THE HUMAN SIDE OF SCIENCE 47 



dumbly and without understanding why the gram- 

 mar which we learnt seemed so meaningless and 

 so dull. Unless we were unfortunate in our 

 teachers we learnt to look past the spoken word 

 to the thoughts and habits that moulded it. 



No study really grips the mind and interest 

 of the learner unless it has something human about 

 it. We are interested when a risk is run for the 

 sake of an object which cannot otherwise be 

 obtained; fascinated by the efforts and sacrifices 

 of faith. Science also has its tale of such efforts 

 and sacrifices : furthermore it is always young, 

 interested in its growing powers and in the mys- 

 teries of its future. On the one hand, then, let us 

 avoid even the appearance of ingratitude to the 

 teachers and the studies that made us aware of 

 the heroisms in the great struggle of humanity. 

 It has been the glory of our public schools that 

 they have taught the meaning of faith and self- 

 sacrifice, and of devotion and unity. That can 

 never be taken from them. Let us say what we 

 think about the neglect of science and the strange 

 indifference to the knowledge of how best to do 

 things, and of the tools with which we may do 

 them. Nevertheless we will not forget our debt. 



We must be careful as to what we take away, 

 and what we put in its place. We may prune 

 away hours that have borne little fruit, and have 

 been spent overabundantly on the niceties of 

 grammar and phrases. We may put in their 



