St Josephs Collegiate Institute - Star Yearbook (Buffalo, NY)

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Ifnfly fum' THE STAR OUR NEIGHBORING WORLD-FAMOUS NIAGARA FALLS

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EST The Star Staff I

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T H E S T A R Qhur jllllemnrahls bcientific Qtxpehitinn ZSDgQ lHURS.DAY, MAY 26th, found the Senior Science Class in ' St ' state of keen interest and excitement. There was reason QQ? 3 enough for this feeling, in so far as that was the day of iz U our long-waited and elaborately planned Educational a,f , tour of Niagara Falls. In our study in text-books we had read of the wonderful industries of that city and naturally our spirits and expectations ran high. Upon arriving at the Falls City our first stop was the Acheson Grap- hite Company. There, were unfolded to us the wonders of the story of manufactured graphite, together with the history, in brief, of the Acheson Company. How interesting it was to see how amorphous carbon can be changed to a crystalline form, graphite, which has a tenacity and hard- ness almost like steel. Then, too, we were shown how this graphite is pul- ve-rized and utilized in the manufacture of lubricants. Then to the restau- rant went our group of hungry scientists, where our craving appetites were satisfied. Dinner over we again started on our way. The Niagara Wall-Paper Company was our next stop. Here we were shown the wonders of the manufacture of wall paper, and saw the process of designing the paper. The visit proved to be very instructive and interesting, especially since all this was new to most of us. From the wall-paper factory we went onward to the Niagara Falls Power Company. There we were guided throughout the plant and shown how the power of the mighty Niagara is transformed into electricity by means of huge dynamos. Having seen all that there was to see of the production of electricity we went to the Carborundum Company where We were shown how carborundum is made and how tools, such as grinding wheels, sharpening blocks, and so forth, are made from the sharp crystals, that rank next to diamonds in hardness. Our visit being completed in the Carborundum Company, the next stop was the Shredded Wheat Company. Through the home of delicious odors and sights we slowly wended our way until we reached the factory's cafeteria, where we were served a light refreshment which as the guide remarked was the best part of the journey. A tired but cheerful group of would-be scientists followed the signs reading To Buffalo, which spelled H-O-M-E to them. Thus ended a day which holds a place in our hearts next to Graduation Day or even the day of our Class Outing. CHARLES SCHIRMANN, '27, lforly f 1