Hodgdon High School - Aurora Yearbook (Hodgdon, ME)

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HODGDON HIGH SCHOOL -if I 13 1 1- destructive distillation of soft coal, which produces tar, from which many gorgeous colors are made. Let us now consider the importance Of a chemical substance. For example: sul- phuric acid. 'Wfhat would happen if the United States government should sud- denly Hnd itself without sulphuric acid? Our country would be in a worse state of affairs than in any Of the greatest panics known in history. For this is used directly Or indirectly in nearly every fm- ished product. NVithout this fertilizer, re- fined petroleum, preparation of all other acids, and manufacturing of all other hardware would be impossible. These are only a few of the things for the produc- tion Of which sulphuric acid is necessary. In fact, sulphuric acid is used in larger quanities than any other compound. Consider now for a moment the waste that would be going on in the world today if it were not for the chemist. Men made cotton but threw away the chemist now uses the seeds cloth from seeds. The for making washing powders, roofing tar, dye stuff, paints, soaps, feed for animals, yarns, ropes, carpets, writing paper, fer- tilizers, and oils. He has saved millions of dollars a year on this one product, which formerly went to waste. From coal he has used every ounce of possible good. Every gas and vapor is turned to use. Perfumes, aspirin, flavor- ings, tar, illuminating gas, fertilizers, and a great number of dyes, from which be- fore had been only a dirty fuel. We can now name no industry which the chemist has not, in some way, made better for the enrichment of life. Let us now turn to the pleasures which the chemist has made possible for us to enjoy. Think of the motion pictures, which form probably our greatest source Of amusements. At present he produces a Elm itself from cotton, nitric acid, and camphorg though to look at the finished product one can scarcely believe it. He has recently thought of bringing to use a type of a non-infiammable film made from cel- louse acetate. The cost of this which is rapidly being reduced is the only thing which has prevented its more common use. VVhy is it necessary to say 1nOre? All of these facts though they are merely an introduction to some of the more com- plicated parts of chemistry are sufficient to show us the important part chemistry plays in the advancement of life itself. VVhere would we have been today, if it were not for the chemist? VVe prob- ably would have been still living in the dark ages. But since he has appeared the great questions now are, what will be the next thing for the chemist to produce? XYhere will it all end? Even a century ago men of science refused to prophesy on this question. But now our highest hope is that they will work with the doctors so that they may achieve the present goal of medicine, as to find a cure for such diseases as tuberculosis, and cancer. In the past and at present chemistry stands leader of all sciences which make for the enrichment of life. Who can fore- tell the future? YIERNA BENSON. PROPI-IECY One day, many years after I had grad- uated from Hodgdon, while I was inves- tigating a strange case, I came across an ancient copy Of the AURORA. What could have become of all my Old classmates,

