St Johns High School - Torch Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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is 0 the mass is infinite. We have now filled the universe or infinity with our insignificant bodies. However, if our mass became infinite at the moment we attained a speed approaching the speed of light, part of our mass would reach infinity instantly. At this point, although our mass is infinite my calculations show that it seems to be light. Therefore the mass is zero. We would return by minus infinity in a neg¬ ligible space of time with our mass increased just enough to be ourselves. Since we travelled practically instanteously, we certainly could not have gone to eternity which is unlimited time. Infinity is unlimited time as well as space, so we could not have been there either. This conclusively proves that no atom bomb or any other destructive instrument could blow us to eternity. Ross Henderson, XII-29.

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HONORABLE MENTION RENDEZVOUS AT INFINITY The advent of the atomic bomb has started all sorts of people prophesying that we shall all be blown to eternity. Eternity means un¬ limited time. In contrast infinity means simply unlimited, time and space. If we went to one we would no doubt go to the other. Up and coming young scientists like ourselves would buy the double ticket just for the curiosity of seeing the place. I argue that the trip is impossible, but let us attempt it and discover if such an extended journey is impossible. Let us borrow an atomic bomb from our benevolent government and set it off in my back yard with all those desiring to take the trip gathered, around. I shall assume that the majority of passengers starting for infinity unlimited would go in parallel lines since they would be impelled either straight up, or down, as the case may be. Also, since the travellers are motivated by re¬ leased atomic energy, I assume they would be travelling at speeds approaching the speed of light (186,300 miles per second), because upon the explosion of an atomic bomb, everything is dissipated into light. Therefore let us extract the electrons, from our bodies, label them so we may put the correct number in the correct places upon arrival, and send them off at the speed of light. The protons and neutrons would slow down to approximately 150,000 miles per second, due to friction in the atmosphere. We (the protons and neutrons) are now on our way to infinity travelling along parallel lines relatively close to each other. The back seat driver reminds us not to get whipped by the tail of that comet, although it has only one, not nine, and to wave hello to some electron and positron acquaintances resting between Castor and Pollux. After travelling for 9, followed by the zeros on ticker tape produced from several forests, years, watching our parallel courses cross and almost collide just at the entrance to minus infinity we have arrived home. We come in for a gentle landing on eartl , Inertia’s ticket had completely expired beoam a of friction in spaces so full of magnetic lines f force, that they attracted a cloud of wanderir ? nickel and cobalt molecules. Our electrons r - turned safely 51,652 years ago and we must no pay the wholesale rate of $4.95 (regular $5.0() a year for a safety deposit vault in which the were stored. This would impoverish us if v, a had not left our last week’s allowance (5c) i l the bank before we left. The compound intere t has made our fortunes. Like all travellers we like to meet our frienc ; again so we sink a shaft through the debr:; above the cemetery and descend to see then . We don’t dig the shaft of course but merel • have a rocket ship take off from the spot chose i for excavation. The blast forms a perfect! ■ symmetrical hole of the right depth, even fusin ; the silicon around the edge so we will not b troubled with shoring. Why they haven’t changed a bit, but to ou consternation they inform us that we didn’t g to infinity or even eternity. They say that upo our departure we would have begun to sprea in a cone. This is deduced from the fact tha the intensity of light and the volume of soun vary inversely as the square of the distance, am being loose matter we probably would have gon the same way. We find that we are not her but are spread thinly over the face of the uni verse. Not so thinly either for according to Ein stein’s relativity correction for mass: Mo M = - (v)= 1 —(—) ( c ) M = the mass of the body in motion. Mo = the mass of the body at rest. v = the velocity of the body. c = the speed of light. It is intuitively obvious from this equation that when “v” approaches the speed of light the denominator will be 0. When the denominator Page-Eighty-two

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FAILURE POETRY TO A GREATER GLORY . . . ’Neath my window the city rushes on, And humanity surges forward through the night In life’s mad symphony. The neon signs, flickering in the streets below, Shine the city’s dirty face on this Saturday eve, And hurl eerie light into this darkened room. My soul is filled with the hatred and sorrow Of a bitter era. I long for the happy youth which war’s scourge Tore from my heart, as it did from thousands throughout the land . . . And yes, great multitudes cheered us, Famous leaders acclaimed us, And even autocratic generals joined the mighty chorus To praise us—war’s wounded soldiers. The confetti, the ribbon, the cheers were ours In that great hour of victory. But also the shrapnel, the bullets, the bombs That fill our bodies . . . And now swept away is the confetti, dusty the ribbon And silent the crowd? But the missing arms and legs, blood from our bodies. Still cover the battlefields from Anzio to Ar¬ dennes . . . Around me, in this bleak hospital room lie my wounded comrades; Their staring, yet unseeing eyes tell the story That is imprinted on our minds That beach, that hill, that forest, Where Nazi bullets ripped through our bodies! Sometimes, when night’s solitude gropes into our wards, I hear the sobs of men, crying like children, As they see once more the gory battlefields, And their comrades fallen at their side . . . The night is gone; the dawn breaks forth And glides over the sleeping world, ’Neath my window, on the streets below, The city is silent—the roaring Saturday night Has flown, and leaves instead the peaceful solitude of a Sunday morn . . . And will these tired, embittered soldiers Also find peace for their souls, after breathing battle smoke? O, God, grant that they may—for their’s is the battle of mankind itself Out across this blessed land, yes, round the mighty earth, Man fights to conquer darkest night, And bring on humanity’s rebirth . . . The church bells ring, calling the multitudes to prayer, And as they send out their peaceful knell Let them call us to a greater glory, Not to deeper hell . . . Norman Cantor, XI-37. The coward in the conflict Gives up at first defeat. If once repulsed, his courage Lies shattered at his feet. The brave heart wins the battle. Because through thick and thin He’ll not give up as conquered— He fights and fights to win. Then, why become disheartened, Because at first you fail; If you keep on trying At last you will prevail. Be stubborn against failure, Try, try, and try again For those who keep on trying Will failure never ken. Roy Lev, XI-39 EMPTY DESKS The school was bare ’Cause halls were free Of rushing students It dawned on me. They’d filled the hall, The stair, the room, All the days before The end of June. The stairs, I think, Were lonesome for The milling students. The slamming door. The halls were dark, The lights were out. No one to need them. No one about. Perhaps the teacher. During the day, Thought of the classes He’d held at bay. The field was bare, No boisterous shouts, It wished to ask for Their whereabouts. We wish them all A better life, In a finer world, That’s free from strife. Yngve Magnuson, X-18. Page Eighty-four