Fryeburg Academy - Academy Bell Yearbook (Fryeburg, ME)

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6 THE ACADEMY BELL for starch, sugar, oil, and all other or- ganic compounds. Nature's supply of many of our com- pounds will soon become exhausted. For instance, this will be true of our coal, oil and illuminating gas. We will soon need chemists who can provide some substitute for these compounds. Chemists are more and more turning their attention to the use of by-products or waste products, and some of these by-products are even more useful than the main products. Only a short time ago, the coal which had been heated to furnish the illuminating gas used in cit- ies, was thrown away. Now we get nearly all of our ammonia from this coal. Hut the most important by-prod- uct of heating coal is coal tar. Coal tar is the scrap-heap of the vegetable king- dom. In it is found a little of every- thing that is in trees. It contains about a dozen primary compounds which can be made into hundreds of thousands of other substances. It heals and wounds. It furnishes medicines and munitions. From it is made perfume which sur- passes that of the rose. It is like the magic purse of Fortunatus, from which anything can be drawn. Its most im- portant use is in manufacturing of dyes. This was practically started in t'1e United States after our supply was cut off from Germany during the war. Gur dye in- dustry has been a great success. Now the value of our export of dyes is as great as was the value of the import of dyes before the war. The chemists of this country could have earlier found a way to make dyes if they had tried. This is just an example of what chemists can do when necessity demands. Nitrogen plays a very important part in making high explosives. The first im- plement of fighting was cellulose, chietiy in the form of clubs. Then came silica, mostly in the form of flint arrowheads and spear-points. Now has come the nitrogenous era, the using of nitrogen compounds to make gunpowder and ex- plosives: Nitrogen is generally consid- ered as an inert substance, so it might seem strange that it is of so great use in making explosives, but this is the very reason it is useful. It is very reluctant to unite with other substances, but on the other hand, very active in getting out of certain of its compounds. So when these nitrogen atoms are disturbed in any way, they, obeying their natural or- der, force themselves out of their com- pounds with such violence that an ex- plosion occurs. Gun cotton, T. N. T. and all our explosives contain nitrogen. The only objection in regard to the nitro- gen is that it must be in a compound. Free nitrogen is of no worth. It is as free as air, but reminds one of the quo- tation from the Ancient Mariner: VVa- ter, water everywhere but not a drop to drink.' At the opening of the world war, Germany was using Chile saltpeter almost entirely in making explosives. Later this supply was cut off and Ger- many would at once have been forced to her knees but for her chemists who found a way to take nitrogen from the air and put it into compounds. This is another example of the skill and power of chemists. Pamphlets endorsed by world prominent people are now being distributed to womens' clubs and other organizations with the avowed purpose

