Ashbury College - Ashburian Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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THE ASHBURIAN QS morning t0LlI'. XYe immediately set off for the Division of Building Research, a little advertised branch of research, but an extremelv inii portant one, especially considering the fact that construction' now accounts for more than one-fifth of the total national gross product. Mr. C. R. Crocker was kind enough to answer our questions and to show us some of the ten ton test-tubes this lab uses. Next was the fascinating Radio and lileetrical llngineering Division. Hfhile waiting for Mr. XY. F. Chisolm to take over the chores of teacher-guide, we went on a short inspection of the N.R.C. museum, where we saw one of the first radios ever made, as well as one of the first home-power supply units. Finally Mr. Chisolm arrived, and he proceeded to lead us through a gigantic room containing millions of dollars of equipment. It was our misfortune that the D.C. generator was not in operation, so we had to be content with just admiring the colossus. XYhen we could take our eyes off it, we learned the fundamentals of its operation, and were shown a few recent additions. Then we went upstairs to see the mag- netometer, an extremely sensitive magnetic field sensor. From there we went to the infra-red research rooms where we saw the latest improvements in buoys and light-houses. The battery's circuit was attached to a photoelectric cell. XYhen there is sunlight, the battery remains off. As it grows dark, the battery automatically takes over. In this way, warning is always given, but at a much lower cost. The battery itself is extremely powerful, and lasts for years. Another battery under experimentation that we saw is one used in detection devices. especially in underwater projects. The battery, a small pocket-book size unit, nevertheless has enough power to send out a signal for some time. N.R.C. had thought of everything, even of transportation from Montreal Road to the Sussex Drive building, where the cafeteria is. Dr. John Kohr met us there, and took us to a secluded niche for lunch. Following lunch, and a gaze at N.R.C.'s beautifully stocked library. we were taken by Dr. Kohr to watch Photogrammetric Research in action. Briefly photogrammetry is the art or technique of making surveys or maps by means of photographs. When we were introduced to Mr. T. Blachut, he was in the middle of making such a map. The equipment used was made in Germany and Switzerland. One machine was so precise in its etchings that it was kept in an air-conditioned room. From photogrammetry we went to spectroscopy, which is the technique of finding a substance's composition by means of its spectrum. The projects head, Dr. D. A. Ramsey, ushered us into a long dark room where we saw the technique in operation. It is through this very method that scientists have found out so much about the heavenly bodies.

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24 THE ASI-IBURIAN the Dean, Dr. Stephenson, gave us a line talk on Medicine as a career, and then took us on a tour of the Medical Building, including the Osler Library and the Anatomical Museum. This interested us a great deal. Leaving the Medical Building we travelled down to the Chemistry Building. Here we had a short tour conducted by Dr. R. V. V. Nichols. XYe were very fortunate to see an experiment being carried out on Atomic Nitrogen by graduate students. The tour here concluded with a short chat by Dr. XYinkler. From McGill, we went to the LaSalle Hotel where, as usual, Mr. Fascio outdid himself providing us with a delicious steak dinner. This was a wonderful Hnale to our tour. Those who made the trip this year included Butcher, Farrugia I, Monks, Noel-Bentley l, VVilson l, Pottinger, Oxley, Mussells I, Mclnnes. and Gill. We would like to offer our thanks to all the people whose wonderful cooperation made the trip a success and particularly to Mr. Sibley, without whose tireless work the tour would not have been possible. ll. Scic'm'eT0m' - The National Research Council On Monday, March 6th, at 9.00 a.m., we left for our annual tour of the National Research Council in Ottawa. In the morning we were to tour the Montreal Road labs, in the afternoon the Sussex Drive building, with a complimentary lunch in between. Shortly after 9.00, we arrived at the main gate of the Montreal Road labs, where we were met by Mr. Mel Willard, our guide for the 'ISHS N.,3f 43 .E 3 T-'iffjidi Y -if r U:-2 frfeiiv if-aiila f .iff Y N. f, 'QSM ' - . 's , ' , f 1 ' 'V J ' vip' 1 1, , x A -M64 - i ? ' f N 3 I misha- sA.4 4 no-0o.luu

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26 THE ASHBURIAN Dr. Kohr next took us to meet Dr. A. H. Reddoch, head of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Research. This terrifying title is the name given to the method used to find the percentage composition of large alcohol molecules. and also to End out the spin and place of individual atoms. This knowledge is essential if man is to synthesize organic materials now only available in natural form. F rom Dr. Reddoch, we went downstairs to meet Dr. R. Colvin, who taught us something about the interior of plant cells. VVe were shown pictures taken of these cells by hundred-thousand-power, and million-power electron microscopes. Dr. Colvin gave a lucid demon- stration of one of these microscopes, a treat equalled by an all too short visit to the million-power microscope. And so the tour concluded. Those who went extend a sincere thank-you to our many hosts at N.R.C., and to Mr. Sibley, who was the inspiration and the hard worker at our end. Those who went on the tour were. Butcher, Farrugia I, Spencer, VVilson I, Lynn, Ewing, XVoolley, Parker I, Mussells I, Snelgrove, and Noel-Bentley I.