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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 8, 1960)
I STOP PMN INSTANTLY COMBAT INFECTION PROMOTE HEALING WITH STAINLESS Campho- Phenique (rmONOUNCtO CAM tO flN It) WHEN USED ON PIMPLES-ACNE CAMPHO PHENIQUE HELPS PREVENT THEIR SPREAD AND HE-INFECTION. It's wonderful, too, for fever blisters, cold sores, gum boils, cuts and scratches, minor burns caused by "book mutches, hot cooking utensils, hot water or steum. Campho-Phenique relieves itching of insect bites, poison ivy. etc. Just apply Campho-Phenique next time and see how fast this pain relieving antiseptic goes to work. And it doesn't stain the skin ! Get a bottle today. ft By BONDS " S So much U gl that's New 1H M To See B.-'-yT and Do Thi$ Summer Everything is here in endless variety to make -vacation season I960 the best you ever enjoyed. For Complete Information Write Room 43, Convention Hall, t. . . ' Teen-age rocket scientists from Pennsylvania and Connect icut appraise a 1 2 - foot model about to be launched ot an Army range in Virginia. Boys all wear safety helmets. An Open Letter to the American Rocket Society Can We Make Rocketry Safe for Teen-Agers? By MAJ. BERTRAND R. BRINLEY As a U.S. Army Reserve officer. Major Brmley recently was cited for his "initiative and selflessness m conducting a safety program for jun ior civilian scientists interested in the Army's rocket and missile pro grams." While serving as neuis chief of the First Army Information Section at Governors Island, N. Y., he founded the First Army Junior Rocketeer Program, which has some 25,000 young members. He served in both World War II and Korea, and is author of the recently pub lished book, "Rocket Manual for Amateurs." Your croup's semiannual meeting, which opens in Los Angeles on Monday, may be a truly momentous one. You can help decide what America should do about its amateur rocketeers. And, perhaps, about its future as a space-age leader. Last year the American Rocket So ciety reported that at least 85 percent of amateur rocketeers were "thrill seekers" simply fascinated by pyro technic devices, with no serious scien tific purpose. You even asked that their experiments be prohibited. Shouldn't your membership now re consider this? Shouldn't it reappraise a stand so vitally affecting our scientists of tomorrow? Regional sections of your society al ready have decided that educational experiments are imperative for young sters with a budding interest in rock etry. In addition, two bills have been introduced in Congress to establish na tional programs along these lines. Rep. David S. King of Utah has pro posed that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration build and operate static testing facilities and launching sites for amateurs in every state. Rep. Victor L. Anfuso of New York has urged establishment of a Space Cadet Corps to help provide the necessary education and experience for missile-minded youngsters. Either of these measures would go far toward providing opportunities for space-conscious young people. No doubt your group is aware that an estimated half-a-million American teen-agers are designing and building rockets. If, as you argue, most of them are merely junior "pyromaniacs," we have a difficult law-enforcement prob lem on our hands. But if a substantial number of these youngsters is gifted with technical or scientific aptitudes, we have an opportunity a duty, really to accelerate their development Certainly, during the last two years, we have learned about the acci dent hazards of rocketry. Safety organ izations, insurance associations, state fire marshals, and others have warned us of the tragedies that can result from "allowing children to play with rock ets." Teachers, scientists, public offi cials, industrial leaders, and various civic organizations that could" help young rocket students have become re luctant to associate themselves with an activity labeled "foolhardy." Among federal agencies, only the Army has taken a firm stand in helping amateur rocketeers. Perhaps this is because the Army, with 175 years of ordnance experience, knows that accidents can be minimized through education and preventive measures. A survey shows that only three states Washington, Idaho, and Vermont have formally recognized the educa tional value of rocket experimentation and have published regulations permit ting tests under controlled conditions. The majority of states, however, are negative in attitude, ready to use laws on explosives and fireworks to curb amateur rocketry. Despite this, amateur rocketry is the fastest-growing youth activity in the United States. With or without legal authority, with or without the super vised guidance of qualified experts, thousands of young people are launch ing rockets. Last year, 20,000 amateur rockets, ranging in size from three inches to 14 feet, were fired. And while the National Safety Coun cil and the National Fire Protection Association have joined your society in condemning amateur rocketry, they do not speak for all their members. At least as many rocket scientists are in favor of controlled amateur experi ments as are opposed. Indeed, some safety experts believe the quickest way to prevent rocket accidents is to edu cate youngsters in protective and pre ventive techniques: Educators, too, arc divided on the Atlantic City, M.J. Family Weekly, May I, I9C0
