102 
diate service to the nation that the infor- 
mation or ability of the physicist may 
afford. Of this I need say nothing. The 
other, and one which is not clearly sep- 
arable from the first, is the question of our 
opportunity to take advantage of the 
world’s awakening to the realization of the 
value of fundamental science, and estab- 
lish as never before an interest in that 
broad domain closely analyzed only in the 
study of physics. Though the utilitarian 
motive may always be one of the chief re- 
eruiting agencies for any fundamental sci- 
ence, there is now every reason to believe 
' that in the immediate future it will be 
elorified by an accompanying inspiration— 
for this world-wide ‘‘flood of scientific and 
technical accomplishment’’ which is now 
identified with the war, and which will at- 
tain to even loftier heights in ending the 
war—this upheaval is accompanied by one 
of no less importance for the future—the 
sudden unrest and dissatisfaction of the 
average individual with his own scientific 
appreciation. To keep pace with events 
even now makes an effort toward progress 
along this line imperative. Survival here- 
after may tbe synonymous with successful 
competition in a new world where scientific 
method based upon ever-increasing scienti- 
fie information is the dominating factor in 
existence. Hence it is that we, simple 
teachers of physics, have now an oppor- 
tunity and a duty, probably unique. 
Even against the advice of the President 
and other government authorities, our 
students, though below draft age, are 
rushing into the war because there have 
come to them ever louder the echoes of a 
larger life now centered in the great strug- 
gle, which have brought with them to the 
youthful mind the sudden realization of 
the fact that his academic world is not the 
most actual one, that he is not learning in 
the most direct manner of the things that 
SCIENCE 
[N. S. Von. XLVIIT. No. 1231 
count, and he is truly justified in answering 
the call to enter that world where his in- 
terest may be focused on things felt to be 
real. 
What can be done that will help him 
when he goes, or to strengthen him in the 
most efficient manner while he stays? 
Those who leave must go with all possible 
preparation; those who remain behind 
must be well armed for the equally im- 
portant struggle here—and: the beginning 
steps for the teacher, for example, the 
teacher of physics, are clearly indicated by 
the sudden development of a host of new 
questions of interest in themselves, and 
which may serve to entice the beginner 
through uninviting portals into a new 
storehouse of endless benefits for him and 
all with whom he may come in contact 
Let us consider some of the more com- 
mon questions specifically, in approximately 
the general order in which we have been 
accustomed to classify their kind. 
To begin with, we may take aviation. 
Here we have ample material for the dis- 
cussion of such good physics that even the 
most conservative text-book-repeating peda- 
gogue can not object. To the student 
it affords a most impressive illustration of 
the relation of action to reaction, also of 
the omnipresence of friction, and at the 
same time of its indispensable utility—and 
again, of the universality of gravitational 
attraction. There is also the question of 
the non-ricocheting shell? that will dive 
and not glance from the surface of the 
water when directed toward a more-or- 
less submerged submarine. Such devices 
can not be explained to the ordinary class 
completely, but the nature of the solution 
of the problem can be indicated with suffi- 
cient detail to increase rather than chill.the 
student’s interest. He asks about the va- 
rious types of unsinkable ships, and even 
2 Scientific American, February 9, 1918, p. 125. 
