The Boy Who Invented TV- Review

Summary Notes:
Pg. 69

Philo was born in Utah in 1906.

There were no TVs, refrigerators, cars, or cell phones back then.
Electricity was rare.
News was gotten by mail.
Had to walk or ride a horse to contact others.
Chores took up most of his day.
Full name: Philo Taylor Farnsworth.
No TV or radio except on military ships.
Time then was not like the present.

Pg. 70

Philo was amazed by the telephone.

Philos father took him to see the train, and he thought it was a monster.
When he started to talk, he started to ask questions.
Philo had interest in anything mechanical.
Phonograph and hand-cranked telephone captivated him.
At 3 years old, he drew a picture of train. He learned about steam powered trains.
When he was little, he was very curious.

Pg. 71

Alexander Graham Bell & Thomas Edison became his heroes.

Philo got a pony named Tippy.
He performed in dance bands and made $5 every Friday night.
He loved to read.
Chores took up most of his day, but he read magazines when he had time.
In spare time, he raised lambs and sold them.
Loved the sound of music.
He was getting bullied and finally fought back. Teasing ended.
He decided to order a bike from the Sears catalogue, but his grandmother talked him into
ordering a violin instead.
Chores: feeding the pig, milking the cows, and fetching wood for the stove.
Loved playing instruments.
He was the oldest of 5 children.

Pg. 72
Philo and his family moved to Idaho where there were fields of beets and potatoes.
Philo thought the radios were magic boxes.
Their new home was wired with electricity.

Philo was very interested the first time he heard about the TV.
Any spare money went towards magazines.
He asked engineer many questions.
In the attic, he found a box full of science magazines.
At Snake River Valley, Philo saw power lines.
Philo reads that scientists are trying to make a TV.
Philo saw the word television for the first time.

Pg. 74

Philo fixed electric generator.

Philo entered the science contest and won. With money, bought first pair of nice pants.
He tinkered with broken motors, reels of wire, and old tools.
He started to devise gadgets to hook up a generator.
He became the Farnsworths electrical engineer.
Philo liked to fix many things.
He did not like washing clothes so he attached a motor.
He pictured the first ignition lock.

Pg. 77

As Philo was plowing the potato field, he had a thought of a way of inventing TV.
Philos idea was like catching light in a bottle.
Philos father could not understand his idea.
He was carving perfectly parallel lines out in the potato field.
The lines would trick peoples eyes into seeing an image.
Plowing potatoes was the best chore for thinking.

Pg. 78

Philo started high school.

After his father died, Philo and his family moved to Utah.
Philos teacher wanted him to go to college.
Philo went to college early but had to leave early when his father died.
Philo told his teacher how to invent TV, and his teacher said it would cost him a lot of
money.
Latest hero became Albert Einstein.
His teacher tutored him.
His high school was miles away.

Pg. 80

Philos favorite thing to do repairing radios.

Philo fell in love with Pem <3
On weekends, he threw radio parties.
Philo liked the radio but thought the TV was better.
He thought the TV would teach and inspire.
He told two businessmen a step by step explanation of the TV.
He focused more on the TV.
He became more passionate.

 Pg. 81

He got $6,000 to make a model of the TV from two business men from California.
Philo signed multiple patents to protect his work.
He worked on TV for 24 hours a day.
First lab was in his dining room.
Pem and Philo got married <3
Two businessmen gave Philo one year to invent TV.
Pem helped Philo with inventions.

Pg. 82

Philo was in the newspaper for making the TV.

Philo was the first to invent the TV after many tries.
In 1927, the first TV was turned on.
Thanks to him, the future included TV.
First person to see the TV was his wife, Pem.
Found new investors.
He moved to San Francisco and had a lab.
Philo was a real inventor!

To Know for the Test:

Vocabulary
(8 questions):
envisioned:
had an idea; pictured or predicted
breakthrough:
a sudden idea; to finally figure out
patents:
license; what protects the work
devices:
things made for a purpose
claimed:
show ownership; declare as yours
enthusiastically:
excitingly; opposite: boringly
captivated:
draw in your attention; opposite: disappoint or disgust
passionate:
having strong feelings towards something

Comprehension
(5 questions)

Two inventions that interested young Philo

Difference between Idaho and Utah
What did Philo see in the potato fields?
What did Philo think was the best thing about TV?
Important events that led to Philo inventing the TV