Evening star., 1949-09-26
Navy 10 Show Public
Ordnance Laboratory
Projects Thursday
By J. B. Zotmun

Sprawling over $50 acres about
10 miles northwest of Washington
are 94 buildings intended to main
tain Americas supremacy in SCI
entific know-how.
They constitute the Naval Ord
nance Laboratory, one of the larg-
est scientific research centers in
the world, which designs and tests
many of the weapons that go into
this country's arsenal.
Built at a cost of $35 5,0OO,o 900, the
huge projects scientific marvels
range from an X-ray machine
which can penetrate 16 inches of
steel to scale sensitive enough to
weigh a signature.
Open House Planned.
On Thursday, the laboratory will
throw open its doors from 10 am.
to 4 pm. to give the public a peek
into it's inner workings The
laboratory's entrance is on New
Hampshire avenue, near Colesville
road, at White Oak, Md.
Portions of about 10 buildings
will be on exhibition. Since they
are scattered over a 15-acre area,
buses will be available for those
who feel their hiking days are over.
Among expected visitors are l.
| 900 junior and senior high school
science students from Montgomery
and Prince Georges Counties, some
of whom laboratory officials hope
will be sufficiently impressed to
follow scientific careers.
AS an added attraction, the
laboratory is sponsoring an essay
contest for senior high school
students of the two counties who
attend the open house.
The essays are limited to 1000
words and must be based on the
students impressions of their
visit. First prize will be a $100
savings bond; second prize, a $50
bond, and third prize. $25 bond.
Demonstrations Scheduled.
A progra mdesigned to attract
everyone from kiddies to adults
has been arranged. 1t includes
performances of the laboratory's
House of Magic at 1880 am, 2:15
and 3:15 pm, demonstrations by
Navy diving team, a tour of wind
tunnels in which speeds close to
1000 miles an hour have been de-
veloped and a radio quiz show at
1:30 pm.
The show will pit a team of
Montgomery County high school
students against a similar group
from Prince Georges County. All
contestants will receive prizes
donated by Hyattsville and Silver
Spring merchants.
More than 20 World War II
weapons will be displayed in front
of the laboratorys main building.
They will include buzz bombs, one
man submarines, dio-controlled
bombs, electrically controlled
"doodlebug" tanks and giant tor
pedos. The tanks are about 18
inches high and 4 feet long.
For those with scientific bent,
workers in the plastic laboratory
will show the step-by-step man
ufacture of such articles as tele-
phones, steering wheels, pens and
electrical wiring from coal, air
and water.
Kisses May Be Tested.
Would-be matinee idols and
screen sirens can test the intensity
of their kisses on the kissometer
while parents can hear how they
Soud to their children by using
a magnetic voice recorder, which
plays back Immediately what it
receives.
The 40-piece MOL Band will be
on hand from 10:30 am. to noon.
The Navy School of Music Band
will play from 1880 to 2::30 pm.
The laboratory is commanded
by Rear Admiral Frank E. Beatty.
DR.. Ralph D. Bennett is technical
director. Stated by about 2,4O0
employees, officials claim it is the
largest ordnance laboratory in the
world.