Facts in Jingles

by Winifred Sackville Stoner

THE WONDERLAND OF MATEMATIKO

[Written for my teacher, Professor A. R. Hornbrook, of the San Jose Normal School.]

In MATEMATIKO, the wonderful land,

Ruled over by Giants, a most worthy band;

Where all live together in kindness and peace

While helping Earth's mortals whose works never cease.

And also I think that a strong helping hand

Is tendered Mars' children by this goodly band.

But if from these GIANTS their help we would seek

We should be very patient and humble and meek,

And go to their lands over roads smoothed in part

By labors of numerous foregoers' art.

Then back to the Daily-Life-Store-House to stay,

Bring all goodly treasures we found on our way.

The first province reached when we go to this land

Is ruled by ARITHMOS with firm kindly hand.

His regions are traveled by all little ones

When counting their candies or apples or buns;

Or when Baby's mother cuts apples in two

And gives him "one-half" and one-half to Sue,

His sister, who travels each day in the week

In realms of ARITHMOS for knowledge to seek.

The lands of ARITHMOS then being explored

And the wealth thereby gained being carefully stored,

Wise travelers go on following many a band

Of Pilgrims for Knowledge now seeking the land

Where if they search earnestly surely they'll find

TRUTHS known by QUEEN ALGEBRA, gracious and kind,

Whose roads are far shorter than Arithmos King owns

And freer from troublesome MAD-HASTY-STONES

That fall from MT. ERROR right down on our path

And so often cause us to court DEMON WRATH.

When first viewing GUIDE-BOOKS of ALGEBRA-LAND,

New travelers fear that they can't understand

The queer little figures and x, y's and z's

Mixed up with the numbers and a, b, c, d's.

But after becoming acquainted with these

Good Algebra-Helpers who help and who please,

All seekers for knowledge most gladly resolve

To use these assistants their problems to solve.

Not far from Queen Algebra's realms may be found

King GEOMETRÍO'S rich lands, which abound

With REASON'S clear rivers that flow everywhere,

While watering the EARTH and while cooling the air.

There are many high mountains where travelers will fall

Who heed not the warning that's given to all

By GEOMETRÍO, the giant benign,

Who near to the rugged cliffs puts up this sign—

"To all who are traveling—BEHOLD! now, TAKE HEED!

If walking, go slowly, be fearful of speed.

Be sure to inquire at my palace door

For smooth winding pathways trod often before;

But if you would ride in haste to the top

Then take my good auto which never will stop.

There's none like INTENSE CONCENTRATION, my car

Which carries you safely sans skidding or jar."

To travelers obeying this Giant's advice,

No "Haste-Wasting-Goblins" will ever entice

To climb ERROR'S MOUNTAIN from which they may fall

To SLOUGH of DESPOND that is dreaded by all;

Or maybe be led by VAIN CONFIDENCE ELVES

Through seeming short byways and flowery delves

To dread DOUBTING CASTLE where cruellest of fates

Through GIANT DESPAIR the traveler awaits.

In GEOMETRÍO'S most wondrous GUIDE-BOOKS

At first one is puzzled if he only looks

At Guides of this Giant who many forms wear,

Some angular figures and others quite square;

Some round like a bullet or like cubes or cones,

But each of these figures some great power owns.

And Geometrío will tell all who ask

How each may be used for a wonderful task—

As making dress patterns for ladies so fair;

Or likewise for ribbons to bind up their hair;

We meet them each day in the rugs at our feet,

And on the stone carvings we see in the street,

Are subjects of GEOMETRÍO'S wise land,

For their useful service we mortals demand.

Near Geometrío's broad regions there lies

The spacious rich country of GOOD GIANT WISE,

Broad-minded, and powerful builder and king,

TRIGONOMETRIO'S loud praises we sing.

From his brother "GEO" materials he takes

From which with his help frail mortal man makes

Tall wonderful buildings which, reaching so high,

We call them "sky-scrapers" as touching the sky.

He also builds churches, cathedrals and schools,

And beautiful mansions are formed by his rules,

Through knowledge man found in this great Giant's home

He has built wondrous spires and many a dome,

And bridges o'er rivers, and tunnels through rocks,

And e'en chained the waters with wonderful locks.

And now with his help a marvelous feat

Of great engineering will soon be complete

In building at Panama as you all know,

A wondrous canal by which we may go

From Father Atlantic to Pacific's sands

Without traveling over Mother Earth's lands.

Near ALGEBRA-LAND a great GIANT lives

And to earnest students much knowledge he gives,

'Tis good KALKULUSO, abstruse thinking King,

To him all astronomers loud praises sing,

For only through his aid they go to the fount

Of cause and effect that will teach them to count

The days that will pass before all men may see

A coming eclipse on the great STELLAR SEA,

Or comets, or new stars, or maybe new worlds,

To true knowledge seekers this Giant unfurls

Wide forecasting standards as things are to be

In days yet to come upon both land and sea,

And ever this Giant-Wise carries in hand

The banner of TRUTH which he floats o'er his land.

Now, some people say that the great GIANTS' lands

In MATEMATIKO are mere barren sands

Where all travelers find it so hard to advance,

But we who have had even this little glance

At these wondrous regions described by the pen

Of "INSTRUISTINO"[A] will go there again.

She gives us to guide us a good fairy's wand

Through MATEMATIKO to bright realms beyond.

This wand helps us journey so that we may see

Each road and each crossing and always may be

On straightest of pathways, the PERFECT TRUTH'S WAY,

From which glorious highway we never must stray,

For TRUTH leads to GOD in His bright realms above,

Surrounded by light of the INFINITE LOVE.

[A] My teacher in mathematics, Mrs. A. R. Hornbrook.

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