This article first appeared in the American Mathematical Monthly in January 1929. In addition to some general concerns, six reasons for lethargic student attitudes are discussed. Stressed is the need to keep mathematics instruction in the hands of teachers prepared to teach mathematics. (MNS)

Some appearances of pi in a wide variety of problems are presented. Sections focus on some history, the first analytical expressions for pi, Euler's summation formula, Euler and Bernoulli, approximations to pi, two and three series for the arctangent, more analytical expressions for pi, and arctangent formulas for calculating pi. (MNS)