The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-17
ESSAYS ON FREAKS.
The Effect of Dime Museums on the Literary
Work of the Rising Generation.

The Effect of Dime Museums the Literary
Work of the Rising Generation.
Philadelphia Record.
1.-THE advent of the dime museums has wrought
SAD havoc With the literary productions OF the
public school children of Philadelphia, and
think something ought to be done to rescue the
rising generation from their baleful influence,
for should things so on at the present rate, the
youngsters will soon become hopelessly contain
mated with an indelble affection for freaks and
monstrosities, to the utter exclusion of those
legitimate sights and objects Of interest which
the city affords them"
The above remarks were made by the prin-
cipal of one of the largest public schools in
Philadelphia, and as he spoke he turned to his
desk, and. opening a drawer, produced dozen
or more Of the compositions which his young
charges had handed in in response to the period
ical call for essays.
'Now. before the dime museums were estab-
lished, when | asked the children to write COM
positions on something they had seen," continued
the principal, they would bring in stories about
visits to the State house, or Grard College. or
the mint. or the park, or any OF the score of 9TH
er show places OF the city, or of their trips to
the se2enore or country; but nowadays those
subjects are very seldom touched, while both the
boys and the girls appear to take the greatest de-
light in describing the wonders they have wit
messed at the recent shows Listen to this, for
instance, which was witten by little girl:
" Not very long ago went with my brother
and cousin from Camden to see the fat lady at
the dime museum. She was twice as big az both
OF my granGmothers put together, and they are
bigger than most anybody ever saw, except in
circus. She was not very beautiful, but her
diamonds were just exquisite. and my brother
said they were worth over million dollars
Now hear this from the brilliant pen of a
small boy:
THE people who live in Afghanistan are
called Afghans and they are more to be dreaded
than the red devils of the boundless plains.
Afghanistan is out near China. Some of the
Afghans We're in our city three weeks ago, and
saw them. They had black skin and boards, and
their weapons were very sharp The man that
told US about them said they were brave as lions
and ferce as the hungry tigers of the tropic
zone | also saw the camel girl. She was white
She can carry over gallon of water in her tank
at one time and don't get thirsty very often.
Real camels are called ships of the desert
johnson and Jones, who did song and dance
act. were awful funny
Il could give you dozens of such instances of
what | complain Of and all these which have
read you one more specimen. 1t was handed IN
AS the combined efforts of two little boys, who
SAID that both had written half:
If you can get ten cents why take in the
dime museum. 1t opens at 10 o'clock on Satur-
days. but we went on Christmas in the after
noon. There was the biggest crowd we was
ever in except at the Bicentennial and the night
uncle James took us to see the fire workS the
summer before last. The Phantom lady was
thinner than Skinny Thompson that was tail of
this class last term. Skinny is dead now from
ben run over at Eleventh and Fitzwater streets
by beer Wagon. The wild men of Borneo was
frauds We could have licked 'em ourself,
and L don't believe they ever tore sailors all
up like they are doing in the picture in
the book Billy bought for five cents. We spent
the other five cents for two sourballs and three
ginger cakes, and gave one of the ginger cakes
to the two headed calf The tattooed Pirate of
Madagascar was all streaked over with blue and
red. 1t would be nice If the dime museums
would sell children three tickets for quarter. ,"
You can easily see what l say is true" con-
cluded the principal, as he sighed and put the
compositions back in his desk. ''Other
specimens l have are equally original, and those
have selected are by no means the most alb
surd."
Several public school teachers who have since
been spoken to on the subject, make the same
complaint; and it is not improbable that an
edct may be issued against essays on freak"