United States Naval Academy - Lucky Bag Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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Head of Department of Physics and Chemistry: Professor R. M. TERRY, U. S. Naval Academy. INSTRUCTORS: Lieut. Commander C. M. TOZER, U. S. N. Lieut. Commander A. BRONSON, U. S. N. Lieutenant J. M. ENOCHS, U. S. N. Lieutenant H. D. COOKE, Jr., U. S. N. Lieutenant MACGILLIVRAY MILNE, U. S. N. Lieutenant L. P. TREADWELL, U. S. N. Lieutenant A. W. SEARS, U. S. N. Lieutenant G. V. STEWART, U. S. N. Lieutenant S. C. HOOPER, U. S. N. Lieutenant W. O. SPEARS, U. S. N. Lieutenant W. L. CULBERTSON, Jr., U. S. N. Lieutenant W. L. FRIEDELL, U. S. N. Lieutenant J. W. WILCOX, U. S. N. Professor of Mathematics P. J. DASHIELL, U. S. N. 26

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Prof, of Mathematics, S. J. Brown THE DEPARTMENT OF MATHE- MATICS ATH., math., math. — first, last, and all the time ; we can never get away from it. With- out our mathematics we could not finish up a single one of our courses first or second class years — therefore, we learn it. The course is comparatively long and extensive, including a review of algebra and trigonometry, analytical geometry, calculus, mechanics, hydromechanics, and strength of materials, yet it might be twice as long to good advantage. The extra time, if it could be spared, would be spent mostly on problems and illustrations of the work, so that the midshipman, when he came to navigation, exterior ballistics, etc., later on in the course, would add his figures and pick out his loga- rithms more by instinct than by paying espe- cial attention to them. Here ' s the way the midshipman of 1912 is compelled to digest math. Starts his prob. and reads — Substituting, transposing, changing signs, clearing of fractions, and integrating, we have 1 rcos [(m + n) e]- wi— - rcos[(m— n) e]- - (m— n) I 2 m + n) And this is the way he does it : Figures out the whole prob. all the way through ; easy ! How savvy he was to discover it ! But wait a minute — what ' s that exponent? the deuce did they get a Where in 3 . no -in the 3 2? A ? L.... 3 . 2 ' 2 2 prob. anywhere. Book must be wrong. Next day in class the following dialogue takes place : Sir, how do they get the 3 2 in that seventh prob? Why — why — have you read over the lesson, Mr. B — ? That ought to follow from the first problem — 3 2, did you say? Well, I don ' t sec that right now, but I ' ll look the matter up and tell you to-morrow. Take the boards, gentlemen. 25

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Professor N. M. Terry, U. S. N. A. THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY S long as the study of physics and chemistry is included in the work, it is to be regretted that a little more time cannot be spent on these subjects. Although we cannot all be Michelsons, to find the velocity of light on the sea wall, yet there are a great many inter- esting experiments that we could perform if we but had the time to spare. Here again we make the plea that the amount of work be cut down and the course be made more thorough. Take, for instance, the physical and chemical laboratories, with all the fine apparatus that they contain. About all the average midshipman knows of them is that they are in the building, and that the equipment is there waiting for him to come and use it. Midshipman in Skinny Section, reciting on Simple Harmonic Motion: This S. H. M. is represented by the swinging of a ball in a circle across a straight line, and may be shown by this sine curve. Sine curve, Mr. A — ? That sketch looks like the cross section of a wave at Atlantic City. Go ahead ! Well, sir, you draw this circle and then project this line, and from the circumference of the radius Now think what you are saying! Say, Mr. A — , you don ' t know very much about this subject, do you? No, sir; I don ' t think I do. Well, why didn ' t you say so, then? Sit down. 27