Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-09
STAMP ALBUMS.
ROYAL ROAD TO LEARNING.
How and WHY the Stamp Collecting Mania
Has Been Introduced Iuto. the Pubic

n
How and WIZ the stamp Collecting Mania
Has Been Introduced Iuto. the Pubic
New York world.l
No more healthful amusement was
ever invented for children than the
collection OF postage-stamps. Two or
three parents have written lately to the
World asking for advice because their
children were anxious to form collec-
tons, and they were afraid at would
lead them into temptation" The re-
plies that they received have probably
opened their eyes.
Teachers in the public schools Of this
city have discovered that there is one
royal road to learn much of what is
taught between the fifth and first
grade, and that is through a Stamp al
bum. The result is that they are en-
couraging the children in every posi-
bic way to form collections, that they
set the example themselves, and that
at noon recess they often preside over a
stamp exchange. Said one teacher re-
Gently at a teachers meeting " have
been only three months collecting, and
in that time | have learned more ge-
ography and more current history than
in any previous year. | have two boys
in my class fifth grade) who have
been collecting for year-one ten and
the other cleveland no boy in the
first grade can match either Of them.
They know the name and date of ac-
cessien Of every ruler in the world ;
the population, coinage lin our money,
shield, flag Of every stamp-issuing
country or colony; the different issues
Of stamps, Of course and they have a
better general knowledge OF the earth,
the relative sizes of countries, the i'll
telligence Of the people, than nine
grown persons out Of ten. They have
learned it without study, as an amuse-
ment, without knowing that they were
acquiring information more valuable
than the rules Of marbles" She did
not exaggerate in the least.
A principal at the same meeting
said any brightest children are
stamp-collectOrs. All my show
scholars are. can 60 into any school
and pick out in ten minutes every
stamp-collector. To do it l will give
out twenty questions Of general in
formation, and every one who answers
ten or more will be a stamp-collec-
tor" When asked what questions
she would ask she gave the follow
ing as an off-hand illustration What
European countries own the West In
dia Islands? Name the groups belong
ing to each. What is the population Of
Montserrat? How are the Virgin
Islands governed? Where and what
is Heligoland /? Name the countries
Of Europe according to size, then
according to population. The same
for South America and Central Ameri-
ca. Name England's colonies in South
Africa, in Australasia, in Asia, accord
ing to size and then according to popu-
lation. How many British colonies
use our American coinage: How
Tany foreign countries? Name the
present ruler Of each country in Eu-
rope and the title of each one. Name
some of the kingdoms of India still
ruled by native princes. What do
you know about Borneo? Where is
Stellaland? Name the rulers Of Spain
since 1860. Of France. OF Italy.
Any child" she said, "who has
been collecting for year could answer
every one of them. The newest col
lector could answer six or eight, and
perhaps ten. How many children who
do not collect could answer five of
them!"
hnUffIvI TEACHER told hvp inspvu-
tor came to her classroom at the noon
recess, intending to stop the foolish
ness about stamps" They were in
the midst Of the stamp exchange, and a
boy had just handed her stamp to
"place and value " in others. keep
your seat" said the inspector, grimly
/ want to see what you are doing"
She held up the stamp to the boys
around. Sarawak," they chorused.
Whose head?" "Rajah Brooke"
"What date ?" "lS74." What
is it worth-eighteen cents unused
in exchange ?" Twenty cents"
ut was good opportunity"
said the teacher, "and / knew
what the Inspector had come for,
so l thought would teach him lesson,
and continued on Sarawak. Where is
Sarawak?" sin Borneo." "Who
rules Borneo?" "Sultan Abdul Mu-
mein." "What is the capital city,"
"Bruni." What is the population ,"
Twenty thousand" "Ofthe island?"
NEARLY 100000" "Who is Rsah
Brooke ?" "Sir Charles Johnston
Brooke, successor of James Brooke"
"What is Sarawak?" A province of
Borneo." "It's very much like Bosnia
or the Herzegovina, said my "best"
boy. They are Turkish provinces,
but Turkey will never govern them
again. Sarawak is really an English
dependency" "Has England any
other foothold in Borneo?" Yes,
the North Borneo Company. We had
its postage-stamp last week." How
did Borneo get it name?" asked at a
venture. / did not know myself, and
my " second-best boy came right into
the breach" "Bruni," or Borne"
said he, "means the brayest, and
that was the name of the capital but
the Portuguese thought it was the name
of the whole island. It's real name is
something like Polokalamantan."
1.-The stamps offered in exchange
she continued, "were Straits
Settlement 24-cent green Of 1868,
Santo Domingo real violet on
violet Of 1879, and Id. Griqualand
unused ; balance, cash. The boys went
through their facings on each country,
doing even better than on Sarawak. 1t
was really a treat to hear them de-
scribing Griqualand and the recent
changes i'm South African colonies.