Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-07-03
AS YOU LIKE IT
Some Stray Leaves From a Reporters
 Note Book.

It is probably not generally known that the United States spends annually on elementary education about $22T,- OOO, ,OO0-the exact figures for 1900-o1 were, according to the report of the United States commissioner of educa- ton, $226, ,043, ,236. Europe spent dur- ing the same period approximately $246, 100000. The enrolment in the ele- mentary schools of Europe is, how ever, in the neighborhood of 45,000,000. while in the United States it is not much more than 16,OO0,0 ,0O0-although it is estimated that there were ill 1901 almost 22,O00,0O0 children of school going age in this country. Our yearly expenditure per pupil averages $22.
  That there is no absolute standard for the pronunciation of English is made very evident by Professor Thomas R. Lounsbury of Yale, in an earticle in Harper's Magazine for July, in which he shows that the usage of the best speakers and writers approxi- mately establishes the rule. Cautiously enough, the two most conspicuous men of England who first endeavored to form correct standard of pronuneia- ton were actors. Thomas Sheridan and John Walker, the former the fath- ar of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, the famous Irish dramatist and author of E'The School for Scandal" But neither their efforts nor those of their success ors down to the present have succeed ed in making the Englishman pro, nounce even the name of his country correctly.
 Probably nothing in the world tickles boys disabilities more than to get good joke on his ssDad." A prom inent local real estate and insurance man, with offices on Bank street. and a private residence in the northern sec tion of the city, had a very foreible reminder of this within the past week. The boys were amusing themselves in the back yard by hobbling around on stilts, when one of theq ''stumped'' his father to get on and race with him. The challenge was accepted, and things looked like a victory for the father. when the youngster fell and the "Pap" took a header over him, com ing down with full force on the con- crete pavement, inflicting three or -four painful wounds on his forehead, splitting his nose and sprainilg his left hand. The boy and the rest of the children were scared for the time being, but they soon got over the fright and are "sniekering" at the hu- nor of it ever since. And they'll tell it and laugh at it as long as they live. 1t is all well enough to sit on the back steps and look at the boys amusing themselves, and 1t is nice thing. too, to tell them what you could do when gou were like them, but you run big risks when you attempt a practical demonstration of such exhibitions.
 s%*
 ssWell, for the lands sakes,n remark ed Baggagemaster Thompson one morning this week as a crowd of peo- pie rushed to get on train while oth- CTS were struggling to get off. 1T of ten wonder" continued the baggage master. at the same time hustling a big trunk out of the way, 'why folks don't learn to step into a car at the rear end where there is always lots of room, instead of trying to force their way in at the point where people get off. It Is surprising how this works in other places. The people who want to get on step in at the rear entrance to the coach they wish to sit in, and in this way they save themselves and those who are getting of a great deal of inconvenience. Everybody should board a car at the rear entrance and avoid colliding with passengers alight- ing" There is a lot of truth in this, and if travelling people could be edu- cated up to it. it would be a. novel thing when a train stops most passen- gers who have reached their destina- tion make for the front exit and us- ually find their way blocked by people trying to get in. But you never see an old timer in the mixup. The drummer who is outward bound is half asleep in his seat while the uniniated are taking part in the scramble. at the front of the car. He invariably steps in at khe rear and gets bis pick of the seats.
 
 TRUE s1DRY OF A KICKER. There lived two :zpogs, so I've been
 told,
 Tn quiet waysdde pool;
 And one of those frogs was a blamed
 bright frog,
 DuL kn6 OIner drOg was a rQol. Now farmer man with big milk
 can
 Was wont to pass that way;
 And he used to stop and add drop
 Of the aqua pure, they say.
 Now it chanced one morn in the early
 dawn,
 When the farmers sight was dim. He scooped those frogs in the water lle
 dipped,
 Which same was a joke on him. The fool frog sank in the swashing
 tank
 As the farmer bumped to town, But the smart frog flew like tugboat screw,
 And swore he'd not go down. So he kicked and splashed and he
 slammed and thrashed,
 And he kept on top through all; And he churned that milk in first class
 shape
 Tn a great big butter ball.
 Now when the Tf1ilkman got to town.