FACULTY MEMBERS ARE SYMPOSIUM SPEAKERS

At the Gamma Alpha Symposium on "Energy," which was held in the New Lecture Hall last night at 8 o'clock, three members of the Faculty spoke to an audience of over 500 people. They were P. W. Bridgman, Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, W. J. Crozier, professor of General Physiology, and A. E. Kennelly, professor of Electrical Engineering, Emeritus. The speakers were introduced by G. H. Parker, professor of Zoology.

Professor Bridgman, the first speaker, treating the subject from the point of view of the Physicist, outlined the general history of the subject. He told how acquaintance with energy goes back to ancient times, and cited examples of "perpetual motion" machines which have been built periodically in the hope of preventing the dissipation of energy. The early manufacturers of these machines saw no reason whatsoever why they would not work, and it was not until the nineteenth century that knowledge of the forces involved became sufficiently good, so that people began to realize that their labors were in vain. Professor Bridgman ended his address by picturing everything from the modern prize of view as being energy.

Professor Kennelly, who spoke after Professor Bridgman, talked of the measurement of energy and power, from the point of view of the engineer. He explained how energy is measured by the engineer, using many examples from present-day life. Speaking of electric light, he cited the fact that 20,000,000 people in the United States get bills for energy every month. He showed several slides to illustrate the different kinds of energy which have existed since early times bringing out the phenomenal increase in power which the centuries have witnessed.

Professor Crozier, the third and last speaker of the evening, talking from the point of view of the Biologist, showed at considerable length that Biological processes are essentially and fundamentally the same as inorganic ones.