Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-06-16
AN INTERESTING STUDY.
How to Make a Dull Book Wonderfully
Interesting.

AN tNTERES TING STUDY.
How to Make a Dull Book Wonderfully
Interesting.
81 do wish | didn't have to study geo
graphy," lamented Frank Atkins. Il
don't mind arithmetic, although some
of the problems are very hard and
like history because it is interesting,
but just hate geography"
Franks father was writing a letter
at his desk and made no reply until he
had addressed and stamped it, and then
he turned to his fourteen-year-ol son
and asked:
'WhyP"
Because answered Frank prompt
". lit is dull Pennsylvania is
bounded on the north by New York
and Lake Erie. on the east by New Jer-
sey, on the south by Delaware, Mary
land and West Virginia, and ON the
west by Ohio and West Virginia Now,
what's the good Of that2" he asked,
scofiingly.
To give you an idea Of locality"
said his father. picking up the atlas
which Frank had dropped ON the couch.
Suppose you went to Europe, and
some one should ask you todescrbe the
situation Of your native state Wouldn't
you be ashamed If you could not
answer?'
Wen, yes" admitted Frank, reluc-
family But it's duh study for all
that
Perhaps it is, if that is all geography
teaches you
"Of course that isn't ALL We learn
the capitals of the state, and their
productions, and the names of the
rivers and their length, and the noun
aims
But infer you really don't tarn
anything at all You simply commit to
memory a lot Of printed words and for
get them as rapidly as possible Yet
geography is a very interesting study,
and absolutely indispensable to a
knowledge of history, and OF the two it
is much more useful History treats of
the past, but geography relates to the
present We can get along very well
without knowing who discovered Aus
tralia, but q knowledge of its situation.
extent, climate and topography is al
ways valuable"
= But it is so hard to remember OBJ
jected Frank.
Then it must be that you are not in
terested in the study, or else it is not
properly taught Let me give you a
lesson IN my way will you?"
Frank looked rather alarmed. but he
answered Yes. sir dutifully enough.
Do you remember" began Mr.. At
kins when your Uncle VIII came from
California, last February. how inter-
ested you were in his description Of the
Pacific coaSt?"
Yes; and how wanted to go back
with him, and you said | might some
day.
SO YOU shall assured Mr. Atkins.
smiling when you have finished your
schooling; but | want 20 ask You a ques-
ton. When he was telling YOU about
the mountain ranges, the sandy deserts
and the mighty Columbia river, did it
not occur to you that he was giving
you lesson in geography"
Why, nor exclaimed Frank. But
he wasI see ii now"
Il should say so.
Well, let US follow it up, Uncle
VIII dwelt particularly on the climate
Of the Pacific coast, SO different from
ours He told you that oranges, figs.
dates and olives grow even in northern
California. at the latitude Of forty de-
grees. Now, what is the latitude of
Philadelphia"
"Thirty-nine degrees and fifty-seven
minutes" answered Frank, after con
sulting his books.
Practically forty degrees" said his
father; land YOU know that no tropical
or even semi-tropical fruits will grow
here Now there must be some reason
for this difference. Can You tell what
il is2"
There is current. or something like
that, isn't there?" ventured Frank
Yes, there is current which flows
from the equator northward along our
western coast as far as Alaska, and
there it merges with the Japan current
and flows into Behring sea But there
Is something else to be considered All
over the world there is wind blowing
1toht 1hS WSSt 70 TIC east ana TINS Wlnd
carries the warm air which rises from
the equatorial current over the Pacific
coast. giving it a seni-tropical climate .
Why doesn't it carry the warm wind
all over the United States?" asked
Frank
For on reason, because the great
mountain ranges Of the west force the
air up SO high that when il descends on
the eastern slope it is cooled. And
another reason is that the air is cooled
by passing over the great bodies Of
frozen water and the treeless plains.
But there is another great current Of