Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-27
MUCH STRANGE NEWS
Came Out in the Papers of Examina-
tion for the High School.
THE DEAD SEA is A MARVEL.
Points of the Compass Changing and Rivers
Run Miraculously.
A SAD COMMENTARY ON THE SYSTEM

A great deal has been said for and against
the system of examination In the public
schools That it does not always serve as a
true index OF the pupils knowledge cannot
be doubted. The worry incident to the
crdeal-alTavs augmented by the sclicitude
OF the teachers-certainly tends to confusion
of ideas. Besides the ability to express
thought on paper is to considerable extent
8 natural gift and thus the pupil who writes
easily viii attain higher percentage in his
examination raper than another who is a
better student, but does not write so well.
Those who oppose ;he system of examina-
tions at present in vogue have good argu-
nent in the examination last week for ad-
mission TO the High School The pupils
averaged, saw, Il wears of age. They have
had the full benefit of the best schools in
the county, It cannot be believed that
thev know as little as their written answers
would indicate. From the manuscripts
submitted it appears that several cities
have changed their locations, the points of
the compass have shifted about and the sun
has given up his preference for the torrid
zone and taken up his stand where he can
give the Arctic Circle the benefit of his
vertical rays.
Startling Information About the Dead Sea.
The Dead Sea has always been interesting,
but II must be far more so than has been
supposed Judging from the following items
culled from the papers:
''The Dead Sea is noted as where the
Garden of Eden is supposed to have been. "
The Dead Sea is noted for the fact that
ifheavy metals are placed in its waters they
will float"
''The Dead Sea is noted for the golden
apples which grow on its banks" also, 'for
the aprels on its banks that appear rosv and
lucous. but crumble to ashes at the touch"
because Won can't drown in it unless done
on purpose, and ''for the buoyancy of the
dead persons which are drowned in it.
This remarkable body of water is likewise
famous "for its blind fish," and 'for its
giants" and ''for being the largest body of
'uufresh' water"
The Dead Sea" says another, 'fs noted
because islands often appear in it suddenly
and generally disappear again" Another
SAYS "the Dead Sea is noted for the deadli-
ness Of It's waters" and still another that it
IS nosel as being one of the Oldest seas"
Vieol0Cists please take notice 'The
Dead Sea is noted" according to another,
"for its pearl fish, Other answers are:
The Dead Sea is noted because no one can
orowud in Il. ." THE Dead sea is noted for
being the only sea that has not salt water"
The Dead Sea is noted for its fish, they
have no ewes and are very great in number"
'The Dead Sea is noted because it is so
salty that human being or any animal or
fish could live in it"
Shifting Points of the Compass.
The points of the compass were next
wrcstleG with as follows: "When vou stand
with your arms stretched out to the height
Of your shoulder North is directly over
head and south directly under your feet"
"W hen YOU face the sun, where your shadow
falls Is north" North is directly up; west is
to the left:" North is that point on a COM
pass TO which the needle points when per-
son is travelling toward the North STAR"
The term west means where the sun sup
poses to set; 'Bv the term north we mean
all that part of the earth that is north of
some chosen meridian; We say such place
is north when we mean it is at the topmost
part near BY Of that place"
Various other questions were answered as
follows: The PEOPLE of the torrid zone
ere fat and lazy;" 1.-THE people of the torrid
zone are not very industrious, they are
principally natives" '-rhe heat in the
to-rid zone is very hot, and the heat i n the
friEid zone is very cold;' "The heat of the
torril zone IS hot on account OF the equator
passing through it, "The vegetation in the
frigil zone Is principally barley and fish,"
"Turuips are the principal products of the
arctic zone;' ''The principal vegetables
raised IN the arctic zone are moses and
lichens:" The Bering Sea is noted be-
cause il it were not for it Asia and America
would hang together;' ''The Bering Sea is
noted for the iish and animals which abound
IL II, some Of them having very valuable
SKINS"
New Points on Great Salt Lake.
The Great Salt Lake seems to be nearly
e motel" place as the Dead Sea- "The
Great S4ll Lake is noted, says one, ''for
the fact tAat ii has SO much salt in it that
YOU cal almost walk on ii. Other answers
are. salt Lake is noted for tie greatest
salt Lake in the world; it is the source of
ino " Ni-sis-iBpi river" ''The Salt Lake is
noted -nr it, many outlets ''The Great
Sal Lake iS noted for its Mornons''
'-Ler questions are answered as follows:
'Iae degrees of latitude and longitude be-
come smaller as they ascend the poles;"
Two points ou The Arctic Circle having
the same longitude as two OF the Tropic of
Capricorn are nearer together, because the
niles geJ shorter as you approach the
poles 'Lhe Tanks Of Newfoundland are
no}eJ fer the fact that the water
rises night up over the bottom;"
The manufactured products OF the Middle
States are boots, shoes, gum erasers, steam
engines, paper and other machinery, and
salt "TAc agricultural products Of the
Middle States are cotton. rice, indigo, coffee,
spices tUrnips, cabbages, etc: 'SThe man
u-artgred products of the Middle States are
carriages, wagons, iron works, rolling mills,
ioundrles, molasseS, sugar and provisions
Enlightenment for Egyptians.
The Egyptians might learn something of
their great river from the following: 'iThe
Nile is one of the most striking fiscal
features of Egypt, without this benefcent
stream the whole country would be hot
and arid DESERT" 'The Nile is noted for
the directions in which it flows at different
times" The River Nile is noted for its
MOISTURE" The Nile is noted for its croco-
dies"
Here is another lot of amusing informa-
ton: "The capital of Maryland is Wash
ington;" ''One OF the chief commercial cities
is Boston. in the central part of MARYLAND,
on Chesapeake Bay" Louisiana, in the
southern part Of New Orleans, is great
cotton MARKET" ''The LaPlatte river section
exports cattle products, such as hides, horns,
tgliow and eggs ''The valley of the O-inoco
and the Lablatte have no vegetation, aad
are, therefore, used as cattle grazing" '.In
the valley Of the Amazon the vegetation is
carried on 10 great extent: the vegetation
IS Of three kiuds-vegetable, animal and
mineral "The Orincca is called the Llanas
and is trcelesS;'' 'The rivers of South
America overflow there bank, and when they
rrseals hack, IL leaves a fertilizing stuff which
gives il abundant vegetation;' ''The charac-
ter!s.ic OF the vegetation of the river valley
o. the Orinoco river is agriculture 1.-The