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Education
amusements, parents and teachers can do much to supply diversions
wholesome and life-giving.
In this, as in all things else that concern our well-being, Inspiration
has pointed the way. In early ages, with the people who were under
God’s direction, life was simple. They lived close to the heart of
nature. Their children shared in the labor of the parents and studied
the beauties and mysteries of nature’s treasure house. And in the quiet
of field and wood they pondered those mighty truths handed down as
a sacred trust from generation to generation. Such training produced
strong men.
In this age, life has become artificial, and men have degenerated.
While we may not return fully to the simple habits of those early
times, we may learn from them lessons that will make our seasons
of recreation what the name implies—seasons of true upbuilding for
body and mind and soul.
With the question of recreation the surroundings of the home and
the school have much to do. In the choice of a home or the location of
a school these things should be considered. Those with whom mental
and physical well-being is of greater moment than money or the claims
and customs of society, should seek for their children the benefit of
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nature’s teaching, and recreation amidst her surroundings. It would be
a great aid in educational work could every school be so situated as
to afford the pupils land for cultivation, and access to the fields and
woods.
In lines of recreation for the student the best results will be attained
through the personal co-operation of the teacher. The true teacher
can impart to his pupils few gifts so valuable as the gift of his own
companionship. It is true of men and women, and how much more of
youth and children, that only as we come in touch through sympathy
can we understand them; and we need to understand in order most
effectively to benefit. To strengthen the tie of sympathy between
teacher and student there are few means that count so much as pleasant
association together outside the schoolroom. In some schools the
teacher is always with his pupils in their hours of recreation. He unites
in their pursuits, accompanies them in their excursions, and seems to
make himself one with them. Well would it be for our schools were
this practice more generally followed. The sacrifice demanded of the
teacher would be great, but he would reap a rich reward.