Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-04-29
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AS TAUGHT
AT ALMA. HIGH SCHOOL

and laboratory work. I'm the recita-
tion the students learn physical and
chemical laws and theories and the ap-
plication of these TO actual problems.
In the laboratory they are given the
actual problems and with the aid or
proper materials arrive at the results.
In physics no attempt is made TO
make OF the stadent an electrician or
a machinist, but simply TO direct his
attention 10 the natural phenomena
around him and TO acquaint him with
the physical laws which govern them.
Every person i'm every modern civil
lized countries comes constantly in
contact with machines. If he is in the
country he uses machines to NOV,
reap, and thresh grain windmills and
engines to pump water, and cream sep
arators to skim milk. But perhaps he
has never lived in the country. In the
city he rides on electric and steam
cars, and sees electric, pneumatic, and
hydraulic appliances i'm use constantly.
Any person who has wondered about
or studied one of these machines mas
begun the study of physics d phys
les as IT is offered in high Sc ool az
fers from that study only j. that it
has been arranged and is pre- ented in
an orderly and systematic way.
1t is by actually measuring values
that the student obtains Knowledge
that will be of practical value. If he
knows how much work can be got out
of a machine under conditions which
would be ideal and what becomes Of
the rest of the work expended. he is
in position 10 use the machine 20 the
greatest value.
The high school physics student be-
gins his work with a thorough study
Of measurements and their compara-
tive values. In the laboratory he is
required to measure lengths and TO
find volumes and weights by the use
of such instruments as the screw mi
crometer, vernier caliper, and delicate
balance
The subject matter of physics pro-
per is grouped into five divisions,
namely, mechanics, sound, heat, light,
and electricity.
Mechanics includes mechanics of
solids, liquids, and gases. Under me-
chanics of solids are studied the laws
of falling bodies, simple machines.
such as the lever, screw. inclined
plane. etc Further the student learns
how the efficiency of these machines
may be increased and how they may
be arranged to obtain the best results
from the least effort
Mechanics of liquids teaches of the
principle of the hydraulic press, water
wheels and motors, and citv water sup
plies. The mechanics of gases teaches
the principle Of the air pump, lift and
force pumps, compression pump, air
brake. and countless other contrivanc-
es with the physical laws which gov
ern them.
In the study of sound the student
becomes familiar with the method of
transmission of sound. the reflection
Of sound waves, the acoustic proper
ties of buildings, means of producing
musical sounds and the construction
of common musical instruments.
Next, heat is considered, and the
student is presented with the causes
of heat. the methods of changing work
into heat and, as in the ordinary heat
engines, the changing of heat into
work. The various methods of heat
ing buildings are studied in detail and
the advantages and disadvantages of
each are discussed.
jects pursued during the year is light.
Theories are presented as to the ma
ture of light and its transmission.
The different kinds of lenses and mir
rors are studied and the uses of these
In special optical instruments, such as
the eye, camera, eyeglasses, reading
glass, microscope and telescope. Some
time is given to the consideration of
the methods of lighting houses and of
the most efficient lamps.
Electricity, the most modern de-
partment of physics presents to the
student an abundance of intensely in
teresting material There is the study
Of the different kinds of cells with the
proper uses and care of each, electric
al generators and motors, the electro
magnet, studied in detail in the cleo
trio bell, telegraph sounder, relay, etc
and many practical uses of the cleo
trio current
The laboratory work in general fol-
lows the same plan as the recitation
work. The student is required to keep
note book i'm which, are placed re-
suits obtained in the laboratory and
extreme tidiness and great accuracy
are required in the preparation of this
book. He measures many different
things, not especially for results that
he may get now, but in order that in
all work which he undertakes he may
be able to recognize good measure
ments and be able to Judge values.
In the systematic study of physics
there must be included many abstract
terms, as calories, horse power, watt,
etc. These may seem without value
at first. but cannot be overlooked be-
cause they form tools of the work and
must be mastered that the subject may
be comprehended.
If il is important that the boy knows
how the automobile runs and the girl
knows how the cream separator is
constructed, is it not of equal import
ance that each should know something
of the materials of which his clothes
are made and those which go to make
up his food
Science has made wonderful pro-
grcss in the production Of food pro-
ducts. but or the other hand il is al
the time learning better how 10 fool
the buyer, how to adulterate food, TO
make 1t appear what il is not
The person with knowledge of
chemistry is better able to protect
himself against such fraud, better
able to interpret the reading of a la
bel.
Chemistry in the high school be-
gins with the study of changes which
are always taking place. The stud
ent then learns Of chemical changes.
of the elements and the way in which
they enter compounds with each other
of the natural sources Of 10th ele-