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suggested he invent something, get a patent, and sell it for enough for college expenses.

When his father complained about the unreliability of a pumping engine at the paper

mill where he worked, Ham worked on

some ideas and made some drawings.

When he presented them to the foreman at

the mill, he learned that it had already been

done with disappointing results. A few

days later, he visited the local railroad

station and heard about problems with car

couplers. Again he drew and this time he

learned that someone had already done a

scientific paper that was quite similar. Next

he discussed an idea with his geography

teacher to help students learn about the

states. He made a puzzle map with cutouts

of each state. When he presented it to the

schoolmaster, he was discouraged to learn

that it had already been done. He gave up

inventing and took a summer job in a

hardware store.

One day Bessie McAllister came into the

store. She was going on a picnic and for

convenience was looking for a combination

can opener and corkscrew. She thought it

would be very handy tool. Ham looked

high and low in the store and did not find

one. The picnic was the following week.

Ham went home and began to make some sketches. After dinner, he went to work

building a wood model. The next day, Ham's father took the model to a local foundry

and had a few handles cast. In time for the picnic, Ham presented Bessie with his

invention. Bessie was in awe and suggested he consult her cousin Joe Stanwood about

getting a patent. He went home and packaged up a model with this message: