Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-11
DR.. EAGER FOOLED THEM
A Letter With Red Seal That Served
as a Passport In the Balkans.
This State Shy on Areheo.
logical Research
BY GEORGE NON Mccain

| illgh SCHOOL, teiis most uhusu"' u"'e'
| story.
Its interest is not lcsscncd in the least
, because II happened nine years ngo.
In this day Of worry and delay over the
matter of travellers passports to- foreign
countries the doctors luck and clever as
! srrancc will be appreciated.
trip through Europe and the Balkans
was undertaken by Dr. Fagcr. in 1913. 1t
was the, year of the Balkan War, preceding
! the world cataclysm.
His companions on the journey were
| Prof. and Mrs. II. V. Adams. of the Uni.
vcrsity of Pennsylvania
The latter had provided themselves with
passports, little necessity of the hour
which DR.. Eager overlooked.
Before starting he had however, obtained
a letter of general Introduction and idcnti-
f, hcation from the late DIR. Nathan G.
| struction at Harrisburg.
"TT WAS the luckicst thing that I did so,"
said DR.. Eager.
When DR.. Schacffcr had written the
letter ! asked him to afix the largest red
| or gold seal in his office. And he did.
1T was n very imposing looking docu-
ment. with its flourishng signature and huge
seal 1t was impressively authoritative
when we started for Dalmatia 1t was
| not long before | had cause to regret my
failure TO secure an American passport.
Pr; and Mrs. Adams were all right.
| was all wrong.
Then r-callcd my letter from DR..
Srhah"r. with its gorgeous seal.
1t did the trick.
1--WE iourncycd all down the coast of Dali
| malta. stopped at Ragusa and then went up
and over the Black Mountain into the little
Kingdom of Montenegro, now a part Of
! Czecho. Slovakia.
In Cettinje stood within few feet Of
King Nicholas during a public ceremony in
front of the palace.
When We came to the frontier, and to.
! indeed all the frontiers and my passport was
| demanded. l drew out DR.. Schacffer's letter.
customs officials hands.
THE officials couldn't read It the crisp
paper and the big seal looked as if 1t at
least ought to he passport, SO they in
me through.
II went all through Eastern Europe. on
that unofficial letter of introduction"
DR., HARRY BURNS, Director Of Hy-
- glcne for the public schools of Pitts
burgh got back Monday from Detroit
lie was delegate 10 the annual convcn-
tion of Physical Training Directors.
The doctor. who is familiar with the
school system of Philadelphia. as well ms of
Pittsburgh. says that Detroit Is leading every
city in tn" United States, if not in the
world. in its school system.
Particularly is this true of its building
program and its up,t date and advanced
One system of school buildings compris-
ing six separate structures capable Of caring
for 5000 pupils has II campus Of forty acres.
IL" describes another new building seven
for 5000 children.
One of its features is the elevator sys.
tenn There are twelve batteries of clc-
vators. each one of which has a capacity for
an entire class.
Pupils walk from classroom on the Sec
ond f1oor to one of these eSnvntors. the entire
class then steps aboard and is shot up to
the sixth or seventh floor. where another in
structor is Whiting for thcm
Dctroits school building program alone
involves the expenditure Of 500. 900. 900.
And the people have indorscd the expc..-
dtur".
TT WAS my friend Oliver Schoch, botanist.
horticulturist and nature. lover generally
VINO. through this column. started n move
m"nt that has attracted country wide at.
tention.
1t is official recognition of the destruction
OF wild flowers and trees by predatory
motorists.
Several States are taking cognizance of
the dcprodations by automobiists on noun
tam lands. and even on private prOpcrty
In breaking and destroying wild shrubs,
bushes. and even trees for the sake of their
wild flowers and blossoms
In some sections of the State. and par
ticularly along the main travelled State
highways. certain species of wild flowers
have almost totally disappeared
VII. S"hocli VIII have bill introduced ut
tn" next Legislature to punish this new
class OF Notwithstanding dcprcdators.
MEANTIME he has embarked on a new
AV1 crusade
lie bcwnils the fact that such n lack of
interest Is displayed in archaeological re.
search work in Pennsylvania
Many Western States. he SAYS have not
aDDDlntpU Inf, JaI
adequate funds for surveying and plotting
counties where such prehistoric relies exist
Descriptive data about each mound In
dian graveyard and kitchen hidden are COM
piled.
All available specimens Of weapons. tools.
pottery. beads and stone household implc.
mcnts ar" collected and stored in State
museums or at least made available for in.
spcctlon or study by archcol0gists
VERY properly, Mr.. Schoch points out.
such work should be in the hands of or
under the direct on of archcologists or per-
sons of some training and experience.
In almost every county in this State tbcre
are persons who know the location of these
treasures.
Hundreds Of farmers have small collec
tionS OF implements gathered in their fields
as their pows tore open old graves or dis.
closed ancient burial mounds, Mr.. Schoch
says.
"Pcnnsyvnna is behind in this matter"
| he says
"Othcr States have become famous for
| their American antiquities simply because
| they went az the work in an intelligent
| fashion and mad" systematic Investigations
"A ssurycy of Pennsylvanin's antiquities
is essential because they are rapidly disap.
| pcnring.
''Thc collections already preserved in the
| museum in the State Library in Harrisburg
| are only an indication of what awaits the
conscientious and systematic worker in this
| field
"lt is n fascinating subject" says Mr..
| Schoch. 1--WE know too little about our
| primitive races.
| ANY citizen can ask and receive full in.
| formation on the geology of our State from
| DR.. Ashley. State Gcologst. but there is no
one who can give any definite information
| soil of Pennsylvania. -