Rock Island High School - Watchtower Yearbook (Rock Island, IL)

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THOMAS ALVA EDISON In Milan, Ohio, on February ll, 1847, a son was born to Samuel and Nancy Edison. They named the child Thomas Alva. A Because this child was far from strong, he was able to attend school but very little. His mother taught him at home, however, and in this way he received a better education than he could have received at the schools of that time. 2+ . . . :ww-n....-.a.. While still very young Al showed a great interest in chemistry and elec- tricity. He tried many experiments and established a little laboratory in the cellar of his home. All the bottles in his laboratory were labeled 'CPOISONI' so that no one would disturb them. As a further experiment one day he tied an umbrella to a cat's tail and threw the cat out of a second story window to see if the umbrella would actaas a parachute. In order to get spending money to pay for his chemicals and books, UAV applied for the privilege of selling newspapers on the train between Port Huron and Detroit. Though only twelve years old he was ambitious and soon worked up a good trade, having other boys to help him. He secured the use of a part of a baggage car to use as a laboratory and a print shop. The industrious boy printed a small paper, The Weekly' Ilemldf' He published news on the Civil Var and circulated it about the rural sections through which the train passed. , V ii.. ff S.'1,.fa Q -of In August, 1862, he rescued the station masteris little boy from being run over by a box car which had been pushed out on a siding and was rapidly approach- ing the child. Out of gratitude the station master offered to teach him train telegraphy. This gave Edison his first real chance to study telegraphy which he later improved upon. He was busy with his telegraphy, printing, and chemistry when disaster came. A piece of phosphorous fell onto the tlloor of the box car laboratory and set fire to the car. The fire was put out before damage was done, but at the next station the boy and his possessions were Hkickedl' oil the train.

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After this Edison took up telegraphy in earnest. He then drifted to various telegraph offices. It was While working at the VVestern Union in Boston in 1869 that he took out his first patent. This was the first of the fourteen hundred Which bear his name. C ' ii ,TKTXRTY V A l g i 1 J T is F d Q me i- eral r L Q H... A-L Edison's patents brought him considerable Wealth, and soon he established a small laboratory of his own and employed fifty men to assist him. Here he invented the phonograph, the incandescent lamp and many other of his numerous inventions among which are those to perfect the typewriter, the telephone, and the movie and 4'talkie machines. He invented the mimeograph, the micro- phone, the taximeter, and the automatic repeater. During the World VVar his inventions, the telescribe and the transophone, were of great use to the army and navy. He made about forty-five inventions during the War period. Thomas Edison Was untiring. All the World is indeed deeply indebted to him. He was truly the '4VVizard of Science. 1 X 56,17 'l L- f ui Vfifxa P- - .-:: The principal inventions of Thomas Alva Edison form the theme of our book. These fruits of the endless labor of the man Whose slogan was Uworkv which have so completely revolutionized the civilization of the World are represented on the division pages. VVe have chosen those of his creations most symbolic of the divisions of our book. W'e sincerely appreciate the splendid work and assistance of the art depart- ment and the Henry Ford Company in furnishing the aids to a visualization of our theme. The designs for the division pages and end pieces were made by Paula Deubert '33, Nfarian Krakora '32, Dick Steenburg 734, and David Irwin '32. It is our hope that as you read this book you will be inspired and uplifted by the soul and spirit of the genius whose works are here shown.