Wakefield High School - Oracle Yearbook (Wakefield, MA)

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Between 1,000 and 4,000 meters the most useful and the most talked of signals are those of Arlington, Virginia. This station sends the Naval Observatory time twice each daj% followed by weather, navigation obstruc- tions, and press. In a way the work of the high-x)Owered stations is uninteresting. If one is fortunate enougli to happen to hear one sign their call letters, it is easy to make a long distance re- ception record, but niost of them seldom sign and tlie messages they send are mostly in cipher. In conclusion many peoiile have the idea that some special apparatus is necessary to receive radio-telephone conversations and Itroadcasts. This is not so, for any receiver will receive the ' phones within its range pro- vided it will tune to the proper wave lengths. This concludes our program for this even- ing, as the radiophone operators say, This is 1-AXB signing ofP. Good Bye. IIAYWAED K. MANN, ' 23. RADIO IN THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL Wakefield High School is far behind the times in the radio line. It is practically the only liigh or preparatory school in eastern Massachusetts which cannot boast of a Avirc- less set. In 1910 the sum of twenty dollars was spent for a wireless set which was designed and constructed by a radio expert. In those days that kind of a set was all right. In re- cent tests, that same set was found to be very inefficient. The station of the Ameri- can Eadio and Eesearch Corporation, located at Medford Hillside was barely audible, whereas with a modern small receiving set it was plainly heard at a distance of thirty feet from the phones. A receiving set suitable for the new school could be bought and installed for about three hiiiulrod dollius. This set would be capable of receiving opera from Chicago, concerts from rittsl)urg. Pa., and Newark, N. J., as well as from other stations within a seven hundred mile radius. With a loud speaker in the lecture hall all this could easily be heard by all those present. Eadio is now the fore- most subject in popular science. In the Manchester High School there is a comijletc outfit being installed and a course in radio being arranged. A receiving outfit is simple to operate and does not require much know- ledge of radio theory. There are a great many radio enthusiasts in the school who are fairly well acquainted with a large variety of transmitting and receiving apparatus, in- cluding wireless telephony. A wireless outfit would be a great addition to the new building. Those who have never had the pleasure of listening to music from the air, know nothing of its possibilities, and until r;idio becomes a form of ijublic enter- tainment little will be done to enable peo- ple to enjoy it. L. LESLIE McMASTEE, ' 23. THE MAGICAL KEY Tlie sunset-glow, coming through the multi- paned window cast variously colored dia- monds across the dusty and littered floor of Perseverance ' s shop. The sliadows slowly grew longer and longer, and the mellow light faded softer and softer, as Perseverance, with a sigh, drew off his leather apron and picked up his tools. He stood for a moment, regard- ing the object of his labors, for so many years, which he today had just finished. It was a key, the Key of Progression, for Per- severance was no more than one of the com- mon locksmiths, whose shops crowded the narrow streets. As he gazed at the Key a golden liglit seemed to settle over it, than hovering around it, would vanish and reap- pear. Perchance it was only tlie yellow light of the sinking sun, but to Perseverance, it was a sign that his labor had not been in vain. Tills Key of Progression it was, that the wealthy King Enthusiasm had ordered, and to him it must be delivered at once. Perse- verance locked the door of his shop, careful- ly wrapped the Key under his cloak, and with a stout heart, set fourth, but the way to the Palace was long and dark, beset with many evils. Long before Perseverance neared the King ' s portals, he became so weary, that he fell by the roadside. Then three dark and muffled figures. Vice, Ignorance, and Hatred, stole forth, and with a hoarse laugh, they killed Perseverance, and seized the Key of Progression. This Key, they knew was to lock them up, as well as to unlock vast treasures, which would forever render their allurements to men hollow, so this Avas the very chance for which they were waiting. Nor when they had tlie Kej ' , did they lot it lie idle. Vice used it with an ease 12

