By Dave Hirsch

This modern age is crammed with all sorts of amazing innova~
tione, ranging from the omnipotent H—bomb to controversml
hevbop. A technological “golden boy” is the device capable of

reproducing sound by means

of magnetized wire or tape.

 

diedited with the .1... ‘ ,. t of
this amazing electronic mechanism
in the Armour Research Founda—
tion.

For the deep thinker, lengthy
library research and laboratory
work might reveal the theoretical
aspects of magnetic reproduction

of sound. The following explana- ,

tion however may satisfy the lean
curioue person. A specimen of hard
steel can be magnetized in small
areas. The retained magnetism is
to a large degree independent of
the magnetism of adjacent parts.
The record medium can be of my
shape convenient to the purpose
at hand; fiat steel tape, plaetic film
coated with a thin layer of iron
dust, round steel wire, or, if the
need arises, the rim of a steel
chamber pot may be used.

The basic idea of magnetic re~
cording is not new. In 1898, Valde—
mar Pouleen, a Danish professor,
made the first Working model of
a magnetic recorder. His machine
utilized a steel tape in the form
of a loop stretched between two
wheels and driven by a small motor.
The tape was saturated magneti-
cally by an erasing magnet which
removed the old record and left the
wire in a uniform magnetic state,
after which it passed under a re-
cording polc piece whose magnetic
etrength varied according to the
nature of the sound entering the
microphone. The tape now carried
waves of magnetism which induced
voltages in. a third magnet that
actuated a telephone receiver. The
device, known as a "Telegra—
phone,” was not considered as hav-
ing any commercial value.

In 1924, Dr. Stollc, in Ger—
many, revived Pouleen’e experi-
ments and showed that round
wire didn't perform as well as
flat tape where the same cur~
face was always presented to
the reproducing magnet. The
wire had a tendency to twist
about ite axis, causing poor
reproduction.

The basic ideas involved in the
design of magnetic recording equip-
ment have changed but little. Re-
finements are in the form of better
amplifiers, special alloys for mag-
nets, tape, and wire, and improved
circuit design.

Marvin Camras, an IIT graduate
who is presently associated with
the ARF, was instrumental in
bringing the magnetic recorder to
its present stage of commercial
practicability. Mr. Camras holds
38 patents in the field of magnetic
recording and has applied for 87
more. In addition he has numerous
foreign patents and patent appli-
cations.

According to Mr. Carmus, the
magnetic recorder offers no di-
rect competition to the phono-
graph, since one is not a sub-

 

 

Irene aeolrerduiee
tot he attended
tier denier hlieeic

A decision was made at the last
general faculty meeting to rear~
range the class schedule for Junior
Week, May 4 to 6. This change has
been formulated to minimize ah—
sences during the spring semester.

Since the power conference,
spring vacation, and Junior Week—
Open House all require dismissal of
classes in the latter part of the
week, it is planned during Junior
Week to hold the classes normally
scheduled for Thursday, Friday and
Saturday, May 4 to 6, on Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday, May 1 to
3. The classes normally scheduled
for Monday, Tuesday and Wednes~
day will be dismissed. This ar-
rangement will provide some equal-
ization of class periods and labora—
tories for the semester.

 

stitute for the other. Magnetic
recording is superior to disc-
type recording in a number of
ways. The sound quality of
magnetic recording is excellent,
as are the fidelity and natural—
neae of reproduction. Background
noise in practically inaudible.
Magnetic recordings are adapted
for longer playing timce, a dis-
tinct advantage for classical and
high quality music works, since
the entire selection can he played
without interruption. The broad-
casting industry is rapidly re~
placing disc—type transcription
with magnetic recording, a poe-
sihlc indication in the trend of
general recording where empha-
sis is placed on high quality re.
production.

Most magnetic recorders on the
market today are designed for
“home recording.” They are used in
recording radio programs, for
parties, etc. A full hour of record-
ing may be had from a single
spool. The records; do not wear out

or deteriorate rapidly and require
little storage space. Magnetic re"
cording, equipment in low in cost
and can be operated by persona
possessing a minimum of technical
skill.

 

The student branch of the ASME
will hold its first meeting of the
seawater Tueoday at 1 pm. in the
MC auditorium. High point of the
meeting will be an illustrated lec»
ture by 0. J. Seeds, direct repre~
sentativc of Cerro De Pasco Cop-
per corporation. Topic of his lec—
ture will be “Low Melting Temper—
ature Metals and Their Use.” After
a discussion of business matters
and future field trips, the meeting
will close with refreshments.

