that often characteristic in geology, forestry, and geography, lack of mobility is a serious handicap. Teaching, the editing of reports, and technical library work are good outlets for persons with scientific experience who become limited in their movement by poliomyelitis or similar handicaps. Two men with polio handicaps were found employed as technical librarians in the laboratories visited.

For those who have physical conditions requiring frequent checking, such as certain types of cardiac or tuberculosis cases, employment in a hospital or other medical laboratory under controlled conditions would be more desirable than work in industry. Of course, consultation with a physician or a rehabilitation specialist is advisable for a woman with a physical handicap who is interested in scientific work. Good vision and good health are perhaps the two most important physical qualifications in most types of scientific work, which inevitably involves the ability to observe accurately and the stamina to persevere at a difficult task, regardless of circumstances.

SUGGESTIONS TO GIRLS AND WOMEN INTERESTED IN SCIENTIFIC WORK

"Shall I prepare for a job in science?" This question will be asked countless times in the future as it has been asked in the past by starryeyed, serious young women.

Some of them will be told, "That's no field for a woman." Others may be advised, "Of course! Don't let anyone stop you. You may become a second Marie Curie." Between these two extremes lies the broad realm of possiblity, as shown in the expanding variety of scientific work in which women are engaged.

Exploration and Choice

This is a realm that each individual must examine for herself as early as possible, selecting the probable areas which interest her most,

Courtesy National Association of Biology Teachers

Figure 24.-The microscope reveals a new world to this high school

biology student.

using the charts and reports based on the experience of those who have gone before. The information given in the bulletins in this series and in those on occupations in the medical and other health services (Women's Bureau Bulletins 203–1 through 203-12) should be useful in this exploration. But they should be supplemented by current reports, first-hand whenever possible, from women and men engaged in scientific work or in the training or employment of scientific personnel.

The autobiographies of women who have achieved public recognition in the sciences accent the heights that may be attained. Brief biographical summaries of the more than 2,000 successful women included in the 1944 edition of American Men of Science show that no one scientific field has a monopoly on opportunities for women to earn distinction (5). This is shown in the distribution of the 1,686 women who listed themselves primarily in one of the principal scientific fields covered in this study. (See table 7.)

Table 7.-Distribution of Women Listed in American Men of Science, by Scientific Field, 19441

This table covers more than 34 of all the women listed. An additional 489 women gave as their principal fields: Medicine, psychology, education, social science, or other categories not included in this bulletin. Source: American Men of Science, 1944 (5).

The prevalence of Ph.D.'s among the women listed in American Men of Science and the records of their experience show the length of the road and the consistency of effort that are required to reach the heights. Even genius is not spared the discipline and drudgery required for success in science, as the years of devoted work of Marie and Pierre Curie in their makeshift laboratory show (8). The rigors

of the journey to the top require not only aptitude for science but strong motivation, courage, and stamina.

The prominence of the great men and women in science, like the peaks on a relief map, attracts attention away from the plains and the plateaus, where the majority of women trained in science are working. But the seeker will find great variety in the landscape and more than one location suited to her interests and abilities.

The wide range of the sciences, the specializations within each scientific field, the variations in types of work and in employing agencies (as indicated in the bulletins in this series) multiply the possibilities for a potential worker in science but also complicate the problem of her choice. The earlier the potential young scientist examines herself and her limitations in relation to the varied possibilities, the more surely will she arrive, prepared and ready for useful work, at a location that suits her and her circumstances.

She can narrow down the territory she wishes to explore more thoroughly by certain eliminations. Some may be on the basis of required abilities, the possession or lack of which may be verified with the assistance of counselors, teachers, and others qualified to supply perspective on her abilities in relation to those of others. Other eliminations may be on the basis of personal circumstances and preferences, such as the necessity or desire to work near home, the likelihood of early marriage and the cessation or interruption of outside work, or inability to finance the training required.

In weighing one's circumstances, it is important not to let present handicaps obscure future possibilities. The scientifically talented young woman who changes from a scientific to a business course in high school only because she does not at that time see any possibility of a scholarship in college places unnecessary limits on her future. It is usually possible, with careful planning, to face the immediate situation without turning one's back completely on the ultimate goal.

For example, the would-be chemical or medical laboratory technician who has the required ability and aptitude but cannot go to college immediately may continue with her science and mathematics courses in high school, adding shorthand and typing to her program by dropping a nonscience subject, or taking commercial training in summer school or following graduation. She can probably obtain stenographic or other clerical work in a chemical or a medical laboratory. If her interest persists and her health is good, she may complete her scientific training at night, aided by her daily contact with scientific workers and, if she has unusual ability, very possibly by a scholarship.

A different type of problem is faced by the young woman upon whose choice there appear to be few limitations. "Not-being-able-to-makeup-one's-mind" is often more confusing than a complicated set of handicaps. In this case, a broad basic training including a course in each of the principal sciences is desirable before specialization. This should of course be supplemented by the many other types of exploratory experiences in school and out. If there is still no significant difference in interest or ability, and there are no limiting circumstances which indicate that the likelihood of satisfying employment is greater in one field than in another, then any one of the fields will be suitable. A "flip-of-the-coin" choice is never a substitute for exploration, but it may well be used to hasten a decision between a number of equally suitable fields. There is a point, which varies with the individual, when specialized preparation should start. To postpone that preparation because of a variety of possibilities is as foolish as not embarking on a holiday trip because there are so many equally attractive places

to go.

Preparation

Once the choice of scientific field has been made, the problem becomes primarily one of preparation. The omission of an essential tool or working knowledge required for the journey is likely to produce crises later on. The usual minimum training required in the different fields as well as the additional preparation that is desirable have been discussed in the other bulletins in this series and in other sources to which they refer.

One's college should be selected with careful consideration for the work it offers in the scientific field chosen or in the potential fields from which a later choice is to be made. Some 700 of the schools of higher education in the United States grant bachelor's degrees in science (48). But there are wide differences in scientific curricula among them. Some offer a wide variety of sciences but few advanced courses. Others offer outstanding training in one science and scant training in another. Some supply a broad undergraduate background looking toward specialization at the graduate level; others provide for specialization at the undergraduate level. There is no magic formula for selecting a suitable school on the basis of size or location or any other factor or combination of factors. The catalogs, supplemented by reports of faculty, graduates, and students, must be studied in relation to one's purpose.

Within each field, the required as well as the desired preparation varies according to the employer. A fairly early decision as to type of work (teaching, research, technical assisting, etc.) and as to type