The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-07-03
STAMPS

THE King of Hobbies" That's
the term applied to stamp collecting
because it is probably the most wide
spread of all sparetime activities.
Like music and athletics it interests
boys and girls, young and old. Col
lectors have fancy name for the
hobby of stamp collecting. 1t is
philately-with the accent on the
second syllable as in ate. 1t is
the one international hobby.
The Postoffice Department was
first established in 1894 following
the effort by Massachusetts to remove
this important activity from private
contract in 1889. Stamps were first
adopted in the United States in
1847. Postage stamps are not a
form of tax but receipt-when
cancelled-for prepaid transportation
on fast freight. In ancient times
important information was carried
by special messenger. This is true
today in diplomatic circles.
Benjamin Franklin began the
present postoffice system of about
$4,000 offices in Philadelphia in
1877. In those early days the post
master or storekeeper wrote his name
across the corner of the envelope and
the rider or stage coach driver col
lected on delivery.
We have seen the stamp grow
from the seal of signet ring carried
by personal messenger to the small
colored perforated piece of paper
stuck ON an envelope with sweet po-
tato glue carried by the pony express,
the old '97, the air mail and finally
during the last month by the rocket
plane.
The Postofice Department will
sell during 1886 approximately 49,
900, 100000 stamps in denomina-
dollars. The standard stamp size
is "a inch x Is Inch. If all the 1886
stamps were stuck together end to
end they would reach II times
around the world or make forty
eight round trips from New York to
Trinidad where the famous British
Guiana $4,000 stamp was found.
There are dozens of stamp collect
ing classifications. Some collect only
commemorative, others precancel-
led, and still others only United
States stamps. Many enthusiasts
specialize on one foreign country
and some collect all from every
where. First day covers are attract
ing considerable attention and col
lectors of cachets pronounced ca
shay are finding many new and in
teresting events to add to their col
lections. The 1884 Hobby Monu-
ment cashet issued at fredericksburg
is now worth thirty cents. A cachet
will be issued on September IL for
the Chesapeake Bay Fishing Fair.
1t is easy to start and fascinating
W COulluuS. Inc 1dCS LAAu5 1OOA 80
V possessed a marvellous collection
and our own President Roosevelt
prizes his rare collection very highly.
1t has been valued at $4,000. From
stamps we learn geography, arithme-
tic, HISTORY, art and language. The
oldest post-mistress in he United
States is Mrs. Molly Stewart who has
served Oxford, Maryland for fifty
nine years.
There are lot of peculiar post
office names on the Peninsula. Paint
er, Pungoteague Birds Nest are in
Virginia. Then up in Maryland you
might build some Goodwill by taking
a Chance for Monte near Danes
Quarters in the vicinity of Eden.
Grape is to Golden Hill what Secre-
tary is to East New Market which is
not near North East or West. There
is a Bivalve and an Eldorado; a
Fowling Creek and Love Point.
There's Hope for Melitoa by Still
Pond and up in Cecil, they say R1s-
ing Sun and Blue Ball in the same
breath. Yes, they're all names of
Peninsula postoffices.
Among the stamp collectors are
Marvin Smith, fredericksburg; Ross
Truitt, Bridgeville; Anna R. Ban
ming, Vienna; Rover Adams, Girls
field; Ralph. Jackson, Cambridge;
Eileen Hurley, Nanticoke; Ellsworth
Price, Centreville; John North, Eas-
ton. Altogether there are more than
100 known stamp collectors on the
Peninsula.
Books: Stamp Collecting-Why
and How, Thorp; Americas Story in
Postage Stamps Outline Of
Philately (Stamps)-Stiles; Stand