PRESIDENT’s ADDRESS. 
By Percy Norron EVANS. 
THE PLACE OF RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS. 
The aim of this Academy is the encouragement of research along sci- 
entific lines by establishing and maintaining intercourse among those en- 
gaged therein, thus stimulating them by a consciousness of companionship 
in productive intellectual activity. In a small society, embracing in its 
scope all the sciences, one does not expect in these days of specialization 
to find others engaged in just the same field of investigation as himself; 
it is through inspiration rather than information that the investigator 
profits by these meetings. 
It is now hardly necessary to emphasize, even to the non-scientific pub- 
lic, the importance of scientific research; to it mankind owes in a large 
measure not only his material prosperity, comforts, and conveniences, which 
is sufficiently obvious, but, what is even more important, his intellectual 
freedom. The changes that have taken place within the last century in 
our physical environment, with the innumerable applications of science 
to useful purposes, are no more profound than our intellectual advance 
and the growing pervasiveness of the scientific spirit in all lines of thought, 
and in the endeavor for human betterment, physcial, social and moral. 
Our increasingly extensive and effective philanthropies, our giant strides 
in sanitary administration, and the tottering barriers between the sects 
of Christendom, are very tangible evidences of the spirit that is not satis- 
fied with precedent or authority, but craves certainty as to the facts, and 
reasonable explanations for them, as well as aims at the application of all 
knowledge to the uses of man. 
The membership of this Academy happily includes scientific workers 
in many fields. Some apply the results of research to the needs of the State 
in developing its resources and protecting its citizens against the injuries 
inflicted by ignorance and fraud; others make science the servant of in- 
dustry and commerce; others, again, are active in applying it to the 
preserving and restoring of the health of our bodies. <A large part of our 
