The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-01-24
GRANDPA'S SCHOOL.

His Method of Imparting Interesting In
formation Asked for by His Pupils.
Although Grandpa Brown was nearly
seventy years of age, still he was not
too old to teach a queer little school for
the benefit of his grandchildren.
At precisely three o'clock every Sat
urday afternoon, grandpa tinkled his
little hand bell, and in five minutes there
were seated in a row before him five
wide-awake grandchildren, three girls
and two boys.
The pupils brought no books to study,
but before taking their seats they depo,-
tied slips of paper in grandpa's hat, on
which were written certain questions
that he was to answer. These questions
were upon any sub ects the children
might select but they usually had ref
erence to something heard, seen, or read
of during the week, and the children
were always on the alert for a pulling
question. Perhaps description of the
exercises upon one afternoon may prove
Interesting.
AS soon as the children were all
seated, grandpa put on his spectacles,
took his hat from the table, and open
ing the first paper he read as follows:
DEAR GRANDPA-The past week |
have been learning from an old sailor
how to tie various kinds of knots, such
as reef knots, loop knots, figure-eight
knots, etc. now this sailor SAYS he can
teach me TO tie all kinds of knots but
the 'Gordian knot Can you tell me
what that is, and how to tie it?
. FRANK"
''Ah," said grandpa, when he had
FINISHED reading, that is a hard ques-
ton, indeed; l could tell you better how
the Gordian knot was severed than
how it was made"
THAT will do just as WE'LL" replied
Frank.
We'll" said grandpa, the 'Gordian
knot was made by a rustic King of
Phrygia, named Gordius. The cord
was made from the librous bark of the
cornel-tree, and the knot fastened the
OK yoke TO the pole of q wagon which
King Gordius had used. The knot
proved so intricate that no one could
unite it, or even find where it began or
ended. .s.
1.-The oracle had declared that he who
should unite the knot should he master
of Asia, Alexander the Great was rest
ing his army after battle in the city of
GOrdium, about the year 1913 before
Christ, and he determined to unite this
celebrated knot, but not being success
full, he became impatient, and striking
with his sword he severed the knot
with one blow"
THAT is a good story, grandpa" re-
piled Frank; ''the next time | see the
sailor | must tell him all about it"
The second slip was then taken from
the hat, and the question was this:
Grandpa, is it right to throw stones
at frogsP-JULIA.n
When this question was read, Willie
and Frank looked troubled, as though
guilty of such conduct. Grandpa did
not appear to notice this, but remarked
that frogs were quite sensitive to pain,
and he thought that no pupil of his
would be guilty of pelting frogs. Then
turning to Frank he said: :" wish
you would bring frog to school next
Saturday, for | want you to see what a
peculiar tongue it has"
is it forked like a snakes tongue?"
inquired Frank.
a. No, my son, but you know that the
tongue OF most animals lies with the
tip pointing towards the lips; now, the
base or large portion of the frogs
tongue is joined to the point of the
lower jaw, and the tip points down
the throat. So, whenever the frog
catches an insect it is quickly thrust
back into the throat by the tongue, and
its fate is sealed"
The third question was from Emily
1t was this: "Grandpa, can the peo-
pie on the moon see the earth?'
4" 1t is not known, y replied grandpa,
g whether the moon is inhabited; but
if so, the earth must present to them
all the phases that the moon presents
to us, only in n reverse order. For in
stance, when we have new moon they
have q full moon. Only one side of
the moon is turned toward us, there
fore the moon inhabitants upon the
opposite side might have to take long
Journeys to take peep at our planet
but 1t would, doubtless, well repay
them, for t earth would look, when
full, fourteen times as large as our full
moon"
"Wouldn't It be a grand sight! ]
wish | could see such a large moon a.
that" said Emily.
Mamie's question was in regard to
echoes. She had been in the wood
with some Of her friends the day before.