Johnson High School - Class Book Yearbook (North Andover, MA)

Page 19 text:

1936 YEAR BOOK closely related to chemistry. The sugars used in candy are refined by chem- ical means, the fruits are preserved by chemical compounds, the coloring matter is extracted chemically from coal-tar, and the other ingredients are equally involved with chemistry. After dinner, which was prepared with numerous chemical contacts, I listen to the radio. The radio is closely connected with chemistry because of the chemical development of tubes and bulbs, and because of its electro- chemical operation. Soon I receive a telephone call, and I converse over an instrument made of Bakelite. which is an artificial rubber manufactured through chemical process. Before retiring I perform the nightly ritual so necessary to the feminine toilette. The creams and lotions are all chemically made and are composed. for the great part, of synthetic plastics. Then comes the brushing of my hair with a brush backed with Bakelite. My hair has allegedly been permanently curled by a process dependent on chemical reactions for its success. Thus having made our inspection of an average day of my life, we under- stand and appreciate the value of chemistry in its practical applications. We have seen in concrete examples. a few of the numberless daily contacts with chemistry. BARBARA S. MASON entered the doors of ohnson High School to be initiated into four gg,,.gL:'5- more years of schooling so different from the first eight. The first week of school was a terror to these meek, timid freshmen. One diffi- culty after another arose. XVhat did the bells mean? NYhere were the rooms? What were we supposed to do in class. However, by the end of the first week the majority of us were settled down. The year of the entrance of the class of '36 saw many new inaugurations. Our. esteemed principal, Mr. Hayes, was at that time beginning his first year in that position. Mr. Mitchell took Mr. Hayes' place as coach. NVith the union of the two assembly committees a student council was formed. Forty- five minutes had been added to the class time of previous years, therefore we were not excused until 2 P. M. That delightful institution, the detention room, was added for the benefit of naughty students. These changes made little difference to us, however, for we had had no experiences in Johnson High before this year. After we had been in school a sufficient time to know each other well, the class election was held. The seat of honor, the presidency, went to Leroy Duncan. The only other events of importance during this year were the Senior-Freshman reception and the Freshman return party, both of which were well attended and acclaimed as great successes. The second year of school was easier. XVe had become accustomed to the routine of high school and soon got into stride again. The major event of importance was the football dance tendered the football squad by the entire student body after a highly successful season. This year we elected Anthony Kapieka to the presidency, which position he has held these last three years. CLASS HISTORY IQPTIEMBER 7, 1932, and a new group of an even hundred freshmen 1 ' , 17

Page 18 text:

JOHNSON HICH SCHOOL SALUTATORY ARENTS, teachers, schoolmates and friends, I welcome you here this evening in behalf of the class of nineteen-thirty six. NVe are taking iV1 ii? this opportunity to extend to you our sincere gratitude for your sym- pathy, understanding, and co-operation all during our four years at Johnson High School. Daily Contacts with Chemistry Did you ever stop to think how many ,times the average person comes in contact with chemistry every day? These contacts are almost numberless. There are few ,articles in the home that have no connection with chemistry, either in their operation or in their manufacture. Chemistry has much to do with industry in all its forms. Agriculture and forestry depend on this science for their success, and medicine and chemistry go hand in hand. For the purpose ,of seeing for ourselves the contacts with chemistry in our daily life, let us inspect an average day in my own life as an example. Immediately ,on rising I use toothpaste, a compound made by chemists of precipitated chalk, which is calcium carbonate, and other ingredients, and soap, which is really sodium stearate and the result of carefully perfected processes. I put on clothes, the cloth of which has been prepared by the careful ap- plication of chemistry. Perhaps it is rayon, which has been so perfected by chemists that it is gradually taking the place of silk. There are buttons made of celluloid, a synthetic plastic which it took years in chemical history to per- fect. The clothes are brightly colored, a phenomenon made possible by dyes extracted from coal tar. I put on perfume whose delicate scent might be traced back to an ordinary lurnp of coal. For breakfast I have puffed wheat, which was made possible by another chemical process. I have butter and milk and, perhaps, an egg, all of which have been preserved in a refrigerator cooled by circulating ammonia, an im- portant chemical compound. I eat from china dishes which have been placed within the means of the most moderate house-keeper by the new processes of manufacture perfected by the chemist. I use silver that looks like the solid heirloom of centuries ago, but which is only silver plated on a baser metal by an electro-chemical process. ' After breakfast I read a book whose bindings were chemically made and colored from coal-tar dyes, and whose paper was made from wood pulp, re- fined by various processes. Later I write a letter to a friend on paper which was made from old linen rags, refined and purified by chemical means. I use ink compounded by a chemist from iron sulfate and various extracts of other materials. At lunch the dessert consists of gelatin made by a chemical process from bones dissolved in hydrochloric acid and then treated still further. Glue is also made by this same process. In the afternoon, an automobile, driven by a battery dependent on chem- ical action for its operation, takes me to the city. There I attend a motion picture theater where I see a film, a result of numerous chemical processes. reflected on the screen. During the picture I eat candy whose manufacture is .16

Page 20 text:

JOHNSON H-ICH SCHOHOL n A The athletic members of our class were just beginning to star on the school teams at this time. The Junior year at school was the most difficult. XVe had become ac- customed to studying and at this time our studies reached their most difficult height. Little happened in our small social world, except for the Sophomore- Junior Dance held on December 8, 1934. Came commencement and we were Seniors. One year to go! In September, 1935, we started our Final grind. The members of our class were leaders in the sports. Various activities kept us going. Now it was our turn to give a reception to the Freshmen. Finally. in the last months of school various preparations for graduation kept us busy. The Freshmen gave us a return party on 4May 15, 1936. Finally we were almost prepared for graduation. We, the class of '36, entering one hundred strong, were now prepared to leave Johnson High School numbering but seventy-nine. Even at the last. examinations may decrease our ranks. But all who leave johnson will leave with sincere regret. VVe leave our solid school life to enter the quicksands of the outer world. CARL OLSON which the Senior class has picked to be its motto. XVell, what does i3.5,f.f it signify? In these words lie determination, the will to endure, the ' ' ' ' grit to see life through to its final episode. In this there is hopeg the flaming torch which will carry us through all adversities with our colors Hy- ing. Remember the saying of that famous character of Dumas', The Count of Monte Cristo, Hope and wait ? But we shall not wait! And above all. in back of these noble qualities stands comradeships. It is not I who shall build, but wel In union lies strength. And we, the coming generation, must take council of these words and unite to forge forward to a better and more perfect civilization. It has often been said that we shall take up the flaming torch of civilization and once more I say it. Grasp the torch, and in a united body let us march ahead, heads up and Hags flying. CLASS QRATION HIHEN we buildilet us build forever. This is the signilicant phrase But it is important that you do not take this motto too literally. It is the idea that counts, not the words. Do you know the instructions given to a shot putter before he starts to compete? They are, Pick out a spot as far away as possible, and then try to throw the shot beyond that point. Even if you do not reach that distance you will get considerably more distance than if you throw the shot without a definite goal. In two words is the answer a goal. Pick yourself a goal and strive to reach it, surely somewhere you'll end up near the top, if not at the top. Then your next task will be for you to pick a bigger goal. Remember always that it isn't the material things that usually last. Money is power, they say, but you can't take it with you to the grave. Power vanishes when you're dead, if you are fortunate enough to hold it that long No, remember that life is short. Do with it the best that you can. Every arrow feels the attraction of the earth. 18