Heroes of Science

HEROES OF SCIENCE 863 a dramatic company, of which he soon became the star. He wrote one comedy which was used by the company. He was getting along famously when one day, a year later, a friend handed him a book on Experimental Philosophy, Astronomy, and Chemistry which he literally devoured. Although this was an entirely new field for him, he decided to become an experimental worker or an explorer in the field of the unknown. It requires a great deal of special training and experience to become efficient in scientific research. Henry had neither, and he lacked the means for securing college training. Undaunted, he worked during the day and went to school in the evening. Here he eagerly studied geometry and mechanics. Later he taught a country school until he had money enough to enter the Albany Academy. Without an instructor he mastered the most difficult forms of mathe- matics, including differential calculus which he realized were essential to the career he wished to enter. Finally, at the age of 18, he had worked his way through the academy, and because of his exceptional interest in his studies he was immediately offered a position as tutor in the home of one of the Academy trustees. This gave him time to make further study of the sciences which were essential 10 his future work. Due to his delicate constitution at this time, Henry took a position in the open as a surveyor of a proposed road across New York State. The outside work did him a world of good and he was about to take other surveying jobs, but was induced to return to the Albany Academy, in 1826, to accept a position as professor of mathematics and natural philosophy. Henry was far from being just an ordinary professor. He always kept up to date on the latest scientific discoveries. During the short period each year when he was free from class work he devoted his time to the discovery of new facts instead of taking a vacation as most professors did. The Academy was too poor to buy the equip- ment needed for his experiments, so Henry made them himself and for the most part used his own money. His experiments were largely on electricity at this time, and as there was then no practical use for electricity most people thought it foolish to spend time on this scientific curiosity. It was inspirational to Henry, however, and was one reason for his exceptional ability as a professor. The first contribution made by Henry which led up to practical results came through his experiments on methods of winding wire about an iron core in order to make it a strong magnet. He was teaching his students the secrets of electro-magnet winding long be- fore the qualities of these magnets were known by others. In 1831, or three or four years before Morse invented the telegraph, Henry had demonstrated that electric-telegraphy was possible. He caused a bell to ring at will by passing a current of electricity through several miles of

864 IMPROVEMENT ERA wire strung around the rooms of the Albany Academy. This was prob- ably the first electric bell ever devised. When Morse had failed to get re- sults with his telegraph, Professor Gale told him to go to Henry. Morse studied Henry's apparatus and returned with the idea which made the telegraph a success. Henry never once begrudged Morse his successful telegraph, although he undoubtedly could have mode at least as good a one himself, and had suggested telegraphic com- munication by this means to others. Although Faraday is given credit for being the first discoverer of the principle now used in producing electricity by magnetos and dynamos, Henry had discovered this fact before Faraday, but had not published the results. This discovery was one of the things which makes Faraday's name so great. Some discoveries and in- ventors complain bitterly when someone else gets the fame they deserve, but Henry quietly went about his work of discovering other new things. Henry was the first one to notice the oscilatory action of electricity coming out of a Leyden jar, a fact which was made use of in perfecting radio. He was the one who first suggested the use of the telegraph to predict weather from conditions in other parts of the country, as is done by the U. S. Weather Bureau today. He made the first measurements of the effect of sun-spots on the heat given out by the sun, a subject which is now being widely studied. He made original studies of building ventilation, movement of sound, strength of building materials, of the effect of the aurora on earth magnetism, and a great many other important subjects. But in all these things he carried the ideas only far enough to show their im- portance and then left their more practical side to those who cared to take up the problem. In 1846. when the great Smithsonian Institute of Washington was founded, to help discover and spread knowledge, Henry being the most capable man to take charge, was made the first director. It was through his broad vision of science that the policy of the Institute was, and still remains, to carry on investigations and publish papers which will bring knowledge to a point where it can be of practical results. Henry lived a happy life; he enjoyed searching for any new fact which would enrich human knowledge; he cared little for the fame so many search for, but his service to mankind will long make his name famous. Provo, Utah . . The Missionaries We trust in God who is above, And pray both morn and night That we may walk the path of love, And do our duty right. Monroe, Utah. WESTON N. NORDGREN