Thursday, October 14, 2021

10/11/1951

 

EAST FAREWELL NEWS


Thursday, October 11, 1951   Vol. C330


LOCAL NEWS


“ATOMIC ENERY LAB” CAUSES CONCERN IN STUDENT LAB


East Farewell – The Senior Science Club came under scrutiny last week when it was revealed that they were using the Gilbert U-232 Atomic Energy lab in experiments and testing. Many of the High School administrators and members of the School Board expressed concern about the students using the kit once they found out what it contained. “I am not sure but they could possibly build an atomic bomb with that kit and I don’t think that is appropriate for high school students,” said Leo F. Farrell at a school board meeting, “I would hate for there to be some sort of explosion.”

            The School Board voted to take a closer look into the kit and it’s capability before banning it outright. The kit was championed by senior class science club president, William Boyle and science teacher, Samuel Bellows, as safe and very instructive. Most of the school board stayed skeptical.

The Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab was a toy lab set produced by Alfred Carlton Gilbert, an American athlete, magician, toy-maker, business man, and inventor of the well-known Erector Set. The Atomic Energy Lab was released by the A. C. Gilbert Company in 1950. The kit's intention was to allow children to create and watch nuclear and chemical reactions using radioactive material.

The Atomic Energy Lab is just one of a dozen chemical reactions lab kits on the market. Gilbert’s toys often include instructions on how a child can use the set to put on his own "magic show". For parents, he pushes the idea that the sets' use of chemical reactions directs their children toward a potential career in science and engineering. The set contains the following:

Battery-powered Geiger–Müller counter

Electroscope

Spinthariscope

Wilson cloud chamber with short-lived alpha source (Po-210) in the form of a wire

Four glass jars containing natural uranium-bearing (U-238) ore samples (autunitetorberniteuraninite, and carnotite from the "Colorado plateau region")

Low-level radiation sources:

beta-alpha (Pb-210)

pure beta (possibly Ru-106)

gamma (Zn-65)

"Nuclear spheres" for making a model of an alpha particle

Gilbert Atomic Energy Manual — a 60-page instruction book written by Dr. Ralph E. Lapp

Learn How Dagwood Split the Atom — comic book introduction to radioactivity, written with the help of General Leslie Groves (director of the Manhattan Project) and John R. Dunning (a physicist who verified fission of the uranium atom)

Prospecting for Uranium — a 1949 book published jointly by the Atomic Energy Commission and the United States Geological Survey

Three C batteries

1951 Gilbert Toys catalog

A product catalog described the set as follows: "Produces awe-inspiring sights! Enables you to actually SEE the paths of electrons and alpha particles traveling at speeds of more than 10,000 miles per SECOND! Electrons racing at fantastic velocities produce delicate, intricate paths of electrical condensation – beautiful to watch. Viewing Cloud Chamber action is closest man has come to watching the Atom! Assembly kit (Chamber can be put together in a few minutes) includes Dri-Electric Power Pack, Deionizer, Compression Bulb, Glass Viewing Chamber, Tubing, Power Leads, Stand, and Legs."

Among other activities, the kit suggested "playing hide and seek with the gamma ray source", challenging players to use the Geiger counter to locate a radioactive sample hidden in a room.

Gilbert U-232 Atomic Energy lab

 

 


SPORTS


COUGARS SWIPE BEARS


East Farewell – The Cougars took on the Bears last Saturday and were able to come away with their second win thanks to the very impressive kicking skills of Charlie Cox. Cox is only a sophomore but he has the composure of a player with much more field experience. He has been kicking balls all his life but only started concentrating on football when he started high school. When Coach Burcowitz saw Cox kick in his freshman year he immediately tried to get him to work with the team. League rules prohibit freshmen from playing on the varsity team but the coach was able to have him practice with the team and when Cox started his sophomore year he was on the team.

            The Bears won the toss on game day and opted to receive the ball first. Cox kicked off all the way down to the Bears 15, his best kickoff yet. Even through the Bears are a fairly young team they played well in their first game, winning 34-21. Their quarterback, Ned Smith, is the oldest member of the team and is the natural leader. He has a lot of talent and experience. He went to work right away when the Bears started on their own 15. He started with two running plays utilizing his junior halfback, Dave Dawson and another junior fullback, Brett Walker and was able to move the ball to the forty in two plays. Smith then went to the air on second down and found wide receiver, Michael Richter, on a long out pattern for another thirty yards. After several strong stops Smith turned back to his fullback and Walker was able to rumble down to the seven. Smith went back to Dawson who swung it out to the outside and was able to outrun the Cougars defense for the score.

