What’s it For? by Henry Humphrey ’49. I was surprised to find that the urban contraptions explained in this book are still mostly quite familiar even though the book is fifty years old. Manhole covers, standpipes, and grates still look pretty much the same. The gizmo where you put your change when you board the bus Is a thing of the past, and I suspect that night depositories have been rendered obsolete by ATMs. Still, the idea of engaging the curiosity of the young about objects they see every day is charming and timeless. I would still show this book to young children and ask if they wonder about the function of anything else.
