The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-09-02

Players on each side drew In turn further
blocks, and STUCK them IN their respective
holes. The aim was. as In the children's
game. ',rit. Tat. To" 60 keep the attack
Ing captain from reaching the city OF his
destination. Chance had something 20 do
with results. but attention and quick
apprehension OF distances and direction
very much more. Notwithstanding the
fact that playing geography was instruc-
tive. the public did not take TO II.
singing schools.
II was IN every way more valuable,
however than the craze for singing Sc
ography." which Ia the late thirties
swept the country districts like wildhre.
The men responsible for Il we're from the
nutmeg state. and allied themselves
shtewdly with the then universal tin ped
dlers. Thus they and their system were
transported az a low cost 10 the very re-
hottest parts OF the rural districts. They
had well oiled tongues. and plausible
manners. 80 they had little difficulty In
getting around leading citizens every
where. getting further free use OF churches
10 serve as school rooms. and thus start
ing out with a deal OF prestige and
mighty little expense.
They had books. Of course-books fearful
and wonderful. These they did not offer to
ltAAs lltAftA Anf1 ttAAhl AANh " eNNNA-
airs, saying with transparent candor that
the school would not last long, and after
IT was over che books would be needed for
fresh pupils IN a new place, but would be
OF no earthly use TO the graduates. The
teachers went about In pairs While one
was on the platform leading the singing
the other distributed the books kept an
eye on the laggard. and the slothful and
ear TO any body who had trouble with a
n enflld readily Law
his tongue 20 IL.
This Is the way IL was impressed upon
the plastic mind TO the tune Of "Old Hun
bred"
New England. home OF pilgrim race.
Between six states divides its space.
New Hampshire. Massachusetts Maine,
Vermont. Connecticut. Rhode Island.
Boston. on Massachusetts bay,
Ger Massachusetts state hold sway;
Montpelier Vermont. Portland. Maine;
Connecticut has capitals twain
Hartford. New Haven. each town
or credit and o. far renown.
Rhode Island likewise does divide
Providence and Ne-port are her pride"
The Middle states-New York. New Jer-
sey and Pen6sylvania-were sung TO
| Hitting. rollicklng tune. then very popu-
| lar. the air OF song which celebrated
/ the surrender OF the British warship
/ Guerrero Capt. Dacre. TO the American
| Constitution. Caps. Hull. one verse OF IL
| ran
when proud Dacre came on board 10 de-
liver up his sword.
lie was loath to part with n. Il looked
so handy. o!
80. keep your swordr says Hull; What
makes you look so dull2
Come. cheer up and let's take little
For my Yankee boys a-ashsins are the
dandy, o! "
Hence this;
New York state Is big and old. by the
Hudson river bold,
wnh New Jersey lying south. so fiat and
sandy. o!
With the state Of william Penn. who
was brother TO oil men.
From the pauper to the prince. lying
handy o.
Pennsylvania. Keystone state. lying
handy Or
There was similar verse 40 fix the
capitals and chief cities in memory. The
Southern states were sung 10 the tune
OF Yankee Doodle and the utter rout OF
meter, rhyme and rythm. After the
songs left these United States they did
not bother themselves with details. nor
i
country shaped a sort OF droning recita-
| tive. the capital came after as chorus
thus
British America! British Americal
Kingston! Kingston!
A tuning fork In che hands Of the man
/ on the platform gave the pitch. His
| helper on the floor caught a. and began
/ Justify 20 run over the roll Of foreign
I countries. Ten lessons We're supposed TO
| imprint all essential geographic lore in
/ delllbly upon the mind. After them the
| philanshropic projectors went on In search
| OF fresh woods and pastures new. All
/ that remains OF them and their work Is
/ a smattering OF grotcsque tradition. and
! snatches OF sim more grotesque rhyme
/ Yet behind che grotesquerie there Is
| shadow OF something that may one day
/ be worked out greatly 20 the relief OF
a worlds memory now sadly overtaxcd.