High School chemistry assignment

Ernest Hemingway began his career by writing short stories for his high school newspaper and yearbook. He graduated from Oak Park High School, in Illinois, in 1917. This is a page of his chemistry homework, on the subject of “The four chief methods of preparing a salt.” The conclusion, written in black ink, is diligent and factual. He added in pencil, probably at a later date, the sketch and its accompanying jocular note, “To get a salt invert the shaker and shake like the devil,” as well as his initials, “EH.” Hemingway wrote mostly in pencil over the course of his writing career, and his handwriting became more boyish as he aged.