Star of Scientists In Day at Fun Fair

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 299, 2 December 1936, Page 7

Star of Scientists In Day at Fun Fair

eROFESSOR AGED 72 Men to whom—mathematically millions are but mites and Einstein’s theory a ten-minute teaser, made whoopee at ’ Blackpool's forty-acre Amusement Park as relaxation after a morning of papers and still more papers at the British Association’s Conference. And star performer of them all was seventy two-year-old Professor Edridge Green, who, in his more serious moments, is a Special Examiner for the Board of Trade on Vision and Colour Vision. He became hero of th" Park. For the engineering professors and tcientists the afternoon off was also the shaking of their lives.

Within five minutes Professor Edridge-Green was having his first experience of steering a dodge-em car n an enclosure crowded with other icientists, all steering cars with an rtter disregard of every Belisha regulation. Professor Edrid- • Green, equipped svith umbrella and raincoat, and with his gold-rimmed spectacles firmly on his nose, drew rousing cheers from the crowd, and a hundred people followed him gleefully to see what he would do next.

The Professor next went to the Jreat Wheel, which towers 70ft. in the iir and revolves at frightening speed. He climbed into a seat, his long ivhite beard blowing the bre Lu ;his open chair, with only a bar to lold, he was joined by a scientific :riend—Mr Maurice Blood, M.A., who s one of the greatest authorities on •ifle shooting.

Slowly the wheel began to, revolveSigh in the air the Professor and Mi Mood waved their hands to scientific ‘riends below. Suddenly the wheel began to go laster and faster. Girls screamed with •xcitement; hildren shouted and clung >n, but the Professor was determined to iee it through. Mr Blood, when the wheel was revol took out his British Assoc.atioi. lotebook and made some notes in mid iir. Undaunted, the Professor then walk id over to a kind of scenic railway He pulled his hat firmly down over hi.*ars as, with a rumble and a crash, the jar sped away into unknown depths, u| dopes and down yawning precipices. Five minutes later he emerged, hi lat still intact on his head, more de ighted with the fun than ever. When tea was suggested after thProfessor had been in the amusemen park for two and a-half hours, he said •No, no. I must go on a few mor things first.” He went on a hair-raising ride o the Ghost Train. Tombs opened, grin ping skeletons held up their arms coffin lids suddenly came off. Afterwards, accompanied by abou' forty other British Association mem bers, the Professor went into the fun house.

“1 think that 1 have been on p»ncti cully everything,” he said, almost Badly, as if sorry that it was all over. "It: is the best day 1 have had since the old Earl’s Court Exhibition, and that was by no means as exciting us this has been.