Have you ever wondered if something is really worth learning; wondered if it really made a difference in the world? Morse code is probably one of those things. Wasn't that just something used a long time ago with telegrams? It was originally used with the telegram, but did you know that it enabled people to communicate long-distance before telephones were everyday items? Did you know that this code enabled prisoners of war to communicate with each other and strengthen each other's faith, without a word, right under the noses of Vietnamese guards? Did you know that now the SOS signal is recognized all over the world? Samuel F.B. Morse certainly has made a difference in the world by creating Morse code.
Morse code was invented simultaneously with the telegram, in a successful attempt to communicate faster than sending a letter by post. In 1844 Samuel F.B. Morse and his friend, Vail, worked together to develop a code made of dots and dashes, representing individual letters, which could be memorized easily. The first message, "What hath God wrought?" was typed on paper, but later a mechanism which made short and long clicking sounds became more widely used. The messages were relayed by electrical pulses in wires, which ran between major cities in the United States. As time went on, telegram wires were installed in smaller towns. Operators used the telegram and Morse code to send messages all across the country, allowing people to communicate long-distance long before families dreamed of having their own telephones.
Morse code has also enabled Prisoners of War (POWs) to strengthen each other's faith, even when they were not allowed to speak. In the Vietnam war, POWs tapped coded messages through the walls of their isolated cells, letting each other hear memorized Bible verses. When a prisoner was led through the hallways he would drag his feet in long and short patterns, relaying the news of Jesus to dozens of other prisoners at a time. All of this happened, without a word being spoken, because of the invention of Morse code.
Common people have been saved because they knew the easy SOS (... _ _ _ ...) signal. SOS is recognized as an international distress signal, so cavers, mountain climbers, campers and sailors all over the world know it. This signal has been sent dozens of times over radios, through smoke signals and by flashing lights. Morse code is so simple that everyday people can learn it easily.
Do you see how important Morse code is? Without it, the world would not be what it is today. However, appreciation is not enough. Without continued use, Morse code will remain a thing of the past. You should learn Morse code. You never know, you might be one of those people who signal SOS and are saved by the invention of Morse code!
note: For some reason unknown to me, my writing is better when it is in the form of a blog post, rather than an essay. This post was originally a writing assignment, posted here to help improve it's quality. If there are ANY corrections or suggestions which could help improve my writing, please leave a comment.
