Emmerich Manual High School - Ivian Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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18 MIND AND HAND. POLITICAL LEADERSHIP OF UNITED STATES. THE world is at this time considerably disturbed. Turkey ' s future is uncer- tain ; the Cubans are tottering between des- potism and republicanism. Venezuela and England have not yet settled the boundary dispute, and many other corners of both hemispheres are quivering with the uni- versal thrill of res novae. Consequently, this is a period for setting forth to the world new modes of government, new ideas of international relationship and new poli- cies. The United States has been steadily ad- vancing, gradually gathering strength, till now it is ready and able to give to the world advanced doctrines. When, in re- gard to the Venezuelan question, the United States stepped from the ranks of conserva- tism and, in effect, said to England : We are protectors of republicanism ; we shall investigate and give our decision without partiality, the world did not laugh. It was the stand of a nation which has given proof of its capability for leadership. The revival of the sentiment of the Monroe Doctrine has given to our nation a distinct individuality and to the world a noble policy. But this is only the first of many forward and upward steps yet to be taken by a nation in itself a departure from the usual civil polity. For instance, from arbitration may soon spring the abolishment of the standing army. Every nation has its period of leadership. The United States is now at the threshold of a brilliant age. Irene Collings. HIGHER ALGEBRA. I 1ST 1637 Descartes, a Frenchman, noted that the position of a point in a plane is completely determined if its perpendicular distances from two straight lines in the plane, at right angles to each other, are known. These perpendicular distances he called the coordinates of the point. In a single indeterminate equation in X and Y — that is, one satisfied by an infinite num- ber of values of X and Y — it was found that by taking associated values of X and Y as coordinates of a point, it was possible to graphically represent any number of solu- tions of the equation as points. As the coordinates of every point satis- fied the equation, it became possible by this method to produce a graphical repre- sentation of the equation ; that is a line or curve which l ' epresented the path pursued by the point whose movement was de- termined by the condition laid down by the equation. This invention has been in- valuable in all branches of scientific re- search, so much so that almost every science of to-day illustrates many results of its investigations by this method. Besides becoming familiar with various means of solving an equation, it has been the purpose of the class in higher algebra to investigate the meaning of an equation by means of its graphical representation. Thus peculiar characteristics of several kinds of equations have been investigated. For instance, a pair of simultaneous equations of the first degree has been shown to produce two straight lines which intersect at some point. The coordinates of this point satisfy the pair of simul- taneous equations. A quadratic or an equation of higher degree generally repre- sents a curve. The peculiarities of this curve are, that it can not cross the hori- zontal axis more times than are indicated by the highest exponent of the unknown term of the equation. Furthermore, if the curve does not cross the X-axis as many times as the highest exponent indicates, another truth is revealed. This last case shows that the equation has some imag- inary roots, for the imaginary roots can

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MIND AND HAND. With these facts hefore it, ought, the United States acknowledge Cuba ' s belliger- ency r? Caroline Auuusta Hunter. THE DELAY OF JUSTICE FOR CUBA. §IIALL we or shall we not recognize Cuban belligerency ? This is the ques- tion which has proved a Gordian knot for Congress. It seems curious, however, that anything so clear should puzzle that august body. It seems curious that representative Americans (which our Congressmen surely are) can stand in our Senate and House of Representatives and defend the Spanish method of subduing the Cubans, when it has been characterized by such utter ma- lignity and such outrages against all the laws of civilized warfare and of common humanity. Spanish pride has been wounded by the Cubans, and the Spaniards are in a fever heat of ras:e and vindictiveness. The fol- lowing extract from a publication in Spain voices, to some extent, the intensity of the |iulilic feeling: Extermination is the only solution of the conflict. Let the romantic North Americans, hypocrite defenders of the Cuban insurgents, say what they wish :,: every suspect should be killed the insurrection should be quenched in floods of blood. The article continues in much the same strain, displaying through- out a barbaric savagry totally unexpected in a journal of civilized people. And yet Congress has remained compar- atively inactive. Truly, when we see the very men who condemned England in her dilatory policy and who professed so much sympathy for the oppressed Armenians re- main idle when just such horrors are com- mitted on the very threshold of our own country, truly, I say, it is brought home most forcibly to us how much Congress has degenerated since the days of Daniel Web- ster. Harry Bad ;ek. CHEMICAL LABORATORY.

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MIND AND HAND. 19 not be plotted by tbis method of rec- tangular coordinates. And since imaginary roots always occur in pairs when the co- efficients are real and rational, an equation whose curve is found not to cross the X-axis as many times as is indicated by the highest exponent of the unknown quantity, will cross as many times as is in- dicated by the highest exponent diminished by 2, 4, 6, etc., according to the number of pairs of imaginary roots. Some interesting relations between the derivative curve and the original curve have also been noted during the term. In addition to the study of the solution and geometrical interpretation of some of the higher numerical equations, some work in arithmetical, geometrical and harmonical progressions, the binominal theorem and determinants has been accomplished. Henry Leser. THE CALLA LILY ' S UGLY BROTHER. WHEN we look at the beautiful, dig- nified, spotless calla lily, it does not seem possible that any plant related to it could be otherwise. Yet it is true that this pure flower has a very ugly brother, who is so objectionable that he is carefully ignored while his beautiful sister is petted and admired. He has isolated himself from all other plants, and has found solitude in swampy places in the woods. We find him very near home. At Crow ' s Nest his genus abounds. Here he is busy all the year around, so when other spring flowers are making up their minds to put in an ap- pearance this diligent hermit of the bog has already lifted his hooded head out of his muddy bed and is enjoj ' ing the fresh spring breezes. He does not resemble the calla lily ex- cept that the purplish spathe answers to the pure white, petal-like leaf of the calla. The spathe differs from the white leaf of the calla in that it droops over, sheltering the spadix within as in the Jack-in-the- pulpit. When the spadix, or round, fleshy head begins to lengthen, the spathe dies off and the spadix then grows into seed. It forms a fruit resembling a papaw, except that it has a scaly, outside covering. This pod contains a soft, yellow, custard-like substance, and in this are imbedded the round, black seeds. The large, heart-shaped, netted-veined leaves are bright green, and possess quali- ties pleasant to lower animals, but objec- tionable to man, the juice being acrid and narcotic, and when broken the plant gives off an offensive odor which has won it the name of skunk cabbage. It is also called bear-weed, for it is said that bears are fond of the fresh, green leaves. This is odd, as the acrid juice causes severe, darting pains through the tonerue. Another peculiarity of calla lily ' s disa- greeable relation is that the root contains a juice which, if taken, would cause blind- ness. By these various ways this ugly member of the Arum family can revenge himself on others. Clara Dippel.