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THE AURORA -r I 1 II '- from all blemishes. May you so keep it that when you step into the future, as we are now doing, you may be able to praise it and remember it with proud hearts, as do we, the class of 1930. If you lJrat'e trouble with a laugh, lf you do tasks by more than half, lf you afceouzjvlish things worthwhile, And meet all duties with a smile, lf you forget to frown and grieve, If otlzeris troubles, you relieve, If you are kind in every deed, Some day you surely will succeed. MARIETTA NASON. THE RELATION OF CHEMISTRY TO THE ENRICHMENT OF LIFE Man was brought into the world with nothing, and through years of struggle and toil has added little to it. As life is the transformation of matter and of energy, and since Chemistry is the science of transformation of matter, it is easily seen that chemistry is the key to health, livelihood and the enrichment of the lives of the future generation. Since health 'is the most important phase of life, let us consider what the chemist has done for us in that respect. He has anaylized food and stated their contents and value for the body. Thus the healthy and the unhealthy can secure the right diet needed in their bodies. The chemist has also found cures for many diseases that for many years before were believed to be incurable. He has sepa- rated from the habit forming drug the part which causes the immunity to pain, and thus producing the new substance 2 1 proeain, better than cocaine, for it has the same effect, without poison characteristic. He has purihed our foods and drinking water, and as a result has cut down the rate of contagious diseases. Today we may prepare foods by arti- fical fats, which are more healthy than lard. Crisco, one of these artificial fats is made by passing hydrogen gas through pure, refined cotton seed oil. There are many other household products, such as baking powder, baking soda, and oleo- margarine, made in chemistry labarato- ries, fiour is whitened by sulphur dioxide gas, and sugar is decolorized by bone black. The chemist has planned, for the home today an iceless refrigerator, which maintains the same temperature the year around. ' Let us now look into one of our modern living rooms. Is there anything in the room with which the chemist has not worked? There is not a thing, from the tiled ceiling to the covered floor that has not been brought to use by the chemist. Even the books in the bookcase have been brought to use by him. There is also another thing for which the women especially are thankful to the chemist-the production of artificial silk. The working girl of today, when seen on the street. is hardly known from the rich- est daughter in town. The silk which is called rayon is made from cellulose, a chemical substance which is claimed to be the first man-made fibre ever produced. And the only one form of textiles that may be produced that does not depend on crops or animal life. It is already superior to other silks, for the chemist has found a way to produce it at a very low price. Along with the artificial silk he has brought to use the modern dyes. These artificial colors are actually made by the

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THE AURORA -it I: 14 1 1- members of the class of 1930? As a strange feeling came over me, I saw, as in a mist, the letters fall from the pages of the book to the table before me. Guided by an unknown power I picked up the letters and placed them again in the old AURORA. I watched, spell- bound, the letters grow into words. Frank Benn, from Hodgdon. Frank went to the University of Maine, special- izing in agriculture. He returned from Maine to take up his fatheris business. He is now on the farm doing successful work with the help of his several sons. I waited. Nothing 'more came. Then letters again dropped to the table. News! Extra! Miss Geneva Adams, first woman senator from Maine moves Congress to immediate action on farm re- lief. Solution to the farm problem which has hung fire for many years, seems cer- tain. In a speech which was heard by millions, Miss Adams stated with unusual clarity, the principles upon which agricul- ture reform must be founded. Nothing more, the letters slipped silent- ly to the table, and I was left to ponder, Geneva a politician. Well, well. Not even marriage has deterred Verna from her determination to set up a first- class school. She is the head of a most successful private school for girls in the West. She places great emphasis in the training and culture of nightingales. Marietta Nason. After several years of complete lack of information as to her whereabouts we find her the private sec- retary for the mayor of New York. There are rumors of her taking over that posi- tion in a few months. After years of preparation in normal school, universities and finally under masters in Rome, Thelma Turney has returned to Hodgdon, to take charge of the Hne new Latin Department there. From Paris to Houlton in ten hours. That is the record of Albert Nightingale, who is now chief pilot of the mail Heet of airplanes running from Hodgdon, Maine, to Paris. When the mist had cleared a bit 1ny trembling fingers spelled out the name Inez Turney. Entering a hospital in Port- land she trained for a nurse. She gradu- ated from the hospital and for so1ne time practiced her profession in that city. She later left Portland and is now matron of the New York Hospital of Radiotherapy. Evelyn Manuel is famous for her sing- ing and dancing pictures. She can still make real love scenes though she has a diHerent partner than he way back at Hodgdon. Slowly the name Ralph Herron grew upon the page. Fish is star catcher for the Yankees. It is his seventh year with them and they have held the pennant for four of the seven years just past. The letters moved no more. The story was complete. Slowly the mist drifted away and I again was looking at the old copy of the AURORA. Nearly all that night I sat and mused over the lives of my former classmates. Each one was doing his bit, something good, something useful, something for which the class of '30 might well be proud. BYRON BRITTON, '30. AGRICULTURAL PROBLEM OF THE UNITED STATES Probably the most serious domestic problem since the last war has been the The one conspicuous exception to the distress of our agricultural population.