Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-02-23
KANSAS LEADS AGAIN.

the worth Of one of the activities OF
the University OF Kansas, is con-
tanned in wonderfully interesting
article in the current issue OF the
Saturday Evening Post. Henry M
Hyde ia the author and be calls his
story, 'Educatlon's New Gift to Bust
ness" 1t shows that scientific re-
search department Of the State Uni
yersity, under the direction Of Pro-
lessor Robert Kennedy Duncan, Is
the pioneer among institutions OF
learning in this country Of applying
science to aid the business man and
the manufacturer. Remarkable re-
suits have been accomplished 80 far,
and only beginning has been made.
The possibilities are limitless.
In an introduction Mr.. Hyde dis
cusses briefly the history Of the busi-
facturer in this country. In the
first place he had almost unlimited
raw material to deal with. The only
thing was to find markets to sell his
wares. Then when the more eff
Client manufacturers in Europe, espe-
olally Germany, began to invade the
American manufacturers domain
the latter sought refuge behind
ness man, particularly the manu-
higher tariff, and continued to keep
the home field to himself. But the
Inevitable changes in the conditions
surrounding manufactures began to
began to get scarce. The only door
open was for the manufacturer to
increase the efficiency of his manu-
featuring plant. Heretofore, he had
rather turned the cold shoulder to
those strange fellows Of science"
But the manufacturer had to go to
them at last, and when the start was
made Professor Duncan Of the Uni
versity of Kansas happened to be
standing at the cross roads to point
the way.
He suggested that these manufac-
turers who desired to apply little
science to their business should en-
dow fellowships OF industrial re-
search at the university. He would
pick out the college students or as
sistant professors who should work
under these fellowships. The prop
ositlon was acceptable to a couple
Of manufacturers who had taken the
matter up. And Professor Duncan
drove hard and fast bargains with
them which saw to 1t that in the
event the researches were successful,
the men who prosecuted them were
to fittingly rewarded.
About the first research that was
made under this plan was for a
creamery company. 1t wanted to
find II casein, an ingredient Of milk,
which Is largely used in the print
ing Of calico, in paper making, in
the making of glue and in many 9TH
er processes Of manufacture, could
not be developed from the butter
milk which the big creameries had
been throwing away by the thous-
ands of.gallons every day. The great
source of the supply of casein had
come from skinned milk, but the
advent Of cream separators soon
shut off the larger portion Of this
supply. Professor Duncan started
an investigator to work under the
fellowship provided by the creamery
company, and it was hardly any
time at all before he developed a
process to create caseIn out Of but
termllk.
And SO the story is continued by
Mr.. Hyde. It reads like romance.
Investigations at the state univer-
slty under other fellowshipg pro-
vlded by other business interests.
have resulted in the development Of
a new enamel, just the kind that
was wanted by an eastern corpora
tion, with a capital of several mill
lion dollars and huge plant, which
makes enamel-lined steel tanks. A
new wood finish, more brilliant and
transparent than the ordinary var
nish and forty-three times as hard,
has been found. Only a couple Of
coats Of It are needed to produce
a finish that is better than one which
is obtained with several coats OF
ordinary varnish. Another investi-
gator has found a bleaching agent
that is Just as good for the purpose
as the one that has been in use at
laundries. But It's more valuable
property is that It does not make
clothes as brittle. Indeed It does
no damage at all to the fiber Of the
cloth. And when this new com
pound Is put on a commercial basis