The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-02-23

gian. The voice of experience is all on
one side, and all against it,
Our fellow citizen, Prof. ALLEN II.
WELr, an eminent teacher of large expo
rience, and esteemed by us all as a gen.
tleman of worth and discretion, remarks,
in writing upon this subject that 1t re-
quires the wisdom Of much experience to
discriminate between those amusements
that are innocent and those that are hurt
full. 1t is often the case that those amuss-
ments which appear the most harmless,
are, in fact, from their insidious nature,
the most injurious. I believe this to be
true of dancing and card playing. 1t is
their fascinating power that makes them
dangerous. In itself, it seems small
thing to dance, and still less to play Mt
cards. 1t is not strange that acts 50 SIM
pie, should be looked upon by the mex
perienced as harmless recreations. Still
it will be admitted, even by the adyocatee
of these and kindred amusements, that it
cards, and other games of chance had new
or been played, thousands of families
would not now be safering from tho
madness of gambling; and thousands Of
gamblers, bereft of reputation and hui
mainly, and reduced to tho most despe-
rate extremitie.. would not now be throng-
ing our large cities and thoroughfares, Sc
ducers ofthe unwary, and monsters in ev-
cry species of infamous crimes.
Wherever have been. dancing is to 8
greater or less extent attended With some
forms Of dissipation. Young persons who
indulge in this amusement, oftentimes
seem to lose all stability Of character, and
live discontentedly, except under the es-
element and attractions of the ballroom.
What preparation and training iathis
for the sober duties of lifol In an expa-
rence gilmore than twenty years in teach
ing. and in my connection with moro
than thousand pupils, q considerable
part of whom were preparing for college,
I can recollect scarcely one, who was adj
dicted to card playing or fond of the
dance, that ever attained to excellence in
scholarship.
But can call to mind many OF my
own pupils, and many of my college COM
pauions, who from indulgence in these
arnusements, wasted their time, lost their
character and gradually sunk into dissi-
patton. would advise every young Ia
dy and every young gentleman, and ey-
cry student, who nould attain to excel
Ience in scholarship, and merit the esteem
of the lesrned and good, to avoid the bah
room and the card table; md choose out
of the innumerable rational sources ofen-
ioyment, those which can by no probabil-
ity, lead to dissipation and ruin"
Hon. SAMUEL B WooLwoRrH, L. L. D.
Principal of the N. Y. State Normal.
school and now Secretary Of the Re-
gents of theState University. writes us:
"The injurious influence of card-play-
ing and ball dancing to stadents i'll acad-
emies and colleges is unquestionable.-
They are absorbing amusenents, and
when INDUCED, uniformly exert most
pernicious influence on scholarship. In
my thirty years or more of teaching,
have not been obliged to meet them with
any degree of force, because the moral
tendencies Of the community, hare been
very decidedly against them. In tho
schools Of which have had charge, it has
always been understood that card play
ing, if persisted in, would result in expul-
SION"
Rev MARK HOPKINS, for thirty years
teacher, and for twenty two years Pres
ident of Williams College. riites:--
mo one can doubt its tendo, cies, fear,
playing) to gambling and dissipation. 1t
is prohibited here, and presume in all
colleges, and so is dancing. There is nm
excitement and fascination about them
incompatible with successful study, how
much more with praycrful, spiritual,
practical Christianity The President
has also been an eminent physician. He
remarks farther E"As to health, tho
laws of that are SO we'll understood nov.
that need say nothing about it. 1t
wovld however probably require some
case or cases of death to make this argu-
nent of much weight with those who
need it most" 11
I'VE make parenthosis here, for we
have unfortunately case in point. The
following letter will explain itself, but We
have no idea it will be regarded as rsle-
want, by those who are committed to the
defence of dancing and card-playing ''os
prdctssed here"
River Falls, Feb. 18th. 1889
Pnor. WILCOX:
Dear Sir;-The following incident you are
- 1;be.r. :, to rise on nv authority fyos choose.