The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1920-01-22
CYROSCOPE LECTURE
Prof. Burt Newkirk Explains Device
and Demonstrates 1t by Means
of Working Medel.
Little Playhouse Company of Cincin-
natl Will Be Next Attraction
in the Lyceum Course.

III C1iC AyCCuH SOuT SC.
Those who braved the stormy wealth
or last Monday evening to hear Prof.
Burt Newkirk's lecture on the gyro-
scope felt more than repaid for the
effort.
DR.. Newkirk presented his subject
in simple enough language to be I'M
derstood~ even by the children. His
explanations were simple and his dem
onstrations most interesting. He
brought with him three trunks full of
apparatus for use in the. demonstra-
tions. He first explained, at some
length, the fundamental principles of
a gyroscope, clearing up the misap-
prehension that it is an unusual in
strument, by pointing out that many
common, everyday things are gyro-
scopic in nature, such as revolving
car wheel, a rolling coin, spinning
bicycle wheel and other like things.
Even our old mother earth serves as
an example Of a gyroscope.
His explanations were so pleasingly
interspersed with demonstrations that
the interest of the audience never
tagged. He illustrated the working of
the stabilizer, such as are placed on
ocean vessels to prevent their rolling,
by placing a gyroscope on trunk
which had been fitted out with a pair
of rockers. The spinning Of the gyro-
scope halted the rocking almost in
stantly.
DR.. Newkirk's miniature gyroscopic
monorail car, the finest piece of mech
anism among his models, exhibited its
ability to travel at good speed and
to ~preserve it's equilibrium under all
circumstances. This demonstration
was cut short by the unfortunate
breaking of the cable which was serv.
ing as a rail.
DR.. Newkirk had with him large
model Of gyroscopic compass but il
could not be seen in action as it re.
quires 45 minutes to adjust~itself. HI
was, however, able to picture to the
audience just how it worked and tt
elucidate the reasons for it's superiori
ty over the magnetic compass.
tiny compass mounted on a miniature
world revolving on its axis, gave {
good idea Of how it works.
The lecturer said he was more inter
ested in the experiments for the use Of
the gyroscope on peace time improve
ments, but explained that it had beer
utilized to some extent during the wal
principally on submarines as a com
pass and as a steering device for thu
deadly torpedo.
At the end of his lecture, with the
help of a number of men who haC
assisted him during the evening, DR.
Newkirk set in motion the gyroscope.
in the different pieces of his apparatu.
and sent them out into the audience
that all who wished might inspec
them and test out the peculiar powers
Of this most interesting piece of mech
anism, which he had proven to be but
controlled by the laws Of nature, law.
which control all revolving bodies
Many staid to avail themselves Of
this opportunity.
This lecture was decided depar.
ture from anything Princeton has eve1
heard before and it is hoped that VIZ
may at some future time have the
pleasure CT again listening to DR.. New.
kirk on some subject equally as inter
esting.
This was the fourth number on thu
Lyceum course furnished us by the
university. The next number will be
given on February 10, and it bids fai,
to be very popular number. The
Little Playhouse company of Cincin.
natl will put on program which will
consist Of musical numbers and of the
splendid play entitled, "The Passing
Of the Third Floor Back"
~ ~ 4