Central High School - Cog N Pen Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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“SOMETHING FOR NOTHING” By Arthur Siniscal From the sun comes our unending supply о! nergy, ind in the sun originate all other forms of energy, either directly OI indirectly,” began the pro- fessor of physi s as he opened his address tO the class, May. the first one afternoon late in [ he period had just commenced and at words of the instructor, the majority of the pupils had already begun to com- fortably arrange themselves in their seats, preparatory to their accustomed afternoon nap. [he rest were shifting around trying to find a better position of com- fort, and, about five minutes after class started, al- most all were ready for the professor's continuation of his Sing me to sleep, recited in scientific lan- guage. 1 say almost because one, Fred Billingstone, who at this particular moment abandoned his daily rest, was quite agitated. 71 he last few words of the professor were still ringing in his ears, and phrases like Sun's unending energy, Supplied directly or indirectly,” In his lessons dealing with electricity he had learned were being turned over in his mind. that when heat was applied io a joint of two different metals, constituting a thermopile, electricity was gen- erated! And that а buming glass was ап instru- ment for concentrating the sun's rays in a minute spot. Also that mirrors reflect objects, especially the sun’s rays. Wham! Ап idea struck Fred Billingstone! Хой often did such luck occur to him, but he was one of those chaps to whom one idea out of a thousand brought fortune. His agitation increased and he be- came mentally excited. Not many ideas like this one True, he obtained many before No, this was different and one that deserved the trying; thus should be let alone. this, but, as usual, they were of no avail. his mind was made up. For the next few days members of the faculty observed that Fred's intelligence was reaching a still Also his pocket-book was usually empty, and that he stopped lower standard. fair friends noticed his raving about dances and the latest in the movies. 2l Besides this, various household utensils were missing, for which Ma could not account. Fred's appetite had decreased also and soon Pa began to wonder. Why had he been out in the back-yard so often lately? And why had he cleaned up the scrap and (A thing which was recorded for the first time in the his- tory of the Billingstones.) brush there lying around on his own account? And again, Fred had asked for (and received) his next week's allowance in advance. Four days later it rained unusually long; so all were indoors—except Fred. Ma looked out through the back window to see her promising son working inside the shed. The doors were open, and curious, she spied him fooling around something very odd. Peeping over her shoulder, we shall describe what On the table lay a thick board of some- On this, and spaced evenly, were three concave mirrors, with their re- she saw. thing like two by four feet. flecting sides up, and above these were three burning glasses (no wonder she missed them the other day on looking over her hope-chest) each placed directly over a mirror. Still above these were three funny- looking things; they seemed like circles, the spokes of which- she used in embroidering (the nerve! thought Ма) — and, yes, those were the wooden frames were formed by thin wires, their ends joined at the center. These were placed in a manner similar to the glasses, so that the entire contraption formed a base on which were mounted respectively the concave mirrors, the burning glasses and—well, let me here tell the secret—three thermopiles. Ма” curiosity in- creased when—remember it was a rainy day—the wind changed direction and blew the shed doors to- zether. Next morning, bright, calm and peaceful as ever— Hurrah! The day of the event. Fred was going to give his invention a trial! Of The idea had been there all these ages, waiting for someone to hap- was Saturday. course it would work—and why not?

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ГНЕ IDEAL CENTRAL STUDENTS is for Clean, the way we play. for Energetic, I surely can say. stands for Neighborly, to all we ar for Thoughtfulness in all is Reserved, in actions not loud. for Alert, never dimmed by a cloud is our Loyalty, of Central we'r proud. is the Honor, that is ours in hand for Industrious, our future we've plannea 15 Generosity, in all we donate for Habits, to correct never late is to Study, so subjects we pass. for Courage, all others to surpass to act Human to one and io ail. to Obey, answer those who call. Observation, го facts we learn. is our Leadership, others all yearn is to Serve in a righteous way. stands for Toil, a path to lay. to Unbias our opinions of some. our Debt, an accruing sum. for. Enthusiasm I hope never wanes is for Nimble in action or brains. is Thankful, to Central, so dear. to Shine, from year to year.

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pen along and uncover it. And why shouldn’t that What would the newspapers of His scheme would be recognized by other towns and large someone be himself? his town say about him when they heard of it? famous in cities and he would become—like Byron а day. His plan, worked on a larger basis would revolutionize the world. He would not have to worry now about passing his physics this term, since, of course, his instructor would do himself the honor of Perhaps the Mayor of the town would bestow upon him a medal for his in- What when—and so on, all these thoughts passing slowly passing him on credit. к genuity апа perseverance. would be said through his mind. АП he needed was the trying of it and then to sit and wait for the world to pay him due honor and reward. The apparatus previously described was now situ- ated in the center of the yard. It was approaching high noon and Fred needed an ammeter, volmete: or something of the like which would indicate and measure the electricity generated. Nothing was to be had when of a sudden he remembered the bell on the kitchen wall, a rather large affair, once used to summon members of the household at mealtimes. Pro- curing this, he placed it on the table and joined the nichrome wire leading from the first thermopile to one side of the bell. copper wire of the third thermopile. To the other he joined the Then he con- nected the three thermopiles in series. Over each mir- ror was placed a thick card-board cover to shut off the sun’s rays. The mirrors, burning glasses and thermopiles were so arranged that when the covers were removed from the mirrors, these would reflect a good many of the sun’s rays on the burning glasses, which in turn would concentrate the hot rays received in a small spot—say оп the joints of the wires in the thermopiles. electricity, the quantity produced depending on the These, being heated, would generate temperature and the size of the apparatus. Simple arrangement, eh? And yet no one thought of it before! What an odd world, Fred thought, the poor professors at school overworking their theories and problems nobody cares about, while he brains оп —without any extraordinary mental effort—calmly discovers a device for producing electricity perpetu- ally (that is, as long as the sun shines) and for almost nothing. duce something for nothing! Surely, there it was, a device about to pro- Something for nothing why bother about perpetual motion when his idea would indirectly bring about the same results? Having arranged the apparatus, he nervously ap- proached the first mirror and with shaking fingers re- A bright light ensued and simul- That was only the power from the first set, he figured, so Now the bell began actually ringing and when the cover was moved the cover. taneously a grunting sound issued from the bell. he gradually took off the second covering. completely off it rang very loudly. Removing the last covering he heard the bell fairly clang --80 loudly that he thought he saw people coming out of the Yes, he saw persons moving there in front of him, and nearby houses to see what was the matter. wait, that bell had an awful familiar sound; yes, what was What, could it be? only a dream! it now? Sure enough it was He woke up to find out that the class- room bell was announcing the end of the period and to prepare for the passing into the next classes. He pinched himself to find it was true! Then with a good-natured smile he left the room after the others, oliloquizing: Well, after all you can't get something for nothing, and I have only learned my lesson, like many others, from apparent experience—not real at all.” A SNOW VISION By Lillie August The whiteness of the landscape Is beautiful to see— A iree transformed, a house adorned, Will always capture me. The Its borders I could not pass it by and not river, changed to hardness; clothed anew — See beauty there— could you? The sky, methinks, has noted too, The charm of white below, For look, her calm and famous blue Now gleams in silver glow. I think the Summer gorgeous In Spring, too, I rejoice And Autum is just lovely But Winter, that’s my choice!