FRENCH FRIES AND BAR SCREENS

This story harks back to the time spent as a Graduate Student at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, circa 1975.

Graduate students from the subcontinent, and other Cricket playing nations cobbled up a ragtag coalition of a team, to represent the University : Boisterous Indians, Pakis, Bangladeshis, Srilankans, a fat, loud mouthed Aussie and a quiet, self effacing Englishman made up the playing eleven. A complete set of cricketing gear was specially ordered from Canada, including a half mat to cover up the Ferozeshah Kotla type pitch conditions.

After Sunday morning practice on the University grounds ( the ground used for among other things, touch football, softball and rugby), we used to troop out to the neighbourhood Mcdonalds for the Sunday treat.

Vegetarianism in those days was unheard of in the USA, and most certainly not South of the Mason-Dixon line.  And every time, it amused me no end to see some of my vegetarian colleagues opt for a Combo meal consisting of a “Large” order of French fries followed up with a “Small” order of the same : the only vegetarian items on offer at Mcdonalds in those days.

I do not know if these incidents played on my mind to exert a subliminal effect on my design preferences in future years, when it came to Bar screens in a Sewage Treatment Plant.

I admit, I do religiously specify in my designs, a “Coarse” Bar screen followed by a “Fine” screen in a screen channel to trap the trashy solid matter and other articles finding their way into an STP.   The Coarse screen traps the larger objects in the incoming sewage : and the Fine screen ?  You guessed it – The small Fry.

Dr. Ananth S Kodavasal                                                                          May 13, 2011