            The Cougars took the kickoff and drove down to the Bears thirty five but were stopped and Cox had to attempt his first punt. He was able to get of a shaky punt but it turned out to be a huge benefit for the Cougars as it bounced at the eight and went out of bounds at the four. The Bears set up on their own four and started to work their way out of the hole. They went to the air and were able to move up to their thirty but Smith went to the air once too often and Shamus McKean was able to step in front of Richter and pick off a pass and return it to the Bears twenty. O’Conner came back on and in two plays, an end run by Joey Fox and a swing pass to Flynn, the Cougars had tied the game.

            In the second quarter both teams scored again after battling back and forth but the half ended with in a 14-14 tie. The second half started with Cougars receiving the kickoff and the very speedy Joey Fox was able to jig and jog and outrun most of the Bears defense and take the ball to the Bears thirty. O’Conner went to work and ran a set of running plays and got a couple of first downs and the Cougars were set up at the Bears eleven. O’Conner called a power play up the center and “Moose” Boyle blasted through a giant hole made by the offensive line and rambled into the end zone for the score. The Cougars took the lead 21-14. The Bears rallied early in the fourth to tie the game again with a long bomb to Richter. There was only four minutes left and the Cougars had driven down to the Bears twenty. On a third and seven Flynn cut to the outside but O’Conner’s pass was a little too outside for even the sticky fingered Flynn and the Cougars faced a fourth and seven. Cox came on the field. He had made a twenty five yard field goal last week and he had boomed the ball earlier in the game. The ball was snapped, the hold was good the ball was kicked and the field goal was made. Cox came right back and knocked the kickoff down to the fifteen and the Bears tried to  let the ball roll into the end zone for a touchback but it stopped on the three and they had to down it there. They luckily did not lose possession as the Cougars were swarming. Smith and his team tried valiantly but were unable to get themselves out of the hole and had to try a long bomb facing a fourth and six from the twenty six with only 30 seconds left. The ball sailed over a sprinting Richter who was covered by a tenacious McKean to fall untouched at the Cougars twenty. The Cougars took over and ran the last 10 seconds off the clock and walked off with hard won victory, 23-21.

            The Cougars start a road trip next week when they travel to Corning to meet the Devils. The game begins at 1:30 on Saturday in Corning. It will be interesting to see if the Cougar fans will make the trek to Corning. 


 NATIONAL NEWS


COMMIES EXPLODE 2ND A-BOMB – KELLOGG DIES AT 91 – GABLE DIVORCES ASHLEY – COSTELLO INVOLVED IN ICE-CUBE LAWSUIT – AT THE MOVIES


The White House reports that Russia has exploded a second atomic bomb. Press secretary Joseph Short said this new A-blast gives the lie to Soviet claims that Russia’s atomic energy program “is being directed exclusively toward peaceful purposes.”

Moscow radio confirms explosion. Soviet Prime Minister Stalin says in an interview Russia recently exploded another atomic bomb and promised there will be more to come.

In passing – Will Keith Kellogg who took the lowly corn flake from obscurity and amassed a fortune with his Kellogg’s cereal. He had virtually blind since 1937. He was 91.

Clark Gable files suit for divorce against the former Sylvia Ashley. The film idol charged his fourth wife with cruelty.

Lou Costello is involved in a lawsuit because he backed an inventor who evolved a gadget that was supposed to turn out 60 ice cubes a minute. He explained his interest in the frozen water business to a judge. “Bing Crosby goes in for horses and Bob Hope for baseball teams,” said the plump comedian. What the …..? I go for ice cubes.” Costello says he wants back $27,000 he put into it. Bayar Goodman, inventor is suing Costello for over $6,000 plus interest charging breach of contract. He says his invention works, but Costello says it does not.

At the movies –

An American in Paris – Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant

Flying Leathernecks – John Wayne, Robert Ryan

The People Against O’Hara – Spencer Tracy, Pat O’Brien, Diana Lynn, John Hodiak

A Streetcar Named Desire – Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando

Jim Thorpe All American – Burt Lancaster, Steve Cochran

The Law And The Lady – Greer Carson, Michael Wilding

The Day The Earth Stood Still – Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe

Iron Man – Jeff Chandler, Evelyn Keyes


Many, many thanks to www.mrpopculture.com for contributing to this section of the East Farewell News.


 



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