Kalona High School - Centerika Yearbook (Kalona, IA)

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SHOULD FLUNKERS BE FIRED? The question as to whether or nct flunkers should be fired depends upon two different things. They are, namely: if the flunker has done his very best, or, if he didn’t care if he got an ‘“‘F”’ or no grade at all. The student who goes to school merely to get out of work somewhere else and not to secure an education shouldn’t be given very liberal grades. If a student of this sort flunks in his studies, he might as well be kicked out of school. If the student who goes to school and works very hard but isn’t so bright mentally, flunks, he should be given another chance because he is trying. The number of subjects flunked by a student is alsc a determining factor as to whether or not that student should be fired. If the student flunks only in one subject it might be that that particular subject is much harder for him than some others. He should then be given another chance. But if a student flunks more than one subject it will probably be not because he positively can’t master that subject but that he just doesn’t care. A student of that sort hasn’t any business in school. Sometimes it will be discovered that there are other things distracting attention. Often sports are guilty of that. Sports have their place in a school, however the stu- dent shouldn’t be allowed to put sports ahead of his studies. Or, if a student likes a certain subject so much better than some others he may be inclined to neglect that subject. Since some other student might dislike the subject another likes, they should be made to work hard on all subjects and not be flunked. WHY IAM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN Just why should I be proud to be an American? What is it in the American way of living that is worth being proud of? Why am I proud to live in a democracy? Of the many questions that rush to my mind I think the best answer to these questions is in plain words. You are free to do as you please. If you were living in Germany today you would often get cold for lack of clothing and hungry because of scarcity of food. We Americans really don’t appreciate the ease of life that we live. Oh, you may say that we don’t have enough sugar, coffee or gasoline. But just sit down and think a minute. Wouldn’t you rather sacrifice a few things now and live in a country after the war where the boys aren’t under military rule at the age of twelve or where you do as the government says or if not you may get shot. Or you may complain about our rotten government. If you were in Germany or Italy and you said something against the government, you would get shot or put in a concentra- tion camp. Another thing we Americans don’t appreciate enough is our religion. In Germany and Italy what few chhrcues there are really can’t be callled churches. The minister is usually in the army and when he comes home to preach he is dressed in a military uniform with a gun hanging at his side. Do you think you would enjoy listening to a preacher dressed in this manner? I think we should support our government whole-heartedly for I know a democracy in a country is of the people, by the people, and for the people. —D. E. S.

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Left to Right—Arthur Yoder, Howard Gosnell, Kenneth Hershberger, Lester Kempf, Bill Swartzendruber. Left to Right—Howard Gosnell, Arthur Yoder, Lester Kempf, Kenneth Hershberger, Bill Swartzendruber,

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FARMING IN THE FUTURE ae ae aes 4 faas Probably about one of the first changes in the future for the American farmer will be the machinery. As for the tractor, you wouldn’t recognize it if you saw it. it will be a streamlined affair with the seat diiectly above the front wheels tor betcer vis.bility. For mcre power, the motor will be in the back of the tractor and it will drive a set of caterpillar tied wheels. ‘these wheels will be spaced evenly so they will be suitable for row crop farming. ‘lhe motor will have no pistons or crank sharts but will be of the new supercharged type which is smaller and lighter. It wiil burn airplane fuel, have much more power and will be capable of going fifty miles per hour. The treads for the back wheels will be made ot rubber, reinrorced with steel to prevent stretching. The cab will be enclcsed by plastic and equipped with a heater, windsh-eld wiper and radio of the type the army uses, commonly called the ‘walkie talkie.’’ Thus way the farmer can tell his wife, on the two way radio, when he is coming in from ees but he can see more and see better than if he were on the type of tractor we nuw ave. Future farm planners think they will put the cart before the horse, that is, putting all the machinery in front of the tractor. The special equipment for this tractor won’t have any wheels. These future planners says the tractor wastes too much fuel and power pulling the implements. Mowers, combines, corn pickers, corn planters, all wil be mounted in front of the tractor. All these tools will have a hydraulic control in the cab to operate the attachments. Other new machines may come into existence that we never heard of before. Some of these new machines h.ay chcp up corn stalks and sod so fine you can hardly see them. The farmers will probaly lime their fields with ai:planes. The farm museuin may get quite a collection when the forage harvester donates the pitchfork, hayfcrk, slings, and ensilage cutter. With corn cutting attachments, this harvester would soon pay for itself. A new all crop blower, has also been thought of. This blower would blow ensilage, corn, oats, or any crop for that matter, into a bin. A new attachment for the tractor will be made to pick up bales of hay or straw and load them into a truck or wagon. A one man pick-up baler that would roll up a bale like a carpet and tie it with twine is also on its way. The bales would be small enough to be handled with a pitchfork and would just need to be unrolled for feeding. The farmer, possibly may fly to the city in a special type cf plane built for that purpose. When the farmer wants to go to the city, he will drive his plane out of the hangar and take off for the city from his barnyard. He’ll land at the city airpcrt; press a button to fold the wings from view and drive down the street. He'll call the city when he wants to ship a carload of cattle to New York and tell them to send a cargo plane out right away because he wants to get his cattle to New York befo-e the prices go down. In ten minutes the cargo plane will land. Possibly fifty head of catue will be herded into it. He’ll do h’s chores and after supper go to the city to get his check. These cargo planes will carry everything that our semi-trucks carry ncw. When it comes to cleaning the barn that won’t be so hard because there will be @ push-button cleaner. This will be an endless track or belt in the barn gutter, which will drop the watses in the manure spreader immediately. When it comes to the other stables there will be a small portable machine to elimi- nate the heavy lifting for the farmer. ‘The farmer will operate it just like a crane. This portable machine can be used to clean other buildings too. The farmer’s buildings may be few and large. What we commonly call the barn will in the future hold all the machinery, livestock, poultry, hay and grain. In this new building, the grain will be stored in the “cellar” which is air conditioned. All the machinery and livestock will be located on the first floor. The poultry will be located on the second floor with an inclined plane leading to it from the outside. On the third floor, the baled hay and straw will be kept. There will be an electric elevator to reach from the cellar to the hay mow, so you won't have to be climbing ladders all the time. Possibly there will be a special building for the airplane. Then will come the house. The only thing that won’t change with the house is that it will still be a place to live. There will be a tunnel leading from the house to the barn, with a branch leading to the hangar. This will be made so that you don’t have to wade mud and snow. Don’t be surprised at anything, because the fields may become circular so you cen increase your speed. The barn will be equipped with a vacuum blower to draw the bales of hay and straw into the mow. The machines and buildings will be built of new metals and plastics which are lighter and stronger. After the war new things will be appearing one by one and within a few years we may have everything or mcre than what I’ve already mentioned. Such will be the future. —Samuel Spicher, °45