Members and guests of this Society, we can be rightfully proud of the growth of our Orthopaedic Research Society during the last 34 years. We have vitality and strength and surely have made great scientific progress. However, these characteristics also demand responsibility and vision. This 34th Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society is unique because for the first time since early in our history, although we are meeting in conjunction with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), there are no other ongoing specialty meetings. This adds a greater obligation for us to continue providing the scientific and educational forums that will attract a wide spectrum of clinicians and scientists. It is my belief that at this time in our history a critical analysis of the goals and responsibilities of our Society is necessary to prepare ourselves for the twenty-first century. I have entitled my talk "Back to the Future: Responsibilities of the Society" because if we are going to continue to be successful as a Society, we must have a perspective of the past and integrate the lessons learned with our goals and visions for the future. Content and people may change, but process and purpose usually remain constant over time, so that a periodic return to these goals and a clarification of purpose are critical for the vitality of a society. I would like, therefore, to briefly trace the roots and development of our Society for you, highlight what I believe are the processes and purposes that have remained firm, and attempt