The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-22
cHILpREN's ODD VISUAL IMAGES

|
boy I'm Sunday school who called for the
hymn about "the dago floating by and
| was discovered afterwards to have been
| giving the best Interpretation he knew
to the sacred lyric concerning the clouds
which leach day go floating by The
moral of this is one which is familiar to
every school teacher and the following
experiences of a public school superin-
tendent illustrate the fact that, where
the teacher least suspects it, things are
learned Apost thoroughly and understood
not at all.
The superintendent went into a school
room where a class was reciting in his
| tory. The teacher had just touched on
| fact that was common property with
| the class. namely, that Vasco da Cana in
a certain year made voyage TO India
| for spices. What are these spices?" he
asked.
"Oh, 1 know" exclaimed one little girl
eagerly, my mama has some. She
| wears them in her ears"
They are diamonds explained a small
boy.
Other members of the class We're of
| the general opinion that spices were some
kind of jewelry: and not one of all those
| who had been reciting the word glibly for
weeks had the remotest idea of its real
nature.
In a geography class the superintendent
found them discussing South American
rivers.
What is this Amazon river like?' he
asked.
A little girl gave smooth and accur-
ate account of the general nature and
appearance of the river.
Gould a boat float on it?" asked the
superintendent
"Oh, no.. said the little girl 1.-THE cur.
rent is too swift
What makes this CURRENT" said the
questioner.
The river flows from the ocean into
the Andes mountains"
This statement was received by the
class with perfect gravity
Well" said the superintendent, what
becomes of the water them
Il think it flows into a lake." replied
the little girl
The superintendent referred the ques-
tilon to others of the class. and they all
agreed that the Amazon flowed into the
mountains. One pointed out that the
acean end of the river was higher up on
the map than the mountain end and
that therefore the water must flow to-
ward the mountains. AS it was not the
superintendent business to teach the
children. he dismissed the class without
undeceiving them: but little boy came
up TO the desk afterwards and said:
hOI,f that Amazon river
that it flowed into the ocean"
Why, what makes you think that?"
inquired the superintendent in freigned
rebuks
Because" said the small boy, with
conviction, ''the lake would run over
Why wouldn't the ocean run over?"
asked the superintendent.
Because it's too big" was the answer |
You go and think it over a little"
said the man.
Several days later the youngster came |
back with enlightenment shining in his |
eyes.
Il know why IL doesn't go into :he |
mountains he said 1t couldn't flow 1
up hill"
The superintendent visited one day in a \
class where a small boy was smoothly !
reciting a long account OF the solar sys- 4
TEN. the relative position of the sun and 4
planets the reason for day and night. the j
tides. and the seasons His expeditions
would have done credit 20 an astrono-
mer He could have passed a written I
examination on il and been marked 10.
The superintendent asked him 20 stand
up in the miidle OF the floor
Now you are the earth and ! am the
sun" said the superintendent Show
Us what it is that the earth does to MAZE
/; night" Il
The small boy moved Of TO remote
corner OF the room
Now what does Il do when il becomes
day." asked the superintendent
TIE small boy cane UP close.
Il don't see.'' said the superintendent.
When the earth 10 close 20 tire sEn IL
is day said the small boy.
And aha, happens when 1t Is risht7r
asked the man
WHY. the earth goes OF 50 far tha, X
can't see the sun any more" said tas
boy.-N. Y. Even.ng Post
An unknown man took Jack Chambers,
a tea-year-old boy from his fathers home
near Ogdensourg. ~ Y, stripped him %
clothing hanged him ny arm &c q fret