the process may be. In these days of heavy 

 teaching loads, the student who finds a teacher willing to 