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THE ACADEMY BELL 5 says of the discovery of atoms two hun- dred years later, Upon this wonderful theory tof atomsJ the Whole gigantic structure of modern chemistry is found- ed. Xlfe are inclined to agree with the laier writer. for chemistry without a r..cogt'ition of atoms certainly not quit: modern. Chemistry is the fundamental science of the tfanslormation of matter. or we may say it is the sc'ence of analysis and syrthesls, that is. the taking apart and putt ng together of compounds and ele- n1e.1ts. For instance, take water. Anal- ys's is separating it into its elements. hydrt.-gen and oxygen. Synthesis is com- b.n'rg ogzygeii and hydrogen to form water. 'lite last hfty years chemistry lias lst-gn prfiicpaly synthesis or combining oi compcunds and elements to make new cc mpounds. many of which are not found in nature. linen season we see things changing from dead to living and from llving to dead. 'l'11.s is one manifestation of the cyce of substances in nature. All ele- nients and cotnpounds are consiantly uiiilergofng changes because the atoms are con:-tz111t'y rearringing theinselyes. Thus, the tr es and shrubs of one gen :ra- tion may ne it turn into soft call. and tl'at into hard crxali the hard coal into giaphtei and hnally. under proper candi- tors, rgrapltlte fnto diamonds. llut there w u'd be less graphlte thin coal, beiausc much gfeater pressure is neided for t'rs c' a gg to talze ylace. Only a very small part of the graphite would turn to d'a- munds Iiecause this crystallization occurs only under tremendous pressure, more tfan lIi'ClilfIZl'lly exists on the earth. No matter is lost or gained in the world. For illustration, when wood is burned. it may seem that matter is de- stroyed. l?ut if one could collect all of the liberated gases and moisture and weigh them together with the ashes he would have the exact weight of the origi- nal wood. Chemistry makes for order and com- fort. The natural arrangement of things on the earth is chaos. All sub- sttnces have been mixed in the earth for us to sort out and fmd a use for. This is what chemistry does. Its natural or- der is cosmos. For an ihustration take metals. We do not find great sheets of iron or great lumps of gold free in the eargh. 'lhese metals are in tiny pieces. or chemfcally combined in their ores uith other ClSIHfHfS. Chemistry has de- vised means to get metals from their ores and purify them for our use. Most of the organic compounds have lzeen analyzed. llut as yet no way has lzeen found to combine the elements fornrng them. Sugar. starch, fruits. celulofe, and many other compounds omntafn nothing but carbon. hydrogen and oxygen-elements found abun- dantly in nature. The only difference be- tween them is a differerce in arrange- ment of their atoms, but as yet the science of properly arranging these ele- ments to produce a required compound has evaded the chemfst. Fortunate is the man vxho discovers the art of com- bining them. All he will need to do is to have a well equipped factory, plenty of carbon and water. Then by the proper combining of these he will be ready to meet the demanxfslof the world

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THE ACADEMY BELL 7 to assess anew the value of the intimate and unending service of chemistry to home, community and country: to weigh afresh the obligation resting upon us all to bring our country abreast of the world's foremost nations in this branch of knowledge which literally underlies our physical and our economic life. This shows the great importance which our leaders are placing upon chemistry today. Yet beyond question, even with its wonderful recent development. chemi- cal research is but in its infancy. VVhat the future holds for it no man can say, but all agree that generations to come will look back upon this age in chemistry much as we look back upon ages now long past. :Ks we wonder why a knowledge of gases and the the- ory of atoms so long evaded early chem- ists, so people of the future will marvel that our men of science failed to under- stand many truths of chemistry which will then be universally known. VASHTI CLEMENT CLASS HISTORY. As historian of the class of 1923. it is my duty to cast to the four winds the record of our labors and activities. Four years ago, on September 23. 15139, Fryeburg Academy opened its doors. groared. and sighed. for more desks must be purchased in order to ac- eonimodate forty-five small and Very green Freshmen. For the first few days we had great confidence in our power to maintain our rights. VVe pushed the Sophomores around at will and went on our blissful way undisturbed. Perhaps this conti- dence was inspired by the fact that we were the largest class that had entered the Academy for some years. VVhat- ever the cause, these unnatural condi- tions did not long prevail. At a social tendered us by the juniors, we were shown our place, and what is more, we kept it for the rest of the year. This did not hinder us. however, from receiving a fair share of the prizes offered by the school. 'lhree of our boys won their letters in baseball. One of our boys won the second Latin prizeg anolher won the general improvement prize: and a third won second honor in l'rize Speaking. 'l'here came the fall of 1920. IVe re- turned to our studies with a feeling of more or less importance. We were Sophomores, and as such looked for- ward to teaching the Freshmen the ways of lfryeburg Academy. NVe missed several from our ranks, but their places were filled by new mem- bers. As I looked one over from feet to head, I saw two feet that undoubt- edly belonged to a woman. Letting my glance rove upward, I noticed a set of trouser legs. Surprised, yes, even star- tled. I looked into a face that belonged to a man. Upon inquiring as to whom th's gentleman possessing woman's feet might be, I learned that his name was Percy liurnell of XVest llaldwin. VVendell Ridlon. another new member, seemed to lack the ability of handling himself properly, and so quickly gained the nickname of Weary. Floyd Warren was conspicuous be-