35 



President's Address. 



By Peecy Norton 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 

 l)rofits by these meetings. 



It is now hardly necessary to emphasize, even to tiie 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 sufiiciently 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 

 Ivuowledge 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 tlie health of our bodies. A large part of our 



