April 2020
Papa was a senior in high school in 1961. On April 12th my glide towards graduation was interrupted when news of the first man in space broke. Yuri Gagarin, a Russian, made that flight and I for one squirmed at the thought of attending classes the next day. The United States was already engaged in a series of “cold war” competitions with the Soviet Union. The “red menace” had loomed over much of my childhood. We were aware that incineration of all we held dear could occur within minutes. However, I for one did not go to school the next day with fears of nuclear bombs raining down on the Mid West.
Instead I felt trepidation at the prospect of a scolding disguised as a lecture from our science teachers. I remembered shame being attributed to an entire classroom of my chums in 1957 because the godless Soviets had launched “Sputnik” before the US had rockets that were reliably consistent in leaving launch pads intact. Newsreels often had images of rockets blowing up within seconds of ignition or wobbling off course when only hundreds of feet in the air. Our country’s pride in Vanguard rockets evaporated with the rockets’ 70 plus percent failure rate. An especially severe math teacher took us all to task for losing the battle of being the first to orbit a satellite. She demanded we all excel at math and engineering to catch up with the Russians. “Count me out” I thought while nodding my head in agreement. (Teachers are so much more happy if they believe students are listening.) I was taking her math class so that I did not have to take math in college. I had a social science degree in my sights. The three or four kids in class with pocket protectors and a working knowledge of the slide rule contraption took her rebuke to heart. Later I overheard them enthusiastically discuss the nuts and bolts of low level elliptical orbit achieved by Russia that put our Vanguard program to shame. Mind boggling to me so I turned my attention to social matters. (i.e. Girls)
A lesson here. It was not the first time nor would it be the last time there was a gnawing and clenching of teeth over the need to light a fire under an issue of life or death consequences to America. The “sky is falling” pessimists are alive and well. Keep your own counsel. Some of my generation’s “nerds” undoubtedly contributed to research that improved the science of rocket propulsion. Eventually, the giant step of moon landings. It will be bright young students from a current generation who will develop a Covid vaccine. A life saving vaccine will not come from politicians who claim “to follow the science.” And, in another sphere, I’d place my bet for improving the environment on scientists of tomorrow. Celebrities, politicians or a fear mongering teenager from Scandinavia may have loud voices but I’d bet their scientific knowledge is miniscule compared to that of individuals who will actually provide solutions.