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tractive, and accordingly erected more beau- tiful buildings and residences, set out many trees, and laid out beautiful parks. The city at last grew rapidlj% but we owe our beauti- ful Capitol City to the great dream of George Wasliington. HAERIET M. DOLBEARE, ' 22. RADIO TODAY An intangible, invisible, something, called ether, is thought by scientists to fill all space and matter, and is the means of carrying liglit, licnt and radio communications. The theory is that a liglit or an antenna sets this ether into motion in the form of waves, ra- diating from tlie source in all direction. These waves ai-e like those seen wlien a stone is dropped into a pool of water and the length is measured from crest to crest. The length of tliese waves varies, from that of violet, having a wave length of .0008968mm., through tlie heat wave, up to the longest of all ; the radio waves. Those in general use for radio are between 175 meters and 23600 meters in length or, in the English system, approxinmtely 575 feet to a little over 14 miles. The government has allotted the various wave lengths possible in radio communica- tion to various classes of service, and has provided many laws to regulate the use of them. Licenses are issued to all sending sta- tions before they may lawfully operate, and every transmitting station must be in charge of a licensed operator. Operators ' licenses are divided into two classes: amateur and commercial. An amateur license may be had I ' y passing a simiile test given by the Radio In.spector of his district. With an amateur license one may operate an amateur trans- mitter. A commercial license test is more difficult, as it licenses an operator to hold a position on shipboard. A short time ago, Mr. Hoover called a coun- cil of representatives of the amateurs, com- mercial companies, the Army, the Navy, and others to meet in Washington to solve the proljlem of the interference caused by the many radiophones that have started opera- tions. There were no very great changes decided upon but those made are hoped to satisfy all parties concerned. Until these regulations are adopted by Congress no change will be made, but after Congress has adopted these regulations, the amateurs will be able to use their ' phones without interfer- ing with those wishing to receive the pro- grams broadcasted by the many commercial radiophones. Tlie wave lengths as they were used be- fore tlie conference are as follows: 200 meters and under. Amateur work. 300-400 meters. Commercial Radiophones. 300, 450, and COO meters. Commercial traffic. 800 meters, Radio-compass bearings. 1000-4000 meters. Press, time, weather, etc. From 4,000 meters up. High j)owered sta- tions. The amateurs carry on their conversations on the 200 meter wave. Aside from the usual idle talk there is a societj ' , called the Ameri- can Radio Relay League, which is composed of amateurs all over the country. They re- lay private messages over the routes, formed Ijy llie amateur stations, to all parts of the country free of charge. Often the number of messages handled per month mounts to over ten thousand. While they are amateurs by name, many are exjiert operators and some liold positions as radio or electrical en- gineers. Tlie next group, the commercial radiophone broadcasting stations, has the greatest num- ber of listeners of all. They are located in various cities all over the country and have ranges usually of over one thousand miles. Tliey seldom use the phonograph to enter- tain their audiences but maintain a schedule every niglit, of news items, weather, market reports, stock news and music. They have a one or two hours ' program of singers, players, or an orchestra. Aside from this, one station in particular broadcasts enter- tainments, speeclies, and recitals held in the public halls of tlie city where it is located. Every Sunday morning and evening, the eom- I)lete services of one of the churches is broadcasted. Another station broadcasts the opera which is being played in the Chicago Opera House. To operators who can copy the Internation- al Morse Code at a speed of about twenty words per minute, the next class of signals is as interesting as one could want. It con- sists of the ships and shore stations sending messages to and from passengers and also the orders from the ship owners. After a heavy winter storm the air is full of or- ders, reports, and messages, telling of dam- age and loss at sea, while on the 800 meter wave the radio compass stations, located all along the coast, are kept busy giving ships their positions. 11