During the final meeting of last
semester officers for this semester
were elected after the selection of
a new honorary chairman. Stothe
Kezios succeeds Professor Rusinofi‘
in this office. The new officers are:
Ed Sebastian chairman; Ed Fencl,
vice-president; Morris Franks, sec-
reta1y; Bob Lindgren, t1easurc1;
Gene Rezabeck, by- laws chairman;
and Bernard Kunka, publicity
chairman.

deterioration iii-yarn
corneal tunnel
tier enyineeriny

James D. Cunningham, chairman
of the board of trustees of Illinois
Tech, will be awarded the Chicago
Technical Societies council 1950
me1it award for “outstanding engi—
neering,, administrative and civic
service,’ it was announced Feb-
many 23 by Robert H. Bacon,
president of the Council.

Mr. Cunningham is president of
the American Society of Mechani—
cal Engineers and president of Re—
public Flow Meters company. He
has been chairman of the board of
trustees since the formation of the
Institute in 1940.

The 1950 award will he made
at a dinner Tuesday. May 9. 1n
the Furniture cluh. Mir. Cunning-
ham will speak on “Technical
Know- How—Not Enough.”

Mr. Cunningham’s award will be
presented by Dr. Gustav Eglolf,
director of research, Universal Oil
Products company, past president
of the technical societies council,
and chairman of the award com~
mittee.

 

 

EMPLOVMENT iNQUlRIES sent by llllnole Tech
students are reproduced here in facsimile. Stylcu of
Letter at
written in pencil on scratch-pad paper, whllc letter
at right was written in ink. 80th letters were ad-
dressed to the proper- pcroonnel men. Luckily, they
got no further than those friendly with Tech’s place-

wrlting are followed cloeely.

mom counselor.

or reveal; lam or were
y, area/fire. dreamer emergence
modifier? can or floorkrmdd
careermim your flown,

left was

 

   
    
 
 
  
  
   

 

  

lily Hal Bergen

 
 

See those “letters?" If you were the recipient of one of those epintlen, what would you think

of the writer?

It so happens that in these two instances, the receivers of those letters were on good terms with
the HT placement Office and sent them to H. L. Minkler, director of placement hoping that some»

thing might be done 10 enlighten
the writers about the ways of the
adult world.

The identity of thenc two writers
is unimportant. The point is could
you have sent such “letters” in the
mail as representative of yourself
and Illinois Tech?

ll’l‘ studente are not the only
ones who have sent out such cor"
respondence. Other colleges are
gravely concerned about the ho—
smirchmcnt of their reputations as
a result of poor conduct on the
part of their students in the busi~
ness world. And poor letter writing;
is not the only oli‘ense. It might be
well to investigate a few examples.

Let us consider the case of a
recent graduating clues which
indicated, at commencement, that
only 25 per cent had john. When
the placement ollico went about
getting job leads and lillingr them.
it found that 14 out of 17 men
called did have employment, but
did not notify the placement
office of this; fact. The placement 1
office thus was forced to waste
time and job leads on men who
didn’t really need jobs at all.

Then there is ”the case of“ the
know—it—all who told his prospec-
tive employers, during an inter-
view, that if hired he would set
the company right. He would, that
is, if he was kept happy on the job.
Of course he never got the job. A
letter from the company is on file
in the placement office confirming
this episode.

80 it is that these “ambassadors
of good-will" are leaving the cam—
pus, undoing the good impressions
left by our more considerate breth-
ren. There are many more men of
excellent caliber who give Illinois
Tech the good reputation it en-
joys. But the few who are not so
bright make it tough for those who
will follow them as IlT men.

They make it tough for the
placement office, which is forced
to waste phone calls and letters
on men who have jobs. but who
let the office think they still
need work. in this way they
take opportunities which should
rightly go to those who actually
need them. And then they ren-
der gi‘osely inaccurate the sta-
tistics with which the office
guides its work.

“We know it is impossible to pro-
duce top-notch jobs for all our

 

 

graduates,” stated Mr. Minkler re-
cently, “but we make every effort
to place everyone who is interested
in going," to work.”

How will you act when you leave .

the campus? Will you be a case
hietmy 1n the “dead— beat” filo? Or
will you really be an ambassador
of good-will for the Institute and
for yourself?

 

 

Student Union lhulding
University, Arkansas
(Fayeucuillc)

EOTTLED UNDER AUTHORITY OF

Qflllfifhmflilhll dfllliimfi

[151' for if ail/her we) . _
lmdcmart; mm” f/lt’ jams filing.

 

 
 
 
   
 
  

In Fayetteville, Arkansas, there is
always a friendly gathering of
University of Arkansas students at
the Student Union Building. And,
as in college campus haunts every-
where, ice-cold Coca-Cola helps
make these get-lo-gethers something
to remember. As a refreshing pause
from the Study grind. 01‘ on a Satur-

dav~night date‘Coke belongs.
. oar/1
ms £0014:an cowmr 5v

fig”. Qt? iElrllSchGlLl, ll‘tlt‘i.

© WSO, The Low Cale Conway