The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-06-21
Map OF United States Presents
 Worlds Most Inspiring Picture

Magnificent Exhibit of
 and Genius of Man Wi
 Copyright, 1889, John BarD
 If you wre asked to name the most wonderful and inspiring picture that you have ever seen or heard of, what would be your answer?
 And if, after thinking it over, you would come to the conclusion that the present-day MAP of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA, as a typographical picture of Earths most magnificent exhibit of the grandeur and munificence of Nature, and the inspired genius and courage of Man would entitle it to the rank of the greatest and most inspiring pic ture' in the world-would such conclusion be extravagant?
 To be fully appreciated, this great masterpiece must be hand somely framed and hung in conspicuous place on the living room wall of your home, where all the family, young and old, will be seeing it morning, noon, and night.
 The size, including the frame, need not exceed 30 inches by 20. With our STAR-SPANGLED BANNER hung above it you have a beautiful and inspiring Amer ican Home decoration. One en- thusiastic friend of mine has added to the attraction of his frame by having a bronze emblem of an AMERICAN EAGLE, with spread wings, clutching two AMERICAN FLAGS-set in the middle of the top of the frame. By the way, he is newly-made citizen, and very proud of the land of his adoption, and is eager to learn and have his children learn all they can about it.
 Of course we all have maps of our country, galore. We have big, unwieldly maps on rollers, that get very dusty and soiled. We have folding pocket maps, that soon get torn. These serve their purpose, but cannot take the place of the framed, glass covered map that is an ornament to the best room in the home as well as source of infinite knowl- edge and inspiration.
 Considering it merely as a pic ture'. how big and splendid Our Country looks as shown on the map. How picturesque and fas- cinating is its contour How grandly it spans the Western Hemisphere-guarde on the East and on the West by the two mighty oceans-3,000 miles apart. And see how our two great friend- ly neighbor join us on the North and on the South! Then consider how prodigal has Nature been to America in all her richest and her loveliest and her noblest bounties! Every human need is here lavishly supplied Every proper craving of the mind and heart and soul of man-may be here attained. The very air we here breathe exalts mankind to do their best. Otherwise, the amazing development and prog ress of only a little more than a centuray and a half as now shown on the map of the United States of American-is perfectly incon- ceivable. So, who would not be proud of being a citizen of this Hand of the free and home of the brave?" Our Country-by the grace of God, and the indomitable spirit and enterprise and the heroic sacrifices of our People!
 The immensity of Our Country may be better realized when we consider that of our 48 States, Texas is big enough, alone, to hold the British Isles or any sin- gle country of Europe. and leave a wide margin. Her area being 265,986 sq. males.
 Looking at the map we can see at glance that our salt water coast lines of the Atlantic, Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico. are very great; but ask the first person you meet and see whether he can tell you HOW great within 10000 miles. The official surveys show a total coast line of approximately 10000 miles; Atlantic-i2, $50, Pacific-3.250. Gulf of Mexico 5.725.
 We've all seen this wonderful 'picture'-the map of our Country. a thousand times, and more, but if we were suddenly haled before the court and given a sheet of paper and Q pencil by the judge and ordered to draw from memo ry. first. the grand contour Of the map of our own native land; and then set in the 60 States In their proper places-on the penalty Of going to jail fl we 'ilunked'-- would writ of 'nnheaz corpus hf our ouly hope2