Short
Stories
of Science and Invention
A
Collection of Radio Talks by
Charles F. Kettering
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Weekly, from
September 1942
to July
1945, Charles F. Kettering gave five-minute intermission talks about Science and Invention during the
radio broadcasts of the General
Motors Symphony of the Air.
Kettering
invented the first automobile
self-starter, and for 31 years directed a research laboratory
for General Motors.
These radio
talks are a fascinating
legacy from the mind of a prolific inventor. The obvious
anachronisms now add a historical perspective of the
war-time period in which they were written.
These web pages now preserve some
of the most popular stories for a new generation to read The
text and art come from a General Motors booklet of selected talks.
(Reprint, March 1959)
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43. "If At First You Do Succeed - "
A Radio Talk by Charles F. Kettering
When we undertake a piece of research work,
nobody can tell how
long it is going to take because we fail so many times. The one time we
must not fail, however, is the last time we try. Our succeeding on the
first attempt is not very good either because then we may overestimate
our ability, or greatly underestimate the problem.
A young Englishman, Henry Bessemer,
is a good example of the
trouble one can get into when things go too well at the start.
A little
more than a hundred years ago, steel was very hard to get and its use
was limited to making swords, needles, springs and so on. The need for
guns in the Crimean War brought steel to Bessemer's attention - the
countries at war wanted stronger cannons than could be made from cast
iron.
Bessemer was a practical metallurgist and
inventor. His process
for making bronze powder provided him with enough money to do
experiments. He knew steel would make much better guns but there was no
cheap method known for making it.
After studying the subject
thoroughly, he learned how steel was made by the old methods;
ultimately he revolutionized the steel business and opened the way for
many new industries.
 
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