Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-18
ASTRONOMY IN SCHOOL
SUGGESTED BY WRITER
Famous Authority Thinks It's Study
Would Improve Men and
Women.
WONDERS SEEN IN THE STARS
Garrett p. Scryiss Says Mankind Is
Born to Dwell i'm Spirit Among
the Stars and Not Perish I'm the
Dust of Earth.
ny GARRETT T.. sERyIss.

ny GARRETT y. SERVIss.
stood with It crowd of people at
Jackson avenue waiting for a trolley
car. 1t was a magnificent night and
where NC were. with wall behind
and "a projecting wooden awning over
head. its edge framing: the sky above
IKE a prosccnium arch. one had the
Impression of being in a vast thcater
The tootlights were represented by
electric bulbs, spelling Il name on one
OF series Of low buildings across
tho way and By other lamps lighting
rows Of colurcd posters strung along
the walls which formed as it were the
front OF the stage.
Thc curtain was raised. and II, the
vast cXpansc disclosed behind shone
inc universe. so grand so magnificent
50 lndcscr!habiy splendid that ! caught
ny breath ana felt as If had never
lhrce great figures were on tho stage
together and behind them in the
ucpths of Immensely CLEANED the
countless nGltitud"S of stars that pop-
mat" the houndi"s heavens with living
hrrs. The conspicuous three were the
'Hil' round moon. nor face smiling with
ripplcs OF light that streancd from
ntr iairy mountains ana poured over
h"r golden plains: the proud planet
dnnlter, wrapped III MS bclted mantle.
@reheI% conscious Of his dignity As
inc chief OF tho planetary conciave,
ana inc grca; star OF Egypt and the
Nle sirius whose rays, packed with
n" energies Of sun forty-fo!d great
ana emerald. an electrified diamond. a
living lioh.noor.
Enthusinsm Is Kindlcd.
looked round Mt my neighbors. TO
tiVdle my enthusiasm higher at their
Nanc- but not an eye among them
SAN tho univcrsci Not a glance vas
unified TO view the CITY OF God" dis
9iayHd there for encouragement and
Joy to the souls OF men IT had no
existence FOR them. when I stcpped
our from under the awning 70 obtain
q b"ticE WON Of tho wpndrous spec
'acic overhead Two or three mon has
Wy initiated mo. but after "A single
anxious glance AZ the SKY they turned
ma looked at mo, wondering whether
had really seen something which they
mad missed.
There It waa, scin,!llauns before
nan imagination can conceive. beau
fl'ul as thought. and they looked right
- ~ ana never saw IL Was il fla
niiarity thai made Thorn indifferent
10. ihcE had never seen II in all their
lives! II wa7 tho blindness Of iEnor-
"nce, tho blindness OF a lack ~ educa-
tirn. or ~ false education. They
found nothing blase in the electric
iiEn,a across tho way. Two admir-
inElr discussed the ingenious arrange
ru"nt Of the colorcd bulbs that spelled
out tho name Of a little theatc- and
many per"scd the posters but Sirius.
would belittlc ours. shone straight into
thcir cycs and found them blind.
nc moon. sweet regent Of the sky
CNild OF the carth's youth wandered
hn, not lost; the moon that has looked
down upon IA thousand generations
OF little mon and hehcld hundred en-
ruins TO nc s!lvcred ny hcr light. va,
nothing 10 ,heu, absolutely unnottccd
noncNistcnt.
Crowd Again Changes.
VALE i waited ,hc crowd changed
never h.t
tho electric lights and Tho posters.
bni. being only OF the earth, they did
rar;h Thus is mans greatest hirth
right cast aside. Born 10 dwell in
"HiTii among tho stars. millions grove.
and perish in the duE' OF tho earth.
never caring even To inquire wha;
their relations may be TO tho vast
cosmos about them.
as fheir bodies. They are prisoners to
mere material forces. Their eyes alone
~ould cmancipa1e Them II they. en-
receive tho messages that light brings
across The abrssss OF space. For them
Inc sky IS but q curtain and the earth
IS the only real thing They tic God
10 The littlc globe OF their alteration,
thinking tnat lie, TOO. can have no
They are ignorant OF the great law
of relatively, which would teach them
that the beginning Of salvation. the
first step away from annihilation. is
ne recognition OF infinite dependence.
God gave sight to man and backed il
with supra brutal intelligence in order
that he might SEQ and know that he
vas made = citizen Of the universe.
There ought To be public schools OF
ae'ronomy, not TO turn out astrono-
m.rs but TO turn out mon and women.
That side Of education which looks to
our material wcll-bc!nE IS abundantly
provided for; TIA" side that would feed
the soul imprisoned in us is neglected
some one viii probably say: THAT
ply Astronomy is religion"