The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-09-04
MECHANISM. NO. 10.
BY JOSIAH NOTEBOOK

Next to making surveyors instruments by
young hands would be excursions for using them.
Such excursions would combine instruction,
amusement and health-in no way united for
girls and for boys Of the most substantial benefit
no matter what their future vacations. An
acquainance with setting the compass to ascertain
the direction of fence road, stream Of water, or
other object, carrying the chain to determine the
distance or length Of a certain line keeping
feld-book and sundry other operations IN practi-
cal surveying, could be rendered familiar by
very few excursions, which would Of course be
entered into with great spirit by any company OF
boys or girls in the world.
With surveying instruments, hammers, chisels,
and bags, for examining and collecting minerals,
would come in play most OPPORTUNITY To these
might be added pencils and paper for making
| sketches in different departments OF natural
history Of natural scenery, Of buildings, public
works, or any interesting object which might come
under view An afternoons excursion for these
several objects all combined would furnish ample
profitable work for the next day indeed, TO fill
up the leisure time for a week in preparation for
another occasion Of the same character.
Among the exercises on mechanism furnished
by such operations would be penmanship, drawing,
sketching routes plans, and other designs for
business purposes, both private and public, and
almost innumerable kinds Of work directly con.
nected with farmers and mechanics, indeed every
body, whether in business or scientific pursuits,
either Of the lowest or highest OF human under.
takings The farmer, by science thus reduced 10
practice, would more skill and economy in
dividing and fencing bis field, 10 apportioning
his grounds 10 their respective uses, in planning
and constructing his buildings indeed In every
department Of his most noble occupation. Not
only farmers, but merchants, and all classes wish
ing for the erection Of buildings, could be their
own architects far more certain 10 avoid fraud,
and to be furnished with such houses as they
desired and expected, than under the system now
common in building operations.
II all the boys, and girls too, in all schools,
could be instructed, entertained and invigorated,
by excursions for geology, botany, surveying,
pencillings drawings &c, the whole race would
have sounder minds In sounder dodies, and few
from the whole would become skillful and
professional artists engineers naturaliss, and su-
steurs and patrons OF practical science thus TO be
extended without limits Grounds for complaints
now common, indeed almost universal, by parents
and other patrons Of schools, that very small re-
turns are received for the vast outlsys for them In
time tuition, books and sundry materials, would In
great measure be removed. The immense expense
incurred simply from the change Of bOoks now felt
so severely, would In great measure be avoided.
II varied, systematic, ami thorough lessons were
taken from the book Of all books-CreatioS--it
would matter but little what other books we're
used as aids
ExpERmEsTs-For several years past the
amusements Of August holydays have been greatly
enriched by "scUsrIFIc EXCURSIONS" Those
now at hand may doubtless by such occasions be
richer than any which have preceded them.
Nearly every boy snd girl In Washington, New
York, and many other places, 10 90 familiar with
the minerals composing the elements Of mountains,
rocks, and hollis, with many admired for their
beauty, as readily 20 form collections TO take or
sand 70 thsir friends less scqusinted with these