The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1858-12-23
Amusements.

Mr.. EDIroE:
In compliance with your Invitation to
the youth Of the county, to fill a column
in the Guardian, | send you short es-
say.
| am glad that you have given us the
privaege of presenting some of our
thoughts before the public, not that We
expect to advance anything new or very
interesting, but if we improve the oppor-
tunity offered, it viii stimulate to in
creased efforts in writing. and be a mu-
tual benefit to us.
AS amusements are something that
interests almost every youth, and some
thing that almost every youth will haze,
If not in one way, in another, it seems
necessary that considerable attention
should be paid to the subject In fact l
do not think that there is interest enough
taken, by those who profess so much
zeal for the moral and intellectual i'm
provement of youth, in providing for
their amusements, such as will assist
their moral and intellectual culture, rath-
er than retard it. While increased facil-
tiles are continually being made, for pro-
noting education, how is it with the
amusements of the day, or rather the
plays, to which almost every party OF
young folks have to resort in order to
pass the time pleasantly? We have ONLY
to ask our fathers and mothers what they
used to play when they were young, and
we have fair sample of what We now
have, when convened for social time.
But perhaps some sage friends or advi-
sers will say, the young people ought to
be capable of enjoying themselves, with
out resorting to children's plays. So
we think, but what will they have in the
place Of them? Some may say that So
cieties for improvement, singing schools,
and the amusement that home ought To
possess, are enough. Others, that con-
yersation, reading, singing &C., should
occupy the time of social circles. But
although these are necessary, useful, and
pleasant in their proper place, yet the
actions of youth prove, that they cannot
all enter into them with easa and pleas
urc. So that when amusements are the
object, they have to resort TOO often to
children's plays. Nor is it confined en-
tlrely to the Younger portion Of commu-
nifty. We have seen ladies and gentle
tors and fsath9qqs,a aRh aWRhedf dfebb Pcs
es for a social interview, compelled (af-
ter considerable effort was made ON the
part of some to keep up an interest by
conversation, music dc. 10 resort 10
various plays-such as Button, .Spottin9,
Marching to Que5ec, Pison, and every
other little play that they could think OF
and il was rather amusing, though so
silly, to see DR.. d. roll the Pisoa wheei,
and Miss \. jump to keep it from falling
down Miss A. rolls and gives lawyer
w. "A chance to show his dexterty and
so on from one thing TO another until the
evening is spent.
Now as youth, we think This subject
demands some attention, by those who
ard interested in the welfare and happi-
ness of youth. Some may say that we
have occasionally an eloquent address on
the subject, showing the importance aud
necessity of having suitable amusements
for the young of every grade, but whai
| does ii amount to? Ii is received with
applause-eyery one says, what good
lecture he gave us and that is about
the last of it-eyerything moves on as
before. So the want is not supplied by
the lecture. Something else is necessary
As we said before, We do not expect 10
advance anything new, but in behalf Of
the young people, we wish some one
who has time and talent, would invent
something in which they could engage
for amusement, and still be improving,
harmless, and agreeable.
Yours, respectfully,
/ T..
/ Quasqueton, Dec. 7lh, 1858.