Arrowmen in Action

Most people have heard of a harmonica. Many Arrowmen have probably even played them while hiking or passing time at camp. But few are familiar with the type of harmonica that Arrowman Aidan Dougherty plays. Aidan, a member of Moswetuset Lodge from Cambridge, Massachusetts plays the glass harmonica to demonstrate the relationship of music and noise.

Aidan is so enthralled with the science behind this musical instrument that he applied to be a part of the Cambridge Science Festival that is sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Science Museum. The festival hosts science corporations from around the country and is open to thousands of visitors each year. At the event, Aidan “set up fourteen perfectly tuned water glasses, representing the notes starting from middle C on the piano keyboard,” said his dad, Gary. Once they’re set up, his dad explains, Aidan plays simple tunes on them.

In addition to the glasses, Aidan also set up a series of electronic kits to analyze the frequencies of the classes. “Benjamin Franklin had built a very special glass harmonica which many composers like Mozart wrote music for,” his dad said. Festival goers also got to participate with a set of glasses that Aidan set up for them to practice with.

According to Aidan’s dad, festival organizers and attendees were impressed with the young Scout’s display. But what impressed people even more was the fact that Aidan is only twelve years old. Experiments like this are an example of what you can do, at any age, when you use the Power of One.


Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08