A USE FOR FOREIGN STAMPS IN SCHOOLS
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
am asked by a friend and former pupil to write a
"covering letter " which may serve to commend the communi- cation given below. The course which he advocates has my hearty sympathy. I gladly therefore comply with his request.
"An experiment has been made during the last four years in distributing some of the commoner foreign and colonial stamps
(nearly 40,000) amongst' certain Elementary Schools. The stamps have. been utilized under the direction of the Teachers by the children, who fasten them in appropriate positions in their books of notes relating to the respective places, historical events, customs, or products, etc., as shewn in the design.
The experiment has been found helpful to Teachers and of interest as well as pleasure to the pupils. To the latter the stamps give a sense of reality, especially when good and clear postmarks are retained 'uncut.
It is suggested that the experiment be tried elsewhere,in country Schools for choice. Numbers of stamps can be obtained for the asking_ from private persons, .shops, business houses and Banks.
Many Stanip Dealers will also supply gratis slightly damaged stamps, good for this purpose though useless for -collectors. 'I hlse who
Obtain the -stamps should get into touch' with the office of the focal Education authority, who would see to distribution. In this district one or two persons collect the stamps from different sources, and then pass them On to the Education authority. • •
• Under the experiment no encouragement is given to the children to become Stamp Collectors in the usually accepted sense of the word."
(formerly Headmaster of Rossall, Cheltenham, and
Rugby, and Fellow of the Royal Philatelical .Society). - - - -
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