Vaughan Road Academy - Acta Studentium Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

Page 45 text:

Pa ge 32 AFTA S'l'I,'DENTIUM flow of current continues. Factory after factory over the whole of Europe is smashed to a mass of charred ruin. The last connection is made, and Scott, with a breath of relief, reaches up to open the switch. The transmitter has reached its limit. It bursts into flame, shortfcircuits, and people for miles around hear the blast as transmitter generator, and laboratory arc fused into one mass of wreckage, Another month has passed. At Geneva the greatest peace conference in history is being concluded. Chairman Anthony Drake is addressing the gathering of Statesmen from all over the world. Gentlemen, at last we can go to our homes in triumph. For years we have disagreed, engaged in petty dis' putes, and been justly ridiculed for it by the newspapers. That is all past. Dis' armament of all Europe has been ac' complished. No longer are there any private armament concerns. All inter' national disputes have been settled, and the world is at peace. Let us always remember, however, that we could have accomplished nothing but for the work of those two men who died in the cause of peace, Scott and Henderson. We may now frankly admit that the armaf ment rings were too strong for us, and, without their destruction, our League of Nations would never have justified its existence. Now, as we return to our various countries and the congratulations of our compatriots, let us see that full credit is given where it is due, to Scott and Henderson whose great experiment was a success. 'lim Liston .....1.3Q:,g,..,1 THE STUDENT'S SONG fTune: The Prisonerls Son2.l Oh, I wish I had home-work to copy, Some work I could call all my owng Oh. I wish I had someone to help me, For I can't do my home-work alone. I'll be borne from the form-room to-morrow Leaving poor teacher to groan: IVith the cold office walls all around me And all thoughts of my algebra flown. Now. if I had the brains of a scholar From this horrid place I would flyg But I'll cringe at the glare of my teacher And know I shall have to reply, Oh, please meet me at noon in the lunch-room, Please meet me at noon all aloneg For I have a bad question to show you, A question that's never been shown. Now, I have a report in my pocket, All checkered with 'noughts' and remarksg Oh. save me dear friends. from my parentsg Please throw me, some-one, to the sharks. .-1 ustin Ezlttwzrd, 4-A

Page 44 text:

ACTA STUDENTIUM Page 31 mats have tried for years to eliminate war, and they have failed. Now it is the turn of science to remove the cause of it all. The munition factories of Europe must be destroyed so completely that, even if the owners did decide to rebuild them, the drain on their resources would be so great that they would be unable to retain their control of politics which costs them millions annually. Only give the civilized nations a chance and they will throw off the reign of those who are continually driving them at one another's throats. But where am I concerned in this plot? You have often told me in the past of attemps to blow up armament factories, all of which ended in failure because of the great forces of secret police and employees of the concerns whose sole duty is to guard these plants. You must remember, though, that these plots all depended upon the plotters piercing the cordon of guards about the factories. Now I have a plan whereby you can destroy these plants without leaving your laboratory here in London. You told me the other day that you had just perfected a broadcasting appar- atus which enables you to send out a perfect beam of electrical power to alf most any distance you wish with no loss of energy. Now you already have a system of deriving unlimited power from the cosmic rays. Could you not combine these two inventions into a weapon capable of causing an electric discharge of tremendous power at any point at which you aimed it? To tell you the truth, Roger, I have already tried just such an experiment on a small scale with the result that I sucf ceeded in destroying an old barn on my estate in Scotland from my laboratory here in London a hundred miles away. The discharge chared a patch of heath about two hundred feet in diameter. All that I need to reach over all Europe is a larger generator and more accurate apparatus to guide the ray. One month later. Scott and Henderf son are now in the scientists laboratory on his estate in Scotland. The day of the great experiment has arrived. Well, says Henderson, my part is finished. Here is the list my operatives have made up. It contains the exact locaf tion of every munition plant above sea' level. My agents have sent letters to all workers at the plants telling them that the factories will be destroyed and that a warning shock will be felt at nine o'clock exactly to prove that the letters are not a hoax. Now it is up to you to do your part. All right, Let me have that list, and I'll send out the warning discharge. Scott turns to the mass of instruments which covers a whole side of the laboraf tory. He works at dials and verniers, every adjustment precise to perfection, referring to Hendersons list, checking and re-checking figures-now he pulls down the switch. From just outside the window comes a low hum. Scott switches the current from circuit to circuit, focusing the beam of electricity upon 'place after place across a whole continent. Now he switches off. Well, they have all had their warn' ing, and I don't think any of the em' ployees will dare to remain at their posts after that warning shock. The apparf atus worked perfectly, but I am not quite sure that it will stand up under the current I intend to use next. If it doesn't, we'll be blotted out the same as the munition plants. I wish you would leave before I switch on. Theres no need for both of us to be killed. Ill stay with you, Arthur. In case we don't survive this experiment, I have sent a letter to the newspapers with all the proofs I have collected, explaining the drastic step we are taking. Now the workers should all be out of the factories. Switch on and hope for the best. The two men shake hands firmly, then the scientist turns to his instruments. He closes the switch. The hum of the generator is now replaced by a mighty roar that threatens to split the earth as an unimaginable flow of power is launched upon its mission of destruction, guided from place to place by Scott at his magic controls, Qutside, unknown to the two experimenters, 'the giant transmitter begins to smoke. The terrific

Page 46 text:

XFTA STI IJEXT II XI pqwo, ifigiiiiiigg I P Ei R 3251215132 ,O 35353535 fwggfiiwliie -5,gQgm, , I 9 ,,1 3 1 Elia? s?25EEEi'?s5 E?2ifS?i?ifi '71 4 in THIRD AND FORTH FORMS COMMERCIAL