The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-09-20
STAMP-COLLECTING.
BENEFITS DERIVED FROM THE MANIA
IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Tho Royal Road to COMMUNICATING
Good General knowledge OF the
Earth and the Different Nations
Thereof-ExampIes.
New York World.l

New York World.]
Teachers in the public schools of this city
have i iscovered that there is ono royal road
to loarn much of what is taught betwcen
the fifth and first grade, and that Is through
a It mp-album. The result is that they
encouraging the children in every possible
way to form collections, that they set the
examples themselves, and that at the noon
reces, they often preside over 4 stamp OK
change. Sail one teacher recently az a
teachars' meeting: Il have been only three
months collecting. AMI in that time have
learned more geography and more current
history than i'll any previous year L have
two boys in nay class tffth grade) who have
been collecting for YeaT-0ne 10 AMI the other
Hand no boy in the first grade can match
either of them. They know the name and
date of accession of every ruler in the world;
tho population, coinage lin our money!,
shield, flag Of every stamp-iSsuing country
or colony; the different issues of stamps, OF
course; ami they have n better general
knowledge of the earth, the relative sizes
of countries the intelligence of the people,
than nine grown persons out OF ten. They
have learned it without study, an amuse
mont, without knowing that they were ac
quiring information moro valuable than tho
rules OF marbos.' Sho dill not cEaggorate
in the least.
\ principal at the same meeting said:
"My brightest children arc stamp-collactors
All nay show scholars are. | can 80 into
any school and pick out in ten minutes
every stamp-cclicctor. To DO it | will give
out twenty questions of general Information
and every one who answers ton or moro
will be n stamE-cOlcctOr.o When asked
what questions she would ask, shc gave the
following as ofThand illustration: What
European countries own the West India
islands: Namo the groups belonging tn
each. What is the population of Montser-
rata How are the Virgin islands governed:
Where and what IS Heligoland? Namo
tho countries of Europe according
to size, then according to pOpula-
ton The Same for South America and Cen
trail America. Name England's colonies in
South Africa, Australasia, in Asia, accord
ing to size and then according to pOpu!a-
tom How many British colonies u-e our
American coinage! How many foreign
countries? Name the present ruler OF each
country in Europe and the title OF each one
Name somo Of the kingdoms OF India still
ruled by native princes. What do you
know about Borneo: Where is Stelaland:
Namo the rulers of Spain since 1860 OF
France. OF Italy. ANY child" she said,
"who has been collecting for q year could
answer any of them. The newest col
Iector could answer six or eight, AMI per-
haps ten. How many children who do not
collect could answer five of them:'
Another teacher told how an inspector
| came to her classroom at the noon recess,
intending to stop this "foOlishness about
stamps" They were in the middle of the
stamp exchange and a boy had just handed
her n stamp to "place and value" in others.
| "Kecp your scat" said tho inspector.
| grimly; II want to SEQ what you arc doing"
| She held up tho stamp to the boys around.
"Sarawak," they chorused. "Whose head:'
"Rajay Brooke" what date!' "1S74."
sWhat is it worth2' Eight cents unused" "In
exchanged" Twenty cent5." "It was q good
opportunity" said the teacher, land L knew
what tho inspector had como for, so l
/ thought l would teach him lesson, and
| continued on Sarawak. Who're is Sara
wak?' ain Borneo." "Who rules Borneo?'
"Sultan Abdul Mumein.n What is the
capital city?' "Bruni." "What is the pop
uation.' Twenty thousand" "Of tho
! island?' NEARLY 100000" "Who is
Rajah Broole2" "Sir Charles Johnstone
| Brooke, successor of James Brooke" what
! is Sarawak:' "A province of Borneo."
When tho Sara williamsburg boy had
/ pocketed his three stamps and cents cash
balance due, the teacher turned to the in
/ apector, who had stood silent, grim, AMI
! gri5ly and asked him, with butter in her
mouth "Do your children collect, Mr..
! Blanll:' "They do not" said no rather
gruffiy-his lesson had been severe-"but if
4 this is collecting postage stamps they shall
~
they are both in tho first; Mother one of
them could answer one question you have
asked" Since that tImo Inspector Blank
has been an earnest supporter of philately,
and has given to school children over
dozen albums. He now has standing offer
of an international the besO album to any
scholar in his schools who collects 400 differ
ent stamps.
Tho same teacher said, in reply to ques-
| tons, that she found it best never to inter-
fere with trading except to determine tho
value of the stamps and to see, generally,
that value was given for value according
to catalogue prices. When a new stamp
came in the trade was postponed to tho next
| exchange day for the boys to read up. 81
/ leave all to the boys, and nevor say any
thing except when they arc ut n loss. keep
Is frala beng a les on"
Ol2 who h3s never started collection
| cannot understand or appreciate the feeling
/ which soon takes possession OF the collector.
| Ho collects for the pleasure it gives him,
| and tho pleasure constantly grows on ac-
count of the information acquired. When
| Inc receives u new stamp, say from Surf
name Stellaland, or Nowanuggur, he can
/ not remain satisfied until he knows all about
/ the country and how and when the stamp
| was Issued. The result is that for general
| Information concerning any country or
| colony Issuing stamps tho American small
| boy collector is far better authority than
| the gazetteer or encyclopedia. What diG-
| monds are - woman rare stamps are to
the collector, while the common stamps are
| tn him what ordinary iayvaIS ara TO her