The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1858-11-25
Gbr 2gomc Cjrtlr.
Evening Recreations for the Old
Folks.

EOlkSu
The long evenings of winter are com
ing again, and the young people are
doubtless already planning their occupa-
tions and recreations, their studies to be
pursued by the freside, their singing
schools, their quilting, pairing or husk-
ing bees, and other social gatherings,
with the games, charades, ETC., to be
practised in preparation; and perhaps
their Lyceums, which, as combining
recreation with mental improvement, is
an especially praisewOrthy occupation.
But what plans are the farmer and
his wife making-how will the middle
aged, and those advanced in life, spend
their evenings? VIII the farmer read
and doze away all the long evenings,
while his wife rattles her knitting-nee-
dies, or works away at the basket of
mending, with silence around, and tor
por brooding over their minds2
This should not be. The farmers
and their wives need recreation as much
as the young people, and they have, or
should have, as much time. They want,
too, recreation that shall be of some
what substantial haracter-sOmething
that will arouse and stimulate the mind.
1t is a very great mistake that when we
have ceased to attend school, our edu-
cation is completes or that, because we
are married, there is no further occasion
to grow in knowledge. There should
be no such limit, but as long as there is
capacity for improvement, or opportuni-
ty by mingling with younger persons,
or those of our own age, to impart in
struction, or benefit others by our ex-
ample, so long we should lay our plans
for disciplining and storing our minds
still farther; and because early opportu.
nities'were deficient or poorly improved
is no reason for saying, 'I can get nc
good at this late hour" but should rath
er bean incentive to increased diligence
not perhaps in studying the textbooks
of our children, but by well-selecteC
reading, by social conversation upor
such reading, and in other equally val
liable ways to cultivate the soil of tn
mind.
Literary Clubs or Lyceums amonl
the married people have often beel
formed, and even among comparativel
uneducated farmers and their families
have proved not only extremely inter
esting, but profitable. There are fey
Off any neighborhoods that do no
contain some good writer's. Let all b
encouraged to try; and what with remi
niscences of olden times, the experienc
of later life, thoughts and reflection
on any and all subjects, an interestin
variety would easily be made by givin
two or three weeks notice to each pei
son appointed Let addresses bo made
too, by any who are competent, and o
any subject of interest. These, wit
debates on various subjects, and a littl
well-seleoted reading, social converse
tion, and, if desired, some simple rC
freshment, as cake or pie, fruit an
nuts to close the evening, we are SUI
will be satisfactory, and that, if such
club be formed, and the eXperimer
tried it will not willingly be given ul
We like the plan of having old an
young men and women unite in thes
Clubs or Lyoeums.
Cultivate neighborhood socialities-
feeling Of brotherly and sisterly love
all. Let visits be interchanged fir
quently during these long evenings, an
this, too, will be found profitable, l.
q little money be iudioiously spent
well-selected books aud periodicals, to
read aloud in the evenings, for Il
pleasure and instruction Of old al
young, and many other ways can be d
vised TO render the long evenings
source Of both profit and pleasure
al-[Ohio Cultivator J.o.B.