St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1912-05-25
THE CLOSING EXERCISES
CONVICTION HIGH SCH06[
Very Entertaining Program. Which WAS
Creditably Carried Out Choruses Under
Management of Miss Lucy Carter
Pronounced Success. Grafton and
Essay by the Two Graduates
Dancing Follows Exercises.

led by Edison in his famous little
laboratory. but they were finally end
led by an explosion which occurred
during an experiment, and SO his
Laboratory was extinguished and the
young scientist was dismissed from
1.-THE service.
Edison, when q young man, began
to study telegraphy, and was greatly
interested in this science, and con-
structed a telegraph line at his home
at Port Huron, and from that time
to this he has been finding out more
and more that may be done by means
of a wire connecting two points.
From this time until he was twen-
ty-one, and went to Boston, the young
inventors life was . series of un-
connected wanderings from city to
lcity, with dismissals from his posi-
tions for objectionable negligencies,
often for serious blunders.
When seventeen years of age he
started to work out his famous idea
of duplex transmission; that is, the
transmission of two messages on a
single line.
At twenty-one he became a tele-
graph operator in Boston. Here he
met with many difficulties, some fall
ures. few successes, and although he
invented few more wonders, he be-
came discouraged and left that city
for New York.
In this city he met with better for
tune; his great invention, q machine
to print stock quotations was readily
accepted, and brought him quite q
little sum of money. A little later
he was given first: bid for his tele-
graph inventions by the Western
Union Telegraph, Company Of New
York. 1t was at this time that he
again began to work out his idea of
duplex telegraphy. Everyone ridi-
culed the idea and thought it absurd,
but Edison persevered and not only
succeeded with duplex, but with
q Quadruplex system; that u.s.. the
transmission of four messages instead
of one, on one wire.
He was chosen superintendent OF
the Gold Indicator Company, and 90
established factory for manufac-
turing his own machines.
1t was at this time that he married
Miss Mary Stillwell Of New York.
Two children blessing their marriage.
Edison shows his originality in nam
ing his children, one named Dot, the
other Dash, after two symbols of the
telegraph. alphabet.
BY this time the scientist was tired
of manufacturing and started in to
invent, SO changed his abode and
for Menl0 Park, where some Of his
most famous inventions have been
made. At Menlo Park is his noted
laboratory, which is . distinguished
looking old building, and here the
choicest work Of our inventor is per-
formed.
Every day and almost every night,
Edison may be seen in his laboratory
instructing his many assistants, sur
rounded by hundreds of walls of
chemicals and curious scientific in
struments. Then there is his pri-
vate office where all experiments are
carefully indexed and arranged, SO
that they can be referred to at any
moment.
Edison, by his peculiar habits and
customs, has been given the title of
Wizard of Menlo Park" OF Edi-
sons numerous inventions. the most
famous are his telephone, phono-
graph, electric lights and motion pic
lures. These took the world by
storm, and in short while became
household words, and were exhibited
to admiring thrOngs of people who
praised and complimented the Ameri-
can inventor.
The telephone, which is one of the
most useful inventions was not at
first appreciated, as the people of
highest convenience of this instru-
ment. Although at that time it was
believed Edison was the sole invent
or of the telephone, Bell, an inventor
who in some way preceded Edison
with his patent, has acquired the
honor of being the first inventor of
the telephone.
The electric light, which is of great
practical utility the world over, is
enough in itself to rank Edison as
one Of the greatest inventors and
lbenefactors of the world. This in
|vention. especially the electric light
bulb, gave Edison no little trouble,
but his efforts were finally crowned
with success. Who does not enjoy
and appreciate the electric light.
The phonograph mas proved itself
q wonder, for the greatest artists
and singers in the world, though
dead and gone, can be heard through
(this marvellous instrument, which is
more common in the home than the
piano or the organ.
But perhaps Edison's most wonder
full invention is his motion pictures.
By means of certain scientific cam
|era, photographs arc taken while the
iplay in in motion A vitascope is
then used to enlarge the pictures
upon screen in front of the audi
ence.
Moving pictures are the main
American amusement Of to-day, and
all of the leading cities uce the work
|of our inventor in their numerous
five and ten cent shows.
New York is considered the nov
ing picture center of the world. fav-
ing over $50 moving picture theatres.
The chief combination Of manufac-
turers produces 10000 feet week Of
films, of which eighty copies apiece
must be made. Thomas 4. Gdloe6S