Albion High School - Chevron Yearbook (Albion, NY)

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0ll!3ill I THE CHEVRON ll! 0 btience WHY STUDY SCIENCE? As Mr. D'Amico said when our chemistry class was making alcohol, this is being done in the interest of science. Science, if I may steal Webster's thunder, is the comprehension or understanding of truths or facts by the mind. Although Webster may have meant well by this definition, it cer- tainly does not suit my purpose, so I'll have to advance my own that science is the comprehension or understanding of the phenomena of the universe. The fact that this world upon which we live is controlled by the forces of the different sciences should influence everyone to endeavor to learn something about it. Many people, unable to understand the theories and laws of science, are not fully appreciative of the foundation which these beliefs have established. A theory is a scientific guess explaining some phenomenon of lifeg whereas, a law is a conclusion drawn from experiments which prove its validity. Guess is a rather weak word to use in defining a theory since it suggests too much improbability. Nevertheless a theory, as the definition says, is a guess, but this guess must be based on scientific facts which lead to the deduction of which I speak: or to explain myself' more fully, a theory is an outlet for a law which has no proof. In many cases, theories, which were originally advanced as plausible guesses, have been found to be true. This not so peculiar result has often been brought about since, after the theory was advanced, scientists carried on research with this theory in mind and, following the viewpoint suggested by the theory, were able to make discoveries which supplied sufficient proof to make the theory a law. In other cases, such as that of Avagadro's prin- ciple, which states that equal volumes of all gases under the same conditions of temperature and pressure inclose equal numbers of molecules, proof has been supplied by apparatus which is, in this case, able to count the number of molecules in a given volume of a gas. Theories and laws constitute the theoretical sciences, whereas, their appli- cation constitute the practical sciences. Without the theoretical sciences we could have no practical sciences and without the practical sciences we would profit little from the theoretical sciences. We, therefore, see that we can neglect neither since each is equally important. This must have been the opinion of Pasteur, perhaps the greatest of all the French chemists when he said, Science is the soul of the prosperity of nations and the living source of all progress. What really leads us forward are a few scientific discoveries and their applications. From our birth to our return to dust, the laws of the sciences are the con- trolling laws of life, health, disease and death. It is unfortunate that many people make no endeavor to learn something of this which concerns them so vitally. It is not only essential that we familiarize ourselves with these facts but we should make use of them and encourage others to do likewise. There- fore, we dedicate this Chevron to excite and promote interest in the appli- cation of science. -Walter Monacelli, '30. Page Twenty-three

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0l lIli! l THE CHEVRON I l 0 Once again the year has rolled around and again the June issue of the Chevron is presented for your approval. The Chevron is the symbol of Albion High School, and particularly in this graduation number, of the class of 1930. The members of the Class of 1930 have worked especially hard to make this issue a success and it is presented to you in the hope that you will receive it favorably. Its pages represent every phase of our school activities and we have tried to make them a fitting memorial to our class. We feel that this issue of the Chevron has been made more interesting by the introduction of a new feature-linoleum block print headings. These have been made possible only through the efforts of the Art group, under the instruction of Miss Sundell. The Snap Shot department, which was created last June was welcomed so enthusiastically that we have endeavored to follow it up with one equally good. Special mention should be made of the work of one of the Seniors, Curtis Scharping, who has been in charge of the Snap Shot section. With the united eiforts of the staff and the cooperation of the student body 'and the faculty, we have tried to make this June number as attractive as possible and it is our sincere hope that it will conform to your ideas of what the Chevron should be. THE DUCHESS OF FERRARA CContinued from Page 191 to notice. This had kept on throughout the whole evening and now the first rosy tints of dawn were beginning to appear in the sky. But the atmosphere in the ball room was far from being rosy. The guests had long since begun to notice what was taking place. At Hrst they began to talk together in low whispers but when they saw the brow of their host grow dark with anger, their whispers became tense and excited. In fact the whole atmosphere became intense, unbearable. Suddenly, as of a bolt of thunder piercing the darkness, the Duke roared out in a voice that made the guests tremble with fear. Take her to the gallows! I'l1 have no more of her. Tomorrow she shall die! For a moment no one moved, so great was the tensity of the moment. But as the echoes ot his voice died away, the servants hastened to take the Duchess. paralyzed with fear, and half fainting, to do their master's bidding. Such was the fate of the Duchess of Ferrara. -Angelina DiValerio. Ulf .ll , 7-1 I' ,WY In ' :li lv- t il N ,W V , 4 4 :v - -..- :.- - ' . 41' 5 E Page Twenty-two

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0IllIllI I THE CHEVRON l l 0 THE SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE A few years ago the term Scientific Agriculture was greatly ridiculed. In those days he who would apply scientific principles to farming was laughed to scorn. Hard, practical experience, not theory and experiment, was held to be the requirement of successful farming. But today a new science of agriculture is being evolved. Men realize that agriculture deals not only with inanimate objects, but with life and living things, and must therefore deal with many sciences. Among these may be named chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and economics. A knowledge of these subjects is essential to success in any agricultural pursuit or calling of the present day. A knowledge of the science of chemistry is necessary in order to under- stand and apply the principles of plant nutrition. The trained agriculturist must understand how the chemicals which he uses to fertilize his soil, may, through a series of chemical changes, become food for plants, and he must know how to hasten and guide these processes. He must understand how organic matter in the soil likewise undergoes chemical changes until it also becomes food for plants, and he must know and provide the conditions under which this takes place. He must know something of the chemistry of the spray mixtures which he uses to control insects and plant diseases. He must be familiar with certain tests, such as the soil acidity test, and the Babcock test for butter fat, which are purely and simply chemical reactions. The scientific farmer must apply physical principles at every turn. He must use internal combustion engines, which are highly complicated devices by which the properties of levers, of mass, of expanding gases, and of elec- tricity are made to serve him. He must harness electricity with its many properties, and make it work for him. He must understand pulley ratios, power application, friction, and a thousand other things wholly physical in nature. In the field of biology, he must be guided by the laws of heredity in the breeding of his stockg he must utilize the laws of plant growth in raising his crops and he must abide by the laws of animal nutrition in feeding his live- stock, and he must understand life history and habits in combating crop and livestock enemies. It need not be emphasized that the scientific farmer has need of mathe- matical training. Money transactions, estimations of distance, area, and con- tents, farm engineering problems, farm cost accounting, and numerous other jobs of like nature require a practical working knowledge of mathematics. Last, but perhaps, in this modern age, most important of all, the scientific farmer must understand and be guided by the laws of economics. In the midst of problems of over-production, distribution, tariff, farm boards, high pressure advertising, competition from foreign fields, cooperatives, production cycles, combinations and mergers, and intricate marketing problems for practically every farm product, his hope lies in a knowledge of the economic laws by which these things operate. Only with such knowledge, may he ad- just his business to changing conditions and survive. Two new beings are being evolved in this scientific age. The first is the trained agricultural worker who concerns himself with the discovery of scien- tific principles and the application of them to practical farming. The second is the scientifically trained farmer, who sets himself to make use of these Page Twenty-four