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which terrified the country folk; but Ignor- ance, suspicious, and fearing the outcome of anything before its accomplishment, abhorred tliis Key of Progression. Hatred found a lock to fit it into with the least difficulty in the world. All, these were terrifying times indeed for the country folk. Every road they travelled, tlicy found to be inhabited by the compan- ions of Vice, Ignorance, and Hatred. Great monsters of Ignorance, called Plague and Famine, carried olf tlieir children and des- troyed tlicir lierds and crops. And worse even than this, every man loathed his neigh- bor, and liad some special cause for griev- ance against liini. Little and deadly serpents of Hatred, Malice, and Vengeance, infused these spirits into men against their neigh- bors, and try as the people did, they wou ld not be east out. And added to these trou- bles, were the mockeries of Vice, Temptation and Craft. The world grew darker and darker under tlie regime of these tluee, all began to cry out to the ricli King Entliusiasm to save tliem. But alas, the King could do nothing ; ithout tlio Key of Progression, desjiite his wealth and power. Then everyone turned to the locksmith. Perseverance, that he might begin another key. But his shop had been closed for many years, and his tools were covered with rust. Then it was, with all other liopes gone, that the people turned their efforts to capture the throe outlaws, Vice, Ignorance, and Hatred; but this was far from an easy task now, the people found, for the scoundrels, with the Key of Pro- gression in their possession, discovered new waj-s to defy the populace each passing day. After many years, however, when King En- thusiasm was dead, and his son. Experience, ruled instead, the task was accomplished, and the Key of Progression was put safely in tlie Palace Treasury. When Vice, Ignorance, and Hatred had been duly banished, the Key was again brought forth. As it lay on King Experience ' s costly desk, it seemed to be the center of a golden harmony of light. It is a sign of coming Prosperity and For- tune, said the people. As the days went by, every one grew prosperous, and happy and no longer were their flocks carried off, nor did any man loathe his neighbor. And, in sooth, it was the Key of Progression, the re- sult of the labors of Perseverance, Enthusi- asm, and Experience, which did all this. MAEY COGAN, ' 24. THE KING OF THE FOREST Out of the mountain came a little stream of clear water, and wended it s way down the rocky side. In the valley it formed a pool, and with vines overhanging its edges, sang its song of life and laughter, and then hurried away to the sea. The wild creatures of the forest found this pool, and gathered to eu,joy its clear, spark- ling water. The fat brown bear, who all day had col- lected honey and slugs, boldly pushed its way through the black alder and swaying rushes to come, after his tiresome day, to enjoy the cool shade. He is the monarch of the creatures, and therefore the little people know his hour of repose, and scat- ter into the deep forest when they hear his low growl of warning. The lone wolf howled all night at the moon; then killed his prey as the moon dis- appeared behind the thickening clouds. Wlien the first pink traces of morn appeared, he fin- ished the last of his feast and stealthily skulked down the rocky mountain side to re- cline on the pale sand of the little pool. Here the sparkling water was discolored with rod from his blood drenched jaws, but the ever moving stream carried the discolored water away to the sea. This pool was his kingdom until the last stars faded into the west. As the sun sent its pure shafts of gold through the giant pines, it awoke every lit- tle creature in tree and bough. Here they gathered to have their morning bath and to break their fast. The white-throated sjiairow fluttered his wings and pure breast in the little pools that lay between the moss- covered rocks, while his neighbor, Mrs. Eol;- iii, found her greatest treasure, a fat lazy worm, under a sod of meadow grass. Chipmunks and gr;iy ■ squirrels switched their furry tails over their arched backs, and chattered with delight at their hoard of gold- en nuts stored in the autumn leaves. The fish hawk, the traflic officer of the sky, made his daily tour in the blue distances of the heaven. Like a thunder bolt he shot from the sky, into the clear water, and rose from it, with his Avhite breast gl6aming with sparkling drops of water. But in his claws he held a bass, for he is always true in gain- ing his goal. Thus the years sped on and all creatures met morning and evening to enjoy the ways of nature, and to tell the tales the pines 13