Joplin High School - Joplimo Yearbook (Joplin, MO)

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GEOMETRY It all happened a coupla thousand years ago. Some Greek mathema- tician known as Thales got the idea that mathematics and algebra weren't hard enough as they were, and, having nothing else to do, he invented geometry. That was only the beginning, however, for as other mathematicians down through the ages decided they were fully as intelligent as Thales they added new theorems, and this continued for several centuries until the poor student of today, attempting to unravel the mysteries of this ancient puzzle, runs into considerable difficulty. Geometry is a very valuable subject, however, as some very valuable con- clusions may be drawn from it. For instance, we are given a ship fifteen miles from shore sailing ten knots per hour toward the northg at 5:30 in the morn- ing the captain noticed they were directly east of the lighthouse and at 6 the same evening he noticed that by some strange chance they were at a forty-five degree angle with the lighthouse. With these facts we are to prove that the ship will arrive in a town thirty miles away the following evening in time for supper. Also, if XY over Z is equal to ZY over X, then the captain is either per- pendicular to the deck or parallel to his bunk. We believe we can prove him to be parallel, and, as it is rumored through the crew that he isn't tired, We believe we can feel fully justified in saying he isn't seated. He is either tired or he isn't, and if he isn't tired he must be tired, for no other possibility exists. ln this manner we have proved that the ship will be in London last week, providing the second mate doesn't get seasick, which he probably will, so the ship is three hours ahead of schedule, but it is probably a different ship and anyway a ship was seen to pass a given point yesterday, not tomorrow, so if the captain got there at all he was probably on time. Simple, isn't it? There is really nothing to worry about. There are so many students that do have trouble with geometry and stay up nights cramming for six weeks' tests that a large eastern light company gave a local school a large sum of money to encourage students to take geometry in order that the students might use a larger amount of electricity. This was never a success, however, as the football team lost an average of fifteen pounds to the man from worrying about geometry, and the subject was dropped. After reading the material I have prepared, dear reader, if you still wish to take geometry lightly and think it is something that is here today and gone tomorrow, you are most certainly hopeless, for people come and people go, but geometry goes on forever! V -Bob Burke, '36. ' ' T2 Fzrst place m essay contest. 'r-3 - if --3:35 -v fun 0: 131. NA' 1+ A- AA AN 5 Twvnly-th ' rx V 1 151. h k.v?,,.r,j,f-'7'-

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