Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-02-19
RecreatiOIlS

The Following CUinrnun;ee.tie.4 i. t4ol.-
ton of paper read recently before the So
cial Science Association.
There is monstrouS deal Of humbug
connected with this subject OF recreations,
aud sad degree of ignorance also. The
philosophical view may be briefly stated
thus . Recreations should afford absolute
,c~t, or such change of mental and ply
seal action as will relieve fatigue and at
the same time insure mental or physical
improvement" All should be tried rigidly
by this test. Metaphysics may be recrea-
tlon to the merchant, who has delved all
day in the mathematics of business
Wood saving would no doubt recreate the
jaded intellect Of the sedentary student.
Any intelligent man well knows how to
adapt his recreations to his own particular
case But it is contended that We are un-
der obligation to furnish recreations for
the classes who lack intelligence. who, III
their ignorance, want and misery have no
resources. For this purpose we hear of
fireworks, theatrical representations, and
various other costly expenditures, about
which, for the end designed, there Is no
room for a wide difference Of opinion.
Il
money to promote recreations 50 that the
benefits will abound in more than geo.
metrical ratio. Let our common school
system be made more thorough, so that it
will reach every child and compel him to
receive the rudimentS OF an education.
This should be the law without exceptions.
Money saved, that can be judiciously used
to develop intellect and genius, Is but the
n.iserlv grudging of the >eed-corn, without
the use of which there can be no harvest
Our public library is good beginning, but
there is abundant room for more facilities
of the same kind, which might be extended
through every ward in the city, with addi-
ton OF galleries for ictures and sculpture.
Our Public Garden. with its walks. its
green gladeS. its flowers. its shades. and
even its unequivocal bridge. Is = proof. in
Il small way, Of what can be done to fur
nish unalloyed pleasure for thousands who
find too little from any other source. As
we acquire more territory let experiment
be repeated on larger scale. Now that
the linn l. of our city extend hack over the
green hills. let some method be devised by
which every Industrious man can become
the owner OF comfortable dwelling, with,
3
/ flowers, fruits and vegetables can be cuti-
waited where fowls, pigeons and bees can
| be reared; these are objects that will in
terest father, mother and children, and
/ help furnish the attractions of home, where.
/ always, the purest recreations should be
/ found
1t is true all these fine things require
somebody's money. So do courts, prisons.
poor-houses and insane a>ylums. In ex-
pending il for the prevention of poverty
and crime we may avoid paying penalty
/ for the support OF poverty and crime.
In some respects we are all Yet semi
/ barbarians We have not faith enough in
humanity We have SO long been accus-
toned TO hear the doctrine of total deprav-
ity preached, from Tertulian down to the
= Rev. j. Belamy Stoker," that, if we do
pretend to spurn the preposterous dogma,
we are left with nothing but dormant
sentiment i'll its place. Our fine ladies are
apt to give the Magdalene the widest part
OF the sidewalk, and our fine gentlemen
will talk tiippantly about the common peo-
| Pile. Here is manifest Indifference TO
the fact that we are surrounded by multi
tudes who require our assistance to aid
them in the difficulties Of life, and to save
their souls There is law of nature,
which has become an axiom in political
economy, that even in the worldly sense,
the most profitable investments we can
make are those we give TO assist all who
are in need of help. The cry Of millions
of human beings is for aid to get in accord
with natnres laws and natures God. \
little assistance judicious y bestowed upon
the wandering and the miserable, might
save them from an aimless life and render
them co-workers in all things that would
elevate humanity.
From the tenor Of these brief remarks ii
will be noted that we take the ground that
it is not time or expenditure that is most
needed with us for recreations, but fitness
preparation for them. Education-ed-
ucation of every capacity in human nature
the highest degree of culture that can
be enforced upon every one compatible
with the necessary industries of life. Give
us this, and there will be no frantic de-
mands for extraordinary recreations. Every
one will seek his rest and amusement in his
own peculiar manner-intelligently y-and
will not fail to find them.