Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-06-01


svne--"eonny Doom" Also Liked.
Singing geography was popular
f,d In the educational line In New
g., in oldcn days. particularly In up
ut. shoe! districts. IL was OF Yam
-. origin. II was never made. part OF
IN. common school system OF the state.
IN, WAS taught outside the regular
h1urs.
SCI OF wall maps known as Pei
TOMS outline maps was used. There
,vcre no names of geographical divi-
s,ons or places on them. The instruc-
,or would 60 over the map on which
,he lesson was found. pointing out
Win Il ponting rod the different coun-
fries cities, rivers. lakes or whatever
mi.ht bee the subject In hand. and at
,ha same time the name OF each d.
,ieiop place or body OF water would
Ia mentioned I'm song The teacher.
usually n man. would lead the class
,borus rs he pointed. aud II the sub
,ect happened TO be political divisions
Tho song would run like this. TO the
time or BOuul DoVbs
Let North America be first
In our descriptive rhyme rchcarscd.
Its northern bound the arctic waves.
It's east the Atlantic ocean laves.
The gulf OF Mexico we see
I-pon its southern boundary.
Ia western and southwestern sides
Are washed by the Pacific tides
The geographical verses were con
,oined I'm the pupils text book called
~'The Key 10 Pelton's New and Inn
nroved Series OF Outline Maps
Among other things the following Is
found in the preface OF one OF these
old time volumes:
with respect TO the ver-sihcation. Il
* merely necessary TO say that the de-
sign has been to put all the important
geographical localities on the globe. I'm
connection with much valuable matter.
,n form which can be most easily
committed TO memory. and II Is conf
IDENTIFY believed that the exhilarating
en.ct 81 harmonious sounds will great
lv facilitate the acquisition OF this
knowledge. and care has been taken
that none but popular and approved
airs hc inserted IN the work"
"Auld Lang Syne" appears 10 have
been regarded as an especially ''pop-
Mar and approved" air and was often
used In the very first lesson the pu-
pills were taught 20 describe the earth
by singing the following TO this tune:
Tho earth is n large ball or globe
whose surface has been found
Three-fourths With ocean waves sub
merged
And but one-fourth dry ground
Two hundred millions OF square miles
Earths surface does embrace.
Eeht hundred million people here
All find a dwelling place.
Tongue twisting names did not en-
harrass the geographical yersifier. al
though the enunciation OF all the pu-
pills probably was not perfect when,
for example. I'm the lesson on Ash
they sang TO the air OF "Bruce's Adj
dress such lines as these:
Now IN modulations sweet
Asia's rivers We repeat
OBI first In Russia greet,
Irish river next.
Lost IN sand behold BeImund.
Then northward seek Yarkund:
10 not tufblu ONuS Shunncd,
Sihon river see.
Ural river next In place.
Attruck and koor river trace:
KIN lrmak then embrace
In our melody.
There We're thlrty-one states In the
Union when singing geography was in
vogue. and the pupils were taught TO
bound each OF them In verse. Call
fornia was then the newest state. hay-
Ing been admitted in 1850: was the last
on the list. and it's boundaries were
thus Defined
ON caiifornia's northern side vast Oregon
is placed.
Both Utah ana New Mexico upon the east
are traced
Upon It's southern borders next may Mex-
leo be found,
And broad Pacific's sparkling waves COM
pose its western bound.
In thirty-four stanzas set to the
tune Of ''Bonny Doom the geography
class would make a tour OF Europe
and CLEAN bits OF information about
various countries and cities visited.
The tour would start In this fashion:
Now be our geographic rhymes
Transferred 90 European climos.
Inc grand divisions first we teach
with the metropolis OF each.
NorWay. a region bleak and cold.
lfy Christiania is controlled.
sweden. that Charles the hero bred,
fakes Stockholm for its chief and head
russia In proud expansion sits
and TO 81. Petersburg submits
austria. With It's imperial crown,
vienna takes for it's chief town.
turkey. IN southern Europe placed.
Is oy Constantinople graced
Nfeeee. once for arts and arms re-
-nowned.
win glorious Athens still is crowned.
fhus the geography pupils sang on
through the list of European nations
ana capitals. York sun.