We celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the American Institute of Physics. The occasion is a notable one not only to those of us who have been active professionally during most or all of the past 25 years but also to those who begin their professional careers with the knowledge that physics is well established in our country. The Institute itself is not remarkable in the material sense. Its capital is small; its holdings in real estate are not impressive. Many of its most significant activities are routine. It is important because it symbolizes the collective unity of a group of individuals who occupy an exceptional position in the nation.